tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post8412367412803652319..comments2024-03-28T21:22:49.157-04:00Comments on Fayfare's Opry Blog: September Opry Highlightsfayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-88338215053598192032013-09-08T23:58:38.273-04:002013-09-08T23:58:38.273-04:00I have been mulling one that Byron didn't incl...I have been mulling one that Byron didn't include. Hank Williams was born on September 17, 1923. Do you all realize that within a week, who celebrated birthdays? George Jones, Bill Monroe, Roy Acuff, and Hank Williams. One could argue that these were the four most important performers in the history of country music, and all born in the same week, albeit years apart.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-751349892965660172013-09-03T08:33:56.487-04:002013-09-03T08:33:56.487-04:00Fred, Bismarck:
On the Opry's 1950s problem a...Fred, Bismarck:<br /><br />On the Opry's 1950s problem again:<br /><br />Ironic that this period is now remembered, for its star power and the quality of the music, as the Golden Age of Country Music. Recent additions to the Opry cast -- before we even get to new faces by Kilpatrick and Devine -- included Webb Pierce, Carl Smith, Faron Young, Kitty Wells, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins and others. Not exactly chopped liver.<br /><br />Yet, the financial floor did drop out from under it all for a while, as described by Byron. I was the beneficiary of many of those package shows by which future Hall of Famers tried to keep the wolf from the door.<br /><br />It turned out to be just one of those musical spasms from which country emerged quite healthy, thank you ... and no thanks to flashes in the pan (and short-lived Opry members) such as the Everly Brothers. By 1958-59, gut-bucket country was back on the charts big-time; and by the time I finally made the Opry in 1969, it was line-up-around-the-block time again. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-79282534994833241392013-09-02T21:23:23.662-04:002013-09-02T21:23:23.662-04:00Fred, you bring up the rock and roll influence at ...Fred, you bring up the rock and roll influence at the Opry in the 1960's, but I bet a lot of the younger Opry fans don't know or forget that the Opry almost went out of business in the 1950's and early 1960's because of rock and roll music. People were turning away from country and anything associated with it. Bill Monroe went through a period of time where he let go all of his bluegrass boys and was playing with local musicians at shows. The thing that saved others out on the road were the package shows that developed, allowing the fans to see 4 or more acts at a single show. <br /><br />At the Opry, in addition to the Everly Brothers and Porter, Kilpatrick added Ferlin Husky, the Kershaws, Stonewall Jackson, among others, and in one of his more controversial moves, he consolidated the string bands, taking the Opry further away from the rural roots that the show was built upon. <br /><br />Why did he do this? There are several articles that state that Opry attendance was falling like a rock. One report had Opry attendance in 1957 at under 200,000 for the year. Many of Kilpatrick's new acts did not stay at the Opry for long and neither did he, as Ott Devine came aboard and he continued the trend toward the Nashville sound by adding Patsy Cline, George Hamilton IV, Bill Anderson, Loretta Lynn and others. <br /><br />It's hard to believe that the Opry was performing before crowds that filled half of the Ryman on many nights, especially when you keep seeing the pictures of all the fans lined up the block waiting to get in as others left the show. <br /><br />As far as the Grand Ole Opry birthday weekend and the ticket prices, I am not sure when the Opry actually dropped the "gold circle" designation on the seats, changing some of the wording to Price Tier 1 and 2. And yes, they have expanded the high price ticket area. And it is that way each show. As I have mentioned before, some shows are just not worth the $59 you are paying for the ticket, plus the service charges. I know there are others, including me, who each year say after the birthday bash that we won't be back the next year, yet keep going. I guess it is the hope that there will be a good birthday weekend. But we are now just a month away and outside of Steve Wariner and Kathy Mattea, nothing has been announced. It either means that there is really nothing to announce or the Opry has actually booked a couple