It took until Friday evening, but Pete finally found someone to fill the slot-Jamie O'Neal
Here are this week's Grand Ole Opry line-ups. All 3 shows this weekend look like solid shows with pretty good line-ups. There is still 1 slot to fill on Saturday night. Over the past several months, it seems that when the preliminary line-ups are put out, there is always a slot or two to fill. I wonder if Pete Fisher gets an artist who says he might or might not be available and saves a spot just in case, but usually it ends up being filled by one of the standbys. And with just the slot on the 2nd show on Saturday needing filled, you would think that he would just schedule someone from the 1st show who is not working the 2nd show. Jim Ed Brown, Jimmy C. Newman or Jesse McReynolds could do that. Also, no Jimmy Dickens again this weekend. I know at the age of 88, and with a birthday in a couple of weeks, you don't want him to take chances with his health. Other than Mike Terry saying last week that Jimmy was "under the weather", I have not heard anything else regarding his health. Hope he is ok. Finally, Trisha Yearwood makes her first Opry appearance in over a year.
Friday December 4
7:00: Jeannie Seely(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Jack Greene; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Ricky Skaggs(host); John Conlee; The Whites
8:00: Bill Anderson(host); Mike Snider; Mark Wills
8:30: Marty Stuart(host); Jan Howard; Jim Ed Brown; The Quebe Sisters Band
Saturday December 5
First Show
7:00: John Conlee(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mike Snider(host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown: Jamie O'Neal
8:00: Ricky Skaggs(host); Connie Smith; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Trisha Yearwood
Second Show
9:30: John Conlee(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Trisha Yearwood
10:00: Mike Snider(host); Jeannie Seely; Del McCoury Band
10:30: Ricky Skaggs(host); Jean Shepard; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jamie O'Neal; Connie Smith
I was a little under the weather last night, so I went to bed early and listened to the entire 2nd show on Saturday night, on WSM. It was a clear cold night here in Ohio, so the station came in pretty clear, although there were the usual periods of static. I have to tell you that I do listen to the Opry most every weekend, but not usually the entire show. I will catch parts of it in the car or when out in the yard by our fire. So, just to listen quietly to a whole show is something I have just not done for a while. Let me tell you, it was an excellent show. The performers all sounded great. You had John Conlee doing his classic, "Rose Colored Glasses",and Jeannie Seely doing a couple of Christmas songs, including "I'll Be Home For Christmas", (let me say that some performers have a voice for Christmas songs and some don't, and while she throws her voice into the songs, Christmas songs just don't fit Jeannie's style of singing). Ricky Skaggs featured a couple of songs from his new CD, featuring his Father's favorite songs, including "Little Maggie". Connie Smith was great as always, as was Mike Snider and the rest. And it was fun listening to Eddie Stubbs do the commercials and bantering with the hosts on stage. It sounded like a full house at the Ryman and on the radio, the audience response sounded good. Listening to an Opry show was not a bad way to spend a late Saturday night.
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