tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63449935901391593522024-03-18T21:29:20.489-04:00Fayfare's Opry BlogNationally recognized independent Grand Ole Opry historian Byron Fay offers news and comments regarding country music's premier show.fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger1843125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-51084552690519641752024-03-18T14:14:00.006-04:002024-03-18T19:33:41.515-04:00Tuesday Night Opry 3/19 & Wednesday Night Opry 3/20<p>The mid-week schedule seems to change weekly. This week, there will be a Tuesday and Wednesday Night Opry, but on Opry Country Classics on Thursday night. </p><p>The Tuesday Night Opry will feature Opry members Riders In The Sky, Bill Anderson, Henry Cho, Chris Janson, and the Opry's (still) newest member, Jon Pardi. For Chris and Jon, both will be making their first Opry appearances of 2024. </p><p>Also on the schedule is Opry NextStage artist Ella Langley, and very frequent Opry guest Maggie Rose. </p><p>Tuesday March 19<br />7:00: <b>Riders In The Sky,</b> Ella Langley, Maggie Rose,<b> Chris Janson</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson, Henry Cho, Jon Pardi</b></p><p><br />I really hate to say this, but the Wednesday Night Opry has just one Opry member on the schedule. Very disappointed to see. </p><p>Those who will be appearing are Wade Hayes, Home Free, Jenna Paulette, The War and Treaty, comedian Chonda Pierce, American Idol contestant Emmy Russell and Gavin Adcock. </p><p>Wednesday March 20 <br />7:00: <b>Jeannie Seely,</b> Wade Hayes, Jenna Paulette, Home Free<br />Intermission<br />8:15: Emmy Russell, Chonda Pierce, Gavin Adcock, Shenandoah, The War and Treaty</p><p><br /></p><p>As a side note, when I post the schedule for next weekend, I will add my thoughts on the Opry's 50th anniversary show at the Grand Ole Opry House. </p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-59737084497069760372024-03-13T21:22:00.001-04:002024-03-15T16:31:42.612-04:00Grand Ole Opry 3/15 & 3/16: 50th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry House-Updated <p>Well, we have made it. Saturday night the Grand Ole Opry will be celebrating its 50 anniversaries at the Grand Ole Opry House with a show that will feature only members of the Opry, along with some surprises and a look back at some special memories. </p><p>The posted schedule includes only members of the Grand Ole Opry. In alphabetical order the list includes Bill Anderson, Mandy Barnett, Clint Black, Crystal Gayle, Gary Mule Deer, Del McCoury Band, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Don Schlitz, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith, The Whites, and Mark Wills. Quite a list. 13 members in all and I would not be surprised if there are some special appearances and features along the way. (and for those wondering, yes, Casey and I will be at the Opry this weekend). </p><p>As part of the show on Saturday night, Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith, will be recognized as the current Opry members who appeared on the opening show 50 years ago. The other Opry members who appeared that night were Stu Phillips and Jeanne Pruett, both of whom are retired, Sam Wellington of The Four Guys, who is no longer an Opry member, and Dolly Parton. Barbara Mandrell was also an Opry member 50 years ago, but she did not appear that night, nor did current member Bobby Bare, who gave up his membership prior to that night. While not Opry members, Diane McCall appeared with Charlie Louvin, and Ronnie Robbins was on the schedule. And of course, Carol Lee Cooper is still alive. </p><p>Saturday March 16<br />7:00: Mark Wills, Connie Smith, Gatlin Brothers, Jeannie Seely, Del McCoury Band, Crystal Gayle<br />Intermission<br />8:15: Riders In The Sky, Bill Anderson, Mandy Barnett, Opry Square Dancers, Don Schlitz, Gary Mule Deer, Clint Black</p><p>The Whites were on the original schedule but cancelled. </p><p><br />With all of the attention will focus on Saturday night, there is also a Friday Night Opry on the calendar. That show will feature Opry members Mark Wills and Gary Mule Deer. Also on the schedule is Exile, Kathy Mattea, Charles Esten, bluegrass group The Grascals, Chapel Hart and Catie Offerman. As has become custom around St. Patrick's Day, the Nashville Irish Step Dancers will also be performing. </p><p>7:00: Nashville Irish Step Dancers, Mark Wills, The Grascals, Catie Offerman, Charles Esten<br />Intermission<br />8:15: Kathy Mattea, Gary Mule Deer, Chapel Hart, Exile</p><p>Jenny Lewis was on the original schedule but cancelled and has been replaced by Catie Offerman. </p><p><br /></p><p>While there will be no special recognition, 50 years ago was the final Friday Night Opry at the Ryman Auditorium, Surprisingly, it was a pretty typical Opry show with a nice group of Opry members, yet some of the bigger names out on the road. It would seem that in the end, most were happy to move on and not get lost in the memories of the Ryman. The night did end with Grand Ole Gospel that featured Hank Snow and Johnny Cash, neither of whom appeared on the Friday Night Opry. </p><p>Here is the lineup listed in the program for the final Friday Night Opry, March 15, 1974: </p><p>7:00: Roy Drusky (host): Del Reeves, Charlie Walker, Jan Howard<br />7:30: Bill Anderson (host): Bob Luman, Jim and Jesse<br />8:00: Archie Campbell (host): Bobby Bare, Dottie West, Justin Tubb<br />8:30: Roy Acuff (host): Jean Shepard, Stonewall Jackson, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper<br />9:00: Wilburn Brothers (host): Osborne Brothers, Jeanne Pruett, Del Wood<br />9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host): Hank Locklin, Grandpa Jones, The Carlisles<br />10:00: Billy Walker (host): Charlie Louvin, Stu Phillis, The Willis Brothers<br />10:30: George Morgan (host): The Four Guys, Ray Pillow, Lonzo and Oscar, Ernie Ashworth</p><p>Now, here is the actual running order of that show: </p><p>7:30: Cracker Barrel<br />Roy Drusky (host): Alone with You<br />Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' On Me<br />Jan Howard: The One You Slip Around With<br />Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down<br />Roy Drusky: Satisfied Mind<br />Del Reeves: Girl On The Billboard<br />Jan Howard: Rock Me Back To Little Rock<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose</p><p>8:00: Varallo<br />Bill Anderson (host): If You Can Live with It<br />Bob Luman: Lonely Women Make Good Lovers<br />Jim And Jesse: Diesel On My Tail<br />Mary Lou Turner: Poor Sweet Baby<br />Bill Anderson: A World of Make Believe<br />Bob Luman: When You Say Love<br />Jim & Jesse: Paradise<br />Bill Anderson: Po' Folks</p><p>8:30: Odon Sausage/U. S. Borax<br />Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends<br />Bobby Bare: Ride Me Down Easy<br />Dottie West: Country Sunshine<br />Justin Tubb: Rambling Man<br />Phil Campbell: Valley of The Never Do No Good<br />Bobby Bare & Bobby Bare Jr.: Daddy, What If<br />Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby<br />Justin Tubb: Traveling Singing Man<br /><br />8:30: Kroger<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle<br />Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo<br />Minnie Pearl: Careless Love<br />Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: There's A Big Wheel<br />Roy Acuff: Back In The Country<br />Jean Shepard: At The Time<br />Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry<br />Roy Acuff: Cabin In Gloryland</p><p>9:00: Baltz Bros/Schlitz<br />Wilburn Brothers (host): It's Another World<br />Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top<br />Jeanne Pruett: You Don't Need To Move A Mountain<br />Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel<br />Wilburn Brothers: I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight<br />Osborne Brothers: Ruby<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Del Wood: Down Yonder</p><p>9:30: Acme Boot/Beechnut Chewing Tobacco<br />Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top<br />Hank Locklin: Goodbye, Dear Old Ryman<br />Grandpa Jones: Dooley<br />Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted<br />Cates Sisters: Devil's Dream<br />Hank Locklin: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On<br />Grandpa Jones: Heading South with Nashville On My Mind<br />Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard<br />Jim Ed Brown: Sometimes Sunshine</p><p>10:00: Cee Bee Food Stores/Schlitz<br />Billy Walker (host): Sing Me A Love Song To Baby<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain<br />Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons/Will You Visit Me On Sundays/What Are Those Things<br />Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres<br />Billy Walker: Charlie's Shoes</p><p>10:30: Shoney's<br />George Morgan (host): Red Rose From The Blue Side of Town<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There<br />Ray Pillow: Excuse Me<br />Lonzo & Oscar: A King Size Cola & A Moon Pie<br />Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips<br />The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of A Dove<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honk Tonk Hardwood Floor<br />George Morgan: Candy Kisses</p><p>(That final Friday Night Opry ended at 11:30, after which Grand Ole Gospel took place. That show, hosted by Rev. Jimmy Snow featured Hank Snow, Johnny and June Carter Cash, along with the Carter Family. Minnie Pearl was a surprise addition to the show that night, and as I noted last week, this was Bobby Bare's final Opry show)<br /><br /></p><p>Now to opening night at the new Grand Ole Opry House, Saturday March 16, 1974: While there were commercials, basically all of the members who were there that night performed on the first show in alphabetical order, with that first show not ending until 10:15. </p><p>Roy Acuff: You Are My Sunshine<br />Howdy Forrester: Tennessee Wagoner (?)<br />Bill Anderson: Po' Folks<br />Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips<br />Jim Ed Brown: Morning<br />Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Big Midnight Special<br />Roy Drusky: Satisfied Mind<br />Jerry Clower: Marcelle's Talking Chain Saw<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag<br />Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On<br />Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything<br />Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me<br />Jack Greene & Jeannie Seely: Wish I Didn't Have To Miss You<br />Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry<br />Grand Ole Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Mrs. Nixon<br />President Richard Nixon: My Wild Irish Rose<br />Roy Acuff & Grand Ole Opry Cast: Stay A Little Longer<br />President Richard Nixon and Grand Ole Opry Cast: God Bless America<br />Jan Howard: My Kind of People<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers and The Tennessee Travelers: Sally Goodin<br />Jim & Jesse: Freight Train<br />Grandpa Jones: Are You From Dixie<br />Hank Locklin: Danny Boy<br />Lonzo & Oscar: Traces of Life<br />Bobby Lord: Live Your Life Out Loud<br />Charlie Louvin & Diane McCall: American Trilogy<br />George Morgan: You Turn Me On<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya<br />Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' On Me<br />Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle<br />Hank Snow: I'm Moving On<br />Connie Smith: How Great Thou Art<br />The 4 Guys: Cottonfields/Maria<br />Ernest Tubb: Walking The Floor Over You<br />Minnie Pearl: Jealous Hearted Me<br />Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />(Bill Monroe Called The Opry)<br />Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down<br />Dottie West: Country Sunshine<br />Wilburn Brothers: Arkansas<br />Del Wood: Down Yonder<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Marion Worth: Delta Dawn<br />Sam McGee: San Antonio Rose<br />Porter Wagoner: I've Never Seen So Many Happy Faces<br />Dolly Parton: Jolene<br />Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: The Right Combination</p><p>Now to the second show that started at 10:45 and ended at 1:55am. That show was followed by the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, which ended at 3:00am. While staying somewhat close to the order of the first show, there were some changes and adjustments. <br /><br />Roy Acuff: Back In The Country<br />Howdy Forrester: Eighth of January<br />Minnie Pearl: Comedy<br />Bill Anderson: A World of Make Believe<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor<br />Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells<br />Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas<br />Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Little Darling Pal of Mine<br />Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home<br />Crook Brothers: Liberty<br />Billy Grammer: Somewhere My Love<br />Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool<br />Jeannie Seely: Can I Sleep In Your Arms Tonight Mister<br />Jack Greene & Jeannie Seely: What In The World Has Gone Wrong with Our Love<br />Porter Wagoner: I've Never Seen So Many Happy Faces<br />Dolly Parton: Jolene<br />Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: The Right Combination<br />Jan Howard: Sunshine On My Shoulders<br />Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo<br />Jim & Jesse: Paradise<br />Grandpa Jones: Heading South with Nashville On My Mind<br />Connie Smith: Dallas<br />Bobby Lord: Mississippi<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife/She's My Woman<br />Jerry Clower: The Last Piece of Chicken<br />George Morgan: Red Rose From The Blue Side of Town<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Jimmy C Newman: The Potato Song<br />Osborne Brothers: Ruby<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' On Me<br />Sam and Kirk McGee: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms<br />Hank Snow: There's A Fool Such As I<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There<br />Justin Tubb: Rambling Man<br />Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon<br />Dottie West: Country Sunshine<br />Wilburn Brothers: Knoxville Girl<br />Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel<br />Marion Worth: Me & Bobby McGee<br />Marty Robbins: Devil Woman<br />Ronnie Robbins: Mama Tried<br />Marty Robbins: I'm Wanting To/Big Boss Man/Singing The Blues</p><p>(Tom T. Hall was scheduled for both shows but cancelled. Hank Locklin, Lonzo & Oscar, Jean Shepard and the Willis Brothers only appeared on the first show, while Marty Robbins only appeared on the late show).</p><p>So, what Opry members did not appear?</p><p>Bobby Bare<br />Archie Campbell<br />Bill Carlisle<br />Lester Flatt<br />David Houston<br />George Jones<br />Bob Luman<br />Loretta Lynn<br />Barbara Mandrell<br />Bill Monroe<br />Earl Scruggs<br />Billy Walker<br />Tammy Wynette</p><p>Interesting as to those who did not make it. Of those who did not, Archie Campbell, Bill Carlisle, Bob Luman and Billy Walker had appeared on the Friday Night Opry the night before. Not to forget Bobby Bare, who decided to give up his membership rather than appearing at the new Grand Ole Opry House. In the back of my mind, it makes me wonder if those who did appear on Friday had road dates on Saturday night, and if so, why they didn't reschedule those dates. </p><p>There you have it for this weekend. I could write more about opening night of the new Grand Ole Opry House, but I think pretty much all of the material anyone would like to read has been posted on the internet, written in books or been the subject of numerous articles in country magazines and newspapers. Personally, I find it hard to believe that it has been 50 years!!</p><p>I hope everyone has a chance to listen this weekend, particularly on Saturday night. I am sure it will be wonderful and as I always end with: I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-60463095052004754012024-03-10T13:01:00.001-04:002024-03-10T13:01:49.420-04:00Mid-Week Opry Shows<p>It is going to be a very busy week at the Grand Ole Opry House as on the schedule is the Tuesday Night Opry, a special Wednesday night Opry that will celebrate Trisha Yearwood's 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and finally, Opry Country Classics on Thursday night. </p><p>The Tuesday Night Opry will feature Opry members Darius Rucker, Lorrie Morgan, and Hall of Fame members Bill Anderson and Don Schlitz. Also on the schedule is Shane Profitt, Big Daddy Weave, Angelah Johnson-Ryes and making his Opry debut Dax. For those not familiar with Dax, his given name is Daniel Nwosu, Jr., and he is a Canadian rapper, singer and songwriter. </p><p>Tuesday March 12<br />7:00: <b>Lorrie Morgan,</b> Shane Profitt, <b>Don Schlitz, </b>Big Daddy Weave<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson,</b> Dax, Angelah Johnson-Reyes, <b>Darius Rucker</b><br /><br />Wednesday night is all about Trisha Yearwood and she has invited some special friends to be a part of her big night. It's a pretty limited list of artists and no word on if Garth will make an appearance or not. </p><p>Wednesday March 13<br />7:00: <b>Trisha Yearwood, Jeannie Seely,</b> Suzy Bogguss, <b>Terri Clark, Pam Tillis</b><br /><br />Finally, Opry Country Classics returns on Thursday night with Larry Gatlin once again hosting and Pam Tillis as the Spotlight Artist. </p><p>Thursday March 14<br />Host: <b>Larry Gatlin</b><br />Spotlight Artist: <b>Pam Tillis</b><br />Also Appearing: <b>Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett</b>, Chapel Hart, Carlene Carter</p><p><br />I thought it would be interesting to share the running order from 25 years ago, Saturday March 13, 1999, the night Trisha became an official Opry member:</p><p>1st show<br />6:30: GHS Strings<br />Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band<br />Skeeter Davis: I'll Fly Away<br />Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya<br />Bessyl Duhon: Cajun Stripper</p><p>6:45: National Corvette Museum<br />Jim Ed Brown (host): Looking Back To See/Morning/The 3 Bells<br /><br />7:00: Shoney's/Standard Candy<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley<br />Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long<br />Janie Fricke: Bouncing Back/Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby<br />Porter Wagoner: Fireball Mail/Night Train To Memphis/Cabin In Gloryland<br />Rick Wayne: On The Line<br />Randy Scruggs: Black Mountain Rag<br />Steve Wariner: Holes In The Floor of Heaven<br /><b>Trisha Yearwood: Living On The Wrong Side of Memphis/She's In Love with The Boy/Sweet Dreams</b></p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Bill Anderson (host): No Fair Falling In Love<br />Marty Stuart: Southern Accent<br />John Prine: Paradise<br />Jean Shepard: I'll Sail My Ship Alone<br />Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Rachel<br />Bill Anderson: Still</p><p>8:30: Physicians Mutual<br />Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleeping At The Foot of The Bed<br />Ricky Skaggs: Little Maggie<br />The Whites: I Hear The Wind A' Blowing<br />Vince Gill: Pretty Little Adrianna/When I Call Your Name</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Blue Green Resort Development<br />Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Jimmy C Newman: Good Deal, Lucille<br /><b>Trisha Yearwood: A Perfect Love/How Do I Live/She's In Love with The Boy</b><br />Porter Wagoner: I'll Fly Away</p><p>10:00: Lincoln Mercury<br />Vince Gill (host): Don't Come Crying To Me<br />Randy Scruggs: Soldier's Joy<br />Vince Gill: Whenever You Come Around</p><p>10:15: Ray Stevens Show<br />Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater<br />Mike Snider and Marty Stuart: Rawhide<br />Jimmy Dickens: Live Turned Her That Way</p><p>10:30: Epiphone<br />Marty Stuart (host): Doin' My Time<br />John Prine: Grandpa Was A Carpenter<br />John Prine and Marty Stuart: Angel From Montgomery<br /><br />10:45: Joggin' In A Jug<br />Ricky Skaggs (host): I'm Lost, I'll Never Find The Way<br />Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz<br />Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Durang's Hornpipe<br />Ricky Skaggs: Connemara<br /><br />11:00: Coca Cola<br />Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks<br />Holly Dunn: Daddy's Hands<br />John Conlee: Friday Night Blues<br />Jeannie Seely: Make The World Go Away<br />Billy Walker: Come A Little Bit Closer<br />Bill Anderson: The Paper</p><p>11:30: Opry Book<br />Johnny Russell (host): Folsom Prison Blues<br />Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool<br />Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours<br />Del Reeves: Splish, Splash/Answer The Phone/Hound Dog<br />Stonewall Jackson: A Wound Time Can't Erase<br />Johnny Russell: Wabash Cannonball</p><p>I know it was Trisha's big night, which was televised, but let me add a couple of notes:<br />>Wilma Lee Cooper was scheduled in the 6:45 segment but could not make it due to snow in Nashville that night. <br />>Jeanne Pruett did make two appearances on the late show<br />>Speaking of the late show, with the exception of Bill Anderson and the second appearance by Jeanne Pruett, all of the artists in that last hour did not appear on the first show. I would say that they did not get relegated to the prime spots. </p><p>Finally, what a terrific lineup that night. Really some awesome artists. </p><p>Again, congratulations to Trisha Yearwood on her 25th Opry anniversary. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-58640717327816872002024-03-06T13:40:00.001-05:002024-03-06T17:42:50.901-05:00Grand Ole Opry 3/8 & 3/9<p>News from the Grand Ole Opry: <br /><br /><b>The Grand Ole Opry has promoted three on its Programming staff, including Nicole Judd, Audrey McGrady and Gina Keltner.</b></p><p><b>Judd has been promoted to Grand Ole Opry Associate Producer, Show Development, and will contribute to the development and production of all Opry shows, plus serve as a programming liaison with various teams including publicity, marketing, operations and finance. She will lead programming initiatives and events, including with partners WSM Radio, SiriusXM and other outlets. Judd has been with the company 17 years, most recently as Opry Marketing Manager.</b></p><p><b>McGrady has been promoted to Grand Ole Opry Talent Manager. In her role, McGrady manages all talent-related show advancement for Opry shows and contributes to numerous aspects of show production and programming strategy with the Opry programming and artist relations team. McGrady has been with the Opry since 2017.</b></p><p><b>Keltner has risen to Grand Ole Opry Associate Producer, Talent. In her new role, Keltner will book 220+ Opry shows per year and other events and initiatives, totaling more than 2,000 artist bookings annually. Keltner is marking her 25th year with the Opry.</b></p><p><b>“Nicole, Gina, and Audrey are all uniquely equipped to excel in these roles and keep the Opry building toward its momentous 100th year next year and into its second century,” says Grand Ole Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “Just as importantly, like so many of their fellow staff members, these women genuinely love the Opry and what it means to Nashville and to the people who make and love music.”</b></p><p>Very nice to see. Each of these ladies have been with the Opry for a while and I am happy to see their accomplishments and careers being recognized. </p><p><br />Now looking ahead to this weekend at the Grand Ole Opry, both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry feature very strong lineups in what will be the beginning of a very busy stretch of shows at the Opry. <br /><br />First looking at the Friday night schedule, Opry members Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer, Ashley McBryde and Old Crow Medicine Show are all listed. In fact, the entire second half of the show will feature only members of the Opry. For Old Crow Medicine Show, this will be an encore performance as they were just at the Opry several weeks ago, while Ashley McBryde will be making her first 2024 appearance on the show. </p><p>Guesting on Friday will be Opry NextStage artist Anne Wilson, Hall of Fame member Jimmy Fortune, Mickey Guyton, and making his Opry debut, Paul McDonald. </p><p>Old Crow Medicine Show and Gary Mule Deer are back on Saturday night, along with members Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith, and making their first Opry appearance of 2024, the Oak Ridge Boys. Much like Friday night, the second half of the show will feature only Opry members. </p><p>There are two Opry debuts on Saturday: Adam Wainwright and the legendary Don McLean. Bluegrass musician Sam Bush rounds out the schedule.</p><p>Friday March 8<br />7:00: Jimmy Fortune<b>, </b>Anne Wilson, Paul McDonald, Mickey Guyton<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson</b>,<b> Gary Mule Deer, Ashley McBryde, Old Crow Medicine Show</b></p><p>Saturday March 9<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Riders In The Sky</b>, Sam Bush, Adam Wainwright, Don McLean<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Connie Smith,</b> Opry Square Dancers, <b>Gary Mule Deer, Oak Ridge Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show</b></p><p>Let's take a look at those making their Opry debuts, starting with <b>Paul McDonald</b>, who is a legend in the music business. Born and raised in Auburn, Alabama, he was influenced early on by the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and later by the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Tom Petty. His career accomplishments are too numerous to mention, but one recent highlight would be the start of the One Big Love Festival in Nashville. The series of shows featured over 100 acts. In late 2023, he started recording his newest album with producer Bobby Holland and with his newly formed band The Mourning Doves. That album is in the final stages of production. </p><p>If the name <b>Adam Wainwright</b> sounds familiar, especially to sports fans, it should as he is a veteran Major League Baseball pitcher known for his distinguished career with the St. Louis Cardinals. A three-time All-Star, Wainwright earned a reputation for his clutch performances, particularly in post-season play, where he played a pivotal role in the Cardinal 2006 and 2011 World Series victories.</p><p>Beyond his on-field success, Wainwright is recognized for his leadership and philanthropy. Looking toward the future, Wainwright, having signed with FOX Sports and MLB Network as a color commentator for MLB broadcasts has set his talents not only toward the game but also music. With the guidance and musical contributions of Grammy award winning producer and songwriter Gary Baker, Wainwright is poised to release his self-titled debut record to the world of country music in Spring 2024.</p><p>The final Opry debut this weekend is the legendary<b> Don McLean. </b></p><p>From the press release: </p><p><b>Grammy-award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday, March 9th, stepping into the sacred circle after nearly six decades in the business. McLean’s Top 20 singles include “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles In The Air,” “Cryin’,” “And I Love You So,” “Wonderful Baby,” “Since I Don’t Have You,” “It’s Just The Sun,” “If We Try,” and the Top 5 Song of the 20th Century, “American Pie.” </b></p><p><b>“I have always been a fan of the Grand Ole Opry and country & western music,” shares McLean. “Growing up, I would watch cowboy movies and listen to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. My career has taken me all over the world, and now, it is taking me to the Grand Ole Opry.”</b></p><p>Don McLean is 75 and "American Pie" was released in 1971, 53 years ago. </p><p>As you can see, it is a great weekend to be a fan of the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p><br />So, here we are. The final Saturday night at the Ryman Auditorium as the Grand Ole Opry prepares to say goodbye to its home since 1943. It was an emotional night, that has been written about many times. I am fortunate enough to have a tape of this final show and you can certainly hear that emotion from many of the artists on stage that night. </p><p>Here is the running order from Saturday March 9, 1974: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Willis Brothers (host): Give Me 40 Acres<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Willis Brothers: Cool Water</p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Bobby Bare (host): Detroit City<br />Connie Smith: How Great Thou Art<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor<br />Bobby Bare: The Mermaids</p><p>7:00: Rudy's<br />Billy Grammer (host): Under The Double Eagle/Black Mountain Rag/Wildwood Flower<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Nine Pound Hammer<br />Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard<br />Billy Grammer, Jr., Orange Blossome Special<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: To My Mansion In The Sky<br />Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving<br /><br />7:30: Standard Candy<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Jeanne Pruett: You Don't Need To Move A Mountain<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Charming Betsy<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Ida Red<br />Roy Acuff: Back In The Country<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br /><br />8:00: Martha White<br />Wilburn Brothers (host): Roll, Muddy River<br />Justin Tubb: Rambling Man<br />Jodi Miller: Good News<br />Jerry Clower: Comedy<br />Wilburn Brothers: Knoxville Girl<br />Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl<br />Jodi Miller: Let's All Go Down To The River</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On<br />Jan Howard: My Kind of People<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill<br />Hank Snow: Brand On My Heart<br />Jan Howard: Sunshine On My Shoulders<br />The 4 Guys: Top of The World<br />Hank Snow: Hello, Love</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Kellogg's<br />Bobby Bare (host): Come Sundown<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Wilma Lee Cooper: Philadelphia Lawyer<br />Bobby Bare: Blowing In The Wind/Worried Man Blues/Gotta Travel On<br />Skeeter Willis: Maiden's Prayer<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Shall Not Be Moved<br />Bobby Bare and Bobby Bare Jr.: Daddy, What If</p><p>10:00: Fender<br />Stu Phillips (host): Pride<br />Jodi Miller: Darling, You Can Always Come Back Home<br />Bill Carlisle: Little Liza Jane<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye</p><p>10:15: Union 76<br />Roy Acuff (host): When I Lay My Burdens Down<br />Minnie Pearl: Jealous Loving Heart</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Wilburn Brothers (host): It Looks Like The Sun's Gonna Shine<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Traces of Life<br />Wilburn Brothers: God Bless American Again</p><p>10:45: Beechnut<br />Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On<br />Jerry Clower: The Coon Hunt<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Liberty<br />Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight<br />Jan Howard: Where No One Stands Alone<br />The 4 Guys: Streaking with My Baby On A Bright & Sunny Sunday Afternoon<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge<br />Tanya Tucker: Delta Dawn<br />Sam McGee: Freight Train/Victor Rag/I Don't Love Nobody<br />Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Marty Robbins (host): I Walk Alone<br />Jeanne Pruett: You Don't Need To Move A Mountain/Satin Sheets<br />Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />Marty Robbins: Don't Worry/Big Boss Man/I'm Wanting To/Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms/Love Me/Now Is The Hour</p><p>The show ended just before 12:30. Jean Shepard was scheduled for both shows but cancelled, while Connie Smith and Ernie Ashworth only appeared on the early show. </p><p>It is somewhat surprising that for the final show at the Ryman Auditorium, most of the Opry's bigger names, and some of the members who had been around for a longer period of time, skipped the show and stayed out on the road. </p><p>On an additional note, this was the final Saturday night that Bobby Bare performed as an Opry member. Bobby did appear the following Friday night, which was the final Opry show at the Ryman, after which he gave up his Opry membership. It was said that he was not happy about the move from downtown out to the new Opry House. Bobby would continue to occasionally guest on the Opry and his membership was reinstated in 2018. </p><p><br />There you have it for this week. As I wrote, next week is going to be a pretty big one at the Opry as on Wednesday night Trisha Yearwood is going to be honored upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and on Saturday night the Opry will celebrate its 50th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry house. Until then, I hope everyone has a great weekend and hopefully enjoy the Opry. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-21009632023945047612024-03-05T19:40:00.002-05:002024-03-05T19:40:16.722-05:00For Those Who Missed This Announcement<p>The Grand Ole Opry House is turning 50 years old next weekend! ...and WSM Radio is celebrating by taking you back in time to the very first Opry House show in 1974. </p><p>Listen Monday, March 11 at 7pm CT as WSM Radio presents the inaugural broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry House, as it originally aired. You'll hear performances from Opry greats like Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Hank Snow, and Porter Wagoner, as well as Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, and dozens more. Plus, hear the historic Presidential visit from Richard Nixon.</p><p>The first show at the Grand Ole Opry House: 50 Years Later -- this Monday night, beginning at 7pm CT on WSM Radio!