tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post6349208466112622032..comments2024-03-26T23:59:24.053-04:00Comments on Fayfare's Opry Blog: Remembering Roy Acufffayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-78178169325077694482011-12-21T01:18:21.589-05:002011-12-21T01:18:21.589-05:00There will never be another like Roy Acuff. Here i...There will never be another like Roy Acuff. Here is true country music.Thew best band he had was in 1941 with Roy on fiddle, Oswald Kirby on Dobro, Lonnie Wilson on Martin guitar,Jesse Easterday on Mandolin, and Velma Williams on base. Five expert musicians was all he needed and it didn't take a large bus to get around in. I don't care what the so called experts say about Bill Monroe, Jesse Easterday could do a better job playing the Mandolin than Bill Monroe any day.<br />alh Victoria, TX 77904Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-20874295234342278102011-11-24T20:38:06.337-05:002011-11-24T20:38:06.337-05:00Great comments by everyone. Nat, you are right tha...Great comments by everyone. Nat, you are right that Jimmy Dickens is about the only Opry member who appears each week, but as Mike pointed out, Roy really had a lot of influence behind the scenes. Not to take anything at all away from Jimmy, as he should be congratulated for still performing at his age and appearing every week, but I wonder how many of the Opry's other senior members would appear every week if allowed to by current membership. <br /><br />I remember reading in one of the Opry's books that I have that in the "old" days, Roy Acuff was basically in charge of all the male members, and it was up to him to "keep them in line" and settle any issues, and Minnie Pearl was basically expected to do the same with the female members. No performer has that kind of influence today. <br /><br />With the current state of Opry management, I think almost every member is afraid to go and say anything negative about the show for fear of losing what ever spots they have. I think Jim Ed Brown was one of the last to go to management about being allowed to have his band perform with him and he came out of it ok. If you notice, his band is still with him on the Opry. <br /><br />Getting back to Roy, there will never be anyone like him on the Opry again. He came along at the right time and in the right circumstances. If you ever question what kind of influence he had behind the scenes, just look at where the Opry has gone since he passed away.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-37583967575085085932011-11-24T11:22:24.245-05:002011-11-24T11:22:24.245-05:00David, you said it better than I could ever dream ...David, you said it better than I could ever dream of saying it. We can't reasonably expect another Roy Acuff. But we can expect those who followed to show proper respect for him and the Opry. Some do, but too few.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-4897209919717349172011-11-24T01:02:51.106-05:002011-11-24T01:02:51.106-05:00There will never be another Roy Acuff ... period.....There will never be another Roy Acuff ... period.... I love Little Jim and Vince...and Porter did a good job too, but there will never be another Roy Acuff in Country Music. He was the tallest Oak in the forest. In 1992 that 89 year old Oak fell and there will never be another to climb to his heights. <br /><br />In the late 1990's, just a few years after his passing, you can see the turn in Country Music which has led to what we have today. A group of singers who are using the Country Music name, but wouldn't know the words to "The Precious Jewel" to save their souls. <br /><br />I don't listen to Modern Country radio, I don't watch the CMA's or the ACM's. I never have on CMT anymore either.<br /><br />I do however pull up "YOU TUBE" and watch Minnie, Grandpa, Hank Snow, ET, etc....and of course, "The King", Roy Acuff. I was pleased the other night to find his version of "That's The Man I'm Looking For" on you tube. <br /><br />There will never be another Roy Acuff. Great article.David Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12236512891823165117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-68784443024972036802011-11-23T22:03:34.860-05:002011-11-23T22:03:34.860-05:00I didn't know Roy had that much influence in d...I didn't know Roy had that much influence in day to day decisions regarding the 'Opry.<br />Shouldn't have surprised me, because when a guy gets to live at 'Opryland it's a pretty good clue!Nat Hill IVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-20831050271387676622011-11-23T18:36:33.539-05:002011-11-23T18:36:33.539-05:00Nat, I agree that The Potato is the current face o...Nat, I agree that The Potato is the current face of the Opry. The issue here in a lot of ways is history. Mr. Acuff was a dominant cast member, by which I mean, he influenced who was hired and fired. It would be nice if Little Jimmy Dickens had that kind of importance and power and maybe someday someone like Vince Gill will have it. I don't know.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-86805960655060434142011-11-23T18:13:53.842-05:002011-11-23T18:13:53.842-05:00Here's why I think Jimmie Dickens is the curre...Here's why I think Jimmie Dickens is the current face of the 'Opry.<br />He is the only guy who appears on the live show week in and week out.Nat Hill IVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-11764773042151432912011-11-23T17:14:01.992-05:002011-11-23T17:14:01.992-05:00I enjoyed the bio, Byron -- thanks for posting.I enjoyed the bio, Byron -- thanks for posting.Ken Ward (ken@wevl.org)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11331799637708873663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-52914633932443936172011-11-23T15:21:40.930-05:002011-11-23T15:21:40.930-05:00I think after Roy died that Porter Wagoner did a g...I think after Roy died that Porter Wagoner did a great job of being the face of the Opry and giving the show the support it needed. He was also a leader behind the scenes. <br /><br />Not so sure if anyone fills that role today. I know Vince Gill supports the Opry and promotes it every chance he gets, but at the same time he is not there every week. <br /><br />After the flood Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley both stepped up and tried to put themselves into the position of being the Opry's face, but in the case of Brad, despite his proclaimed love of the Opry, he is back down to just a handful of appearances each year and as much as I like Marty, he has even backed off on his Opry appearances in 2011.<br /><br />When I was writing the little bio on Roy Acuff, I could have written for hours as he accomplished so much in his career. And there are Roy Acuff stories everywhere. It was hard to keep it short and simple.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-7522107635432054092011-11-22T22:03:25.275-05:002011-11-22T22:03:25.275-05:00I think Tater has pretty well taken Roy's plac...I think Tater has pretty well taken Roy's place, but Roy was amazing.<br />The weekend there were riots in Nashville following Martin Luther King's assassination, the Saturday Night 'Opry's live performance was cancelled. A tape from the week before was broadcast. Roy let everybody know that there would be a concert the next day at a local Nashville bar for those of us who had tickets. Of course, Roy was the headliner.<br />Class act!Nat Hill IVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-45554841546616715692011-11-22T21:53:07.030-05:002011-11-22T21:53:07.030-05:00Amen. I remember the first time I was ever able t...Amen. I remember the first time I was ever able to pick up the Opry. I was visiting Indiana in 1992 and had a transistor radio, and got it. I'd seen it on PBS and TNN, but it was so thrilling to hear it and to hear Kyle Cantrell introduce him. In so many ways, he WAS the Grand Ole Opry, and we do need someone like him: a leader who is there every week and is at the center of everything. The Potato, whom Mr. Acuff brought to the Opry, is close, but not quite.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.com