tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post3243017900707414860..comments2024-03-28T13:34:02.271-04:00Comments on Fayfare's Opry Blog: Blake Shelton--New Opry Member Induction This Saturday/ Potential New Members?fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-48370849512444846212010-10-22T09:15:41.956-04:002010-10-22T09:15:41.956-04:00I have been to Smucker's headquarters and gift...I have been to Smucker's headquarters and gift shop in Orrville, Ohio, and in the shop, there is a big Martha White exhibit that highlights their history with bluegrass and with Rhonda Vincent. Very nicely done. <br /><br />I know when I talked to Smucker's back when this whole flap took place, they were sticking to the corporate line that this was just a business decision.Byronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610237116677181633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-47512604169802017222010-10-21T20:20:48.281-04:002010-10-21T20:20:48.281-04:00Thanks for the explanation about Martha White. I ...Thanks for the explanation about Martha White. I was quite upset when they disappeared from the Opry and wrote letters to both the Opry management and J.M. Smucker that owns the Martha White brand but go no reply from either. The loss of Martha White ended what most likely was the longest such sponsorship in broadcast history and Saturday nights just aren't the same anymore without that famous jingle coming out of my radio. I guess change is inevitable but this was indeed a heartbreaker for me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-61123415265273464722010-10-21T14:35:49.615-04:002010-10-21T14:35:49.615-04:00And, of course, that goes back to the days when va...And, of course, that goes back to the days when various Opry acts were associated with their sponsors and the performers could do the commercials live on the Opry stage.Byronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610237116677181633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-28981126642122091382010-10-19T23:30:00.228-04:002010-10-19T23:30:00.228-04:00Thanks for the discussion of Martha White and the ...Thanks for the discussion of Martha White and the Opry. It also may be worth remembering that Cohen Williams told Opry management (it would have been Jim Denny at that time) that he would pull his sponsorship unless Flatt and Scruggs became members, and that the real problem had been not so much the Opry as Bill Monroe, who was not then speaking to his two old sidemen--and he continued not speaking to Lester Flatt until the early 1970s.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-80232197737393440862010-10-19T19:21:27.765-04:002010-10-19T19:21:27.765-04:00I am more than happy to answer the Martha White qu...I am more than happy to answer the Martha White question the best that I can. As most Opry fans know, for years and years, Martha White was a sponsor at the Opry. In fact, until their association ended, they were the longest running sponsor. <br /><br />Several years ago, a decision was made by management to go with "presenting sponsors", and "proud sponsors". Cracker Barrel was the first "presenting sponsor", and has since been replaced by Humana. Currently the "proud sponsors" are Cracker Barrel, US Bank, Bass Pro Shops and Dollar General. Martha White was one of the original "proud sponsors", but in late 2007 or early 2008, they made the decision to no longer be a "proud sponsor". Other "proud sponsors" have included Johnson Controls, who was replaced by Dollar General. <br /><br />All of this sponsorship business involved not only sponsoring half hour spots on the Opry, but also included various marketing and promotional tie-ins, that involved more money than just a simple commercial spot. That is also why you saw such longtime Opry sponsors as Coke, Standard Candy and Shoney's (among others), elect to leave as Opry sponsors. <br /><br />Martha White has occasionally over the past several years, still sponsored spots on the Opry, usually when the Opry went to a 2nd Saturday night show and needed an additional sponsor. As of late, they have been sponsoring the 15 minute show on WSM during the intermission at the Opry. <br /><br />As far as Rhonda Vincent, Martha White has for a number of years sponsored her concert tours and she has been a very active spokesperson for Martha White.(which is not a bad thing for Rhonda, as concert and tour sponsorship is hard to come by these days). As Martha White has separated itself more from the Opry, there is a general feeling that Rhonda's association with Martha White has actually hurt her chances on being an Opry member. (can we say backroom politics). I dont' want to say that she is a pawn in this, but I could almost guarantee that if Martha White signed up as a "proud sponsor" of the Opry, Rhonda would shortly after that be an Opry member, and be promoting Martha White during her Opry performances. (I still remember the Opry show when Rhonda came out to do her spot with a Martha White apron on).<br /><br />Martha White left the Opry because they could not agree on a price with Opry management for their sponsorship. They made a business decision to take their advertising dollars elsewhere. It is too bad, because to a lot of folks, Martha White will always be associated with the Opry.Byronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610237116677181633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-72325834354965079562010-10-19T19:05:28.006-04:002010-10-19T19:05:28.006-04:00You bring up an interesting point about the curren...You bring up an interesting point about the current age of Opry members. I did some checking and 19 Opry members are over age of 75, with a couple more joining that group next year.<br /><br />Those 19 are Jim Ed Brown, Roy Clark, Wilma Lee Cooper, Jimmy Dickens, Billy Grammer, Jack Greene, Jan Howard, Stonewall Jackson, George Jones, Charlie Louvin, Loretta Lynn, Jesse McReynolds, Jimmy C. Newman, Bobby Osborne, Stu Phillips, Jean Shepard, Ralph Stanley, Mel Tillis and Buck White. There is another large group of Opry members that are over the age of 70.<br /><br />The Opry does need to get younger but they have to be careful on who is invited to join and make sure that those who do join are going to be active members. Pete Fisher does have a pretty good track record as far as those he has invited to join actually doing the show. <br /><br />Finally Michael, you are so right about Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne. If you look at the schedules for the past several years, rarely do they play the same night. One will usually be on the Friday Night Opry and the other will be on Saturday night. Then the next weekend, it will reverse. And, you are also right, that is not their choice. Sadly, like a number of Opry legends, their performances have been reduced.Byronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610237116677181633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-4583131749598938802010-10-19T18:49:21.151-04:002010-10-19T18:49:21.151-04:00Could you help me to understand why Rhonda's a...Could you help me to understand why Rhonda's association with Martha White is a bad thing? I could never understand why Martha White is no longer a sponsor on the Opry. To me, the loss of Martha White was like the loss of a Opry legend. I still don't know the story behind this unfortunate change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-6130830082686514272010-10-19T13:32:52.818-04:002010-10-19T13:32:52.818-04:00Interesting stuff! I would add another concern: ...Interesting stuff! I would add another concern: about 15 of the current members are at least 75. Sadly, there figures to be a lot of turnover in the next few years.<br /><br />I agree that Dailey & Vincent are likely to come aboard, and I hope Rhonda Vincent does, too. As it is, though, note that Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne don't play the Opry as much as they used to (not by choice, I am sure) and, on the rare occasions when there are two shows, tend to do only one. I have wondered if Bud Wendell's love of bluegrass helped years ago, but with his retirement, interest in it declined among the Opry management.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.com