</p><p>📻: 650 AM</p><p>📱: WSM App, iHeartRadio, TuneIn</p><p>🔈: "Alexa, play WSM Radio"</p><p>💻: http://wsmradio.com/listen-live</p><div><br /></div>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-47246463271970972972024-03-03T08:19:00.001-05:002024-03-03T08:19:43.627-05:00March Opry Highlights <p>Welcome to the month of March, the month that includes daylight savings time and the first day of Spring. For those of us in Ohio, it hasn't been much of a winter, hardly any snow at all. All of us are looking forward to Spring and hopefully the end of any winter weather. Here are the Opry highlights from the month of March. </p><p>March 9, 1925: Ralph Sloan, the leader and founder of The Tennessee Travelers, was born. Ralph and his group joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1952 and continued under Ralph's leadership until his death in 1980. After Ralph passed away, his brother Melvin took over as the group's leader, changing the name to the Melvin Sloan Dancers. Melvin continued on until his retirement in 2002.</p><p>March 24, 1928: Kitty Cora Cline became the first female solo artist to appear on the Grand Ole Opry. Kitty was at the Opry until March 31, 1934, when she decided to quit. The story goes that on that particular evening, she was on her way to the Opry and witnessed a serious car accident that bothered her so much that she refused to travel by car again. Thus, she quit performing.</p><p>March 31, 1928: Fiddler Ed Poplin made his Grand Ole Opry debut. A few weeks later, he had organized a band and became an Opry regular. </p><p>March 31, 1934: Robert Lunn made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. After joining the Opry, he stayed until retiring in 1958. Robert, who was known for his sense of humor, spent some time working and touring with Roy Acuff. Robert Lunn passed away in 1966 after suffering a heart attack.</p><p>March 5, 1938: After an absence attributed to heath reasons, Opry founder George D. Hay returned to the Opry, more in a position as an announcer rather than the final authority figure at the Opry. While George D. Hay is credited with being the founder of the Grand Ole Opry, his influence and authority over the show declined as the years went by. </p><p>March 16, 1946: Future Grand Ole Opry member Grandpa Jones made his first appearance on the Opry, appearing as a member of Pee Wee King's band.</p><p>March 1, 1952: Uncle Dave Macon, one of the Opry's earliest stars, made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Uncle Dave was one of the Opry's originals and was one of the first professional musicians to join the cast. Two weeks later, on March 22, Uncle Dave, who was one of the early members to have been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, passed away at the age of 82. Those who knew Dave wrote that he was quite a character. </p><p>March 21, 1953: Bill Carlisle and the Carlisles made their first guest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Once Bill joined the Opry, he stayed until his death and almost made it 50 years at the Opry. </p><p>March 27, 1954: Opera singer Helen Traubel made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. I only mention this because, even in years past, the Opry would invite non-country performers to appear on the show. </p><p>March 1, 1958: After criticizing the management of WSM radio, Marty Robbins was fired as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Opry management quickly realized their mistake and Marty was hired back before the end of the week. </p><p>March 2, 1963: Opry members Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins made their final appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Several days later, the duo would pass away when the plane they were riding in crashed on the way back to Nashville. Copas, Hawkins, along with Opry member Patsy Cline and pilot Randy Hughes were returning after performing on a benefit show in Kansas City.</p><p>March 9, 1963: The Grand Ole Opry observed a moment of silence to honor Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Randy Hughes. Also honored was Jack Anglin of Johnny & Jack, who also passed away the previous week, in his case the result of injuries from an auto accident. In the tribute read by Opry manager Ott Devine, he said, "All of their friends standing with me tonight on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium know that it is impossible to put our thoughts, or feelings, our love for Patsy, Hank, Cope, Jack and Randy. And so, we ask for a moment of silent prayer in tribute to them."</p><p>March 29, 1963: Texas Ruby Owens died in a fire at her home. Along with her husband Curly Fox, she came to the Opry in the 1940s. After Ruby's death, Curly remained at the Opry as a solo act. It is safe to say that March 1963 was not the best of months for the Opry. Perhaps, its most tragic month. </p><p>March 2, 1964: Jim & Jesse McReynolds were invited to become members of the Grand Ole Opry. Later that week, they made their first appearance as Opry members. Jim & Jesse were very popular members of the Opry and along with their group the Virginia Boys, continued as members of the Opry until the death of Jim in December 2002. After Jim's death, Jesse has continued on at the Opry as his health permitted. After a period of declining health, Jesse McReynolds passed away in June 2023. He had been an Opry member for just over 59 years. </p><p>March 7, 1964: Ernie Ashworth, along with Jim & Jesse, made his first appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Ernie, who was famous for his hit song, "Talk Back Trembling Lips" and for his colorful suit with flaming lips on it, remained an Opry member until his death on March 2, 2009. Not only was Ernie a fine country singer, but he was also a good businessman who owned several radio stations. </p><p>March 28, 1964: Connie Smith made her first appearance as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Connie appeared at the invitation of Bill Anderson. Later that evening, Connie stopped by at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Midnight Jamboree. A year later, in 1965, Connie became an Opry member.</p><p>March 13, 1965: Johnny Cash made an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. A former member of the cast, Johnny would make infrequent appearances over the years. This was one of those nights. </p><p>March 20, 1965: The always zany and funny Roger Miller made a guest appearance on the Opry. Over the course of his career, Roger would make a few more. </p><p>March 9, 1968: Irene Ryan, who played the part of Granny on the very popular show, "The Beverly Hillbillies," made a guest appearance on the Opry. I am sure many remember the episode where Flatt & Scruggs appeared on the show. A classic. </p><p>March 15, 1968: The Byrds, featuring Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, made an appearance on the Friday Night Opry. They sang "Sing Me Back Home" and "Hickory Wind." The Byrds always considered it an honor to perform on the Opry and this appearance ended up being their only one. It was later reported that a few of the Opry's members were not thrilled over their appearance and the audience response was much the same. While Gram would never appear again on the Opry, Chris Hillman would return several times. </p><p>March 28, 1970: Grand Ole Opry member Marty Robbins returned to the Opry for the first time since suffering a heart attack in January. As usual, he returned as the host of the 11:30 segment. Reporter Jerry Thompson, who was there that evening, wrote, "The sound from the jam-packed crowd was deafening. They couldn't hear the words to the songs that familiar figure behind the Opry mic was crooning, but there was no mistake. Marty Robbins was back where he belonged. Midway through the show, Robbins sat at the piano and told the audience, 'I had so many things I was going to say tonight. I want to thank all of my friends for their concern, and I want to thank God for letting me be there. Now, I can't think of anything else to say, so I guess I'll have to sing for you.' And sing he did until 12:27 a.m. when the curtain closed amidst repeated shouts of 'more, more, more.'" This was one night that Ernest Tubb did not complain about the Midnight Jamboree starting late.</p><p>March 27, 1971: Jan Howard became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jan had been appearing on the Opry for several years before becoming an Opry member, and in fact, Opry member Bud Wendall had thought she was already a member. A popular duet partner of Bill Anderson's, once Jan became an official member, she fully supported the Opry and appeared on a regular basis. Jan passed away in March 2020, shortly after her 49th anniversary as an Opry member. </p><p>March 31, 1973: George Jones rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. George originally joined the Opry in 1956. However, over the course of his career, he would come and go several times. Not that it mattered a whole lot as George rarely appeared on the show. This was also the night, as some have reported, that Tammy Wynette became a member of the Opry. Her stay would not last long, in fact her Opry days as a member pretty much ended when she divorced George. </p><p>March 9, 1974: The Grand Ole Opry had its final Saturday night show at the Ryman Auditorium. The Opry, which had been at the Ryman since 1943, was scheduled to move to the new Grand Ole Opry House the following weekend. It was a very emotional night as Minnie Pearl, among others, had trouble controlling their emotions at leaving the longtime home of the Opry. </p><p>March 15, 1974: The Grand Ole Opry conducted its final Friday Night Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. While the previous Saturday night was the final Grand Ole Opry show, this being the final show made for a very emotional night, so much so that both Bill Anderson and Charlie Walker forgot the words to their songs. The final segment this night was hosted by George Morgan, who concluded the show with his hit "Candy Kisses." This was also the final night that Bobby Bare was a member of the Grand Ole Opry as he left the Opry's cast when the show moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. It took many years, but Bobby would rejoin the Opry in 2018. After the Opry ended, Reverend Jimmie Snow hosted the final Grand Ole Gospel from the Ryman with guests Hank Snow, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, and the Carter Family, none of whom actually appeared on the Opry that night. The show concluded with the singing of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and as soon as they were finished, the signs were taken down and many of the items were immediately transferred to the new Opry House. After the Opry left, the Ryman stayed empty for many years, with the inside of the building looking exactly as the Opry left it when they moved in 1974. Thanks to a renovation of the Ryman Auditorium, the Opry returned in January 1999, and would continue to offer winter Opry shows for the next several decades. </p><p>March 16, 1974: With President Richard Nixon in attendance, the Grand Ole Opry had its first performance at the new Grand Ole Opry House. When President Nixon made his appearance, he became the first President to visit and perform on the Opry. As yes, he did perform, playing several songs on the piano. There was much discussion on who would be the first Opry member to perform on the show, and with the decision made to go in alphabetical order, Roy Acuff took the honors, followed by Bill Anderson. With pretty much every Opry member in attendance, both shows that night ran well past the allotted time. The Grand Ole Opry House was the first building built specifically for the Opry, and despite damage from the flood in 2010, the building has held up well and has now been the Opry's home for 50 years. </p><p>March 30, 1974: The Earl Scruggs Revue made their final appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. When Flatt & Scruggs broke up, both Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs maintained their Opry membership. While Lester enjoyed playing the Opry on a regular basis, Earl had a more progressive sound and enjoyed playing before different audiences. While he gave up his Opry membership, Earl would continue to come back and perform on the show. It has been written that later in his life, Earl asked to rejoin the Opry, along with Kitty Wells, but the request was denied. </p><p>March 14, 1975: One year after the Opry House opened, the Cumberland River overflowed its banks, causing a flood that forced the Opry to move the shows that weekend to the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. It was also the weekend of the 1st anniversary of the Opry House, so the timing wasn't the best. At first, many thought the Opry would return to the Ryman for the weekend, but it was determined that the old building was in no shape to host a live show. Unlike the flood of 2010 which caused extensive damage to the Opry House, the 1975 flood just affected the parking lots and the surrounding area.</p><p>March 4, 1978: For the first time in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, an entire show was televised. PBS had approached Opry officials to see if there was any interest in televising the show as part of the annual fundraising drive that PBS conducts. The Opry agreed and it was considered such a great success that PBS would continue to televise an Opry show for the next three years. The Opry did agree to a few changes, including all references to their commercial sponsors, which included covering the sponsor's signs that appeared on the Opry stage and backdrop. (However, in looking at video from those nights, Martha White's sign appears to show through rather well and Roy Acuff did get in a few Martha White plugs). What made those nights so special, besides the quality of the line-ups, was the fact that the Opry did not change the show at all. The format remained the same, although several of the members dressed up a bit more than usual. These shows also gave people across the country who had never attended an Opry show, a chance to see the entire Opry as it happened.</p><p>March 10, 1979: James Brown appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. He appeared at the invitation of Porter Wagoner, who thought it would be a great idea. It was a tough night at the Opry as several of the Opry's members did not agree with Porter and decided not to appear that night. James was on stage for almost 20 minutes and would later say that he enjoyed performing on the show.</p><p>March 23, 1979: Lester Flatt returned to the Opry for the first time since the previous November. A brain hemorrhage kept Lester away. Sadly, Lester would battle heart and health issues for the last few years of his life. </p><p>March 12, 1980: Ralph Sloan passed away. Ralph and the Tennessee Travelers had been at the Opry since 1952. Upon his death, brother Melvin took over the square dance group.</p><p>March 22, 1980: Opry member Marion Worth made her final appearance on the Opry. Marion joined the Opry in 1965 and while she didn't have a spectacular career in country music, she was a fairly popular member of the show. After leaving the Opry, Marion did a few shows in Las Vegas, then eventually retired. Marion passed away in December 1999. Listening to some of the old Opry tapes that I have, Marion had a nice voice and appeared to have been well received by the Opry audience. </p><p>March 22, 1980: On the same date as the final appearance of Opry member Marion Worth, Melvin Sloan officially took over as the leader of the Tennessee Travelers following the death several weeks earlier of his brother Ralph. With the change, the group became known as the Melvin Sloan Dancers.</p><p>March 28, 1980: Tom T Hall rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Tom, who joined the Opry's cast in 1971, left the Opry shortly after the Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the new Grand Ole Opry House. It was reported that Ernest Tubb ran into Tom T in the parking lot after a show at the Opry House and told him he needed to get back to the Opry. He did and for most of the 1980s, was a regular performer on the show. Tom T, who was an Opry member for just over 50 years, passed away in 2021. </p><p>March 1, 1982: Roy Acuff was honored with a two-hour special that was televised on ABC. An all-star cast of performers and entertainers honored Roy, including President Ronald Reagan, Vice-President George Bush, Minnie Pearl, Tom T. Hall, Bill Anderson, Chet Atkins, Charlie Daniels and Gene Autry.</p><p>March 5, 1983: Grand Old Opry announcer and WSM personality Chuck Morgan announced on the Opry for the final time. Chuck left the Opry and Nashville to begin work for the Texas Rangers, a position he still holds today. </p><p>March 7, 1983: TNN, The Nashville Network, made its debut. This network would later become the television home of the Grand Ole Opry as a half hour of the show was televised live each Saturday night.</p><p>March 3, 1984: The Whites, consisting of Buck, Sharon and Cheryl, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 40th year as Opry members. During the Covid period, The Whites were away from the Opry for several years, but happy to say that in the past several years they have returned. That includes Buck, who has had some health issues. </p><p>March 7, 1986: Randy Travis made his first guest appearance on the Opry. He was introduced by Jimmy Dickens and sang, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." That evening, Randy was asked if her would like to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Later that year, in December, Randy would become an Opry member.</p><p>March 3, 1990: Alan Jackson made his debut on the Opry. Although his appearances would be few and far between, Alan would become a member of the Opry's cast. </p><p>March 4, 1996: Grand Ole Opry legend Minnie Pearl passed away from complications after suffering a series of strokes. Minnie had been a Grand Ole Opry member for over 50 years and was perhaps the most loved member of the Opry.</p><p>March 9, 1996: Minnie Pearl was remembered at the Opry on the first Saturday night following her death. Wilma Lee Cooper, Jean Shepard, Jeanne Pruett, Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith and Jeannie Seely sang, "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" which was Minnie's favorite song.</p><p>March 15, 1996: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Monroe, an Opry member since 1939, made his final appearance on the Friday Night Opry. The following morning, Bill was admitted to Baptist Hospital after suffering a stroke.</p><p>March 16, 1996: Grand Ole Opry member Don Gibson made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Don had originally joined the Opry's cast in the late 1950s and was fired in December 1964 for failing to meet the Opry's attendance requirements. He rejoined the cast years later, yet upon his return, he rarely appeared on the show. In fact, Don rarely performed anywhere. Don, who was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, passed away in November 2003.</p><p>March 15, 1997: The Grand Ole Opry honored Grandpa Jones' 50th anniversary as a member of the Opry. As part of the show, the Opry unveiled a portrait of Grandpa that was to hang in the lobby at the Grand Ole Opry House. His picture joined a series of others that honored Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb, Jim Reeves and others. Sadly, after the 2010 flood, the pictures were removed. </p><p>March 14, 1998: Diamond Rio was invited to become the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. The accepted and officially became Opry members the following month.</p><p>March 13, 1999: Trisha Yearwood became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Trisha had been invited in January by Ricky Skaggs to join the cast. This will be her 25th year as an Opry member, and it has been nice to see Trisha making a few Opry appearances in the past year. </p><p>March 3, 2000: Future Grand Ole Opry members Montgomery Gentry made their Opry debut. </p><p>March 17, 2000: Frequent Opry guest, and Sirius XM host, Elizabeth Cook made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Since her Opry debut, it has been reported that Elizabeth has made more guest appearances on the Opry than any other non-member, over 400 and counting. </p><p>March 22, 2001: Opry member Johnny Russell was honored at a special benefit show at the Opry House. The show was held to raise funds for Johnny to help cover his mounting medical bills. Among those attending were Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs and Ralph Emery. Johnny was one of the best loved members of the Opry and it was sad for all that Johnny had to turn for help from others during his final years. On a personal note, and not taking anything away from any of the other Opry members, I always found George Hamilton IV and Johnny Russell among the nicest. </p><p>March 7, 2003: Long time Grand Ole Opry member Bill Carlisle made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. A few days after this show, Bill suffered a stroke. Bill joined the Opry in November 1953 and 49 years later, Bill was appearing on the Opry most every weekend. The stroke ended Bill's performing career and he passed away on March 17.</p><p>March 22, 2003: Jimmy Wayne made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, Jimmy would be a regular guest on the Opry over the next decade. </p><p>March 15, 2008: Randy Travis surprised Carrie Underwood during a guest appearance on the Opry and invited Carrie to become the Opry's newest member. Several months later in May, Carrie was officially inducted into the Opry's cast.</p><p>March 21, 2008: Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Walker made his final appearance at the Opry. Charlie had joined the cast in 1967. Charlie would pass away later that year from cancer. In addition to being a member of the Opry's cast, Charlie was also a member of the Country Disc Jockey Hall of Fame.</p><p>March 2, 2009: Opry legend Ernie Ashworth passed away. Ernie had been an Opry member for 45 years. When every he appeared on the Opry, you could count on Ernie to wear the suit with the colorful lips on it. </p><p>March 8, 2009: Grand Ole Opry member Hank Locklin passed away at the age of 91. Hank joined the Opry in 1960 and at the time of his death, was the Opry's oldest member. "Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" was one of Hank's classic numbers, as was his rendition of "Danny Boy" which he did every St. Patrick's Day. Several years ago, Hank was the subject of a PBS show, which was very well done, and hopefully many of you had the chance to see it. </p><p>March 26, 2009: Opry Country Classics is added to the Opry schedule of shows. The series of Thursday night shows would continue each spring and fall, often hosted by Opry member Larry Gatlin. </p><p>March 27, 2009: Former WSM personality and Grand Ole Opry manager Hal Durham passed away. He served as manager of the Grand Ole Opry from 1978-1993, a period that saw the additions of Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Reba McEntire and Alan Jackson to the Opry's cast. Sadly, this was the period of time at the Opry when Hal made the decision to accept new members without getting a commitment in regard to the number of appearances that were to be made. </p><p>March 1, 2011: It was announced that Grand Ole Opry members Reba McEntire and Jean Shepard had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. For Jean, it was the culmination of a long career in country music.</p><p>March 2, 2012: Future Grand Ole Opry member Dustin Lynch made his first guest appearance on at the Grand Ole Opry. Dustin would join the Opry's cast in 2018. I will say that Dustin's Opry membership was somewhat of a surprise, but he has done well in honoring his Opry commitment. </p><p>March 6, 2012: Opry members Connie Smith and Garth Brooks were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Garth's election was no surprise, while for Connie, it was somewhat surprising. </p><p>March 24, 2012: Carol Lee Cooper. the leader of the Carol Lee Singers, announced her retirement. Carol Lee originally came to the Opry with her parents, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper in 1957. Her retirement was the result of some voice and vocal issues that she had been experiencing. While she has been pretty quiet since her retirement, there are those who have seen her around town and report that she still looks much the same. </p><p>March 5, 2013: The Grand Ole Opry honored Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins on the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that took their lives, along with pilot Randy Hughes. Among those taking part in the tribute were Jean Shepard, Terri Clark, Mandy Barnett, John Conlee and Chuck Mead.</p><p>March 14, 2013: Opry member Jack Greene passed away after a long illness. Jack, who was formally a member of Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours, joined the Opry in December 1967. Jack always did a great job singing "There Goes My Everything" and "Statue of a Fool." Even in his later years, Jack never lost his great voice.</p><p>March 15, 2014: The Grand Ole Opry marked the 40th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry House with two special shows that featured Blake Shelton, Old Crow Medicine Show, Josh Turner, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Jimmy Dickens and Miranda Lambert. I was at the Opry that night and both shows were wonderful. </p><p>March 6, 2017: It was announced that Sally Williams was promoted to the position of Senior Vice President of Programming & Artists Relations for Opry Entertainment and General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry. She previously had been the General Manager of the Ryman Auditorium. While there was great excitement for Sally coming to the Opry, her time there did not last long. </p><p>March 11, 2017: Dailey & Vincent became the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. The bluegrass duo had been extended an invitation by Marty Stuart in December, upon their 100th guest appearance on the show. This will be their 6th year as Opry members. </p><p>March 20, 2018: Chris Janson became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Chris had made over 100 guest appearances on the show and had always said that his dream was to someday become a member of the Opry's cast. For Chris, this will be his 6th year as an Opry member. </p><p>March 1, 2019: The Whites were honored upon their 35th anniversary as members of the Grand Ole Opry. Ricky Skaggs and Opry general manager Sally Williams joined in the salute.</p><p>March 2, 2019: Grand Ole Opry member Jesse McReynolds was recognized upon his 55th anniversary as an Opry member. Jesse, along with his brother Jim, joined the Opry's cast on March 2, 1964. While his brother passed away in 2002, Jesse continued as a solo member. Old Crow Medicine Show joined in the salute to Jesse.</p><p>March 5, 2019: The Grand Ole Opry invited Kelsea Ballerini to become a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Little Big Town offered the invite. Her formal induction would take place the following month.</p><p>March 12, 2019: Trisha Yearwood celebrated her 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs and of course, Garth Brooks, joined in the celebration. </p><p>March 13, 2020: With the Covid pandemic beginning to grip the country, and many sporting events and concerts cancelled, the Grand Ole Opry announced that the shows would continue on Saturday nights, with limited artists and no audiences. These one-hour shows would be televised on Circle TV. </p><p>March 7, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Jesse McReynolds made his final appearance on the Opry. This was also the final Saturday night that the Opry had a live audience until October, due to the Covid restrictions. </p><p>March 14, 2020: The Grand Ole Opry was performed without an audience and the show was televised on the Circle network. This lineup that night featured Opry members Connie Smith, Bill Anderson and Jeannie Seely, along with Sam Williams, Mandy Barnett and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. </p><p>March 29, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Jan Howard passed away after a short period of declining health. Jan had been an Opry member for 49 years and was considered one of the "Grand Ladies of the Grand Ole Opry." </p><p>March 30, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Joe Diffie passed away after a short battle with Covid. Joe had joined the Opry in November 1993 and while he didn't make a lot of Opry appearances, you could count on Joe being at the Opry several times each year. He was always popular with the fans. </p><p>March 19, 2022: During a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, Bill Anderson surprised Jamey Johnson with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jamey had made it known for several years that he would really like to become a member. His induction would take place later in the summer. </p><p>March 10, 2023: Gary Mule Deer was inducted as the Opry's newest member. Gary Mule, along with Henry Cho, became the first comedians to join the Opry cast since Jerry Clower in 1973. </p><p>March 26, 2023: Grand Ole Opry member Ray Pillow passed away. Ray, who was an Opry member for over 50 years, was retired and had not appeared on the Opry in several years. </p><p>March 2, 2024: The Whites celebrated their 40th anniversary as members of the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>(Is it me, or does it seem like a lot of Opry members passed away during this month). </p><p>There you have it for this month. I hope a lot of those dates bring back some memories.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-39927757150843571982024-02-29T12:54:00.004-05:002024-02-29T12:56:10.324-05:00Grand Ole Opry 3/1 & 3/2<div>The month of March is upon us and it is going to be a busy month at the Grand Ole Opry. There are some very nice shows coming up this month, highlighted by Trisha Yearwood's 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and the 50th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry House. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before getting into the lineups for this week, the Grand Ole Opry announced the Opry NextStage Class of 2024. Opry NextStage is the program dedicated to supporting emerging artists and introducing them to country music fans. Handpicked by the Opry and sponsored by Tecovas, the Class of 2024 includes Anne Wilson, Charles Wesley Godwin, Chase Matthew, 49 Winchester, Ella Langley, Flatland Calvary, Josh Ross, Madeline Edwards and Wyatt Flores. Each of these acts have already made Opry appearances and we can expect to see each member of this class often in the coming year. </div><div><br /></div><div><br />Looking at the lineups for the shows this weekend, the Friday Night Opry will feature members Del McCoury, Rhonda Vincent, Don Schlitz and Connie Smith. Opry NextStage artists Elvie Shane and Tenille Towns are listed, and rounding out the schedule is a return appearance by Taylor Hicks, and The Malpass Brothers. For those who might not be aware, The Malpass Brothers have been filming a television series in Texas. </div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday night has members Jeannie Seely and Mandy Barnett on the schedule. Also appearing and making their first Opry appearances of 2024 are Ricky Skaggs and The Whites. It is certainly nice to have both back, especially Ricky who has been busy out on the road. Frank Ray is guesting, as is Huntergirl, who will be making her Opry debut, comedian Karen Mills and Steve Earle</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of The Whites. It will be a very special night for the family group as they will be celebrating their 40th year as members of the Grand Ole Opry. They joined the cast on March 2, 1984 and since joining the Opry, have been very loyal and dedicated members. </div><div><br /></div><div>Friday March 1<br />7:00: <b>Rhonda Vincent,</b> Tenille Towns, Taylor Hicks, The Malpass Brothers</div><div>Intermission</div><div>8:15: <b>Connie Smith, </b>Elvie Shane, <b>Del McCoury Band, Don Schlitz</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday March 2</div><div>7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Jeannie Seely,</b> Frank Ray, <b>The Whites,</b> Steve Earle</div><div>Intermission</div><div>8:15: <b>Mandy Barnett,</b> Karen Mills, Opry Square Dancers, Huntergirl,<b> Ricky Skaggs</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As mentioned, Huntergirl is making her Opry debut on Saturday and she wrote on her Instagram page: <b>A dream I’ve had since I was a little girl is coming true next year, March 2nd. I will be making my debut at the @opry!! 🩷This year has been full of so many blessings, and I’m so grateful to y’all for coming on this journey with me. Thank you for listening to my songs, coming to the shows, and following me this year. I love you all so much, and I wouldn’t be getting to live my dream if it wasn’t for your love and support. I hope to see you guys there when I step on the Grand Ole Opry stage. It will be a moment I’ll never forget.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I know many of us who saw her on American Idol and like me, were impressed, have been wondering when she would be appearing on the Opry. Finally, this Saturday night. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Only two more Saturday night shows left at the Ryman Auditorium before the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House. Here is the lineup from the first show on Saturday March 2, 1974: </div><div>6:30: Charlie Walker (host): Justin Tubb, Del Wood</div><div>6:45: Charlie Louvin (host): Diane McCall, Willis Brothers, Ernie Ashworth</div><div>7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Jean Shepard, Billy Grammer, Bill Carlisle</div><div>7:30: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton, Stonewall Jackson, Crook Brothers</div><div>8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Hank Locklin, Jimmy C Newman, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper</div><div>8:30: Hank Snow (host): Connie Smith, The 4 Guys, Stu Phillips, Fruit Jar Drinkers</div><div><br /></div><div><br />Finally, March 2, 1963, was the final night that Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. Here is the running order from that final night: </div><div><br /></div><div>7:30: Kellogg's</div><div>George Morgan (host): Little Dutch Girl </div><div>Carter Family: 14 Carat Nothing</div><div>Jimmy Newman: Bayou Talk</div><div>Willis Brothers: Eat A Little More</div><div>George Morgan: Untie The Know</div><div>Harold Morrison: Pretty Little Pink</div><div>June Carter: Comedy</div><div>Jimmy Newman: A Fallen Star</div><div>George Morgan: Down Memory Lane</div><div><br /></div><div>8:00: Martha White</div><div>Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Come Walk With Me</div><div>Billy Walker: I've Got A New Heartache</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: Rolly Muddy River</div><div>Stringbean: Pretty Little Widow</div><div>Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: There's A Higher Power</div><div>Del Wood: Are You From Dixie</div><div>Margie Bowes: Think It Over</div><div>Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: Trouble's Back In Town</div><div>Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Philadelphia Lawyer</div><div><br /></div><div>8:30: Stephens</div><div><b>Hawkshaw Hawkins (host): Darkness On The Face of The Earth</b></div><div>Lonzo and Oscar: There's A Hole In The Bottom of The Sea</div><div>Bobby Lord: Out Behind The Barn</div><div>Archie Campbell: Comedy</div><div><b>Hawkshaw Hawkins: I Don't Apologize</b></div><div>Glaser Brothers: Lover's Farewell</div><div>Curly Fox: (?)