One of the things that I am going to start to do on a some-what regular basis, is to print some Grand Ole Opry Line-ups from years gone by. I hope that it gives everyone some great memories of artists that have passed away and have left us great memories and their music. The following is the Grand Ole Opry line-up from Saturday January 5, 1974, with the name of the sponsor listed after the time:
First Show:
6:00: Vietti Foods. Roy Drusky(host); The Osborne Brothers; Justin Tubb; The Carlisles: Lonzo and Oscar.
6:30: Mrs Grissom's: Bill Anderson(host); Jim & Jesse; Mary Lou Turner.
6:45: Rudy's: Bill Monroe(host); Billy Grammer; George Morgan.
7:00: Rudy's: Porter Wagoner(host); Dolly Parton; Charlie Louvin; Stu Phillips.
7:30: Standard Candy: Roy Acuff(host); Minnie Pearl; The Willis Brothers; Stonewall Jackson; Jean Sheppard; The Crook Brothers; The Tennessee Travelers.
8:00: Martha White: Lester Flatt(host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Jerry Clower; Ray Pillow; Grandpa Jones.
8:30: Stephens Work Clothes: Hank Snow(host); The Four Guys; Jim Ed Brown; Jimmy C Newman; Jeannie C Riley; The Fruit Jar Drinkers.
Second Show:
9:30: Kelloggs: Bill Monore(host); The Osborne Brothers; The Willis Brothers; Jim & Jesse; The Carlisles; Billy Grammer; Lonzo and Oscar.
10:00: Fender Guitar: Porter Wagoner(host); Dolly Parton; George Morgan; Stu Phillips.
10:15: Union 76: Roy Acuff(host); Stonewall Jackson; Charlie Louvin; Jean Shepard.
10:30: Trailblazer: Lester Flatt(host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Ray Pillow; Grandpa Jones.
10:45: Beechnut Chewing Tabacco: Bill Anderson(host); Mary Lou Turner; Jerry Clower; The Crook Brothers; The Tennessee Travelers.
11:00: Coca Cola: Hank Snow(host); Justin Tubb; Jim Ed Brown; Jimmy C Newman; Sam and Kirk McGee; The Fruit Jar Drinkers.
11:30: Baltz Bros: Marty Robbins(host); Jeannie C Riley; The Four Guys.
What an all-star line-up!! 34 artists on the first show and 34 on the second show. 12 Hall of Fame members or future members!! And of those artists on that night, only 2 were not Opry members(Mary Lou Turner and Jeannie C Riley). I also noticed that on the 9:30 segment, there are 7 artists listed(how they got all those on in half an hour I do not know), but on the 11:30 segment with Marty Robbins, only 3 artists, which I think takes into account Marty singing for so long. Let me know what you think and if you would like to see more of these vintage line-ups from years gone by.
I love looking back on the old Opry programs. This was just a few months before the show left the Ryman Auditorium for the new Opry House. Back then, some of the best shows of the years would take place in December and January when most of the Opry stars were off the road. Ironically, it was also when the audience was the smallest and tickets were easiest to come by. It wasn't unusual to have seven or more performers in a half hour segment...if a segment ran long, it ran long. Of course, when Marty was closing the show all bets were off. The management policy back then was that if an Opry member was in town, he or she was assured of a slot on the show which often meant a jam-packed lineup right around Christmas. Of course, the attitude of the Opry stars was a little different back then as well. In particular, I've heard several former members of Lester Flatt's band say that if the band was in Nashville on a Friday or Saturday night you WERE going to be at the Opry and it was non-negotiable.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, Mary Lou Turner was a member of the Bill Anderson Show during this period so she was often listed on the program whether she had a solo spot or sang a duet with Bill. As members of their respective road shows during this period, the Cates Sisters would often be scheduled with Jim Ed Brown and later Kelly Foxton appeared on the segments hosted by Hank Snow.
I have some old lineups, too, that I got through the internet or that my late mother's friend Jimmy C. Newman was kind enough to send. I'll post some, too, if you would like--if not, that's ok.
ReplyDeleteI'd also add to what Barry said. On some lineups, you also see Barbara Lea, who was in Porter Wagoner's show after Dolly Parton left. Also, I suspect that having only three on Marty's segment at 11:30 reflected a couple of other possibilities: that it might encourage him to get it out of his system in the allotted time; that the manager (at the time, Hal Durham, I believe) figured that if earlier segments ran long, they might gain time this way; and Marty was one of the few who really liked being on the last segment. When the 11:30 portion was eliminated a couple of years ago, the stories I heard was that the members weren't that unhappy about it.
Michael: I would love for you to post some of the old line-ups that you have. It is fun to look back at the old times of the Opry. Also, the weekend that I posted above was dedicated to Tex Ritter, who had died several days before. He was the featured artist in the program that was sold that night.
ReplyDeleteI will work on it!
ReplyDelete