of big names and will make a grand announcement. <br /><br />Byronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610237116677181633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-84907182177195484032013-09-02T14:26:52.674-04:002013-09-02T14:26:52.674-04:00Wow, I was just looking at the ticket availability...Wow, I was just looking at the ticket availability for the GOO Anniversary weekend; we always buy ours a year in advance. They have really expanded the "gold circle" area - you know what that means, MORE $$$$$$; advantage of paying a little more gave you an opportunity to be closer - now the whole Section 4, most of Sections 3 and 5 are<br />also "gold" seats; plus part of the balcony. Checked the Ryman for the Classic Ctry show that week and same thing; the "gold" seats have been greatly expanded. The irony of all that is you have NO IDEA who will be performing. Depending on how this year goes, will decide if we ever go back.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-75186816086981519172013-09-02T13:12:20.594-04:002013-09-02T13:12:20.594-04:00We just went to a fair that had Oak Ridge Boys (at...We just went to a fair that had Oak Ridge Boys (attendance 3000); Little Big Town (6000) and Lynerd Skynerd (SOLD OUT);<br />LS spanned all ages. We saw the Oaks and they were great, as always :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-19240678861757749722013-09-02T11:12:23.702-04:002013-09-02T11:12:23.702-04:00"Maybe you've got to reach a certain age ..."Maybe you've got to reach a certain age before you put away childish things and develop an appetite for good ol' country music?"<br /><br />I agree with that statement. I'm 25. Kid me loved Shania, Tim, Faith, Kenny, etc. 25 year old me loves Connie Smith, Buck Owens & The Buckaroos, Lorrie Morgan, Marty Stuart, George Jones and the list goes on. My parents took me to Opryland in 96 or 97 and I wasn't impressed with meeting Tater, Porter, & Johnny Russell. I was bored and just wanted to go on the rides. I'd love to slap some sense into kid me.<br /><br />It takes time.<br /><br />A.B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-91306388595206813992013-09-02T09:04:54.681-04:002013-09-02T09:04:54.681-04:00Fred, Bismarck:
Re. Dee Kilpatrick and problems a...Fred, Bismarck:<br /><br />Re. Dee Kilpatrick and problems at the Opry in 1956:<br /><br />Yes, it was an anxious time for country music, but the overreaction by the industry looks more and more odd as one thinks about it.<br /><br />Yes, the kids -- former fans included -- went hoorahing after rock and roll -- some forever, some only for a while, as it turned out.<br /><br />But the Nashville Sound as a response to the likes of Elvis and Little Richard? A musical non sequitur, surely ... but it somehow worked.<br />I never missed an Opry Saturday night in those days, and the same crowds -- including, presumably, a lot of grayheads -- that sat on their hands for Bill Monroe and Roy Acuff cheered wildly for the latest pop (not rock) styling by Jim Reeves and others.<br /><br />Go figure.<br /><br />The low point was the spring and summer of 1957, when everybody -- Faron Young, Carl Smith, Webb Pierce, Ray Price and about everybody else -- tried on their pop wings.<br /><br />Most of those wings fell off, however, and it didn't take most of them long to scurry back into the fold. Ray Price followed his one pop, the second "I'll Be There," with one of the landmark anthems of the country comeback, "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You."<br /><br />Bobby Helms' producer fearlessly led off "Fraulein" with that memorable fiddle; George Jones got tuned up; Ernest Tubb hired Buddy Emmons as his first pedal steel man; and the counter revolution was underway.<br /><br />Of course, the Nashville Sound stuff never went away; nor did it need to. Country had always been a big tent. (Listen to some of the wonderful pop-ish stuff from the 1940s.)<br /><br />Logic tells you that a lot of those kids Kilpatrick missed back in the '50s are among the faithful who troop to the Opry House today. Maybe you've got to reach a certain age before you put away childish things and develop an appetite for good ol' country music? I dunno.<br /><br />I do think the old art form is an endangered species today, at least on the radio, the major record labels and, yes, on the Opry. Elsewhere ... it simply thrives. As with other treasure, you simply have to look in the right places. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com