</div><div><b>Hawkshaw Hawkins: Silver Threads & Golden Needles</b></div><div><br /></div><div>9:00: Jefferson Island Salt</div><div><b>Cowbody Copas (host): You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry</b></div><div>Bill Monroe: (?)</div><div>Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose</div><div>Minnie Pearl: Comedy</div><div><b>Cowbody Copas: Alabam'</b></div><div>Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham</div><div>Bill Carlisle: Shutter & Boards</div><div>Billl Monroe: (?)</div><div><b>Cowbody Copas: The Man Upstairs</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>9:30: Pet Milk</div><div>Roy Acuff (host): Plastic Heart</div><div>Jordanaires: (?)</div><div>Marion Worth: Shake Me; I Rattle</div><div>Cousin Jody: Lady Cop</div><div>Roy Acuff: The Wreck On The Highway</div><div>Brother Oswald: Roll on, Buddy, Roll On</div><div>Justin Tubb: (?)</div><div>Jimmy Riddle: Fox Chase</div><div>Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away</div><div><br /></div><div>10:00: Gates Rubber</div><div>George Morgan (host): Roly Poly</div><div>Curly Fox: (?)</div><div>Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Satisfied</div><div>Del Wood: Bill Bailey</div><div>George Morgan: Who's Jealous Now</div><div><br /></div><div>10:15: Luzianne</div><div>Wilburn Brothers (host): Day After Day</div><div>Bill Carlisle: Leave That Liar Alone</div><div>Margie Bowes: Within Your Crowd</div><div>Harold Morrison: The Cat Came Back</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: Not That I Care</div><div><br /></div><div>10:30: Harvey's</div><div>Jimmy Newman (host): (?)</div><div>Carter Family: (?)</div><div>Billy Walker: Thank You For Calling</div><div>Jimmy Newman: (?)</div><div><br /></div><div>10:45: Ford</div><div><b>Hawkshaw Hawkins (host): Big Old Heartache</b></div><div>Willis Brothers: I Still Do</div><div>Stringbean: There'll Be Moonshine In Them Old Kentucky Hills</div><div>Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin</div><div><b>Hawkshaw Hawkins: Lonesome 7-7203</b></div><div><br /></div><div>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal</div><div>Jordanaires: (?)</div><div>Marion Worth: Tennessee Teardrops</div><div>Lonzo and Oscar: I'm My Own Grandpa</div><div>Roy Acuff and Brother Oswald: Stuck Up Blues</div><div>Sam and Kirk McGee: While I'm Away</div><div>Justin Tubb: (?)</div><div>Brother Oswald: John Hardy</div><div>Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge</div><div>Roy Acuff: Shake My Mother's Hand For Me</div><div><br /></div><div>11:30: SSS Tonic</div><div><b>Cowboy Copas (host): Down In Nashville, Tennessee</b></div><div>Bill Monroe: (?)</div><div>Roy Drusky: It Worries Me</div><div>Cousin Jody: Mockingbird</div><div>Archie Campbell: A Fool's Side of Town</div><div>Glaser Brothers: Odds & Ends</div><div>Bobby Lord: So Doggone Lonesome</div><div>Bill Monroe: (?)</div><div><b>Cowboy Copas: Flat Top</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As an FYI, Patsy Cline had made her final Opry appearance the week before. </div><div><br /></div><div>The three of them, along with Randy Hughes, would pass away on March 5 in that terrible airplane crash returning to Nashville from Kansas City. </div><div><br /></div><div>To finish it up for this week, there will be no Tuesday Night Opry. However, Opry Country Classics does return with Larry Gatlin once again hosting. </div><div><br /></div><div>Opry Country Classics<br />Thursday March 7<br />Host: <b>Larry Gatlin</b><br />Spotlight Artist: <b>Lorrie Morgan</b><br />Also Appearing: <b>Gatlin Brothers, Jeannie Seely,</b> Brennen Leigh, Waylon Payne</div><div><br /></div><div>There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-67802737212172382472024-02-25T15:16:00.001-05:002024-02-25T15:16:22.961-05:00Tuesday Night Opry 2/27<p>The Grand Ole Opry closes out the month of February with a very nice Tuesday Night Opry. Grand Ole Opry members Dailey & Vincent, Henry Cho and Jamey Johnson are on the schedule. Among the non-members appearing are Lainey Wilson and Asleep At The Wheel. Also listed is James Barker Band, who will be making their Opry debut. </p><p>Tuesday February 27<br />7:00: <b>Dailey & Vincent</b>, James Barker Band, <b>Henry Cho, Jamey Johnson</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: Asleep At The Wheel, Charles Wesley Godwin, Lainey Wilson</p><p>My guess is that the final hour will be taped for a future Opry Live show on Circle All Access. </p><p>James Barker Band, who will be making their Opry debut, have fueled an incredible story over the last decade, largely on their own, from opening for local bands in dive bars to charting multiple No. 1 singles and hundreds of millions of global streams to headlining festivals and playing stages across North America and Europe. After landing their record-setting, GOLD-certified fourth No. 1 in Canada with "New Old Trucks" feat. 14x GRAMMY-nominated artist Dierks Bentley, the group currently holds the title of the most No. 1’s for a Canadian country group in the BDS/Mediabase era. With this, the multi-award-winning four-piece is continuing their meteoric ascent in Nashville.</p><p>Made up of James Barker (lead vocals/guitar), Taylor Abram (guitar/background vocals), Connor Stephen (drums), and Bobby Martin (bass), the members of James Barker Band grew up within an hour of each other in rural towns surrounding Toronto. In 2017 these best friends saw their hard work pay off when they sent their single “Chills” straight to the top of Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 chart. From there, James Barker Band released a string of successful singles, including the GOLD-certified tracks “Wastin’ Whiskey,” “New Old Trucks,” “Over All Over Again,” “There's A Drink For That”, “Just Sayin',” “It's Working,” “Lawn Chair Lazy,” “Good Together,” “Summertime,” as well as Platinum-certified songs “Keep It Simple” and "Chills'' and a GOLD-certified EP (Game On). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-69932035789395274322024-02-21T14:41:00.000-05:002024-02-21T14:41:59.173-05:00Grand Ole Opry 2/23 & 2/24<p>I think we are all very happy with the news that T. Graham Brown has been invited by Vince Gill to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Obviously, in my opinion, this is long overdue and well deserved. T. Graham has been guesting on the Opry for decades and many times, he has expressed his love and appreciation of the show. I am looking forward to his induction and I am very confident that T. Graham will be an outstanding Opry member. Congratulations to T. Graham. </p><p>Now looking at this week's lineups, the Friday Night Opry will feature members Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith and Don Schlitz, while Jeannie Seely, Rhonda Vincent, Bill Anderson and Vince Gill are on the schedule for Saturday. For Vince, this will be his first appearance of 2024 as he has been busy touring with The Eagles. </p><p>Exile is on the schedule for Friday night. Exile has been around for 60 years and they still sound as good as ever. While they have made it known that they would like to become Opry members, I don't see it happening any time soon. </p><p>Joining Exile will be the fantastic Fisk Jubilee Singers, along with Miko Marks, George Birge and a couple of artists who will be making their Opry debuts: Carin Leon and James McMurtry. </p><p>Saturday night will see another Opry debut with Matt Schuster, along with Larry Fleet, Cyndi Thompson and Wendy Moten. </p><p>Friday February 23<br />7:00:<b> Riders In The Sky,</b> Miko Marks, George Birge, <b>Connie Smith</b>, Exile<br />Intermission<br />8:15: Carin Leon, James McMurtry, Fisk Jubilee Singers, <b>Don Schlitz</b></p><p>Saturday February 24<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Jeannie Seely</b>, Matt Schuster, Wendy Moten, <b>Rhonda Vincent</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson,</b> Larry Fleet, Opry Square Dancers, Cyndi Thompson, <b>Vince Gill<br /><br /></b></p><p><b>Carin Leon</b>, who is from Hermosillo, located in the center of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora, León was raised in a family where music was always present. León embarked on his musical journey at the age of 15, taking his first steps by learning to play the guitar and developing skills in singing and songwriting. In 2018, León released his debut album, Desvelada con Banda y Mariachi, which propelled him to quickly dominate the Regional Mexican music scene as a performer, singer and songwriter.</p><p>In 2021, he became the first Regional Mexican artist to participate in the Spotify Singles series and teamed up with country music star Walker Hayes for a Spanglish version of “Fancy Like” for Amazon Music Latin’s “La Cultura That Connects Us” campaign. In the same year, his album INÉDITO debuted atop the Apple Music charts, reaching #1 on the Mexican Music chart and #3 on the Latin Music chart. INÉDITO was named one of Billboard's 25 Best Latin Albums of 2021 and León also took part in the “Regional No More—Mexican Music Goes Global” panel as part of Billboard Latin Music Week.</p><p>León continued his rapid ascent in 2023, including a Latin Grammy win for Best Norteño Album for Colmillo de Leche and releasing two massive hit singles, with “Primera Cita” and “Según Quién” each charting Top 25 on Spotify and Top 30 on Billboard Global 200. Throughout his young career León has received countless nominations and numerous awards, including an ASCAP Award for the song “Me La Aventé” and a number of Premio Lo Nuestro Awards (“Regional Mexican Breakthrough Artist,” “Best Male Artist” and “Banda Song of the Year”). In addition, León won his first Latin Grammy for “Best Regional Mexican Song” in 2022 for the song “Como lo Hice Yo,” which was released in collaboration with Mexican pop group Matisse. </p><p><b>James McMurtry </b>is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove, and narrator of Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua). He performs with veteran bandmates Daren Hess, Cornbread and Tim Holt.</p><p>He spent his first seven years in Ft. Worth but was raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia and began performing in his teens. In 1987, a friend suggested that he enter the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk songwriter contest; he became one of six winners that year. At the same time, John Mellencamp was starring in a film based on a script by McMurtry's father, which gave McMurtry the opportunity to send a demo tape to Mellencamp. Mellencamp subsequently served as co-producer on McMurtry's debut album, Too Long in the Wasteland (1989). Over the next couple of decades, he has released numerous albums, some of which have been controversial. </p><p>During restrictions on touring and live music imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, he started streaming several live acoustic performances a week on Facebook and YouTube. Currently living in the Austin area, he regularly plays a midnight set at The Continental Club on Wednesday nights after Jon Dee Graham, another Austin roots rock musician.</p><p><b>Matt Schuster,</b> who is making his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night, comes from the heart of small-town Southern Illinois, Schuster's artistry resonates with the warmth of classic rock and the invigorating ambition of modern pop, redefining the sonic landscape of Nashville and beyond. Bold, effortlessly soulful and so undeniably invigorating it can stop you in your tracks, the 2023 Nashville Briefing Artist to Watch calls his style a smooth-yet-electrifying vision of new school “country rock.” His major-label debut track "Tell Me Tennessee” received rave reviews from MusicRow, crowning Schuster with the weekly DISCovery Award and calling his sound “one of the most innovative [they’ve] heard these days.” Meanwhile, his latest release “Last Fall” pushes Schuster further out into no-man’s land, mixing vivid lyrics and poetic imagery with the epic electricity powering his revived country-rock vision. </p><p><br /></p><p>Looking back 50 years ago to Saturday February 23, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry presented its first Reunion Show, also known as "Old-Timer's Night." The first show was an opportunity for some of the Opry's former and retired members to come back to the Ryman Auditorium for a final time before the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House. </p><p>From 50 years ago, Saturday February 23, 1974:</p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Willis Brothers (host): Big Daddy<br />Jim and Jesse: Paradise<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop/Give Me 40 Acres<br /></p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203<br />Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home</p><p>7:00: Rudy's<br />Roy Acuff (host): Whoa, Mule, Whoa<br />Minnie Pearl: Comedy<br />Pee Wee King: Bonaparte's Retreat/Slowpoke<br />Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart: Tennessee Waltz<br />Sid Harkreader: Mockingbird Breakdown/How Beautiful Heaven Must Be<br />DeFord Bailey: Pan American/Fox Chase<br />Roy Acuff: I Saw The Light<br /><br /></p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving<br />David Houston: I Love You; I Love You; I Love You<br />Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag<br />Jim Ed Brown: The Old Lamplighter/Scarlet Ribbons/The Three Bells<br />David Houston: Good Things<br />Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art</p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Lester Flatt (host): Salty Dog Blues<br />Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Heading South with Nashville On My Mind<br />Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons/Will You Visit Me On Sundays/What Are Those Things<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Shall Not Be Moved<br />Bill Carlisle: Same Old Tale That The Crow Told Me<br />Lester Flatt: Is Anybody Going North To Cincinnati<br />Grandpa Jones: You Don't Love Me Like You Used To<br />Lester Flatt: Train 45</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): I've Been Everywhere<br />Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Jean Shepard: At The Time<br />Hank Snow: I'm Moving On</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Kellogg's<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Clyde Moody: I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome<br />Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule/Listen To The Mockingbird<br /><br />10:00: Fender<br />David Houston (host): Living In A House Full of Love<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />David Houston: Almost Persuaded</p><p>10:15: Union 76<br />Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Couldn't Care Less<br />Jim and Jesse: Paradise<br />Jimmy C Newman: Cry, Cry Darling</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Lester Flatt (host): Nine Pound Hammer<br />Grandpa Jones: Ol' Rattler Left Us Years Ago<br />Jean Shepard: Slipping Away<br />Lester Flatt: Homestead On The Farm</p><p>10:45: Beechnut<br />Billy Grammer (host): Detroit City<br />Jim Ed Brown: Sometimes Sunshine<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Soldier's Joy<br />Billy Grammer: Just A Closer Walk with Thee</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): Hello, Love<br />Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham<br />Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me<br />Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because<br />Hank Snow: Paper Roses</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Marty Robbins (host): Devil Woman<br />Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down/Wanting My Woman Again<br />Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl/Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />Ronnie Robbins: Broke Down & Alone<br />Marty Robbins: I'm Wanting To/Don't Worry/Big Boss Man/They'll Never Take Her Love From Me/Love Me/I Couldn't Believe It Was True/Driftwood On The River/I'll Step Aside/El Paso</p><p>(Stonewall Jackson was scheduled for both shows but cancelled, while Roy Drusky was scheduled for only the early show. And, on an additional note, it was strange to see Roy Acuff opening the second show. Rarely did he open shows on the Opry). </p><p>The reunion shows became an annual event where each year various former or retired Opry members would come back to make appearances on the Opry. </p><p>There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and as always, I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. <br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-48310864860491503662024-02-18T16:49:00.000-05:002024-02-18T16:49:32.902-05:00Tuesday Night Opry 2/20<p>The lineup has been posted for the Tuesday night show and it is not too bad. Grand Ole Opry members Crystal Gayle, Don Schlitz, Gary Mule Deer and Riders In The Sky are scheduled, as is T. Graham Brown, who should be an Opry member. Meanwhile, The Wilder Blue will be making their Opry debut. </p><p>Tuesday February 20<br />7:00: T. Graham Brown, Corb Lund, <b>Crystal Gayle, Don Schlitz<br /></b>Intermission<br />8:15: Sierra Ferrell, <b>Gary Mule Deer</b>, The Wilder Blue, <b>Riders In The Sky</b></p><p>As mentioned, this will be the Opry debut for The Wilder Blue. The group has been around since 2019 and consists of primary frontman Zane Williams, Paul Eason, drummer Lyndon Hughes and bassist Sean Rodriguez, and Andy Rogers. Their music is described as "rock influenced country." </p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-76336418654566891012024-02-14T14:07:00.001-05:002024-02-14T14:08:30.203-05:00Grand Ole Opry 2/16 & 2/17<p>Dolly Parton has finally spoken about Elle King's Grand Ole Opry performance at her birthday tribute show, and she isn't fresh out of forgiveness.</p><p>The queen of country music asked folks to forgive and forget during an interview with "Extra" that aired over the weekend. Parton addressed King's performance and showed why so many people are endeared by the blonde bombshell from Tennessee.</p><p>What did Dolly Parton say about Elle King's Grand Ole Opry performance?<br /><br />“Elle is really a great artist,” Parton said during the interview. “She’s a great girl, and she’s been going through hard things lately. She just had a little too much to drink, so let’s just forgive that and forget it and move on, ‘cause she felt worse than anyone ever could,” Parton said.</p><p>There you have it. If Dolly is willing to forgive, we all should. </p><p><br />Moving on, the Grand Ole Opry has posted the lineups for the shows this upcoming weekend. The weekend will feature the usual Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>On the Friday Night Opry, Opry members Connie Smith, Mark Wills and Riders In The Sky are on the schedule. </p><p>It's always a pleasure to see Kathy Mattea on the schedule. Kathy is one of the ones on my list that I feel should have been an Opry member years ago. I don't know if it will ever happen for her or not, but I would really love to see her someday join the cast. Also appearing will be Country Music Hall of Fame member Dean Dillon, along with Chase Matthew, Mitchell Tenpenny and making her Opry debut, Lola Kirke. </p><p>Mark Wills will be making it a two-show weekend as he will be back on Saturday night, along with Bill Anderson, John Conlee, Gary Mule Deer, and adding to her record number of Opry appearances, Jeannie Seely. </p><p>Deana Carter leads the list of non-members, appearing along with Jake Worthington and Camille Parker, who will be making her Opry debut. </p><p>Friday February 16<br />7:00: <b>Mark Wills, Connie Smith</b>, Lola Kirke, Chase Matthew<br />Intermission<br />8:15: Dean Dillon, Kathy Mattea, Mitchell Tenpenny,<b> Riders In The Sky</b></p><p>Saturday February 17<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely, </b>Camille Parker, <b>John Conlee</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson</b>, Jake Worthington, Opry Square Dancers, <b>Gary Mule Deer, </b>Deana Carter</p><p><br />As mentioned, Lola Kirke will be making her Opry debut on Friday night. Here is the press release announcing her debut: </p><p><b>November 27, 2023 – Lola Kirke will make her Grand Ole Opry debut on February 16th, and she received a hell of a gift to mark the occasion. Rosanne Cash extended the offer to Kirke to make her Opry debut and gifted her one of June Carter Cash’s dresses for Kirke to wear during her debut. Kirke’s Opry debut comes on the same day she will release her new EP Country Curious, which was produced by Elle King and features contributions from First Aid Kit and Rosanne Cash. Kirke also recently took The New Yorker to a line dancing class in NYC as they learned a new line dance to Country Curious standout “He Says Y’All,” a “Talk of the Town” piece about the night is in the current issue.</b></p><p><b>“I have no problem dying so long as it happens after February 16th,” says Kirke of her Opry debut.</b></p><p><b>Country Curious showcases a young woman finding her musical footing in a thrilling way. In addition to collaborations with King, Cash and First Aid Kit on Country Curious, Kirke got to write songs with some of Nashville’s finest songwriters, including Aaron Ratiere (Miranda Lambert, Midland), Jon Decious (Ashley McBryde), Mary Kutter (Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith) and Jason Nix (Lainey Wilson). Kirke has lived in Nashville since 2020 and has made it her goal to immerse herself in the city’s world-renowned songwriting community and continue to refine her craft.</b></p><p><b>“What I’ve long loved about Country is the room it gives for women to be extremely dynamic and have that heart and that toughness and the ability to be domestic and wild,” Kirke says. “There’s also a space for men to cry. I’ve never heard so many references to men crying as I have in Country music. Those contradictions are so interesting to me.”</b></p><p><b>Kirke will tour in support of Country Curious, including an appearance at Stagecoach in April. </b></p><p>Here is the article regarding Camille Parker and her Opry debut on Saturday night: </p><p><b>Camille Parker had an onstage moment that she'll never forget while performing at Whiskey Jam, the long-running, weekly Nashville staple showcasing live music. Madeline Edwards surprised Parker with a very special invitation: to make her Grand Ole Opry debut. </b></p><p><b>"Camille is one of the hardest workers I know. She's one of the most determined people I know, and as two people that chose to leave everything and chase a dream and move to Nashville, you're one of my closest friends," Edwards said. Then, Edwards encouraged cheers from the crowd as she made the official invitation to Parker, saying, "You are about to make your Grand Ole Opry debut!" </b></p><p><b>Parker was visibly shocked and overwhelmed with joy following the ask, jumping up and down and hugging Edwards while exiting the stage. On Instagram, the Opry left her a very special comment, "See you soon, @iamcamilleparker!"</b></p><p><b>It is the first time in over 900 Whiskey Jam shows that an Opry debut has been made during the show. Whiskey Jam founder Ward Guenther grabbed the microphone to address the cheering crowd saying, "She is for real! That is the first time that's ever happened on the Whiskey Jam stage and I'm so glad it's for you, Camille!" </b></p><p><b>Parker's latest release, EP After The Whiskey Pt. 1, is out now. No word yet on her Opry debut date, but it will undoubtedly be an incredibly special night when she steps into that iconic circle for the first time. </b></p><p>I noticed that both of these Opry debut invitations were presented to Kirke and Camille by non-Opry members. I just found that interesting. I also noticed the Kirke's new EP was produced by Elle King. </p><p><br /></p><p>As the countdown continues to the 50th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry House, here is the lineup from 50 years ago, Saturday February 16, 1974: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Stonewall Jackson (host): Del Wood, Ernie Ashworth<br />6:45: Bill Monroe (host): Billy Grammer, Jim and Jesse<br />7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Minnie Pearl, Bill Carlisle<br />7:30: Bill Anderson (host): Bob Luman, Willis Brothers, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers<br />8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa and Ramona Jones, George Morgan, Stu Phillips, Marty Stuart<br />8:30: Hank Snow (host): David Houston, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Justin Tubb</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Bill Anderson (host): Willis Brothers, Jim and Jesse, Ernie Ashworth, Jimmy Gatley<br />10:00: Bill Monroe (host): Bob Luman, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper<br />10:15: Stonewall Jackson (host): Ray Pillow, Del Wood<br />10:30: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa Jones, Bill Carlisle, Paul Warren<br />10:45: Roy Acuff (host): Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers<br />11:00: Hank Snow (host): Stu Phillips, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee<br />11:30: George Morgan (host): David Houston, Shoji Tabuchi, Justin Tubb, Roy Wiggins</p><p>(Marion Worth cancelled for both shows, while Billy Grammer only appeared on the early show and Ray Pillow on the late show). <br /><br /></p><p>To finish it up, on Saturday February 17, 2001, Brad Paisley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Brad, who had been appearing on the Opry numerous times as a guest, was invited in December 2000 by Jimmy Dickens and Jeannie Seely. I have to say, that among the many disappointments among Opry members, Brad appears pretty close to the top of the list. As with most of the up-and-coming stars of that period, when he joined Brad professed his love of the Opry and said he would be there. He also said the same thing after the death of Jimmy Dickens. However, his actions speak otherwise. Over the past decade, Brad has made very few Opry appearances. </p><p>Here is the running order from 23 years ago, the night Brad Paisley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: online.com/Apple Barn<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Fireball Mail/Night Train To Memphis<br />Connie Smith: Satisfied<br />Bill Carlisle: Gone Home<br />Don Edwards: Saddle Tramp/I'm Kin To The Wind<br />Porter Wagoner: Brewster's Farm</p><p>7:00: Shoney's/Standard Candy<br />Steve Wariner (host): Burning The Roadhouse Down<br />BR5-49: The Price of Love<br />Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night<br />The Whites: Keep On The Sunny Side<br />Elizabeth Cook: I'm Not Lisa<br />Trisha Yearwood: The Perfect Love/How Do I Live<br />Steve Wariner: I Just Do<br /><b>Brad Paisley: Two People Fall In Love/Me Neither</b></p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Jeannie Seely (host): Anytime<br />Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips<br />Del Reeves: Bells of Southern Bell<br />Billy Walker: A Million & One<br />Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham<br />Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me</p><p>8:30: Physicians Mutual<br />John Conlee (host): She Can't Say That Anymore<br />Lee Ann Womack: I Hope You Dance/Somebody's Knocking<br />Vince Gill: Love Wants A Second Chance/Forever in Mind<br />John Conlee: Rose Colored Glasses</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: online.com<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Howdy Neighbor Howdy<br />Lee Ann Womack: Never Again, Again/Ashes By Now<br />Vince Gill: Love Wants A Second Chance/When I Call Your Name<br />Porter Wagoner: Misery Loves Company</p><p>10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Management & Storage<br />Jeannie Seely (host): You Don't Need Me but You Will<br />Billy Walker: Faded Lights & Lonesome People/You Gave Me A Mountain<br />BR5-49: Georgia On A Fast Train<br />John Shepard: If You Got The Time; We've Got The Beer/Ghost From The Opry<br />Jeannie Seely: Leaving & Saying Goodbye</p><p>10:30: Folex/Joggin In A Jug<br />John Conlee (host): Domestic Life<br />Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night/Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On<br />Elizabeth Cook: Blue Moon of Kentucky<br />Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Tennessee Wagoner<br />John Conlee: The Backside of 30/Rose Colored Glasses</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Steve Wariner (host): Burning The Roadhouse Down<br />Trisha Yearwood: Living On The Wrong Side of Memphis/Down On My Knees/She's In Love with The Boy<br /><b>Brad Paisley: The Streets of Bakersfield/Two People Fell In Love</b><br />Steve Wariner and Brad Paisley: Nothing but The Taillights</p><p>11:30: Pigeon Forge<br />Charlie Walker (host): Cherokee Maiden<br />Connie Smith: Ain't Had No Lovin'/You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me<br />Don Edwards: The Master's Call/The Ghost Train<br />Charlie Walker: Smoke; Smoke; Smoke</p><p>Well, I don't think anyone complained about the lineup that night. A very solid show.</p><p>Congratulations to Brad Paisley upon his Opry anniversary and hopefully we will see Brad back at the Opry soon. </p><p>That covers it for this week. Thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.</p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-48518177762251490552024-02-11T12:53:00.000-05:002024-02-11T12:53:38.512-05:00Tuesday Night Opry 2/13<p>The Tuesday Night Opry this week promises to have a special moment as Gene Watson and The Bellamy Brothers will be debuting their new song. </p><p>Gene Watson posted:<br /><b><br />The wait is over. Save the love song of the year "Forever Ain't Long Enough" on your favorite streaming service! Check out the video and don't forget to tune in to the Grand Ole Opry to hear the song performed for the first time on Feb. 13th! </b></p><p><br />And as with last year, the Opry is offering "The Opry's Sweet Thing/Premium Lounge Package." The package includes: <br />A champagne toast<br />Chocolate covered strawberries.<br />A rose<br />Exclusive access to the Circle Room premium lounge with<br />Unlimited drinks from a private bar<br />Special hors d’oevres<br />A visit from one of the night’s artists.</p><p> Available only for the Opry shows on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17<br />*Not valid without a show ticket on the same date.</p><p>I hope all who purchase the package enjoy it. </p><p><br />Looking at who will be performing on the Tuesday Night Opry members Jeannie Seely and Riders In The Sky will be joining Gene Watson, while non-members The Kody Norris Show, Maggie Rose and Tommy Emmanual will be on along with The Bellamy Brothers. </p><p>Tuesday February 13<br />7:00: <b>Jeannie Seely</b>, The Kody Norris Show, Dolton Dover, Tommy Emmanual<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Riders In The Sky, Gene Watson</b>, Maggie Rose, The Bellamy Brothers</p><p>For those who have not heard The Kody Norris Show, I highly recommend this award winning bluegrass group. They are amazing. </p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-41785174199234258292024-02-07T19:16:00.000-05:002024-02-07T19:16:38.933-05:00Grand Ole Opry 2/9 & 2/10<p>It's Super Bowl Weekend!!! Although my Cleveland Browns did not make it to the big game this year (in fact, they have never made it to the big game), it should still be a good one. Grand Ole Opry member Reba McEntire will be singing the national anthem prior to the game, while Usher will be the star of the halftime show. An interesting fact about Usher is that he is a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. </p><p>While Reba will not be at the Opry this weekend, Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show will be, and they are scheduled to close out the show both Friday and Saturday night. Joining the group on Friday night will be members Riders In The Sky and Connie Smith. Also scheduled on Friday night is John Conlee, who will be recognized upon his 43rd anniversary as an Opry member. John joined by cast on February 7, 1981. </p><p>In addition to Old Crow Medicine Show on Saturday night, Jeannie Seely, Mandy Barnett and Don Schlitz are also on the schedule. </p><p>Maddie & Tae will make it three weekends in a row as the duo is on the schedule for Friday night. Also appearing will be Carlos DeFord Bailey, the grandson of DeFord Bailey. Rounding out the list is Spencer Crandall and making their Opry debut, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band. </p><p>The War and Treaty are on the list for Saturday night, along with Sam Williams, Carter Faith and making their Opry debut, The Dead South.</p><p>Friday February 9<br />7:00: <b>Riders In The Sky,</b> Spencer Crandall, <b>John Conlee</b>, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Connie Smith</b>, Maddie & Tae, Carlos DeFord Bailey,<b> Old Crow Medicine Show</b></p><p>Saturday February 10<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Jeannie Seely</b>, Carter Faith, Sam Williams, The Dead South<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Mandy Barnett, Don Schlitz,</b> Opry Square Dancers, The War and Treaty, <b>Old Crow Medicine Show</b></p><p>As mentioned, two acts will be making their Opry debuts this weekend: Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band on Friday night and The Dead South on Saturday. </p><p><b>Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band</b> is based in Northern California and has opened for prestigious bands, including Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives and David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. The band has played at venues such as IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Festival, CBA’s Father's Day Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, SF’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Delfest, and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. Internationally, the band toured in Japan in 2023 and in 2022, headlined at Bluegrass in La Roche, France. In 2019, they toured throughout Finland, culminating at Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. In 2018, the band was featured on a TEDTalk by Nashville-based singer/songwriter Phoebe Hunt. </p><p>Founded in 2016 as a Duo band, brothers Miles and Teo Quale formed the bluegrass band in 2017 and since then, they have continued to make waves in the world of bluegrass and acoustic music.</p><p><b>The Dead South</b> is from the Canadian prairies and is a four-piece acoustic set that specializes in three-part harmonies. The group plays a little bit of everything: progressive bluegrass, alternative Americana, country, folk and western. </p><p><br />Continuing the look back to 50 years ago, here is the running order from Saturday February 9, 1974, as the countdown to the new Grand Ole Opry House continues: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Charlie Louvin (host): Let Her Go; God Bless Her<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Charlie Louvin: Did You Ever</p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Billy Walker (host): I've Changed My Mind<br />Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Billy Walker: How Great Thou Art</p><p>7:00: Rudy's<br />Jack Greene (host): Take Me Home Country Roads<br />Jeannie Seely: Can I Sleep In Your Arms Tonight Mister<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Little Darling Pal of Mine<br />Jim and Jesse: Diesel On My Tail<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floors<br />Jack Greene: It's Time To Cross That Bridge<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Coming Down From God<br />Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely: If It Ain't Love (Leave It Alone)</p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Wilburn Brothers: The City's Going Country<br />Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Nashville On My Mind<br />Bill Carlisle: Same Ol' Tale That The Crow Told Me<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag<br />Wilburn Brothers: Arkansas<br />Grandpa Jones: Ol' Rattler<br /><br />8:00: Martha White<br />Lester Flatt (host): Salty Dog Blues<br />Barbara Mandell: Burning The Midnight Oil<br />Archie Campbell: Comedy<br />Lester Flatt and Marty Stuart: The Bluebirds Singing For Me<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Archie Campbell: Making Friends<br />Lester Flatt: Rawhide</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): Hello Love<br />The 4 Guys: Turn Your Radio On<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Marion Worth: Paper Roses<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sally Goodin<br />The 4 Guys: Catfish John<br />Stu Phillips: Pride<br />Hank Snow: I'm Moving On</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Kellogg's<br />Wilburn Brothers (host): Roll Muddy River<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Billy Walker: I've Changed My Mind<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Billy Walker: You Have Me A Mountain<br />Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya<br />Jeanne Pruett: Hold To My Unchanging Love<br /><br />10:00: Fender<br />Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />Jim and Jesse: Freight Train<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor</p><p>10:15: Union 76<br />Roy Acuff (host): Cottonfields/Night Train To Memphis<br />Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything<br />Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I'm Going Home On The Morning Train</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Lester Flatt (host): Black Smoke's A Rising<br />Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Mt. Laurel<br />Bill Carlisle: A Dollar Ain't A Dollar Anymore<br />Nashville Grass: Fall Is A Lonesome Time For Me<br /><br />10:45: Beechnut<br />Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Mississippi Sawyer<br />Tommy Jones: Orange Blossom Special</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): Snowbird<br />The 4 Guys: Down By The Lazy River<br />Marion Worth: Delta Dawn<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham<br />The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of A Dove<br />Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because<br />Hank Snow: Paper Roses</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Marty Robbins (host): I Couldn't Believe It Was True<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Barbara Mandrell and Ronnie Shaw: I Love You; I Love You; I Love You<br />Barbara Mandrell: Baptism of Jesse Taylor<br />Marty Robbins: Don't Worry/Love Me/I'm Wanting To/Big Boss Man/Letters Have No Arms/Singing The Blues<br /><br />(George Morgan was scheduled for both shows but cancelled). </p><p><br />Finally, as mentioned, John Conlee will be recognized upon his 43rd anniversary as an Opry member on Friday night. John joined the Opry on Saturday February 7, 1981. Here is the running order from that night: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo<br />Ernie Ashworth: Mind Your Own Business<br />Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal</p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Charlie Walker (host): Crazy Arms<br />Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with The Way That We're Doing It Now<br />Bill Carlisle: Knothole<br />Charlie Walker: Don't Play Me No Songs About Texas</p><p>7:00: Shoney's<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot<br />Jimmy Dickens: Take An Old Cold Tater<br /><b>John Conlee: She Can't Say That Anymore/What I Had with You/Rose Colored Glasses</b><br />Connie Smith: When God Dips His Love In My Heart<br />Porter Wagoner: What I've Always Wanted/On A Highway Headed South</p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Jean Shepard: Slipping Away<br />Jim & Jesse: Truck Stops & Pretty Girls<br />Vic Willis Trio: Last Cheater's Waltz<br />Crook Brothers & The Tennessee Travelers: Durang's Hornpipe<br />Roy Acuff: That's The Man I'm Looking For</p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops<br />Skeeter Davis: The Rose<br />Wilburn Brothers: Making Plans<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Lonzo & Oscar: Green, Green Grass of Home<br />Bill Anderson: Mr. Peepers</p><p>8:30: Acme<br />Hank Snow (host): Storms Never Last<br />The 4 Guys: Fire<br />Charlie Louvin: Mama's Angels<br />Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home<br />Stu Phillips: I Will<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Bailey<br />Hank Snow & Kelly Foxton: Check</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Porter Wagoner, The 4 Guys, Jimmy Dickens, Billy Grammer, David Houston, Two's Company<br />10:00: Jack Greene, <b>John Conlee<br /></b>10:15: Roy Acuff, Jan Howard, Bill Carlisle, Carolee Singers<br />10:30: Bill Anderson, Jean Shepard, Jim & Jesse<br />10:45: Charlie Louvin, Connie Smith, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers<br />11:00: Hank Snow, Skeeter Davis, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Stu Phillips, Kirk McGee, Kelly Foxton<br />11:30: Roy Drusky, Lonzo & Oscar, Ray Pillow, Opry Staff Band<br /><br />There you go. That covers it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-83268568940058782982024-02-04T21:52:00.000-05:002024-02-04T21:52:17.919-05:00Tuesday Night Opry 2/6<p>Now that we are in the month of February, the Tuesday Night Opry is back with a pretty nice show this week: </p><p>Tuesday February 6<br />7:00: <b>Rhonda Vincent, </b>Treaty Oak Revival, <b>Lorrie Morgan</b>, Connor Smith<br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Don Schlitz, Henry Cho, Darius Rucker</b></p><p>Five of the seven acts are Opry members, including Darius Rucker. For Treaty Oak Revival, it will be their Opry debut. </p><p>Treaty Oak Revival is an up-and-coming young band consisting of Sam Canty (lead singer/acoustic guitar), Lance Vanley (rhythm electric/background vocals), Jeremiah Vanley (lead electric), Andrew Carey (bass), and Cody Holloway (drums). Their sound is rooted in Texas/Red Dirt country but draws from southern rock and punk influences, ultimately leading to a combination of styles that make the end product raw and refreshingly rough around the edges. </p><p><br />February 6 is an important date in Grand Ole Opry history as in 1976 Ronnie Milsap became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It was during the Friday Night Opry that evening that Roy Acuff welcomed Ronnie as a member. </p><p>Here is the lineup from that night 48 years ago: </p><p>7:30: Billy Walker (host): Skeeter Davis, The 4 Guys, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper<br />8:00: Jack Greene (host): Jeannie Seely, Stonewall Jackson<br />8:30: Roy Acuff (host): Jeanne Pruett, <b>Ronnie Milsap<br /></b>9:00: Jim Ed Brown (host): Charlie Louvin, Bill Carlisle, Ernie Ashworth<br />9:30: Roy Drusky (host): Connie Smith, Billy Grammer, Del Wood<br />10:00: Jimmy C Newman (host): Barbara Mandrell, Willis Brothers, Justin Tubb<br />10:30: Osborne Brothers (host): Hank Locklin, Marion Worth, Stu Phillips</p><p>I would say that was a very solid lineup that night. Congratulations to Ronnie Milsap upon his 48th year as an Opry member. <br /><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-46571151751581950102024-02-03T15:36:00.001-05:002024-02-20T18:52:57.548-05:00February Opry Highlights<p>The month of February starts in just a few more days, and while we are still in the dead of winter here in Ohio, there is positive news. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in few weeks which means spring is right around the corner, so we have that to look forward to. Now, as usual, here are the important or historical events that have taken place at the Grand Ole Opry, or with Opry members, during the month of February:</p><p>February 9, 1914: Grand Ole Opry legend Ernest Tubb was born in Crisp, Texas. Ernest came to the Opry in the early 1940s and immediately became of the Opry's most important and influential members. He was known for helping new artists and that list includes Hank Snow, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Jack Greene and Cal Smith, among many others. In 1947 he opened the first Ernest Tubb Record Shop and shortly after started the Midnight Jamboree. Ernest was one of the first members to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and he was a proud supporter of country music and those who came from the state of Texas. Ernest remained an Opry member until his death in 1984, after a period of declining health.</p><p>February 18, 1914: Early Grand Ole Opry member Frank Kuczynski was born. Perhaps that name does not ring a bell, but his stage name does: Pee Wee King. Pee Wee, along with his Golden West Cowboys, became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1937 and was one of the first professional entertainers to join the cast. Many people forget that Pee Wee came before Roy Acuff. He left the Opry after World War II and moved to Louisville, Kentucky to work in television and eventually his show was broadcast in Chicago, Cincinnati and Cleveland, in addition to Louisville. He always said he would have stayed in Nashville and at the Opry if WSM had branched into television, which they would do later. While leaving the Opry as a member, Pee Wee was a frequent guest. Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974, Pee Wee passed away in 2000 at the age of 86. Pee Wee also wrote an autobiography that is an excellent read and a book that I highly recommend.</p><p>February 1, 1917: Mary Jane Dezurik was born in Royalton, Minnesota. Along with her sister Carolyn, these former Opry members were known as the Cackle Sisters. They came to the Opry in the 1940s, staying for only a short period of time, eventually moving to Cincinnati. Mary Jane passed away in 1981.</p><p>February 7, 1921: Wilma Lee Leary, better known as Wilma Lee Cooper, was born in Valley Head, West Virginia. Along with her husband Stoney, Wilma Lee came to the Opry from the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree in 1957. After Stoney passed away, Wilma Lee continued as a member of the Opry until her death in 2011. The Coopers are one of the acts that I believe should be considered for the Country Music Hall of Fame. </p><p>February 25, 1927: Ralph Stanley was born in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia. This bluegrass legend joined the Grand Ole Opry in January 2000. Ralph passed away in 2016. Some believe that Ralph should receive consideration in regard to the Country Music Hall of Fame, of which I would not disagree.</p><p>February 1, 1928: Harry Stone joined WSM radio as a staff announcer. Harry would eventually become the general manager of WSM and become responsible for the Opry. While in that position, he would often clash with Opry founder George D. Hay over the direction of the show. While Judge Hay wanted to keep the rural flavor of the show, Harry saw the value of the show to the National Life & Insurance Company, the owners of WSM, and felt that the show should move into a more professional direction. It was during Harry's time that the Opry moved away from local, amateur talent and began bringing in professional and paid entertainers. Harry remained with WSM until 1950, when he left to pursue new opportunities. Overtime it has seemed that Harry Stone's influence at WSM and in the direction that the Opry eventually took has been overlooked, but he was an important part of the history of the radio station and the Opry. </p><p>February 17, 1931: Uncle Jimmy Thompson, the first artist to perform on what is now called the Grand Ole Opry passed away. Uncle Jimmy was a part of the Barn Dance until 1927. On the back wall at the Opry House, on the list of Opry members, Uncle Jimmy holds the top spot. </p><p>February 25, 1932: Faron Young was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1951 Faron joined the Louisiana Hayride, where he stayed until 1954. He then moved to Nashville, becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Faron remained an Opry member until he was fired in December 1964 for failing to meet the required number of annual appearances. While he never rejoined the show, Faron would come back and make occasional guest appearances.</p><p>February 2, 1935: The Missouri Mountaineers, led by Jack Shook, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Alcyone Bate described the Mountaineers, who were founded by Jack Shook, as a "sort of Sons of Pioneers group." They stayed with the Opry until 1939. After the group left the Opry, Jack Shook would go on to make recordings with Hank Williams, Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow, among others. </p><p>February 5, 1938: Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans made their second appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. His first appearance had taken place several months earlier and was not considered a success. This time around, Roy performed "The Great Speckled Bird" and WSM was overwhelmed with an avalanche of mail. As a result, Roy was asked to become an Opry regular, or member, and it became official on February 19. Along with Pee Wee King, Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe and Eddy Arnold, Roy would help lead the shift of the Opry's focus to professional singers rather than the instrumental groups that had been the main focus of the show. Shortly after he joined, Harry Stone suggested to Roy that the name of his group be changed and since Roy was from the Knoxville area, he went with Smoky Mountain Boys, which was effective beginning February 26. Except for a brief year in the 1940s, Roy would remain with the Opry until his death in November 1992.</p><p>February 18, 1939: The Andrew Brothers became members of the Grand Ole Opry. They were brought to the Opry specifically to replace the Delmore Brothers, who had left the show. While I have never heard The Andrew Brothers, I have heard that they were fine harmony singers.</p><p>February 13, 1943: While several dates have been listed, it would appear that Ernest Tubb became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry on this particular date. As has been discovered with others, in its earliest years, the Opry didn't keep very accurate records. </p><p>February 21, 1948: Jimmy Dickens made his first guest appearance on the Opry. He performed "John Henry" and "I Dreamed of An Old Love Affair." Several months later, Jimmy would become a member of the Opry.</p><p>February 2, 1949: Future Grand Ole Opry member Hank Snow met current Opry member Ernest Tubb for the first time. The meeting led to the efforts by Ernest to get Hank on the Opry, which finally took place in January 1950.</p><p>February 26, 1949: Rose Maddox and her brothers made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Rose and the group would later become Opry members, however their stay at the Opry was very short. There are several different versions as to why they left but the consensus seems to be that they were a little too progressive for the Opry. When discussion takes place regarding those who should be in the Hall of Fame but have been passed over, Rose and her brothers are frequently mentioned. </p><p>February 18, 1950: One of the Opry's early competitors, the WSB Barn Dance, based in Atlanta, Georgia, took place for the final time. The show, which started on November 16, 1940, was a very popular regional show.</p><p>February 23, 1952: Del Wood made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She came to the Opry after "Down Yonder" her famous instrumental single, sold over a million copies the previous year. When Del accepted the invitation to perform on the Opry, she turned down a two-week engagement to play with Bob Crosby and his orchestra. Del became an Opry member the following year and would remain an Opry member until her death in October 1989. It has been said that Del would keep a sharp eye out whenever a newcomer came to the Opry and didn't care for those who were overly progressive. </p><p>February 7, 1953: Marty Robbins made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. He performed two numbers, "Ain't You Ashamed" and "Good Night Cincinnati, Good Mornin' Tennessee." Marty's debut was a success, and he would shortly become an Opry regular. </p><p>February 26, 1955: The Louvin Brothers, Charlie and Ira, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Some consider them the greatest brother duo in the history of country music. Ira passed away on June 20, 1965, from injuries in an automobile accident that also took the life of his wife and another couple. Charlie would remain a member of the Opry, and have a successful solo career, until his death in January 2011. (As a note, some publications list February 10 as the date the Louvin Brothers joined the Opry).</p><p>February 19, 1957: Webb Pierce resigned as a member of the Opry. Webb's time at the Opry was fairly short as he quickly realized the amount of money, he was losing by having to be in Nashville every Saturday night. While that was the main issue, there were other instances where Webb felt that he wasn't being fairly treated by the Opry's management. However, after Webb gave up his Opry membership, he would come back for an occasional appearance. </p><p>February 23, 1957: Porter Wagoner became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It is safe to say that Porter was one of the Opry's most popular and colorful members and in his later years, was considered the face of the Opry. Porter had made his first guest appearance in 1956 and would later say, "The first night I appeared on the Opry, I came off the stage and went back to the dressing room area, and I met Roy Acuff in the hallway there. And he came up to me and he said, 'Porter, I was awful glad that you're becoming a part of the Grand Ole Opry. We need more of your kind of people here,'" The night of his first appearance, he was introduced by Carl Smith, who would later become close friends with Porter. Porter remained an Opry member until his death in October 2007, shortly after celebrating 50 years as an Opry member.</p><p>February 27, 1959: Billy Grammer joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Famous for "Gotta Travel On" Billy was also a fine guitar player and maker. Billy was a member for 52 years, passing away in August 2011. Billy also gave the innovation at the opening of the new Grand Ole Opry House in March 1974.</p><p>February 6, 1960: George Hamilton IV became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. George, who passed away in September 2014, was an Opry member for 54 years. From my own personal experience, George was one of the nicest guys in country music and it was always a joy and pleasure to sit and talk to him. I would also add that I believe George's contributions to country and folk music have been largely overlooked over the years. </p><p>February 4, 1962: Grand Ole Opry member Clint Black was born. Yes, he will be 62 this year. </p><p>February 7, 1962: Grand Ole Opry member, and Country Music Hall of Fame member, Garth Brooks was born. Much like Clint Black, isn't it hard to believe that Garth will be 62 this year? Where has the time gone? While Clint's career has somewhat faded, Garth still continues to set attendance records wherever he performs. </p><p>February 23, 1963: Patsy Cline made her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Less than two weeks later, she would die in a plane crash that also took the lives of Opry members Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins, along with Randy Hughes. While Patsy's time at the Opry was short, she had a tremendous influence. </p><p>February 12, 1966: After taking a leave of absence from the Grand Ole Opry in December 1964, Minnie Pearl returned to the Opry. Minnie saw that she was probably going to be caught up in the Purge of 64 with the members who were fired from the show, thus she took the initiative and asked for a leave knowing that she would be back someday. </p><p>February 19, 1966: Folk singers Peter, Paul and Mary made a special guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.</p><p>February 11, 1967: The Four Guys made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. As the story has been told many times, they were brought back for several encores. Even though the group never had a hit record, they were such a success with their stage presence that they were asked to become Opry members, were they remained until fired in April 2000. On a side note, Sam Wellington, the original leader of the group was recently inducted into the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame. </p><p>February 22, 1969: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs made their final appearance together on the Opry. The duo had joined the Opry in 1955, however creative differences caused the two to go their separate ways. While they broke up several months later, each remained as individual members of the Opry. On that particular night, they were scheduled for both shows, however they only appeared on the early show as differences kept them from appearing on the late show. </p><p>February 6, 1971: The Grand Ole Opry began performing two Saturday night Opry shows on a regular basis. Prior to that date, the Saturday show ran 7:30 to midnight, although on special occasions the Opry would break it up into two shows, depending on artist and audience demand.</p><p>February 11, 1972: Grand Ole Gospel Time, hosted by the Reverend Jimmie Snow, made its debut after the Friday Night Opry. The show would continue for the next 23 years and feature many of the Opry's members, along with other guests including Johnny and June Carter Cash and Dennis Weaver. While the hour-long show took place after the Friday Night Opry, it was not aired on WSM until Sunday morning.</p><p>February 19, 1974: Grand Ole Opry members Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton announced the break-up of their act. Obviously, this affected the Opry greatly as Porter would continue as an Opry regular, however Dolly, who would remain an Opry member, would eventually fade away from making regular Opry appearances. </p><p>February 23, 1974: Former Grand Ole Opry members DeFord Bailey, Sid Harkreader, Pee Wee King and several others performed on the Opry as part of the first of what would turn into, an annual reunion show featuring former Opry members. DeFord appeared at the personal invitation of Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl. While this was not DeFord's first Opry appearance since his firing, this was among his more notable ones. Before passing away, DeFord would make several more appearances, most often on the Opry's annual reunion shows.</p><p>February 1, 1975: Future Grand Ole Opry member Steve Wariner made his singing debut on the Opry. He sang a duet with Dottie West "Sweet Memories." He as part of Dottie's band and was introduced that night as Steve Noel. </p><p>February 8, 1975: After an absence of 18 years, Jimmy Dickens rejoined the cast as a member of the Opry. He was introduced that night by Hank Snow, who noted how much Jimmy had been missed at the Opry and how good it was to have him back. As you might expect, Jimmy sang "Family Reunion." Unlike the first time he joined in 1948, this time Jimmy stayed, until passing away in January 2015.</p><p>February 6, 1976: Ronnie Milsap became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Ronnie's 48th year as an Opry member. Sadly, Ronnie has had his share of health problems, and it would appear that he has retired. Ronnie last appeared on the Opry in March as part of his 80th birthday celebration. </p><p>February 16, 1980: Opry member Charlie Louvin was recognized upon his 25th anniversary as an Opry member. </p><p>February 7, 1981: John Conlee became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be John's 43rd year as an Opry member. As an Opry member, John has been very popular and well received. After he first appeared on the Opry, he was quoted as saying, "I made sure to stand on the circle from the stage of the old Ryman. That circle has been so important to me because so many big stars had stood on that wooden flooring."</p><p>February 21, 1981: Just two weeks after John Conlee joined the cast, Boxcar Willie became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Boxcar became a country music star late in life, thanks to his hobo character and his late-night television commercials promoting his train album. Boxcar had first appeared on the Opry in June 1980 after being discovered in England by Wesley Rose, who brought Boxcar to the attention of Roy Acuff. Lecil Travis Martin passed away in April 1999. Also, that night, former Grand Ole Opry member Tammy Wynette made an Opry appearance, her first since October 1975.</p><p>February 28, 1987: Grand Ole Opry member Archie Campbell made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Archie, who was also known as a star of Hee Haw, passed away in August 1987. For those who haven't, I would recommend a visit to the Archie Campbell Museum in Bulls Gap, Tennessee. It is free and wonderful. I would also add that Archie should have been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame decades ago. As to why he has not been elected, I do not have an answer. </p><p>February 20, 1988: The Grand Ole Opry honored Roy Acuff for 50 years of Opry membership. TNN devoted an entire hour-long segment to Roy that featured Loretta Lynn and Minnie Pearl. On an additional note, on the same night that Roy Acuff celebrated his 50th Opry anniversary, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton reunited at the Opry for the first time in 14 years.</p><p>February 24, 1990: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn performed on the Opry for the first time with her sisters Crystal Gayle and Peggy Sue. </p><p>February 24, 1991: Webb Pierce passed away in Nashville. Webb came to Nashville in 1952 from the Louisiana Hayride and quickly made his first Grand Ole Opry appearance on the Prince Albert portion of the show. When he joined the cast in 1953, he was considered the replacement for Hank Williams. In the 1950s, Webb was one of the biggest acts in country music and because of his heavy touring, he only stayed at the Opry for a couple of years. Webb was also a very successful businessman and was involved with one of the first publishing companies in Nashville. In 2001, a decade after his death, Webb was finally elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.</p><p>February 29, 1992: Travis Tritt became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 32nd year as an Opry member. Travis is the only member in the history of the Opry who joined the cast on February 29, leap year. Sadly, over the past decade, Travis has not been to the Opry very often. Also taking place that night was the Opry debut of Trisha Yearwood. She would join the Opry's cast a decade later. </p><p>February 18, 1995: WSM and Grand Ole Opry announcer Charlie Douglas announced the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. Charlie retired from WSM after coming to the station in 1984.</p><p>February 19, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Grandpa Jones passed away from the effects of a stroke he had suffered earlier in the year. Grandpa had been a 50+ year member of the Opry and was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. </p><p>February 21, 1998: The Grand Ole Opry honored long-time member Grandpa Jones, who passed away earlier in the week from complications of a stroke suffered after an Opry performance. At the show that night, Bill Carlisle, Vince Gill, Ramona Jones and Grandpa's children led the cast in singing "Fallen Leaves," one of the great songs that Grandpa wrote. I was at the show that night and it was a very memorable evening. </p><p>February 19, 1999: Brother Oswald made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Oswald had been a part of the Opry for decades, originally coming to the show as part of Roy Acuff's group, then later becoming an Opry member after Roy passed away. </p><p>February 17, 2001: Brad Paisley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Brad's 23rd year as an Opry member. On the night that Brad joined the cast, he wore the bright yellow jacket that Buck Owens wore on the cover of the 1966 "Live at Carnegie Hall" album. In some ways, Brad has become the poster child of Opry members who seem to have forgotten where the Opry House is. </p><p>February 24, 2001: While performing on the first show that evening, Grand Ole Opry member Wilma Lee Cooper suffered a stroke which would end her performing career. Wilma Lee did return to the Opry several times after the stroke, once to be honored for 50 years as a member of the Opry, and then when the Grand Ole Opry House reopened after the flood in September 2010.</p><p>February 16, 2002: Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt and Hank Williams, Jr. performed together on the Opry in tribute to Waylon Jennings, who had recently passed away. Porter Wagoner was the host of the segment, and the four performers spent an hour on stage singing various Waylon songs and telling Waylon stories.</p><p>February 18, 2003: Grand Ole Opry member Johnny Paycheck passed away following a long illness. Johnny joined the Opry in November 1997, at the urging of Johnny Russell. However, within a few years, declining health forced Johnny into retirement. At the time of his death. Johnny was in such poor financial shape that George Jones paid for a cemetery plot in which Johnny was buried.</p><p>February 4, 2005: Bluegrass group The Grascals made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming Opry members, the group has continued to make appearances on the Opry. </p><p>February 26, 2005: Opry member Charlie Louvin was honored for 50 years of Opry membership. He appeared on both Opry shows that night in addition to hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. Sadly, Charlie was not featured on the televised segment of the Opry that evening. </p><p>February 8, 2007: In response to the recently filed lawsuit against the Grand Ole Opry officials file papers in a Nashville court to request a dismissal of Stonewall Jackson's age-discrimination suit. They note Jackson has turned down some opportunities to perform and call the suit an effort "to boost his own career"</p><p>February 16, 2008: Former Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Lord passed away in Florida at the age of 74. Bobby was a popular Opry member who joined the cast in the mid 1960s, leaving in the mid-1970s. At the time, he left Nashville and moved to Florida and got involved in real estate.</p><p>February 27, 2009: Opry member Billy Grammer was honored for 50 years of Opry membership. On the same night that Billy was recognized, Jimmy Dickens returned to the Opry after an absence of six weeks following brain surgery.</p><p>February 14, 2015: Future Grand Ole Opry member Kelsea Ballerini made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Kelsea joined the Opry cast in 2019.</p><p>February 26, 2015: The Grand Ole Opry House was added to the National Register of Historic Places.</p><p>February 24, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Clark performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. Roy joined the Opry's cast in August 1987. Roy passed away on November 15, 2018.</p><p>February 28, 2017: Travis Tritt returned to the Opry stage for the first time since 2007, upon the occasion of his 25th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.</p><p>February 8, 2018: Steve Buchanan, President of the Grand Ole Opry, announced his retirement. Steve was instrumental in bringing in Pete Fisher as the Opry's general manager, and in expanding the Opry brand in Nashville and beyond. Steve was also the executive producer of "Nashville," which included the Opry and several of its members in many of their shows. An argument can be made that Steve could be a candidate for the Country Music Hall of Fame in the contributors' category.</p><p>February 15, 2019: William Shatner made his Grand Ole Opry debut, appearing with Jeff Cook from the group Alabama. </p><p>February 7, 2020: Gene Watson was formally inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. It was a well-deserved honor for Gene and well received. Grand Ole Opry member Steve Wariner handled the official induction. </p><p>February 28, 2020: Rhonda Vincent was surprised by Opry member Jeannie Seely with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Rhonda had been a guest on the Opry for several decades prior to the invitation. Due to Covid, her induction was delayed until 2021. </p><p>February 6, 2021: After a yearlong wait due to Covid, Rhonda Vincent was finally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. with Dierks Bentley doing the honors. Since joining the cast, Rhonda has embraced her membership and has appeared on the Opry numerous times over the past year. </p><p>February 14, 2021: NBC-TV televised the Opry's 95th anniversary special. The show featured over a dozen of the Opry's more popular members and included the invitation by Darius Rucker to Lady A to become the Opry's newest member. The special had been filmed the previous month and Lady A's Opry induction took effect immediately, thus jumping Rhonda Vincent's. </p><p>February 12, 2022: Lauren Alaina was formally inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Trisha Yearwood did the introduction and presented Lauren with her Opry member award, with Garth Brooks also appearing. </p><p>February 4, 2023: The Grand Ole Opry revealed its new backdrop. While still shaped somewhat as a barn, it brought the backdrop into the electronic age with LED and digital lighting that was designed for which ever performer was on stage. </p><p>February 11, 2023: Henry Cho was inducted as the Grand Ole Opry's newest member, and the first comedian to join the Opry's cast since Jerry Clower in 1973. Vince Gill did the formal honors, assisted by John Conlee, Don Schlitz, Steve Wariner and Ben Isaacs. </p><p>February 26, 2023: Melvin Sloan passed away at the age of 82. Melvin came to the Opry following the death of his brother Ralph Sloan and took over the lead role of the Square Dancers. The Group became known as the Melvin Sloan Dancers. Melvin retired in 2002, which also marked the 50th year of either Ralph or Melvin leading the Square Dancers. </p><p>February 20, 2024: T. Graham Brown was surprised by Vince Gill with an invitation to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>There you have it for the month of February.</p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-73726339848773169432024-02-01T08:31:00.000-05:002024-02-01T08:31:21.230-05:00Grand Ole Opry 2/2 & 2/3<div><div>I wanted to start out by sharing this wonderful news regarding Grand Ole Opry member Jeannie Seely:</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 30, 2024) – Grammy-award-winning Country legend Jeannie Seely will be honored with the esteemed Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement Award at the SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards in recognition of her numerous career achievements and significant contributions to the music industry. Seely joins an elite group of Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, including Jo Walker-Meador (2004), Brenda Lee (2006), and Frances Preston (2010). The annual awards ceremony will be presented by Springer Mountain Farms and is set for August 27, 2024, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"The Source Awards have been very special to me since I first heard of them, and it has been a privilege to serve as a co-host all these years. I’ve always been interested in the business behind the music, and therefore have tremendous respect for the women in this organization. To be a recipient of this highest honor with my mentors is beyond my dreams!" exclaimed Jeannie Seely.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"SOURCE is incredibly thankful for Jeannie's dedication to and support of this organization through the years," said SOURCE President Kari Barnhart. "Jeannie's dedication to her music, work as a radio host, long-time membership of the Grand Ole Opry, and willingness to mentor and guide emerging female artists speaks to who she is. She deserves to be celebrated and honored with the Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement Award."</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Co-host of the prestigious SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards since 2006, Seely has spearheaded significant efforts to support and enhance women’s music industry roles throughout her decades.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry early in her career, Jeannie today holds the distinction of having more Opry performances than any other artist. Only the third female in country music history to receive a Grammy award and the first female to regularly host Opry segments, Seely’s many awards and accolades demonstrate her impact in the music industry. Those awards include the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award, a Music City Walk of Fame star, and BMI hit-songwriter awards. She is also a producer, author, actress, and host – including her own weekly show on SiriusXM.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>In addition, Seely has been a longtime advocate for artists’ benefits and rights, serving on the Board of Directors for SAG-AFTRA and the Opry Trust Fund. The only female to receive an honorary Nashville Musicians Union lifetime membership, Seely also received Lincoln Memorial University’s most prestigious recognition – an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Stay in touch with Jeannie Seely on her website and all of her social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Stream and download music on Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube Music and listen to her on Sundays With Seely on SiriusXM each Sunday at 11 am CST.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>About Source Hall of Fame Awards:</b></div><div><b>In 2003, the annual SOURCE Awards were established by founder Kay Smith to honor and pay respect to the Women Behind The Music who helped shape and build upon Nashville’s entertainment industry. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>The SOURCE Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2004. With permission, the award was named in honor of Jo Walker-Meador. The candidates for this award, in addition to meeting the criteria for a SOURCE Award, must have not only contributed to the Nashville entertainment industry but have made significant contributions outside of Nashville and Internationally, which brings or brought attention to the Nashville entertainment industry.</b></div><div><b>Founded in 1991 by Shelia Shipley Biddy, Judy Harris, and Pat Rolfe, SOURCE is the longest-running organization for females in the music industry in Nashville and is dedicated to fostering relationships and opportunities for its members through continuous education, networking, and community service initiatives. </b></div><div><b>SOURCE is a nonprofit organization supporting an exclusive community of accomplished women professionals who work in all facets of Nashville’s entertainment industry. For more information, please visit SOURCENashville.org.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>About Jeannie Seely</b></div><div><b>Jeannie Seely's deep, moving vocals earned her the nickname “Miss Country Soul,” a title still used today. An esteemed singer, songwriter, producer, actress, author and on-air personality, Seely added another title, “Doctor,” to her resume when she was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Lincoln Memorial University in 2019. The third female country artist to win a GRAMMY® and the oldest female Grammy-winning artist who is still living. She is among a select group of country artists who have scored No. 1 hits as a solo artist, duet partner and songwriter. On September 16, 1967, Seely fulfilled her lifelong dream of joining the Grand Ole Opry®, becoming the first Pennsylvania native to do so. Nearly 56 years later, Seely makes clear that it's still a thrill and an honor each time she performs on the world-famous stage, which she has performed over 5300 times. From her 1966 Top 10 Billboard album, The Seely Style, which featured “Don’t Touch Me,” to her self-produced album, Written in Song, consisting entirely of songs she’s written and recorded for more than 10 Country Music Hall of Fame® members, Seely's recordings have spanned seven decades. Seely first appeared on the Billboard charts in 1966, continued to score entries for 13 consecutive years on various Billboard charts, and as recently as 2022, has had a presence on the MusicRow charts. Seely also garnered a No. 1 on the Record World Country Singles chart in 1971 and a No. 1 on the Bluegrass Today chart in 2019. In his 2003 book, Finding Her Voice: The Saga of Women in Country Music, music critic Robert K. Oermann wrote, “With her chin-out, tough/tender, heart-of-gold manner, Jeannie Seely remains one of Country’s most completely modern female personalities,” and that statement still holds true. With a strong social media following and over four million views on her YouTube channel, Seely continues expanding her international presence as music sales and fans' messages pour in. She appeared in Willie Nelson's movie Honeysuckle Rose and sang on the film’s RIAA® platinum-certified soundtrack, and for the past four years, Seely has hosted her own show, Sundays with Seely, on SiriusXM's Willie's Roadhouse. She also served as a disc jockey on her own Armed Forces Network Show, which launched after her tour abroad for the troops. She continues to receive letters of appreciation from American soldiers for her support. She is also a fierce advocate for musicians' rights and takes much pride in her involvement and support for the cause. Nelson, along with Rhonda Vincent, Bill Anderson, Lorrie Morgan, Ray Stevens and many more of her friends, joined Seely for her most recent recording project on Curb Records, An American Classic, which has seen rave reviews and three radio releases. Most recently, Seely won the Song of the Year Award at the Arkansas Country Music Awards and was honored with the Mississippi Career Achievement Award at the Mississippi Music Awards and 2023 recipient of the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award. </b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Congratulations to Jeannie, who has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry more than any other member in the history of the show. She continues to be an inspiration and mentor to many of the younger female artists in country music and continues to promote the Grand Ole Opry in various ways. She is truly an outstanding representative of the Opry. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Now looking ahead to the weekend, starting with the Friday Night Opry. Dailey & Vincent are back, joined by members Don Schlitz, Mark Wills, Gene Watson and Jeannie Seely. Wyatt Ellis is back for a return performance, along with Mackenzie Porter, and comedian Dusty Slay. Since Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer joined the cast, the number of appearances by non-member comedians has really decreased. Dusty hasn't been on the Opry in a while, and he is actually one of the better ones. </div><div><br /></div><div>Looking ahead to Saturday night, I am very happy to see Bill Anderson back on the schedule. Bill has been absence from the Opry for several months after having surgery. But he seems fine and is eager to be back on the Opry stage. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mark Willis will be making it a two-show weekend, as he returns on Saturday, along with members Connie Smith, John Conlee, Del McCoury and Riders In The Sky. That's a nice group of members for you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maddie & Tae will make it two Saturdays in a row guesting, with The McCrary Sisters joining them. </div><div><br />Friday February 2<br />7:00: <b>Dailey & Vincent, Jeannie Seely, </b>MacKenzie Porter, <b>Gene Watson</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: Wyatt Ellis, Dusty Slay, <b>Mark Willis, Don Schlitz</b><br /><br />Saturday February 3<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Mark Wills, Connie Smith, John Conlee, Del McCoury Band</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Bill Anderson, </b>The McCrary Sisters, Opry Square Dancers, Maddie & Tae, <b>Riders In The Sky</b><br /><br /><br /><br />From 50 years ago, Saturday February 2, 1974</div><div>6:30: Stonewall Jackson (host): Billy Walker, Justin Tubb</div><div>6:45: Bill Monroe (host): Willis Brothers, Del Wood</div><div>7:00: Jack Greene (host): Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Ernie Ashworth</div><div>7:30: Roy Acuff (host): Charlie Louvin, Osborne Brothers, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers</div><div>8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Bill Carlisle, Jeannie C Riley, Lonzo and Oscar, Marty Stuart</div><div>8:30: Hank Snow (host): Marion Worth, Jim and Jesse, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Bob Luman</div><div><br /></div><div>2nd show</div><div>9:30: Billy Walker (host): Willis Brothers, Osborne Brother, Lonzo and Oscar, Del Wood</div><div>10:00: Charlie Louvin (host): Diane McCall, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper</div><div>10:15: Bill Monroe (host): Stonewall Jackson</div><div>10:30: Lester Flatt (host): Bob Luman, Bill Carlisle</div><div>10:45: Roy Acuff (host): Jim and Jesse, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers</div><div>11:00: Hank Snow (host): Jack Greene, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Marion Worth, Sam McGee</div><div>11:30: Del Reeves (host): Justin Tubb, Jeannie C. Riley</div><div><br /></div><div>(Ernie Ashworth was scheduled for both shows but cancelled on the late show, while Del Reeves was only scheduled for the final segment). </div><div><br /></div><div><br />Going back a few years earlier, here is the running order from Saturday February 3, 1962: </div><div><br /></div><div>7:30: Pet Milk</div><div>Roy Acuff (host): I Couldn't Believe It Was True</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: Blue, Blue Day</div><div>Brother Oswald: John Hardy</div><div>Roy Acuff: The Last Letter</div><div>Howdy Forrester: Twinkle Little Star</div><div>June Carter: Comedy</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: No Legal Right</div><div>Roy Acuff: Farther Along</div><div><br /></div><div>8:00: Martha White</div><div>Flatt & Scruggs (host): Polka On A Banjo</div><div>Cowboy Copas: Filipino Baby</div><div>Willis Brothers: Everlovin Dixieland</div><div>Hilo Brown: The Prisoner Song</div><div>Flatt & Scruggs: Cabin On The Hill</div><div>Billy Grammer: (?)</div><div>Crook Brothers: Lafayette</div><div>Cowboy Copas: Alabam</div><div>Flatt & Scruggs: Shuckin The Corn</div><div><br /></div><div>8:30: Faultless</div><div>Jim Reeves (host): In A Mansion Stands My Love</div><div>Roy Drusky: There's Always One<br />Archie Campbell: Comedy</div><div>Bill Monroe: Cottonfields</div><div>Jim Reeves: Four Walls</div><div>Old Hickory Singers: Sweet Mama Tree Top Tall</div><div>Bobby Lord: (?)</div><div>Blue Boys: Beautiful Dreamer</div><div>Jim Reeves: Danny Boy</div><div><br /></div><div>9:00: Jefferson Island Salt</div><div>Marty Robbins (host): Don't Worry</div><div>Porter Wagoner: Sugarfoot Rag</div><div>Bill Anderson: Down Came The Rain</div><div>Margie Bowes: I'm Alone Because I Love You</div><div>Marty Robbins: It's Your World</div><div>Carl Butler: (?)</div><div>Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sally Johnson</div><div>Porter Wagoner: Misery Loves Company</div><div>Marty Robbins: I Can't Quit</div><div><br /></div><div>9:30: Stephens</div><div>Hank Snow (host): The Restless One</div><div>Jimmy Newman: Alligator Man</div><div>Jimmy Elledge: Funny How Time Slips Away</div><div>Lonzo and Oscar: Peeling Potatoes In The Army</div><div>Hank Snow: Your Little Band of Gold</div><div>Wilma Lee Cooper: (?)</div><div>Glaser Brothers: (?)</div><div>Jimmy Newman: (?)</div><div>Hank Snow: The Only Rose</div><div><br /></div><div>10:00: Real Lemon</div><div>Roy Acuff (host): Little Moses</div><div>Wilburn Brothers: Which One Is To Blame</div><div>Margie Bowes: Are You Teasing Me</div><div>Roy Acuff: The Glory Bound Train</div><div>Howdy Forrester and Jimmy Riddle: Jesse Polka</div><div><br /></div><div>10:15: Corn Products</div><div>Flatt & Scruggs (host): I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow</div><div>Roy Drusky: Making Time</div><div>Billy Grammer: (?)</div><div>Flatt & Scruggs (host): If I Should Wander Back Tonight</div><div>Paul Warren: Katy Hill</div><div><br /></div><div>10:30: Sustaining</div><div>Cowboy Copas (host): Gone & Left Me Blues</div><div>Willis Brothers: Tumbling Tumble Weeds</div><div>Bobby Lord: (?)</div><div>Archie Campbell: Comedy</div><div>Cowboy Copas: Don't Shake Hands with The Devil</div><div><br /></div><div>10:45: De Con</div><div>Jim Reeves (host): How Can I Write On Paper, What I Feel In My Heart</div><div>Wilma Lee Cooper: (?)</div><div>Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin</div><div>Jim Reeves: Losing Your Love</div><div>Blue Boys: Red River Rock</div><div><br /></div><div>11:00: Coca Cola</div><div>Hank Snow (host): Big Wheels</div><div>Bill Monroe: I Saw The Light</div><div>Bill Anderson: Columbus Stockade Blues</div><div>Lonzo and Oscar: Waltz Me Around Again, Willie</div><div>Hank Snow: Let's Pretend</div><div>Sam and Kirk McGee: Coming From The Ball</div><div>Old Hickory Singers: Bill Bailey<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark</div><div>Bill Monroe: Sally Joe</div><div>Hank Snow: Chasing A Rainbow</div><div><br /></div><div>11:30: Black Draft</div><div>Porter Wagoner (host): Uncle Pen</div><div>Jimmy Elledge: (?)</div><div>Glaser Brothers: (?)</div><div>Porter Wagoner: Your Old Love Letters</div><div><br /></div><div>11:45: Al-Kem</div><div>Marty Robbins (host): Don't Worry</div><div>Jimmy Newman: Save A Little Corner</div><div>Carl Butler: (?)</div><div>Marty Robbins: It's Your World</div><div><br /></div><div>There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-28112419918611160162024-01-30T16:09:00.001-05:002024-01-30T16:09:20.532-05:00Thursday Night Opry 2/1<p>The month of February is upon us and to start the month off there will be a Thursday Night Opry this week. It does feel a bit strange to have a Thursday night show this early in the year, but the main attraction for the show seems to be a guest appearance by Cody Johnson. <br /><br />Cody is one of the up-and-coming newcomers in country music and is already making an impact. Cody has already won several awards, including New Male Vocalist of the Year in the Texas Regional Radio Music Awards. He has been compared to George Strait, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. I think all would agree that Cody has a bright future in country music. </p><p>Joining Cody on Thursday night will be Opry members Mandy Barnett, Dailey & Vincent and Lorrie Morgan, who is celebrating her "Ruby" year as a member of the Opry. Guesting will be Drake Milligan, Ian Munsick and Kevin Fowler, who will be making his Opry debut. </p><div>Thursday February 1<br />7:00: <b>Dailey & Vincent, Mandy Barnett</b>, Kevin Fowler, <b>Lorrie Morgan<br /></b>Intermission<br />8:15: Drake Milligan, Ian Munsick, Cody Johnson</div><p>I would assume that the last hour will be taped for a future Circle All-Access airing. <br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-36578843922946596522024-01-28T10:58:00.004-05:002024-01-28T10:58:42.270-05:00Country Music Hall of Fame <p><b>Several weeks ago, when I was out of commission, my friend Kyle at Saving Country Music (a site that I highly recommend), did his annual post regarding the Country Music Hall of Fame. While I don't always agree with his predictions and thoughts, he offers some good insight into the voting. I know he posted this several weeks ago, but I thought I would share and see what opinions are out there.</b></p><p>It’s that time of year again to consider who might be in the running for the precious few spots as the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A secret committee commissioned by the CMA is going over their final ballots and whittling down the names to the few who will make it into one of country music’s most hallowed institutions.</p><p>Unlike other Halls of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame tries to keep the institution distinguished by letting only a few names in each year. This way a bad name never slips through the process, hypothetically. This has also caused a glut of good names being left out in recent years, stirring controversy in itself. But it also keeps the Hall of Fame honor exclusive and distinguished.</p><p>The Rules</p><p>The Country Music Hall of Fame inductees are selected through a committee process appointed by the Country Music Association (CMA). Since 2010, the selection process has been split up into three categories. 1) Modern Era – Eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 2) Veterans Era – Eligible for induction 40 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 3) Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician active prior to 1980 – Rotates every 3 years. If there is a tie in voting in any category, two names can be selected, as we saw in 2021.</p><p>With non-performer Joe Galante selected in 2022, and songwriter Bob McDill selected in 2023, it would be a recording and/or touring musician selected in 2024. Though this could also be a performer, the point of this category is to highlight someone primarily known as a musician, and someone who may not get into the Hall of Fame otherwise.</p><p>Another important rule to note is that no candidate is eligible for the Hall of Fame a year after they pass away. This is to avoid sympathy votes in the aftermath of an artist dying, so check the 2023 In Memoriam List for those who would be ineligible. In recent years, this has accelerated artists being inducted before they die to avoid the one-year penalty, and to honor them while they’re still living.</p><p><b>Potential Modern Era Inductees</b></p><p><b>2023 is the year when we legitimately need to begin thinking about artists that many country fans may consider more “modern” than their tastes allow to be considered legitimate contenders for the Hall of Fame—Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, and more. Dwight Yoakam and Clint Black feel like old timers in the category. They’re also top contenders.</b></p><p><b>• Last Year’s Modern Era Inductee: Patty Loveless</b></p><p><b>• Saving Country Music Prediction: Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Alison Krauss</b></p><p><b>• Saving Country Music’s Picks: Dwight Yoakam, Clint Black.</b></p><p>Clint Black: If it wasn’t for his career’s disappearing act, his name would be a no brainier for the Hall of Fame. Instead, Clint Black’s impact is commonly overlooked, and unfairly so. Nobody was more successful in country music in the ’90s decade than Clint Black, save for Garth Brooks. A whopping thirteen #1 singles including his first four consecutively, and a total of 29 Top 10 hits puts Clint Black in an elite class in regard to numbers. Clint Black also kept it (mostly) country and was always seen as a good guy in the industry.</p><p>When Clint Black’s wife Lisa Hartman had their first child in May of 2001, he decided to take three years off to enjoy his young family. Aside from “Spend My Time” in 2003 that peaked at #16, the rest of Clint’s singles all stayed outside the Top 40 after the hiatus. “It ended up not being a smart career move, but it was a real smart dad move. … I wouldn’t go back and try to do anything for my career in exchange for that,” Black says. It shouldn’t cost him a Hall of Fame induction either.</p><p>Dwight Yoakam: You’d think with 25 million records sold; Dwight Yoakam should definitely be considered for Hall of Fame distinction. But being based in California as opposed to Nashville may put him a bit out of the purview of voters—an always important factor. Yoakam’s greatest contribution beyond the gaudy sales numbers comes in the influence he had in country music in his time, and that he still wields today over generations of performers. Dwight Yoakam made country music cool to millions, just like Hall of Famer Buck Owens and other Bakersfield legends did in their time.</p><p>Dwight’s also not showing any signs of slowing down and has earned additional stripes as a country music ambassador through his acting career. With his own SiriusXM station where he’s hanging out with Post Malone, it feels like Yoakam has finally graduated from a future hopeful for the Hall of Fame to a bona fide front runner.</p><p>Kenny Chesney: Though it may feel like Kenny Chesney is more of a current artist than a Hall of Fame candidate, he was officially eligible for the Hall of Fame starting in 2015. Chesney released his first major label album with BNA in 1995, and had two Top 10 singles, “Fall In Love” and “All I Need to Know.” With 4 out of 5 CMA Entertainer of the Year Awards between 2004 and 2008, 32 #1 hits, and over 30 million albums sold, Chesney’s resume for the Hall of Fame is undeniable.</p><p>Consider this: Kenny Chesney has been country music’s only active and consistent stadium draw for going on 20 years. From the mid to late aughts before Taylor Swift came onto the scene, Chesney was far and away the biggest artist in country music. Possibly the only thing keeping Kenny Chesney back is that he feels like a current artist as opposed to an aged-out performer that deserves to be venerated, even if his last couple of singles stalled outside the Top 10. But there’s no denying Kenny is getting in, and if not this year, then in the next year or two.</p><p>Alison Krauss: There may be no other single performer who did more for spreading the love and appreciation for bluegrass throughout the ’90s and 2000s than Alison Krauss. The solo albums, the work with Union Station, the collaborations with Robert Plant and others have made her one of the most critically acclaimed artists of our generation, with enough commercial success to also make her a household name.</p><p>Krauss has won 27 Grammy Awards, putting her only behind Beyoncé, Quincy Jones and classical conductor Georg Solti as the most-awarded artist in Grammy history. She has also received 42 nominations. This includes a Grammy win for the all-genre Album of the Year Rising Sand with Robert Plant. Krauss was also critical to the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, as well as the soundtrack to Cold Mountain. She’s also a National Medal of Arts winner. Krauss most certainly has the resumé to be a Hall of Famer.</p><p>Tim McGraw: McGraw never had that consecutive string of years when he was the biggest thing in country music like other Hall of Fame inductees, but he has shown a longevity in his career that few others have matched. McGraw’s had 27 #1 hits in a span covering over 20 years. This includes some universally recognized hits within there like “Don’t Take The Girl,” “Live Like You Were Dying,” and “Humble and Kind” written by Lori McKenna. McGraw also won the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year in 2001.</p><p>Similar to Kenny Chesney, the question is if Tim McGraw is still considered a current artist. His singles continue to perform well here three decades into his career. Some Modern Era nominees may not want the distinction yet, almost like it symbolizes the end of their popular career while McGraw is still cutting hit radio singles. McGraw is getting in, but voters may wait a couple more years before making it official.</p><p>Shania Twain – Make no mistake about it, Shania Twain will be in the Country Music Hall of Fame someday. During her era, nobody was a bigger commercial success except for Garth Brooks. With over 100 million records sold, she is the best-selling woman in country music of all time, and one of the bestselling music artists in all of music, period. She is the undisputed queen of country pop, and though traditionalists love to shake their little angry fists at her for ushering in the pop era of country, her influence is undeniable.</p><p>Something to always consider when talking about the Hall of Fame is proximity to voters. As a Canadian living in Switzerland, Shania may not be in the best position to lobby for her spot in the rotunda. But surrounding her new album and new tour, Shania has been trying to secure these kinds of accolades. In 2022 she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Country Music Hall of Fame is sure to be next on her list, even if voters continue to discount her due to her moves toward pop.</p><p>Trisha Yearwood: It’s the timeless songs, and how Yearwood was one of the most important women throughout the ’90s that makes her an eligible candidate for the Hall of Fame. Her debut single “She’s In Love with the Boy,” is a bonafide country music standard, and one of five #1’s she enjoyed. Her 1991 self-titled album became the first debut female country album to sell one million copies, and has since gone double platinum. Yearwood followed that up with “Walkaway Joe,” and a Platinum sophomore album. Trisha’s also had five #2 songs, including the country version of “How Do I Live,” and a total of 18 Top 10 hits in the 90s.</p><p>Trisha Yearwood definitely has the Hall of Fame numbers. It probably also doesn’t hurt that she’s married to a big voice in the Hall of Fame voting room and an inductee himself in Garth Brooks.</p><p>Martina McBride: With five #1 singles, and twenty Top 20 singles, Martina McBride has comparable numbers to other recent Modern Era inductees and current candidates, even if they were earned while being more of a country pop crossover star as opposed to more loyal to the country genre.</p><p>Nonetheless, country was loyal to Martina McBride, bestowing her with four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards, and nominating her for 14 Grammys to go with her 14 million records sold. Similar to Trisha Yearwood, McBride helped define ’90s country, but didn’t push it completely into the pop realm like Shania Twain. It wasn’t just the numbers when it comes to Martina. It was the voice, and the emotion it carried that makes Martina McBride a viable Hall of Fame candidate.</p><p>Travis Tritt: Since two of his brethren from the “Class of ’89” are in (Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson), as well as his “No Hat” buddy in Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt will start to be much more heavily considered in the next few years. There’re probably still a few names ahead of him, and since his commercial career cooled off somewhat quickly, his induction ceremony may still be some years away. It also probably doesn’t help that Travis Tritt has been one to speak about the ills of the country music industry, which may draw the ire of some voters. Tritt is also divisive politically.</p><p>And why not consider Tritt, with two Grammy Awards, four CMAs, five #1 singles, and 19 Top 10’s? Travis Tritt helped put the drive into country, both sonically and commercially.</p><p>Other Potential Modern Era Inductees:</p><p>Steve Wariner – With a surprising nine #1 singles throughout the 80’s, Wariner is not one of those flashy characters that immediately jumps out at you as a Hall of Fame contender, but he quietly put together a Hall of Fame-caliber career. He’s also a guy who hangs around the right places in Nashville to make sure selection committee members don’t forget about him, so don’t be surprised if his name pops up as an inductee.</p><p>Toby Keith – Officially eligible because his first success was in 1993, Keith is probably on the outside-looking-in for the next few years since he didn’t start to peak until the 2000’s, and he remains a fairly controversial character.</p><p>Lorrie Morgan – With 6 million records sold worldwide and 40 charting singles, she’s a contender for the future for sure. Morgan helped get her former husband Keith Whitley in, so she clearly has the ear of voters.</p><p>John Michael Montgomery – Few assembled as memorable of a list of hits in the ’90s as John Michael Montgomery. “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident),” “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That,” and “Be My Baby Tonight” all hit #1, and deservedly so from one of the era’s most passionate singers.</p><p>Faith Hill, Tracy Lawrence, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and The (Dixie) Chicks are some other names that are officially eligible.</p><p><b>Potential Veterans Era Inductees</b></p><p><b>The last couple of years, both the Veteran’s Era inductees felt like Shoo In’s with Hank Williams Jr. and Tanya Tucker. Both felt like they had waited well past their time to be inducted. Now with both of them out of the way, the field feels much more open, though the list of deserving inductees perhaps has never been so long.</b></p><p><b>• Last Year’s Inductee: Tanya Tucker</b></p><p><b>• Saving Country Music Prediction: John Anderson, Johnny Horton</b></p><p><b>• Saving Country Music’s Picks: Johnny Horton, Maddox Brothers & Rose, The Stanley Brothers</b></p><p>John Anderson: One of the most beloved living characters in country music, John Anderson was never a hit machine, but he had a solid mainstream career for some 20 years, staring in the late 70s, and still found success into the late 90s. The John Anderson story is just too good for the Hall of Fame to pass up. He started as a construction worker building the roof on the new Grand Ole Opry House in the ’70s, peering down at the stage, hoping someday he could play there.</p><p>“Straight Tequila Night,” “Swingin’” and “Wild and Blue” are bonafide country standards, and they may have never been without John Anderson’s voice. One of the most unique singers in country history, his voice was once described as being run through a volume pedal. Knowing how to put the emphasis on the right notes is what has made Anderson so legendary. It also helps that he’s enjoyed a resurgence in his career as of late, with a tribute album released by Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in 2022.</p><p>The Maddox Brothers & Rose: The Maddox Brothers & Rose set the very foundations for country and rock music in America, along with The Bakersfield Sound and California Country at large. Their flamboyant stage dress inspired by the cowboys of the silver screen directly sparked the Nudie Suit craze in country music that is still en vogue today, and directly inspired Elvis Presley’s stage costumes. Rose Maddox was also one of the very first successful women in country music and opened up the role of women as country entertainers for generations to come.</p><p>If groups like The Jordanaires and The Sons of the Pioneers are in The Hall, certainly The Maddox Brothers & Rose should be. Their worthiness for the Hall of Fame was underscored in the 2019 Ken Burns country music documentary where the group was featured prominently. Unfortunately, this band getting in still feels more like a wish than a potential reality. </p><p>Johnny Horton – One of the most recognizable country artists from the ’50s and early ’60s, since he died in 1960 in an automobile accident, he never had the opportunity to fulfill the promise of his career. But many believe that what Johnny Horton contributed before he passed was Hall of Fame worthy, similar to Keith Whitley and Patsy Cline.</p><p>Horton’s greatest contributions were his historical songs that have gone on to become mainstays of the American music songbook. “The Battle of New Orleans” won the 1960 Grammy for Best Country & Western Recording, won the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2001, and was named one of the RIAA’s “Songs of the Century.” Other songs like “Sink the Bismark” and “North to Alaska” hold great historical significance. Horton is already a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Hall of Fame.</p><p>Ralph Stanley / The Stanley Brothers: Ralph Stanley and The Stanley Brothers continue to be a glaring omission in the ranks of Hall of Fame members. Ralph Stanley was a seminal figure in the emergence of bluegrass in both the original era, and during its second wind after the success of O Brother Where Art Thou. Universally beloved inside Nashville and beyond, a former Grand Ole Opry member, and a powerful name to represent the bluegrass side of country, Ralph Stanley would be a strong pick few would quibble with and is well past due.</p><p>Ralph Stanley started his musical career with his brother Carter Stanley who passed away in 1966. The two brothers spent two decades together as performers. The Stanley Brothers as a pair would also be a strong Hall of Fame pick, and the family of The Stanley Brothers have been advocating they go in together.</p><p>Johnny Paycheck: For many years it’s felt like a fairytale that Johnny Paycheck would ever get into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But as other guys with checkered pasts have seen their musical legacies supersede these concerns and finally see induction, it has moved Paycheck further up in contention to the point now where he’s been rumored to have made it as one of the finalists for consideration. If Jerry Lee Lewis can get in, so can Paycheck. </p><p>Johnny Paycheck (real name Donald Eugene Lytle) was never a hit machine. He only had one #1, but it was a massive one in “Take This Job and Shove It”—which might be one of the most recognized country songs of all time. “She’s All I Got” was also a big hit. But similar to inductees like Keith Whitley and Marty Stuart, it is the intangibles, and the work with others that make Paycheck Hall of Fame worthy. While playing bass and steel guitar for George Jones, it’s said that Paycheck helped influence George’s singing (some dispute this). Either way, Johnny Paycheck is synonymous with country music, and seems like a glaring omission in the Hall of Fame. </p><p>Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers: With 33 Top 40 singles, 15 Top 5’s and three #1’s, Larry Gatlin likely accrued the numbers throughout the 70’s and the 80’s to be a Hall of Fame contender, not to speak of the influence he wielded in country music through that period, both as a solo artist, and with brothers Steve and Rudy. But also bolstering Larry Gatlin’s case is he’s one of these “men about town” types that seems to be at every function and gala in the country music realm, is active in the community, and is willing to help keep the legacy of country music alive, which the Hall of Fame selection committee often rewards. Larry Gatlin is a name that is hard to forget, and rumors have had his name on the final ballot over the last few years.</p><p>Linda Ronstadt: It could be easy to cast off Linda Ronstadt as a legitimate candidate for being a country artist who eventually crossed over into pop and rock. But few paid their dues as much as Linda did early in her career, including her years in the Stone Poneys, her debut solo album in 1969, Hand Sown…Home Grown, 1970’s Silk Purse that included cover songs of “Lovesick Blues” and “Mental Revenge,” and her 1972 self-titled album where she recorded “Crazy Arms” and “I Fall To Pieces.” Even when she achieved her breakout pop rock success, Linda Ronstadt was always honest about the genre and approach of her music, and then returned to country in the groundbreaking “Trio” project with Hall of Famers Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.</p><p>Other Veterans Era-eligible artists may deserve an induction more than Ronstadt at the moment due to the crowded backlog. But with the wild way the Veterans Era is picked, don’t be surprised if she ends up as an inductee in the coming years. She has been rumored to have made it onto the final ballot recently.</p><p>Eddie Rabbitt: Aside from maybe Gary Stewart, the case could be made that Eddie Rabbitt is the most wrongfully overlooked star in country music history. Gary only had one #1 song in his career though. Eddie Rabbitt had 20 of them, and 34 total Top 10 hits, most of which he wrote himself. And all 34 of Rabbitt’s Top 10 hits came in a row, one after another, between 1976’s “Drinkin’ My Baby (Off My Mind)” and 1990 “Runnin’ With The Wind.” Eddie Rabbitt’s career wasn’t just accomplished, it was downright Hall of Fame worthy. But you never hear Eddie Rabbitt’s name brought up in the context of the Hall of Fame. Actually, you barely ever hear his name at all, in part because he passed away at the relatively young age of 56. But Eddie Rabbitt definitely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame discussion.</p><p>Gram Parsons: Gram’s inclusion in Hall of Fame consideration is always a topic of great discussion. In 2013 there was a greater push than ever to induct him, with influential country music writer Chet Flippo personally making the case for Parsons. But it wasn’t meant to be, and it may be many years before it is, especially with the current backlog in the Veterans Era. But his name is always in the field for this accolade and looking at the influence Gram had turning on millions of rock and roll fans to the importance and coolness of country music, it always should be.</p><p>Other Potential Veterans Era Inductees:</p><p>Vern Gosdin (Petition) – “The Voice” has to be considered a strong candidate in the long term, but the log jam in front of him may have to break before he’s given serious consideration.</p><p>Earl Thomas Conley (Petition) – It’s easy to forget just how big Conley was in the ’80s. He had 18 #1 hit songs, and a string where 19 consecutive songs either went #1 or #2. Songs Conley wrote were also recorded by Conway Twitty, Mel Street, and others. </p><p>Lynn Anderson: Lynn Anderson and Dottie West were the two ladies that lead the field for female veteran inductees for many years. Now that Dottie is in, it moves Lynn one step closer. It’s only the strong backlog in front of Lynn that makes it seem difficult for her to get the nod in 2024. But with the continued movement to be inclusive to women, Lynn and other women will benefit from elevated consideration.</p><p>Rosanne Cash- Folks sometimes forget just how big Rosanne Cash got in the ’80s with ten #1 hits, and a huge influence on the genre at the time. She’s not just Johnny Cash’s daughter, or an Americana icon. Rosanne Cash could be a legitimate Hall of Famer in her own right.</p><p>Mickey Gilley – With 42 Top 40 singles and the role he played during the Urban Cowboy era, Mickey should be considered a contender.</p><p>Gene Watson – With five #1’s across country and Gospel and 76 total charted singles, Gene Watson was an understated superstar, and the fact that he continues to remain active in trying to keep both is own legacy and the legacy of country music alive makes him a name worth considering.</p><p>Crystal Gayle – Loretta Lynn’s sister and “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” singer has fans and allies in the industry and expect her name to be bandied about for the Hall of Fame in the coming years.</p><p>Jimmy Martin – You might have to put Ralph Stanley and the Stanley Brothers in before Jimmy Martin gets considered. His personal antics might also hold him back as well. But the “King of Bluegrass” should be put in eventually.</p><p>Tompall Glaser & The Glaser Brothers: Perhaps a long shot, or at least until the Veteran’s Era backlog is cleared, brothers-in-Outlaw-country-arms Bobby Bare and “Cowboy” Jack Clement were inducted over the last decade, so many the proprietor of Hillbilly Central will get his due in the coming years.</p><p>John Hartford</p><p>The Bellamy Brothers</p><p>Johnny Rodriguez</p><p>June Carter Cash</p><p>John Denver</p><p>David Allan Coe</p><p>Gary Stewart</p><p>Jack Greene</p><p>Nitty Gritty Dirt Band</p><p>Skeeter Davis</p><p>Donna Fargo</p><p>Slim Whitman</p><p>Wanda Jackson</p><p>Wynn Stewart – (Petition)</p><p>Jimmy C. Newman</p><p>Sammi Smith</p><p>Jeannie Seely</p><p>George Hamilton IV</p><p>The Wilburn Brothers</p><p>Leroy Van Dyke</p><p>Stonewall Jackson</p><p>Asleep at the Wheel</p><p>Boxcar Willie</p><p><b>Potential Recording / Touring Musician Inductees</b></p><p><b>Last inductee(s) – 2021 – Eddie Bayers (drummer) and Pete Drake (steel guitar) (Note: two inductees were chosen due to a tie in voting)</b></p><p><b>Saving Country Music’s Picks – Don Rich, Ralph Mooney, Buddy Emmons</b></p><p>The rotating category is always the hardest to predict where voters will go. But what we’ve known about the “recording/touring” musician’s category over the years is it dramatically favors the recording musicians over the touring musicians, where side players hat some consider superstars all on their own often get overlooked for the studio musician who has close ties to Nashville’s social circles. Let’s hope this year that touring musicians are at least given equal consideration.</p><p>Don Rich – There was arguably never a side player more important to a superstar than Don Rich was to Buck Owens. As a guitar player who could pull off those steel guitar bends while standing up, all while turning in spectacularly tight harmony lines that were so critical to the Buck Owens and Bakersfield Sound, a strong case could be made that Don Rich should be in the Country Music Hall of Fame on his own right as a performer. At the least he should be inducted as a musician.</p><p>Ralph Mooney – Arguably one of the most important musicians to ever play steel guitar, he enjoyed a long and prolific career, first in Bakersfield playing for Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard, and then becoming the long-time steel player for Waylon Jennings. Marty Stuart and others consider him the most important steel guitar player in country music of all time.</p><p>Buddy Emmons – Emmons’ work with “Little” Jimmy Dickens is where he first began to be recognized at large for his steel guitar prowess. Later Buddy Emmons played with two of the most legendary backing bands in country music: Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours, and Ray Prices’ Cherokee Cowboys. Afterwards Buddy joined his old Cherokee Cowboy buddy Roger Miller. Buddy Emmons not only contributed to the sound to the steel guitar, but the design and manufacture of the instrument. In 1956, Emmons joined with Shot Jackson to develop the now legendary “Sho-Bud” pedal steel guitar.</p><p>Paul Franklin – Paul Franklin is well-recognized as the one of the most important steel guitar players and musicians of the current era. Having credits on over 500 recordings, he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2000, and the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019. He has been nominated for the CMA’s Musician of the Year and incredible 31 times, though he’s never won it.</p><p>Mac McAnally – Ever year between 2008 and 2018, guitar player Mac McAnally won the CMA Musician of the Year except for 2016. McAnally’s case is also helped by his solo career as a performer, his significant credits as a songwriter and producer, and his well-liked nature. He would be a pick that would go in as a musician but be recognized for so much more.</p><p>Mark O’Connor – World-class, world-renown fiddle player and violinist who won the CMA’s Musician of the Year every year from 1991 to 1996. Revered in the world of bluegrass, though reviled by some for his opinionated nature, he is considered by many as the greatest fiddle player of our time.</p><p>Lloyd Green – Seminal steel guitar player during the Countrypolitan era who played on so many of the classic hits.</p><p>Mickey Raphael – May be a little young for this distinction yet, but his harmonica is one of the most immediately-identifiable sounds in country music, and he is incredibly prolific, regularly performing on the records of some of country music’s newest independent artists.</p><p>Sam Bush – One of the fathers of Newgrass, but also an extremely accomplished and prolific session musician in Nashville for decades mostly on mandolin and fiddle.</p><p>Jerry Douglas – Dobro player extraordinaire that has a massive list of album credits on major country music releases to go along with his storied career in bluegrass.</p><p>Redd Volkaert – A living legend who is still making faces smile, he was seminal to the sound of Merle Haggard and many others, and still regularly engages in session work and live performance.</p><p>Jimmy Capps – Known as “The Man in Back,” Capps was one of the most renown sidemen in country history. Along with playing in the Opry house band, he played on iconic recordings such as “Stand By Your Man” by Tammy Wynette, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones, George Strait’s “Amarillo By Morning,” and “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers.</p><p>Byron Berline – From a genuine Bill Monroe Bluegrass Boy, to being flown out to California to record with The Rolling Stones, to having folks like Vince Gill and the Turnpike Troubadours show up to pay tribute to him in a time of need, Byron Berline did it all. He was an Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer, National Fiddler Hall of Famer, three-time National Fiddle Champion, and three-time Grammy nominee as well.</p><p>Drummers Paul English (Willie Nelson), W.S. “Fluke” Holland (Johnny Cash), and Richie Albright (Waylon Jennings) were three of the most important to ever hold the position in country music.</p><p>Jesse McReynolds, Tony Rice, and J.D. Crowe are all names to also consider but may be considered more as performers than the pure studio/touring musicians this category was created for.</p><p><b>There you have his thoughts. Some interesting analysis</b></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-39286839830056538882024-01-25T12:49:00.003-05:002024-01-25T12:49:33.160-05:00Grand Ole Opry 1/26 & 1/27<p>Did I miss anything last weekend while I was under the weather? The one thing you can say about the Opry is that at times, it is unpredictable, and you never know what could happen on live radio. The other observation is that once one show ends, there is another one on the horizon. </p><p>So, moving on from the excitement and controversy from last Friday Night, there are two very nice Grand Ole Opry shows to finish up the month of January. The Friday Night Opry has members Rhonda Vincent, John Conlee, Mandy Barnett, Connie Smith and Carly Pearce all on the schedule. Saturday night will see members Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Don Schlitz and The Isaacs appearing. <br /><br />Taylor Hicks made an Opry appearance several months ago and was well received. He will be back on Friday. Also, on the schedule without a specific slot as of yet, are The Shootouts. As I have written before, they are from my neck of the woods and yet, I just haven't figured out in my own mind how I think of them. </p><p>Very frequent Opry guest Charles Esten returns on Saturday night, along with Maddie & Tae, and Madeline Edwards. For Charles, this puts him close to 175 guest appearances. </p><p>There are also two Opry debuts this weekend: Pryor Baird on Friday night and Christian Lopez on Saturday. </p><p>Friday January 26<br />7:00: <b>Rhonda Vincent, John Conlee, Mandy Barnett</b>, Taylor Hicks<br />Intermission<br />8:15:<b> Connie Smith,</b> Pryor Baird, <b>Carly Pearce</b></p><p>Saturday January 27<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely</b>, Christian Lopez, <b>Don Schlitz</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: Madeline Edwards, Charles Esten, Opry Square Dancers, Maddie & Tae, <b>The Isaacs</b></p><p><br />Now from 50 years ago, Saturday January 16, 1974. What was special about this night was the appearance of Grand Ole Opry members George Jones and Tammy Wynette. </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Tom T. Hall (host): The Year That Clayton Delaney Died<br />Jim Ed Brown: Southern Loving<br />Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />Tom T. Hall: I Love<br /></p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Roy Drusky (host): A Satisfied Mind<br />Billy Walker: I've Changed My Mind<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose</p><p>7:00: Rudy's<br /><b>George Jones (host) and Tammy Wynette: We're Gonna Hold On<br />Tammy Wynette: Another Lonely Song</b><br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving<br /><b>George Jones: Once You've Had The Best<br />George Jones and Tammy Wynette: We're Not The Jet Set</b><br />Stu Phillips: If Loving You Means Anything<br /><b>Tammy Wynette: Stand By Your Man<br />George Jones: White Lightening</b></p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Cotton Eyed Joe<br />Roy Acuff and Brother Oswald: They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree<br />Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down<br />Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away</p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Lester Flatt (host): Country Boy<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />Bob Luman: Still Loving You<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Traces of Life<br />Charlie Nixon: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight<br />Charlie Louvin: Freight Train Boogie<br />Bob Luman: Guitar Man<br />Kenny Ingram: Cumberland Gap</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): Hello Love<br />Bill Monroe: I'm Working On A Building<br />Bobby Bare: Ride Me Down Easy<br />Jimmy C Newman: Big Mamou<br />Marion Worth: Delta Dawn<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy<br />Bill Monroe: Uncle Pen<br />Bobby Bare: Detroit City<br />Hank Snow: I'm Moving On</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Kellogg's<br />Billy Walker (host): Things<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Jeanne Pruett: Love Me<br />Billy Walker: I've Changed My Mind<br />Skeeter Willis: Maiden's Prayer<br />Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets<br />Billy Walker: How Great Thou Art</p><p>10:00: Fender<br />Jim Ed Brown (host): Sometimes Sunshine<br />Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again<br />Stu Phillips: Pride<br />Jim Ed Brown: Why Me Lord</p><p>10:15: Union 76<br />Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Roy Acuff: Back In The Country</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Lester Flatt (host): Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms<br />Bob Luman: Lonely Women Make Good Lovers<br />Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted<br />Lester Flatt and Marty Stuart: The Bluebirds Singing For Me</p><p>10:45: Beechnut<br />Bill Monroe (host): I'll Never Love No One Else but My Darling<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Lonesome Road Blues<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Arkansas Traveler<br />Bill Monroe: Life's Railway To Heaven</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore<br />Charlie Louvin: I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby/Don't Laugh/ My Baby's Gone/When I Stop Dreaming<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because<br />Hank Snow: It's Over Over Nothing At All</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Bobby Bare (host): The Long Black Veil<br />Justin Tubb: That's The Way Love Goes/Rambling Man<br />Bobby Bare: The Mermaids<br />Marion Worth: Delta Dawn/Go On Home<br />Bobby Bare: Blowing In The Wind/Worried Man Blues/Gotta Travel On/Detroit City<br /><br />(Tom T. Hall, Roy Drusky George Jones, Tammy Wynette and Stonewall Jackson appeared only on the first show. Because of all that, Jimmy C Newman and Marion Worth were moved out of the 11:00 segment, with Jimmy appearing at 10:15 to replace Stonewall, and Marion moving to 11:30). </p><p><br />There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-69491764536831994672024-01-18T16:23:00.002-05:002024-01-18T16:23:45.723-05:00Grand Ole Opry 1/19 & 1/20<p>First, I want to start off with an apology for not posting the weekly lineup. It is actually on my desk down the hall. Some of you have known the right before Christmas I got an Upper Respiratory Infection. It knocked me for a loop. Lots of coughing. My friendly neighborhood pharmacist gave me stuff to take. By early this week I was feeling pretty good, bur last it hit me again. I’ve been flat on my back and my doctor, who I do like said he could see me February 6. I was actually supposed to be in Nashville this weekend for the Dolly shows, but no way. Some posts might be a little late and thanks for the understanding.</p><p><br /></p><p>Grand Ole Opry member Dolly Parton turns 78 on Friday night and the Opry will be doing a special show to commemorate her birthday: </p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #ebedf6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Museo Sans", sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.56; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><b><i style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Opry Goes Dolly</i><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> will celebrate Opry member Dolly Parton, country music’s greatest global ambassador and an artist who takes the Opry with her wherever she goes. While Parton will not appear in-person, this special Friday night show, in celebration of the icon's birthday, will feature guest artists performing their favorite Dolly hits, Dolly-themed events, photo-ops on the Plaza and more.</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;" /><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Beginning Nov. 17, $5 from every ticket sold to the Jan. 19 show will be donated to the Opry Trust Fund in Parton’s honor. For more than 50 years, the fund has assisted members of the country music community in need. </span></b></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #ebedf6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Museo Sans", sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.56; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><b>This is your chance to see the show that made country music famous at its most famous former home – the Opry is making its return to the iconic Ryman Auditorium.</b></p><p>This will be the second year that the Opry will be having a show to honor Dolly on her birthday, and for the second year in a row, Dolly will not be appearing. Dolly has not appeared on the Opry since her 50th anniversary recognition in October 2019. It would certainly be nice to have Dolly back at the Opry, hopefully soon. </p><p>As to those who will be appearing on the Friday Night Opry, Opry members Lauren Alaina. Terri Clark, Don Schlitz and Dailey & Vincent are on the schedule. Guesting will be Elle King, Ashley Monroe and Tigirlily Gold. And as a reminder, there will be two shows on Friday night. </p><p>The Opry returns to the Grand Ole Opry House on Saturday night with a new big red curtain. For those who may not know, one of the reasons that the Opry has been at the Ryman Auditorium last weekend, and for Friday night, was the installation of a new red curtain across the Opry stage. Apparently, it is a very time-consuming process. </p><p>There is a nice group of Opry members on the schedule, which includes Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, John Conlee and Crystal Gayle. Hannah Ellis, who has just released her new debut album, is on the schedule, along with Contemporary Christian Artist Anne Wilson and making his Opry debut, Wyatt Flores. </p><p>Lineups to come </p><p><br /></p><p>Continuing with our look back 50 years, we go back to Saturday January 19, 1974. On this particular night, it was the final time that Grand Ole Opry member Ernest Tubb performed on the Opry prior to the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House. </p><p>At this point in his career, Ernest had been an Opry member for 31 years and was one of the stars of the show. As the story goes, at the beginning of each year, Ernest would let Opry management know which Saturday nights that he would be at the Opry, making sure he got in his 26 shows as required. The other weekends, he would book himself out on the road. While this was his last show at the Grand Ole Opry House (Ryman Auditorium), his next appearance would be on the night of the opening of the new Grand Ole Opry House on March 16. </p><p>Here is the running order from 50 years ago, Saturday January 19, 1974: </p><p>1st show<br />6:00: Vietti<br />Roy Drusky (host): Early Morning Rain<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor<br />Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />Ray Pillow: Excuse Me<br />Roy Drusky: Welcome To My World<br />Ernie Ashworth: Oh, Lonesome Me<br />Justin Tubb: Rambling Man<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br /><br />6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Jim and Jesse (host): I Wish You Knew<br />Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel<br />Jim and Jesse: Everybody's Reaching Out for Someone<br />Del Wood: Keep On The Firing Line<br />Jim and Jesse: When I Stop Dreaming</p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Couldn't Care Less<br />Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted<br />Stonewall Jackson: Washed My Hands In Muddy Water</p><p>7:00: Rudy's<br />Roy Acuff (host): Cottonfields<br />Dottie West: Country Sunshine<br />Billy Grammer: Peace In The Valley<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Brother Oswald: John Hardy<br />Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby<br />Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird/Cabin In Gloryland</p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br /><b>Ernest Tubb (host): Give Me A Little Old-Fashioned Love</b><br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Traces of Life<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Eighth of January<br /><b>Ernest Tubb: Another Story</b><br />Jeannie C Riley: Missouri<br />Wayne Hammond: To Get To You<br /><b>Ernest Tubb: Texas Troubadour</b></p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Lester Flatt (host)<br />Marty Stuart: Rawhide<br />Grandpa Jones: Wasn't He A Big One<br />Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' On Me<br />Lester Flatt and Marty Stuart: The Bluebirds Singing For Me<br />Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Mt. Laurel<br />Del Reeves: What A Way To Go<br />Curly Seckler: Worries On My Mind<br />Kenny Ingram: Train 45</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On<br />Bobby Bare: Come Sundown<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Take Me Back To Tulsa<br />Rev. Bob Harrington: (Spoke for 5 minutes)<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There<br />Hank Snow: Hello Love</p><p>2nd show<br />Kellogg's<br />Wilma Lee Cooper and Stoney Cooper (host): There's A Big Wheel<br />Willis Brothers: Truck Stop<br />Jim and Jesse: Snowbird<br />Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Shackles & Chains<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Thank God I Am Free</p><p>10:00: Fender<br />Del Reeves (host): Down In The Boondocks<br />Dottie West: Country Sunshine<br />Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel<br />Del Reeves: Sometimes Woman</p><p>10:15: Union 76<br />Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball<br />Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Rocky Top<br />Roy Acuff: Whoa, Mule, Whoa</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Lester Flatt (host): Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms<br />Grandpa Jones: Oh, Suzanna<br />Jimmy C Newman: Jole Blon<br />Lester Flatt: Is Anybody Going North To Cincinnati/Orange Blossom Special</p><p>10:45: Beechnut<br /><b>Ernest Tubb (host): I've Got All The Heartaches I Can Handle</b><br />Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Black Mountain Rag<br /><b>Ernest Tubb: Walkin' The Floor Over You</b></p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight<br />Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill<br />Jeannie C Riley: Harper Valley PTA/Why Me Lord<br />Sam McGee: Railroad Blues<br />Hank Snow: Until The End Of Time</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Bobby Bare (host): Ride Me Down Easy<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There/My Special Angel<br />Bobby Bare: The Streets of Baltimore<br />Stu Phillips: For The Good Times<br />Bobby Bare: Detroit City</p><p>(Billy Walker was scheduled to host the 6:30 and 9:30 segments but cancelled. Bob Luman was also scheduled for both shows but he also cancelled, along with Marion Worth. Roy Drusky and Stonewall Jackson only appeared on the first show). </p><p>Another note regarding this night. It was also the night that Hal Durham officially took over as the Opry manager, replacing Bud Wendall, who was promoted to being in charge of Opryland. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-1023535350794066752024-01-14T12:37:00.003-05:002024-01-14T20:00:41.363-05:0010 Acts that I Would Like To See As Opry Members (Updated)<p>Back in June 2011, I made a post listing 10 acts that I would like to see becoming Opry members. 12 years later, I thought it would be interesting to take a new look at that post and offer an update. </p><p>Here is that original post: </p><p>As I have been watching and listening to the Opry over the past several months, I have been seeing lots of guest artists on the Opry. In fact, so far in 2011, 125 different guests have performed on the Opry. Many of these guest artists have been newcomers to the business and were making their first Opry appearances, while others have been veteran artists who have played the Opry many times.</p><p>As the number of active Opry members has been decreasing, I have been thinking about who I would like to see as an Opry member. I have come up with a list of 10 who I think would make good Opry members. By good, I mean that based on their past performances, they would appreciate and understand the importance of being an Opry member and would actively support the show. In no special order, here is my list of 10:</p><p>1) <b>Mandy Barnett</b>. I know that the first thing some of you will say is that she has not had a hit record and is not a "real" star. But I think this is a very talented young lady. She has one of the greatest voices in the world and each time I have seen her at the Opry, she has been well received. So far in 2011, she has appeared on the Opry 10 times. Only 17 of the 65 Opry members have had more appearances than her. She made 14 appearances last year. Currently, there is a shortage of active female Opry members. On many of the Opry's shows, there have been as few as 1 or 2 females scheduled. I think Mandy would be a fine Opry member and would add another talented female voice to the show. <b>(Update: Opry member as of November 2, 2021)</b></p><p>2) <b>Crystal Gayle</b>. In keeping with the theme of the Opry needing some additional female voices, Crystal Gale is one of the most talented females in the history of country music. She was one of the top female artists in the 1980's and 1990's. She is still popular today and her concerts draw well. Last year, she made 4 Opry appearances, and she has also appeared this year. The crowd loves her, and I think she could be a female version of Mel Tillis. By that I mean an older artist, who's best part of their career is behind them, and now has the time to be a part of the Opry. <b>(Update: Opry member as of January 21, 2017)</b></p><p>3) <b>Oak Ridge Boys</b>. I have seen the Oak Ridge Boys perform on the Opry at least a half dozen times. Each and every time they have performed "Elvira", they have received a standing ovation. They bring energy and excitement to the Opry and they appeal to all ages. For about the last dozen years, the "Boys" have made several Opry appearances each year. Last year it was 4 and so far this year, they have been on 5 times with several more appearances already scheduled. There are only 2 other country group that are Opry members, and those are The Whites and Diamond Rio. I happened to be up in the balcony at the Ryman Auditorium about a dozen years ago, during an Opry show, and Duane Allen was also standing in the back. I went over and said hi and made the comment that the Oak Ridge Boys should be Opry members. Duane was very nice and said that they would love to be Opry members, but that they are just too busy. It would seem that with their career winding down, this would be the perfect time for them to join. <b>(Update: Opry member as of </b><b>August 6, 2011)</b></p><p>4) <b>Rhonda Vincent</b>. It seems like the question has been asked for about the last 5 or 6 years, why is Rhonda Vincent not a member of the Opry? She is one of the top female vocalists in bluegrass and with Alison Krauss the only female bluegrass artist on the Opry roster, it seems that this would be a great fit. She has made many Opry guest appearances and has always been well received. Last year her Opry appearances were down to 4, which is one of her lowest numbers. Many have speculated that her association with Martha White has hurt. That I don't know, but what I do know is that Rhonda should be an Opry member. <b>(Update: Opry member as of February 6, 2021)</b></p><p>5) <b>Dailey & Vincent.</b> In keeping with the bluegrass theme, many of the Opry's bluegrass acts are now elder statesmen. Ralph Stanley and Jesse McReynolds are over 80 and Del McCoury and Bobby Osborne are not far behind. Even Ricky Skaggs is well over 50. It is time for some new bluegrass blood on the Opry and Dailey & Vincent should be the ones. Last year, they made 15 Opry appearances and so far in 2011, it has been 6. Bluegrass started on the Opry and the tradition of great bluegrass music needs to continue from the Opry stage. Dailey & Vincent would make great Opry members. <b>(Update: Opry member as of March 11, 2017)</b></p><p>6) <b>Rascal Flatts</b>. They are one of the hottest groups in country music today and have been for the past several years. They are true country entertainers, and they love the Opry. They have been making Opry appearances for the past several years and, as you would expect, the crowd loves them. And they are young. That is important as the Opry needs to continue to add younger members, but only younger members who will support the show. I believe that they would. <b>(Update: Opry members as of October 8, 2011)</b></p><p>7) Jimmy Wayne. Not only is Jimmy a fine young talent with a couple of #1 records, but he is also an even better person. The Opry and WSM were one of his big supporters on his "Walk Across America." Last year, he made 9 Opry appearances and so far in 2011, it has been 6. When you see him on the stage of the Opry, the young girls love him, and he always interacts with the audience. He understands the history of the show and would make a good member. <b>(Update: Has not recently appeared on the Opry and his career seems to have stalled)</b></p><p>8) <b>Gene Watson</b>. This man should have been an Opry member 25 years ago. The Opry calls upon him many times and he always answers the call. And he is considered one of the greatest country singers in history. He had 6 appearances last year, and 4 so far this year. His hit records from the 1980's are recognized by everyone the minute he starts with the first note. Much like Crystal Gayle, he would bring a veteran voice to the Opry, and one who would make the time to be at the show. <b>(Update: Opry member as of February 7, 2020)</b></p><p>9) The Grascals. In keeping with the bluegrass theme, this group, while new in bluegrass, has made a huge impact during the past several years. Starting out as basically Dolly Parton's back up bluegrass group, they have moved to the front. They have made numerous Opry appearances over the last 5 years, and they play a great selection of up-tempo bluegrass. Their Cracker Barrel CD is great. When I was at the Opry in April, they were there and it was my first time seeing them in person. I was hooked right away. They would not hurt the Opry one bit. <b>Update: The Grascals continue to make occasional appearances on the Opry)</b></p><p>10) James Wesley. Some of you are probably saying, who? But, in my opinion, this is one of the great young talents in country music. He has made 6 Opry appearances so far this year, and even the great Jimmy Dickens has given him his personal endorsement. He is true country. And, in the time I saw him at the Opry, he seems to understand what the Opry is all about. As with Rascal Flatts, the Opry needs to continue to appeal to the younger fans, and I think James Wesley would fit the bill. <b>(Update: Not sure of the current status of James, but he hasn't guested on the Opry in years)</b></p><p>I know I left some off the list. Names such as Mark Wills, Elizabeth Cook, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Holly Williams, Restless Heart, Aaron Tippin, Joey+Rory and The Band Perry. My 10 that I would pick are probably not anyone else's 10. So, who else has an opinion. I would love to hear. <b>(Update: Mark Wills is an Opry member as of January 11, 2019. Joey Feek passed away in 2016. The Band Perry is no longer together. Elizabeth Cook, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Holly Williams and Aaron Tippin continue to guest on the Opry, some more than others)<br /></b><br />An interesting list for sure and happy to see that the majority of those that I listed have become Opry members, and with the exception of Rascal Flatts, have become good Opry members. </p><p><br />After the rush of adding members over the past several years, I thought it would be a good time to write and post a new list of 10 acts, in no particular order, that I would like to see become Opry members over the next several years: </p><p>1) T. Graham Brown: He seems to be at the top of everyone's list, as he should be. Early in his career, he made a number of Opry appearances. Then during the Pete Fisher years, he seemed to have disappeared from the show. However, over the past five or six years, he has been welcomed back. According to what I have seen, Elizabeth Cook has made more guest appearances on the Opry than any other non-member. Second on the list is T. Graham, with several hundred. I think he would be the next veteran to join the cast. Let's hope. </p><p>2) Charles Esten: Charles first came to the Opry just over a decade ago when the hit TV show "Nashville" first premiered. At that time, the Opry highlighted many of the performers from the show, basically actors singing country music. Throughout the TV run, Charles performed fairly frequently on the Opry and after the show was cancelled, he has continued to appear, averaging just over 10 appearances each year. Since his first appearance, he has appeared almost 175 times, quite a commitment. He continues to make music and has been a popular guest on the Opry. Some may disagree, but personally, I would not have an objection if Charles was asked to join. </p><p>3) Lainey Wilson: In my mind, it's not if, but when. Over the past couple of years, she has won as many awards as anyone in country music. She has made it known that she loves the Opry and would like to become an Opry member someday. She has made appearances over the past couple of years, even hosting the Opry NextStage show this past December. I think she is definitely in the conversation, and I would expect her invitation to come sooner rather than later. </p><p>4) Darin and Brooke Aldridge: This award-winning bluegrass couple has appeared on the Opry numerous times over the past several years. They love the Opry, and even recorded a song about the Opry and the Circle of Wood. With the recent deaths of Bobby Osborne and Jesse McReynolds, there is a need for another bluegrass act on the show. As a husband/wife duo, they are unique and would fully support the show if asked. </p><p>5) Exile: Their career has lasted 50 years and while they have not appeared on the Opry often, the group has made appearances over the course of their careers. While not strictly country, they have charted a number of singles on the country charts. In recent interviews, the group has expressed a desire to become members of the Opry. With the lack of interest by Diamond Rio to appear on the Opry, I think the show would benefit from having a legendary male group as part of their membership. While the odds are against them, I could maybe see it happen at some point. </p><p>6) Kathy Mattea: I have been told over the years that at one point, Kathy was asked if she was interested in becoming an Opry member, and there didn't seem to be an interest. I have also heard that over the years, she has regretted that decision. I know that she has been busy lately with her involvement with West Virginia's Mountain Stage, which she is the host of. But even with that, she still manages to squeeze in a few Opry appearances each year. I have heard that there is interest from the Opry in having her as a member and let's hope that it does happen soon. </p><p>7) Charlie Worsham: Ok, I am sure this is the one some of you are scratching your head about. No, he hasn't had any hit records, but he is a terrific singer/songwriter. And he certainly has a fan in Vince Gill. I'm not sure if it will ever happen for Charlie or not, but I couldn't do a Top 10 list without putting his name on it. So, there you have it. </p><p>8) Steven Curtis Chapman: I realize that the Opry has a Christian Music act with The Isaacs, but I really think Steven Curtis Chapman would made a nice addition to the Opry. He has performed on the Opry for years and recently has increased his appearances. He has won so many awards they are too numerous to count. He is also Nashville based and someone who I think you could count on to be at the Opry. Does he appeal to everyone? No, but neither do a lot of the Opry's members. </p><p>9) Malpass Brothers: This one is out of left field. Based out of Texas, their popularity has grown in recent years. The brothers are currently filming their own television show for RFD-TV. They have appeared on the Opry frequently over the past couple of years. Do I see them becoming members anytime soon? No, but I do think that they are someone to watch over the next couple of years. </p><p>10) The Grascals: I had the Grascals on my original list a decade ago. I still think they would make good Opry members and there would be nothing wrong with adding another bluegrass group to the Opry. From what I have heard, the Grascals would be very interested in joining the Opry, but I am not sure if the feeling is mutual.</p><p>A few others: </p><p>I didn't include Lee Greenwood on my list. I know Lee has said in at least one interview that he was asked to join the Opry years ago but turned it down due to his touring schedule. He also said that he has a deal with the Opry that he can appear whenever he wishes. Lee is on the tail end of his career and has made statements that he will be retiring, or cutting back, from touring and performing. It's probably too late for Lee to become a member, but I am fine if he keeps appearing on the show. </p><p>Another one I did not list was Elizabeth Cook. Over the past several decades, she has guested on the Opry more than any other current non-member. She's not a star, she's not for everyone, but she has created a nice little niche for herself. </p><p>I had heard that Tracy Lawrence was interested in becoming an Opry member. There was a period of time, before Covid, that Tracy was making a lot of Opry appearances; a few years he was up close to 20. But since 2020, he has only appeared a handful of times and the interest seems to be gone. Too bad. He had a very good career and continues to be popular. I think he would have been good for the Opry, in a way like Mark Wills. </p><p>Maggie Rose is the 2024 version of Mandy Barnett. By that, I mean she is making a lot of Opry appearances much like Mandy did earlier in her career. Maggie really isn't country and I know from various comments, most don't seem to like her. I get it but thought I would throw her name out there. </p><p>If I was looking at a young, contemporary act that might have potential to be an Opry member someday, I would put Zach Top on the list. Way too soon to see which direction his career might be going, but I like him. On the other hand, he could turn out to be another James Wesley, and we will be scratching our heads in 10 years wondering why I put him on my list. </p><p>Steve Earle is another name that has come up. I'm not sure if I can picture him as an Opry member, but he likes doing the Opry and has stated a few times that if he is free and the Opry calls, he'll be there. In some ways, I can compare him to Jamey Johnson. Again, just someone I am throwing out there. </p><p>Suzy Bogguss in many ways is similar to Kathy Mattea. By that I mean she is a veteran female artist who has appeared on the Opry numerous times in her long career. Her hit making days are behind her, but she still has a good voice. Over the history of the Opry, male singers have dominated. There would be nothing wrong with adding another female to the cast. </p><p><br />Well, there you have it. Just my thoughts and my names. I am interested in what others think for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an obvious name that I have somehow forgotten. If so, I am sure someone will let me know. </p><p>Thoughts? </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-26225803754011605752024-01-10T14:31:00.001-05:002024-01-11T11:35:22.064-05:00Grand Ole Opry 1/12 & 1/13<p>The Grand Ole Opry returns to the Ryman Auditorium this weekend for two shows on Friday night and one show on Saturday. If that isn't exciting enough, the Opry will welcome back Opry member Emmylou Harris for all three shows this weekend. Emmylou made no appearances on the Opry in 2023 and seeing her back during the second weekend in 2024 is nice to see.</p><p>In addition to Emmylou Harris, the Friday Night Opry includes Opry members Don Schlitz and Riders In The Sky. Joining Emmylou is her long-time friend and collaborator Rodney Crowell. Also guesting will be Opry regular Maggie Rose and Brothers Osborne. Rounding out the lineup, and making her Opry debut, will be Lucinda Williams. </p><p>Emmylou will be back on Saturday night, joined by Opry members Jeannie Seely, Mark Wills, Mandy Barnett, John Conlee and Jamey Johnson. In fact, the only non-member scheduled is Charlie Worsham. </p><p>Friday January 12<br />1st show<br />7:00: <b>Riders In The Sky, </b>Zach Top, Maggie Rose, Lucinda Williams<br />8:00: <b>Don Schlitz</b>, <b>Emmylou Harris</b> & Rodney Crowell, Brothers Osborne</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: <b>Riders In The Sky</b>, Zach Top, Lucinda Williams, Brothers Osborne<br />10:30: <b>Emmylou Harris</b> & Rodney Crowell, Maggie Rose, <b>Don Schlitz</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Saturday January 13<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely,</b> Charlie Worsham, <b>Mandy Barnett</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>John Conlee</b>, Opry Square Dancers, <b>Emmylou Harris & </b>Gail Davies<b>, Jamey Johnson</b></p><p>A really good lineup for both shows. </p><p>At the age of 70, singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams has had an amazing career. Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lucinda has been nominated for 17 Grammy Awards, winning three times. She has released over 15 albums, the latest being the June 2023 release of Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart. The critically acclaimed album received much praise, and she was featured on CBS Sunday Morning and the subject of major stories in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Paste, The FADER, SPIN and more. The Associated Press referred to the album as “another important chapter to one of the most important musical journeys of the last half-century.” Lucinda is an Americana Icon, and I am looking forward to hearing her on the Opry this weekend. <br /><br /></p><p>Now from 50 years ago, Saturday January 12, 1974: </p><p>1st show<br />6:00: Roy Drusky (host): Jim and Jesse, Ernie Ashworth, Del Wood<br />6:30: Billy Walker (host): Lonzo & Oscar, Ray Pillow<br />6:45: Bill Monroe (host): Billy Grammer, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper<br />7:00: Archie Campbell (host): Jack Greene, Jeannie Seely, Bob Luman, Stonewall Jackson, George Morgan, Tommy Jones<br />7:30: Roy Acuff (host): Osborne Brothers, Charlie Louvin and Diane McCall, Crook Brothers, Willis Brothers<br />8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa Jones, The 4 Guys, Charlie Walker, Justin Tubb<br />8:30: Hank Snow (host): Tom T. Hall, Dottie West, Bill Carlisle, Fruit Jar Drinkers</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Billy Walker (host): Willis Brothers, Bob Luman, Lonzo and Oscar, Ernie Ashworth, Del Wood<br />10:00: Archie Campbell (host): Phil Campbell, Osborne Brothers, Ray Pillow, Jim and Jesse, Tommy Jones<br />10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Jack Greene, Jeannie Seely, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper<br />10:30: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa and Ramona Jones, Stonewall Jackson, Billy Grammer<br />10:45: Bill Monroe (host): George Morgan, The 4 Guys, Crook Brothers<br />11:00: Hank Snow (host): Charlie Louvin, Bill Carlisle, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee<br />11:30: Tom T. Hall (host): Dottie West, Charlie Walker, Justin Tubb</p><p>(David Houston was schedule for both shows but cancelled, while Roy Drusky was only scheduled to open the first show. As an added note, Justin Tubb closed out the second show as Tom T. Hall was the host of the Midnite Jamboree and left the Opry early to get down to the record shop). </p><p><br />Finally, on Saturday January 13, 2001, future Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Here is the running order from that night: </p><p>1st show<br />6:30: WSM online.com<br />Jim Ed Brown (host): Looking Back to See<br />Connie Smith: I'll Come Running to You<br />Jan Howard: Ol, Lonesome Me<br />The Whites: Texas To A T/Doing It By the Book<br />Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius: Lyin ' In Love with You/I Don't Wanna Have to Marry You</p><p>7:00: Shoney's<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Brewster's Farm<br />Holly Dunn: You Really Had Me Going<br />Jim and Jesse: I Love Nobody But You<br />Clay Davidson: Unconditional/Sometimes<br />BR-549: I Told You No 1,000 Times</p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Billy Walker (host): Sing Me A Love Song To Baby<br />Andy Griggs: Baby, You Made Me That Way/Ain't Done Nothing Wrong<br />Vince Gill: Give Me Just One More Last Chance/If You Ever Have Forever In Mind</p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Marty Stuart (host): Streamlined Lover<br />Elizabeth Cook: Success<br />Wilma Lee Cooper: Shake My Mother's Hand For Me/A Beautiful Life<br /><b>Old Crow Medicine Show: Tear It Down</b><br />Opry Sqaure Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle<br />Rich Bennett: Journey Home<br />Marty Stuart: Martha White Theme Song</p><p>8:30: Physicians Mutual<br />Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater<br />Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz<br />Mike Snider: Instrumental Melody<br />Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool<br />Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: WSM online.com<br />Porter Wagoner (host): Tell Her Lies & Feed Her Candy<br />Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius: I Don't Wanna Have To Marry You<br />Jean Shepard: A Phone Call Away<br />The Whites: Makin' Believe<br />Vince Gill: Look At Us/If You Ever Have Forever In Mind</p><p>10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Opry.com<br />Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' At The Foot of The Bed<br />Holly Dunn: Blue Rose of Texas<br />Wilma Lee Cooper: Big Midnight Special<br />Clay Davidson: Unconditional/Sometimes<br />Jimmy Dickens: We Could</p><p>10:30: Folex/Joggin' In A Jug<br />Marty Stuart (host): Mr. Engineer<br />Steve Earle: My Old Friend, The Blues<br />Elizabeth Cook: Success<br />Charlie Louvin: When I Stop Dreaming<br /><b>Old Crow Medicine Show: Raise A Rookus Tonight/Roll Along Mule</b><br />Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Black Mountain Rag<br />Steve Earle: Hillbilly Highway</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Jeannie Seely (host): Healing Hands of Time<br />Jimmy C Newman: Colinda<br />BR-549: Story Book Endings/Cherokee Boogie<br />Jeannie Seely: Make The World Go Away</p><p>11:30: Opry At The Ryman<br />Mike Snider (host): Going Across The Ocean<br />Charlie Walker: Who'll Buy The Wine<br />Ray Pillow: Too Many Memories<br />Andy Griggs: Where's The Train/Riding with You<br />Mike Snider: Instrumental Melody</p><p>(Connie Smith, Jan Howard, Jim and Jesse, Billy Walker and Jack Greene were only scheduled for the first show, while Jeannie Seely, Charlie Louvin, Jimmy C Newman, Ray Pillow and Charlie Walker were scheduled for just the late show. Bill Carlise and Stonewall Jackson cancelled). </p><p>Old Crow Medicine Show would continue to make guest appearances on the Opry and eventually would become Opry members on September 17, 2013. </p><p>There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting. And I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-81488697722685066972024-01-07T10:41:00.004-05:002024-01-07T10:41:58.407-05:002023 Recap<p>Another year is in the books as the Grand Ole Opry has completed its 98th year. As usual, it was a busy one. From past experience, I know that there a lot of the readers, and Opry fans in general, who are interested in the numbers from the previous year. So, with that in mind, here is a short recap of 2023. <br /><br /></p><p>The year started with 71 Opry members and ended the year with 72 as three members passed away and four new members were added. This past year we lost Ray Pillow, Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne, with Bobby being the only active member of that group. It should be noted that each of the three who passed away had been Opry members for over 50 years. Also, Melvin Sloan passed away. While Melvin is listed on the Opry's membership wall, he was not an active member of the Opry when he passed away as he had retired several years earlier. </p><p>New members Henry Cho, Gary Mule Deer, Sara Evans and Jon Pardi were added, with Scotty McCreery waiting for his formal induction in 2024. On a historical note, the addition of Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer were the first new comedians added to the Opry's cast since Jerry Clower in 1973. </p><p>Among the notable dates in 2023, Bill Anderson was honored upon his 62nd anniversary as an Opry member, making Bill the longest serving member in the history of the Opry. Mid-year, Bill passed one of the Opry's very early members, Herman Crook, who previously held that honor. That same weekend, Jeanne Pruett was honored upon her 50th anniversary as an Opry member. Now retired, Jeanne was at the Opry that night to accept her honor. We also saw the return of a couple of members who haven't appeared lately on the show: Reba McEntire and Patty Loveless. </p><p>Jeannie Seely continued adding to her record-breaking number of appearances on the Opry, ending the year at 5,335. As is mentioned every time Jeannie is on the Opry, she has appeared on more Opry shows than anyone else in the history of the Opry. </p><p>Yes, it was a very busy year at the Grand Ole Opry House with over 200 Opry shows taking place, including Opry Country Classics and Opry Country Christmas. Over the course of the year, an Opry show took place every night of the week.</p><p>So, which Opry members appeared on the Opry the most often? </p><p>In 2022, there were 21 Opry members who appeared 10 or more times on the Opry. This year there were 26 who made the list: </p><p>Riders In The Sky: 87<br />Jeannie Seely: 78<br /><b>Mandy Barnett: 52</b><br /><b>Don Schlitz: 45</b><br /><b>Rhonda Vincent: 40</b><br />Connie Smith: 39<br /><b>Charlie McCoy: 38</b><br />John Conlee: 36<br />Bill Anderson: 35<br />Dailey & Vincent: 32<br />Mike Snider: 32<br /><b>Gary Mule Deer: 30</b><br />Vince Gill: 30<br />The Gatlin Brothers: 27<br />Mark Wills: 23<br />Ricky Skaggs: 21<br /><b>The Isaacs: 20</b><br />The Whites: 20<br /><b>Henry Cho: 18</b><br /><b>Jamey Johnson: 13</b><br /><b>Gene Watson: 13<br />Lauren Alaina: 12</b><br />Crystal Gayle: 12<br />Del McCoury: 12<br />Lorrie Morgan: 12<br />Carrie Underwood: 10</p><p>While veteran Opry members such as Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith, John Conlee and Bill Anderson continue to lead the way in Opry appearances, it is very encouraging to see that of the 15 new members who have joined the cast since Dan Rogers became the Executive Producer of the Opry in 2019, 10 of those members are on this list. </p><p>On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the group of "active" Opry members who did not appear at all last year: </p><p>Luke Combs<br />Diamond Rio<br />Emmylou Harris<br />Alison Krauss<br />Martina McBride<br />Brad Paisley<br />Dolly Parton<br />Blake Shelton<br />Travis Tritt</p><p>For a couple of those on the list, it has been years since they appeared on the Opry. (I will add the disclaimer that Emmylou Harris is scheduled for a couple of upcoming appearances in January).</p><p>The other 29 active members not listed fell in between, ranging from Ashley McBryde and Chris Janson with 9 appearances each, down to down to Clint Black, Little Big Town, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, and Keith Urban, each of whom appeared one time. </p><p>As mentioned above, 10 of the 15 acts added to the Opry by Dan appeared more than 10 times. The other five: </p><p>Ashley McBryde: 9<br />Carly Pearce: 6<br />Lady A: 4<br />Jon Pardi: 4<br />Sara Evans: 3</p><p>Finally, there are a few Opry members who are no longer active that I do want to mention: </p><p>Bobby Bare<br />Alan Jackson<br />Barbara Mandrell<br />Stu Phillips<br />Jeanne Pruett<br />Rascal Flatts<br />Ricky Van Shelton<br />Randy Travis</p><p>(Some may ask why Alan Jackson is on this list. Based on setlist.fm, Alan did not do any touring in 2023)<br /><br /></p><p>It is important to note that currently there is no set number of Opry appearances required by the members. It is my understanding is when a new Opry member is added, there is a discussion that takes place as to what the expectations are. </p><p>Almost 400 non-members made guest appearances on the Opry in 2023, with 128 of those making their Opry debuts, with a lot of variety among those appearing. Some of those acts were very good and made several appearances, while some of the others were very forgettable and were one and done. </p><p>Among those making their Opry debuts, the list included Hall of Fame songwriter Dean Dillon, Sean Dietrich, former television idols Barry Williams and Shaun Cassidy, the legendary Herb Albert, Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands, bluegrass award winners, Jason Carter and The Kody Norris Show, East Nash Grass, and recent internet sensation Oliver Anthony. </p><p>Regarding those non-members, Charles Esten led the group with 13 appearances, followed by Maggie Rose with 12. They were the only two that appeared over 10 times. Others who appeared more than 5 times included Steven Curtis Chapman, Chapel Hart, The Malpass Brothers, Wendy Moten, Tigirlily Gold, The Cleverlys, Restless Road and Carter Faith. <br /><br /></p><p>Looking ahead to 2024, there are a couple of milestones to watch, including the 50th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry House in March, and the 99th birthday weekend in the fall that will mark the start of the Opry's 100th anniversary. </p><p>Among the milestones specific to Opry members, Dolly Parton will mark her 55th year as an Opry member in January. Among the others of significance, will be The Whites and Lorrie Morgan, each of whom will mark 40 years as Opry members, and Trisha Yearwood who will celebrate her 25th. </p><p>In addition to Dolly's 55th, the following milestones will be marked in 2024: </p><p>Bill Anderson: 63<br />Connie Smith: 59<br />Stu Phillips: 57<br />Jeannie Seely: 57<br />Barbara Mandrell: 52<br />Jeanne Pruett: 51<br /><br /></p><p>As I have done over the past several years, in my personal opinion, I believe that the Opry continues to be in good hands under the leadership of Dan Rogers and his team. It is not easy putting on all of these shows each week and sometimes it is difficult to fill lineups. I appreciate the dedication that Dan has, and the decision he has made specifically in regard to the addition of new members. </p><p>As the Opry continues toward its 100th year in 2025, I am really excited about what will be happening over the next several years. It should be one heck of a ride. </p><p>Finally, my thanks to everyone, and I mean everyone, who I have met or communicated with as the journey continues. We may disagree at times, but all of us have one thing in common: we love the Opry and its history. Most importantly, we care: </p><p>Now on to 2024: </p><p>Byron<br />aka: Fayfare</p><p>(If anyone is looking for more specific information, please let me know and I will accommodate best I can). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-10492241802966898422024-01-04T10:59:00.000-05:002024-01-04T10:59:00.660-05:00Grand Ole Opry 1/5 & 1/6<p>I am sure many of you have already seen this announcement from the Oak Ridge Boys, but I thought it would be good to share an abbreviated version for those who may not be aware: </p><p><b>Oak Ridge Boys tenor singer Joe Bonsall has bowed out of the group's American Made: Farewell Tour and retired from the road after 50 years with the band due to a worsening neuromuscular disorder he's been battling for more than four years. He says, "I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult ... The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it." The band introduced new tenor Ben James at a Dec. 30 concert in Mississippi. James previously toured with bluegrass artists Doyle Lawson and Dailey & Vincent.</b></p><p>I know all of us pass along our prayers and thoughts, along with our best wishes to Joe as he continues to battle this serious disease. I will certainly be strange to see the Oak Ridge Boys continue their Farewell Tour without Joe. He will be missed. <br /><br /></p><p>Now moving ahead and welcome to 2024!!! I hope everyone had a very nice holiday season and made it safely to the new year. At the Grand Ole Opry, 2023 was a very busy year and I would expect the same in 2024, with more shows and possibly more new members. </p><p>One of those possible new members that we have discussed for years is the legendary T. Graham Brown, and he will be the opening act on this week's Friday Night Opry. While I don't think it will happen on Friday night, I could possibly see T. Graham becoming an Opry member by the end of the year. He wants it and he certainly deserves it. </p><p>Joining T. Graham on Friday will be Opry members Connie Smith, Don Schlitz, Mandy Barnett and Steve Wariner, while on Saturday night Opry members Jeannie Seely, John Conlee and Charlie McCoy are on the schedule. </p><p>There is one Opry debut this weekend as Kidd G will be appearing on Friday night. Other non-members listed, in addition to T. Graham are Tony Trischka and, one of my personal favorites, Sunny Sweeney. In addition to hosting on Willie's Roadhouse, Sunny has been doing some touring. </p><p>The non-members listed for Saturday night include Opry NextStage artist Restless Road, Avery Anna, John Berry and The Cleverlys. </p><p>Friday January 5<br />7:00: T. Graham Brown, Sunny Sweeney, Kidd G, <b>Don Schlitz</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>Connie Smith</b>, Tony Trischka, <b>Mandy Barnett, Steve Wariner</b></p><p>Saturday January 6<br />7:00: Opry Square Dancers, <b>Jeannie Seely,</b> John Berry, Avery Anna, <b>Charlie McCoy</b><br />Intermission<br />8:15: <b>John Conlee</b>, Opry Square Dancers, Restless Road, The Cleverlys<br /><br />Kidd. G., who is making his Opry debut on Friday night, is considered one of the breakout artists in Nashville. Only 20, he has recently released his much-anticipated new EP, If We Were A Love Song, available via Rebel Music / The Valory Music Co. / Geffen Records. A breathtaking collection of recent singles and new tracks that heralds a new era for the performer, the new project is sure to be a highlight his Opry debut on Friday night. The new EP caps an onslaught of new music for him which has captured the imagination of fans everywhere. They were highlighted on the Georgia native’s tour, which was extended into November due to overwhelming demand. More than 30 new dates were added including stops in major markets such as Nashville, Montreal, and Toronto. Kidd G’s ascent to country music stardom has been anything but ordinary. He arrived on the Billboard country charts just a few months after his 17th birthday — which The New York Times called “a study in fluidity.” Kidd G has already gained over 1.5 million followers on TikTok and racked up over 598M total global streams across all releases.</p><p><br /></p><p>During 2024, I am going to focus on the Grand Ole Opry lineups from 1974, 50 years ago. The first quarter of the year found the members preparing to say good-bye to the Ryman, while the remaining months of the year found the members adjusting to the new Opry House. </p><p>In addition to the move to the new Opry House, 1974 also found the Opry hosting the first, of what would become an annual event: a reunion show of former Opry members. This was also known as "Old-Timer's Night." The first one took place in February, allowing some of the former members to come back one final time before the move. And of course, the Opry celebrated its 49th anniversary in the fall. <br /><br />So, looking back 50 years to Saturday January 5, 1974. It was a significant night at the Grand Ole Opry as the Opry dedicated the show to Tex Ritter, who had passed away on January 2 after suffering a heart attack. Here is the dedication that was printed in the program that night: </p><p><b>The Grand Ole Opry and country music fans around the world are saddened by the sudden death of Tex Ritter, America's most beloved cowboy. Across the nation devotees of country-western music, from U.S. Senators to the man on the street, expressed grief for one of our great cowboy heroes, the victim of a massive heart attack on Wednesday January 2. </b></p><p><b>Few names have sparked the imagination or permeated the entertainment industry as has that of Tex Ritter. His 40-year career spanned every major entertainment medium. Born in Murvaul, Panola County, Texas, Tex learned the rawhide arts of ranching, riding, and roping from practical experience. Influenced by his father's knowledge of the cowboy and the old-time community singings, Tex Ritter was destined to sing the story of the American cowboy. In fact, Tex had become the embodiment of the American West. Few personalities in the history of the American stage attained the heights that Tex enjoyed. </b></p><p><b>Tex Ritter was a true legend in his own time. He was a big man with enormous love for his God, his country, his friends, and especially his lovely wife Dorothy Faye and sons, Thomas and Johnathan. </b></p><p><b>As we begin a new year saddened by the loss of such an extraordinary human being, let us reflect on the great things that Tex stood for, and the exemplary life he led. And let us hope that now Tex Ritter as reached that "Hillbilly Heaven: of which he sang about so often. </b></p><p>Here is the running order from 50 years ago, Saturday January 5, 1974: </p><p>1st show<br />6:00: Vietti<br />Roy Drusky (host): A Satisfied Mind<br />Osborne Brothers: Fastest Grass Alive<br />Bill Carlisle: Knothole<br />Lonzo and Oscar: King Size Cola & A Moon Pie<br />Roy Drusky: Anymore<br />Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top<br />Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown<br />Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want to Go Home</p><p>6:30: Mrs. Grissoms<br />Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend<br />Jim and Jesse: Please Be My Love<br />Mary Lou Turner: Poor Sweet Lady<br />Bill Anderson: The World of Make Believe</p><p>6:45: Rudy's<br />Bill Monroe (host): Bluegrass Breakdown<br />George Morgan: Red Rose From The Blue Side of Town<br />Billy Grammer: Under The Double Eagle<br />Bill Boxx: Dark Hollow<br /><br />7:00: Rudy's<br />Porter Wagoner (host): What Ain't To Be Just Might Happen<br />Dolly Parton: Jolene<br />Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way to Say Goodbye<br />Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: The Right Combination<br />Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors<br />Charlie Louvin and Diane McCall: American Trilogy<br />Porter Wagoner: Be A Little Quieter</p><p>7:30: Standard Candy<br />Roy Acuff (host): The Wabash Cannonball<br />Minnie Pearl: Careless Love<br />Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walkin'<br />Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Ida Red<br />Brother Oswald: Columbus Stockade Blues<br />Roy Acuff: Carry Me Back to The Mountains</p><p>8:00: Martha White<br />Lester Flatt (host): Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms<br />Grandpa Jones: Are You From Dixie<br />Jack Greene: It's Time To Cross That Bridge<br />Jeannie Seely: Lucky Ladies<br />Lester Flatt: Homestead On The Farm<br />Jerry Clower: Comedy<br />Roy Pillow: Countryfied<br />Marty Stuart: Rawhide</p><p>8:30: Stephens<br />Hank Snow (host): There's A Fool Such As I<br />Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain<br />Jim Ed Brown: Sometimes Sunshine<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy<br />The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of A Dove<br />Jeannie C Riley: Harper Valley PTA<br />Hank Snow: A Legend In My Time</p><p>2nd show<br />9:30: Kellogg's<br />Bill Monroe (host): Rawhide<br />Willis Brothers: Bob<br />Osborne Brothers: Fastest Grass Alive<br />Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art<br />Jim and Jesse: Ashes of Love<br />Lonzo and Oscar: Truck Driving Man<br />Bill Carlisle: Little Liza Jane<br />Kenny Baker: Sally Goodin</p><p>10:00: Fender<br />Porter Wagoner (host): The Sun Don't Shine On The Same Dog Everyday<br />Dolly Parton: Jolene<br />George Morgan: You Turn Me On<br />Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye<br />Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: If Teardrops Were Pennies</p><p>10:15: Union76<br />Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal<br />Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry<br />Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me On Sundays<br />Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird</p><p>10:30: Trailblazer<br />Lester Flatt (host): Country Boy<br />Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Come & Dine<br />Ray Pillow: Countryfied<br />Lester Flatt: Orange Blossom Special</p><p>10:45: Beechnut<br />Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good<br />Mary Lou Turner: Paper Roses<br />Jerry Clower: Comedy<br />Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Chicken Reel<br />Bill Anderson: The World of Make Believe</p><p>11:00: Coca Cola<br />Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore<br />Jim Ed Brown: Scarlet Ribbons/The Three Bells<br />Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song<br />Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hickory Leaf<br />Justin Tubb: Rambling Man<br />Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because<br />Hank Snow: Snow In Hawaii</p><p>11:30: Elm Hill<br />Marty Robbins (host): I Couldn't Believe It Was True<br />The 4 Guys: Let Me Be There/Catfish John<br />Jeannie C Riley: Why Me Lord<br />Ronnie Robbins: If We Make It Through December<br />Marty Robbins: Love Me/Don't Worry/Singing The Blues</p><p>I don't think anyone would have complained about that show to start off the new year!</p><p>(Jean Shepard and Charlie Walker were both scheduled but cancelled. Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely were scheduled for both shows but cancelled on the late show, while Roy Drusky and Billy Walker were only scheduled for the early show. Marty Robbins, of course, was only scheduled for the closing segment). </p><p>Losing "America's Favorite Singing Cowboy," as he was introduced when appearing on the Grand Ole Opry, was a tough way to start the new year. While Tex as an Opry member for less than 10 years, he was extremely popular, both with fans and fellow Opry members. </p><p>As always, thanks for reading and commenting. I always appreciate those who read and comment on the blog. Welcome to 2024 and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-43554777590427613342023-12-31T10:55:00.001-05:002024-01-03T18:44:37.658-05:00January Opry Highlights<p>Happy New Year to Grand Ole Opry fans everywhere!!! I hope everyone had a safe holiday and are looking forward to a great 2023. My hope for everyone is that 2024 will be a year of good health and times for all, including those at the Grand Ole Opry. In keeping with tradition, here are the Opry highlights for the month of January: </p><p>January 12, 1926: Ray Price was born in Peach, near Perryville, Wood County, Texas. Ray was an Opry member from the early 1950s until being dismissed from the Opry in 1964. While he never formally joined the Opry again, he did appear a number of times, up until his death in 2013.</p><p>January 29, 1927: George Wilkerson made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Later that same year, he would introduce his string band, The Fruit Jar Drinkers, to the Opry audience. The Fruit Jar Drinkers, in one form or another, would remain a part of the Opry until the late 1980s. </p><p>January 14, 1929: The late Billy Walker was born in Ralls, Texas. Known as the "Tall Texan," Billy joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1960 and continued as a very active member of the Opry until his death in 2006 while returning to Nashville after performing a road date in Alabama. </p><p>January 19, 1933: Grand Ole Opry member Stu Phillips was born. Stu, who is one of a select group of Opry members born in Canada, is now retired and at the age of 91 seems to be doing well. </p><p>January 23, 1937: The Lakeland Sisters, Mary and Ann, made their Grand Ole Opry debut. They would only remain with the Opry for about 18 months, making their final appearance on June 4, 1938.</p><p>January 1, 1938: Texas Ruby made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She performed that night with her future husband, Curly Fox. </p><p>January 7, 1939: While there is some debate on this, and it is open to discussion, one source has this date as the first appearance of Brother Oswald performing with Roy Acuff on the Opry. This is also the date that the comedy duo of Jamup & Honey made their debut on the Opry. </p><p>January 14, 1939: The Dixieliners made their final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Consisting of early WSM Barn Dance stars Arthur Smith, along with Sam & Kirk McGee, they made their debut in 1932. While Th Dixieliners would disappear, those who made up the group would continue, both individually and in othe groups. </p><p>January 16, 1943: Ernest Tubb made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Ernest was so well received that he was offered membership and officially would join the Opry the following month. Over time, Ernest would become one of the legendary members of the Opry and would continue as an Opry member until his death.</p><p>January 19, 1946: Grand Ole Opry member Dolly Parton, who has been an Opry member for over 50 years, was born Sevier County, Tennessee. Dolly at 78? Hard to believe. In my opinion, and the opinion of others, Dolly is the most beloved living country music artist. And let's not forget that in 2022 she was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. </p><p>January 7, 1950: The legendary Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger, made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry and was also made an Opry member that night. Yes, they did things a little differently in those days. Originally from Canada, Hank came to the Opry via Dallas, Texas, thanks to the help and recommendation of Ernest Tubb. That night, Ernest introduced Hank by saying, "From up Canada way, here's the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Singing Ranger, Hank Snow." Hank sang "Brand On My Heart," which had been a big hit for him up in Canada, and a regional hit in the Dallas area. Hank felt that his Opry debut did not go over very well and that he received little audience response. In fact, he told his wife Min that he was not going back. However, she convinced Hank that he owed it to Ernest to return. He went back, and when things did not improve in the coming months, the Opry was considering letting him go. However, "I'm Moving On" was released and the rest is history. Hank remained an Opry member for the next 49 years, until his death in December 1999.</p><p>January 7, 1950: On the same night that Hank Snow joined the Opry, Tennessee Ernie Ford made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Unlike Hank, Tennessee Ernie was already an established star and appeared on the Prince Albert portion of the show. While he never became a member, Ernie had an open invitation to appear on the Opry anytime he was in Nashville, and he would often take the Opry up on their offer. In later years, he would appear on the Martha White segment, as he was friends with the ownership of the company.</p><p>January 9, 1951: Brenda Gail Webb, known professionally as Crystal Gayle, was born. Crystal joined the Opry cast in January 2017, and it has been wonderful to have her as part of the Opry's cast. </p><p>January 1, 1953: Hank Williams was found dead in the backseat of his car in West Virginia. He was being driving to a New Year's Day appearance in Canton, Ohio. Also booked on the show that night were Jimmy Dickens and June Webb, among others. Jimmy ended up not making the trip due to the weather, while the other artists scheduled to appear went ahead and did the show as a tribute to Hank. As a resident of Canton, I can tell you that the auditorium where the show was to take place is still standing and in use today.</p><p>January 16, 1953: Opry member Bill Monroe was seriously injured in a head-on car accident on Highway 31 in White House, Tennessee. Bill suffered 19 broken bones in the accident.</p><p>January 19, 1953: Marty Robbins made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Marty would join the cast shortly afterwards.</p><p>January 22, 1953: The Ozark Jubilee premiered on the ABC television network. The show was hosted by former Opry member Red Foley, who left Nashville and moved to Springfield, Missouri to host the show. While he would be missed in Nashville, Red did well on the Ozark Jubilee. </p><p>January 29, 1954: Theron Hale passed away. Theron was one of the early members of the Grand Ole Opry, becoming a regular in 1926. He stayed as an Opry regular into the 1930s, after which he would make occasional appearances with Sam McGee. While he was at the Opry, he would be introduced as "Theron Hale and Daughters," which were Elizabeth and Mamie Ruth.</p><p>January 1, 1955: Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs moved to Nashville, where they began appearing on WSM Radio and Television, along with regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>January 22, 1955: Porter Wagoner made his first appearance as a guest on the Opry. He would return and in February 1957, Porter would become an Opry member, a membership that he would hold until passing away in the fall of 2007. </p><p>January 4, 1957: Grand Ole Opry member Patty Loveless was born in Pikeville, Kentucky. Patty hasn't been around the Opry much in recent years, but when she is it is always a treat. 2023 was a busy year for Patty as she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and in December, she returned to the Opry after being away for several years. </p><p>January 12, 1957: Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper became members of the Grand Ole Opry. The Coopers, along with daughter Carol Lee, came to the Opry from the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree, where they were very popular. Stoney would remain with the Opry until his death in 1977. Wilma Lee would continue with the Opry as a solo act, and later celebrated 50 years of Opry membership.</p><p>January 1, 1960: Although there is some debate as to the exact date, it would appear this is when Billy Walker became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Billy would remain an Opry member until his death in a car accident in 2006. Billy was a very loyal member of the Opry and later in his career, he would often speak up over the reduction of his Opry appearances.</p><p>January 9, 1960: Patsy Cline became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. While her time at the Opry was very short, Patsy was very influential to a number of female artists, including Loretta Lynn and Dottie West. In a pretty famous story as to how she became an Opry member, after one of her Opry guest performances, she approached Opry manager Ott Devine and asked if she might one day become a member. Ott responded by saying, "Patsy, if that's all you want, you are on the Opry."</p><p>January 28, 1961: Dottie West made her debut as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Over the next several years, Dottie would make several guest appearances, which would eventually lead to an invitation to become an Opry member. On this same night, there was another Opry debut as Jim & Jesse made their initial appearance on the Opry. </p><p>January 9, 1965: Norma Jean became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Much as Dolly Parton would do a few years later, Norma Jean joined the cast as she was performing as part of Porter Wagoner's show. Norma Jean left Porter's show a few years later and would remain a member of the Opry until August 1969. </p><p>January 8, 1966: Grand Ole Opry member Sonny James appeared on the Opry for the final time as an Opry member. Sonny had joined the cast in October 1962. Like others, he just felt it was time to move on and make more money on a Saturday night. </p><p>January 1, 1967: Former Grand Ole Opry member Moon Mullican passed away from a heart attack at his Texas home. He was known as the "King of the Hillbilly Piano Players." He had been a part of the Opry during the early 1950s. </p><p>January 7, 1967: Charley Pride became the first black solo singer to perform on the Opry. He was introduced that night by Ernest Tubb. Charley sang "The Snakes Crawl At Night," and "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love with You." Shortly afterwards, he was asked to become an Opry member, but declined due to his heavy touring schedule. Over the years, he would be asked several more times, until finally in 1993 he accepted the invitation to join. He was the 2nd black artist to become an Opry member, following DeFord Bailey. (Just to clarify, DeFord Bailey was a noted harmonica player and not a solo singer).</p><p>January 21, 1967: Over the years, non-country acts have appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and on this date, it was Eddie Albert who appeared. Eddie, of course, not only was a fine actor, but he also starred in the CBS show "Green Acres."</p><p>January 4, 1969: Dolly Parton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Dolly's 55th year as an Opry member. Back in the early days when she was with Porter Wagoner, Dolly was a frequent visitor at the Opry. However, as her career expanded, she became like many others as someone who hardly ever appeared on the show. She even commented once that if she was in charge of the Opry, she would fire herself. It was Carl and Pearl Butler, former Opry members, who took a liking to Dolly and helped to bring her to Nashville when she was just 12 years old. While it was a long time ago, Dolly remembered her first night guesting on the Opry: "They used to have this Friday Night Frolics and I went up there one night with the intention of being on it. I kept telling everyone I'll sing just one song. Most of the Opry artists had two spots on the show and I walked up to Jimmy C Newman, who was going to sing his second song next and I told him I wanted to be on. I didn't know why he did it, but Jimmy gave me his spot and I sang a George Jones song." While Dolly didn't know why Jimmy C did it that night, I think she came to realize that was the type of person Jimmy C Newman was. While January 4 is her induction date, the first Saturday in which Dolly appeared on the Opry as a member was actually the following Saturday, January 11. </p><p>January 11, 1969: George Jones rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Over the course of his career, George would join and leave the Opry several different times. In fact, depending on the edition of the Grand Ole Opry Picture History Book that you have, you could find literally a half dozen different dates. </p><p>January 1, 1971: Tom T. Hall became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. After joining the Opry in 1971, he left in June 1974, and then rejoined in 1980. Sadly, Tom T. passed away in 2021 after a long period of inactivity. </p><p>January 16, 1971: After moving away from Nashville for several years, George Hamilton IV returned to the show. It was his first Opry show in over a year.</p><p>January 29, 1972: George Hamilton appeared on the Opry for the final time before giving up his Opry membership. George was doing a lot of traveling and moved back to North Carolina. He would rejoin the Opry several years later. </p><p>January 13, 1973: Ernest Tubb celebrated his 30th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.</p><p>January 20, 1973: For the first time, Jerry Lee Lewis performed on the Opry. He had always wanted to perform on the show; however, the Opry management was afraid to invite him, fearing what he would do onstage. For this appearance, management asked Jerry Lee not to do any rock and roll. He agreed then broke the promise. Appearing on the 11:30 segment hosted by Charlie Walker, he was on stage for almost 40 minutes and did several numbers that management had asked him not to do. In a nice gesture, he invited Del Wood to appear with him onstage, saying later that on a previous backstage visit, Del was the only Opry member that was nice to him. While Opry management was not pleased with his initial appearance, Jerry Lee did appear on the Opry at least one more time, in August 1995. </p><p>January 27, 1973: Marty Robbins celebrated his 20th anniversary as a member of the Opry.</p><p>January 2, 1974: Grand Ole Opry member Tex Ritter passed away after suffering a heart attack. Tex joined the Opry in 1965 and enjoyed being in Nashville and as a part of the Opry. Tex was also involved in the early days of the Country Music Association, and he was just the 5th person to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.</p><p>January 4, 1975: Hank Snow was honored upon his 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>January 28, 1976: Skeeter Willis, part of the Willis Brothers, passed away at the age of 58. The Willis Brothers first came to the Opry in 1946 and were well known for their western style of music.</p><p>January 22, 1977: Grand Ole Opry member Stoney Cooper appeared on the Opry for the final time. Along with his wife Wilma Lee, Stoney had joined the Opry in 1957. Stoney suffered from heart problems and would pass away in March.</p><p>January 27, 1979: Sissy Spacek, who played the part of Loretta Lynn in the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" joined Loretta for an appearance on the Opry.</p><p>January 12, 1980: Longtime Opry sponsor Fender sponsored an Opry segment for the final time. The popular guitar company sponsored the 10:00 segment on Saturday night. They would be replaced several weeks later by Little Debbie. </p><p>January 10, 1981: Grand Ole Opry sponsor Union 76 sponsored their last segment on the Opry. The company sponsored the 10:15 segment on the late show Saturday night. </p><p>January 30, 1982: Wilma Lee Cooper was recognized upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. </p><p>January 20, 1984: Future Grand Ole Opry member Mike Snider made his Opry debut. He was a member of the cast of Hee Haw and was well known for his banjo playing and comedy. Recently, Mike has been away from the Opry more often than not, but it is always a treat when Mike appears. </p><p>January 19, 1985: While other females had stepped in on an emergency basis to "MC" a segment of the Grand Ole Opry, Jeannie Seely became the first female to actually host an Opry segment. It had been a long time coming as Jeannie was always expressing her desire to Hal Durham that females should be allowed to host segments on the show. Jeannie opened the door for many others. </p><p>January 25, 1986: The Statler Brothers made a guest appearance on the Opry. The group only appeared on the Opry a handful of times as they believed that Opry members should be the acts appearing on the show. </p><p>January 11, 1986: Mel McDaniel became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Always popular, Mel would remain an Opry member until his death in 2011.</p><p>January 14, 1986: During the Opry's televised 60th anniversary special, Reba McEntire was introduced as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. While this is the date the show was televised, the taping actually took place the previous November, thus the November taping date is considered Reba's actual Opry induction date. This will be Reba's 38th year as an Opry member.</p><p>January 14, 1989: Hubert Gregory of the Fruit Jar Drinkers passed away. Hubert's career at the Opry, as with the Fruit Jar Drinkers, dates back to the early days of the Opry. Like many others of that era, Hubert performed with many different groups, including with Sam & Kirk McGee.</p><p>January 14, 1969: Keith Whitley, who was recently elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, made his final appearance on the Opry. Keith was never an Opry member, but as Lorrie Morgan confirmed, he was in the process of being invited to become a member, an invitation that was scheduled to be given just weeks later. </p><p>January 20, 1990: Hank Snow celebrated his 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The televised segment on TNN included a reunion of the Glaser Brothers, who were very friendly with Hank. The reunion did not last as the Glaser Brothers never performed together again. Also appearing with Hank that night was future (or former) Opry member Mel Tillis.</p><p>January 10, 1991: Clint Black became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. For Clint, this will be his 33rd year as an Opry member. While Clint has never made a whole lot of Opry appearances, it was nice to see him back from a couple for a few shows over the past couple of years. </p><p>January 19, 1991: CBS-TV hosts "The Grand Ole Opry 65th Anniversary Celebration: The New Tradition." The special featured Grand Ole Opry members Roy Acuff, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill and several others.</p><p>January 25, 1992: Introduced by Roy Acuff, Emmylou Harris became the Opry's newest member. This will be Emmylou's 32nd anniversary as a member of the Opry. Sadly, Emmylou rarely appears on the Opry but when she does it is always a treat. </p><p>January 22, 1994: Hal Ketchum became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Once a pretty regular performer on the show, Hal was forced to retire due to his declining health. Hal Ketchum passed away in November 2021</p><p>January 15, 1995: Vic Willis died in a car accident in Nashville. Vic was a long-time member of the Grand Ole Opry, first with his brothers as the Oklahoma Wranglers, later named the Willis Brothers, and later headlining his own group, the Vic Willis Trio. Vic had last appeared on the Friday Night Opry, January 6. Vic was the last of the Willis Brothers. </p><p>January 21, 1995: Brother Oswald, longtime member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 83, I believe he was the oldest person to join the cast at that time. Oswald came to the Opry in the 1930s with Roy and helped to define the Acuff sound. Thanks to the efforts of Porter Wagoner and Marty Stuart, among others, he became a member. I was there the night of his induction, and it was quite a surprise as I don't seem to remember it being announced much ahead of time. Oswald passed away in 2002.</p><p>January 13, 1996: Having joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry back in November, during the taping of the 70th anniversary special, Martina McBride made her first appearance as an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.</p><p>January 3, 1998: Longtime Grand Ole Opry member Grandpa Jones made his final appearance on the Opry. After hosting his segment on the 2nd show, Grandpa suffered the first of what would be series of strokes. He was taken directly to the hospital from the Opry House. His condition would continue to decline, and he passed away the following month.</p><p>January 24, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Justin Tubb passed away from a sudden illness. He was the son of Opry legend Ernest Tubb and had joined the Opry cast in 1955. At the time of joining, he was the Opry's youngest member. Not only was Justin an excellent singer, but he was also a fine songwriter.</p><p>January 9, 1999: Grand Ole Opry member Boxcar Willie made his final appearance on the show. In declining health, Boxcar had first appeared on the Opry in 1981. That night, in tribute to Roy Acuff, who brought Boxcar to the Opry, Boxcar sang "Wabash Cannonball" and "The Great Speckled Bird." </p><p>January 15, 1999: The Grand Ole Opry returned to the Ryman Auditorium for the first time since moving to the new Grand Ole Opry House in 1974. There were three shows that weekend and all were sold out. During the 1st show on Saturday night, Ricky Skaggs invited Trisha Yearwood to become the Opry's newest member. The weekend shows, which I attended, was such a success that the Opry made has made it a point of returning to the Ryman each year. </p><p>January 23, 1999: Grand Ole Opry member Brother Oswald made his final Saturday night Grand Ole Opry appearance. His final Opry show would be a month later on the Friday Night Opry. Due to declining health, Oswald was forced to retire from performing.</p><p>January 15, 2000: Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Patty Loveless handled the official induction. He had been asked just the prior evening if he would like to join. After he said yes, the Opry wasted no time and inducted Ralph the following night. Also appearing on the show that night were Opry members Reba McEntire and Loretta Lynn. </p><p>January 13, 2001: Future Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show made their debut on the Opry stage. Keeping the string band music alive, Old Crow have been wonderful Opry members. </p><p>January 8, 2002: George Jones, BR549's Chuck Mead, Billy Walker and songwriters Dennis Morgan, Shawn Camp and Jack Clement, along with at least 100 other demonstrators, protested at the offices of WSM radio as rumors surfaced that the station was going to change its format from country music to sports. Several weeks later, WSM executives announced that the station would continue the current format of country music, featuring the Grand Ole Opry. Among those at the press conference were Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith and Billy Walker. </p><p>January 4, 2003: Hank Williams Jr and Hank Williams III performed together on the Opry in a show that marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Hank Williams. Also appearing in the tribute that night was Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill and The Whites</p><p>January 6, 2006: The Friday Night Opry was reduced by 30 minutes making it a 2-hour show.</p><p>January 28, 2006: Longtime Grand Ole Opry sponsor Standard Candy, the makers of Goo Goo, sponsored an Opry segment for the final time. Standard Candy became an Opry sponsor in September 1967. Over the years, a number of the Opry's announcers would sing that theme song, "Go get a Goo Goo, it's Good." </p><p>January 11, 2007: Grand Ole Opry member Stonewall Jackson filed an age discrimination lawsuit against Gaylord Entertainment and the management of the Grand Ole Opry. Stonewall made several claims, and specifically named Pete Fisher. As the lawsuit played out, Stonewall refused to perform on the Opry, even though he had been asked. Eventually the lawsuit was settled out of court, with Stonewall privately saying that Gaylord made a settlement. In the first several years after the settlement, Stonewall did see an increase in his Opry appearances. Stonewall was an Opry member for just over 60 years. After several years of declining health, Stonewall passed away in 2022. </p><p>January 19, 2008: Charlie Daniels became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He said at the time of his induction that becoming an Opry member was always a dream of his. Marty Stuart and Connie Smith formally inducted Charlie into the Opry. In 2015, Charlie became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, Charlie passed away in 2020. </p><p>January 26, 2011: After a long illness, longtime Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Louvin passed away. Along with his brother Ira, Charlie joined the Opry in 1955. After Ira's death, Charlie continued as a solo artist.</p><p>January 7, 2012: Charlie Collins performed for the final time on the Grand Ole Opry. While never an Opry member, Charlie spent considerable time at the Opry, first coming to the show as a member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, and then after Roy's death, performing with Brother Oswald and with the Opry Square Dancers.</p><p>January 21, 2012: Emmylou Harris celebrated 20 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller helped Emmylou celebrate that night.</p><p>January 2, 2015: Longtime Grand Ole Opry legend Jimmy Dickens passed away in Nashville. Jimmy had been hospitalized after becoming suddenly ill on Christmas Day. Jimmy first joined the Opry in 1948 and at the time of his death, was the Opry's last link to the pre-Hank Williams of the Opry. Much loved, Jimmy was noted for his comedy songs, but let's not forget that he was also a great ballad singer.</p><p>January 21, 2015: The Grand Ole Opry House is listed as a pending addition to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation would become official a month later. </p><p>January 2, 2016: Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley made a surprise appearance on the Grand Ole Opry to honor Little Jimmy Dickens on the one-year anniversary of Tater's death. Paisley turned in a medley that includes "Country Boy," "Out Behind The Barn," "May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" and "Mountain Dew."</p><p>January 9, 2017: Grand Ole Opry Vice President and General Manger Pete Fisher announced that he was resigning his position to move to California and head up the Academy of Country Music. Pete came to the Opry in June 1999 and had been in charge of the Opry for over 17 years. His final Opry show was on January 20.</p><p>January 21, 2017: Crystal Gayle became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Crystal has been asked several months previously by Carrie Underwood to join the cast. On the night of her induction, her sister and fellow Opry member Loretta Lynn handed the official induction. This was also the last night in which Loretta appeared on the Opry. </p><p>January 11, 2019: Mark Wills was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Mark, who had been a guest on the Opry hundreds of times, was surprised during a December appearance by Vince Gill, who formally invited Mark to become a member.</p><p>January 1, 2020: Ryman Hospitality launched a new TV network, Circle, with 16 original shows including "Opry Live," which was advertised as featuring pre-recorded performances from the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, Circle TV only lasted a couple of years as the network quickly moved away from country music-oriented programming. </p><p>January 10, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Joe Diffie made his final appearance on the Opry. Joe, who joined the cast in November 1993, passed away in 2020 from Covid.</p><p>January 17, 2020: Gene Watson was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill did the honors of surprising Gene with the invitation, which was long overdue. </p><p>January 24, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Charley Pride made his final appearance on the Opry. He appeared that night on the Friday night show. Charley, who joined the Opry's cast in May 1993 passed away in December 2021, another of those who passed away from Covid. </p><p>January 21, 2021: Lady A was announced as the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Darius Rucker surprised the group with the invite during the taping of the Opry's 95th anniversary television special. Sad to say, their Opry appearances since joining have been very, very few. </p><p>January 6, 2022: Marty Stuart, during a backstage appearance on the Opry, invited comedians Gary Mule Deer and Henry Cho to become members of the Grand Ole Opry. These would be the first comedians to join the Opry's cast in almost 50 years. </p><p><br /></p><p>There you have it for this month. Enjoy!!</p>fayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.com3