Here we go again. I am posting another of my classic Grand Ole Opry line-ups from the past. This time, I go back to December 30, 1961 as the Opry had one show at the Ryman Auditorium.
7:30
Porter Wayne Wagoner(host)
Robert L. Lord
Thurman Theodore & Virgil Doyle Wilburn
David Akeman
Margie Bowes
Justin Wayne Tubb
8:00
Lester Raymond Flatt & Earl Eugene Scruggs(host)
Carl Robert Butler
William Toliver Carlisle
Jimmy Yves Newman
Louis Marshall Jones
8:30
Donald Eugene Gibson(host)
George Thomas Morgan
Archie James Campbell
Ira Lonnie & Charles Elzer Loudermilk
Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood
Claude Sharpe, Ross Dowden, Luther Heatwole, Joseph McPherson
9:00
Martin David Robinson(host)
William Smith Monroe
Lloyd Estel Copas
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon
James Clue Summey
9:30
Clarence Eugene Snow(host)
Wilma Lee Leary & Dale T. Cooper
Harold Franklin Hawkins
Lloyd Leslie George & Rollin Lillian Sullivan
Ollie Imogene Shepard
Thomas Paul, Charles & James Glaser
10:00
Porter Wayne Wagoner(host)
Thurman Theodore & Virgil Doyle Wilburn
Margie Bowes
10:15
Lester Raymond Flatt & Earl Eugene Scruggs(host)
George Thomas Morgan
Robert L. Lord
Justin Wayne Tubb
10:30
Donald Eugene Gibson(host)
William Toliver Carlisle
Carl Robert Butler
Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood
10:45
Martin David Robinson(host)
David Akeman
11:00
Clarence Eugene Snow(host)
William Smith Monroe
Jimmy Yves Newman
Lloyd Leslie George & Rollin Lillian Sullivan
Louis Marshall Jones
Claude Sharpe, Ross Dowden, Luther Heatwole, Joseph McPherson
11:30
Harold Franklin Hawkins(host)
Thomas Paul, Charles & James Glaser
James Clue Summey
Ollie Imogene Shepard
Lloyd Estel Copas
Wilma Lee Leary & Dale T. Cooper
Ira Lonnie & Charles Elzer Loudermilk
Ok, before everyone gets excited and thinks that I have lost my mind, I decided to post the line-up with the artist's real/legal names. I wonder how many of you knew who each artist was? Just having some fun with everyone and testing how much all of you know about those classic Opry stars. Now, here is the line-up as I am sure most would recognize:
7:30: Porter Wagoner, Bobby Lord, Wilburn Brothers, Stringbean, Margie Bowes, Justin Tubb
8:00: Flatt & Scruggs, Carl Butler, Bill Carlisle, Jimmy Newman, Grandpa Jones
8:30: Don Gibson, George Morgan, Archie Campbell, Louvin Brothers, Del Wood, Old Hickory Singers
9:00: Marty Robbins, Bill Monroe, Cowboy Copas, Minnie Pearl, Cousin Jody
9:30: Hank Snow, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Hawshaw Hawkins, Lonza & Oscar, Jean Shepard, Glaser Brothers
10:00: Porter Wagoner, Wilburn Brothers, Margie Bowes
10:15: Flatt & Scruggs, George Morgan, Bobby Lord, Justin Tubb
10:30: Don Gibson, Bill Carlisle, Carl Butler, Del Wood
10:45: Marty Robbins, Stringbean
11:00: Hank Snow, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Newman, Lonzo & Oscar, Grandpa Jones, Old Hickory Singers
11:30: Hawshaw Hawkins, Glaser Brothers, Cousin Jody, Jean Shepard, Cowboy Copas, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Louvin Brothers
The only artists that appeared only one time that night were Archie Campbell and Minnie Pearl. Remember, this was in the era of only one show on each Saturday night, with the general rule that each artist would appear one time before 10:00 and one time again after 10:00.
Hope you enjoyed this.
I got a big kick out of it--I thought, you've gone formal! One oddity: none of the string bands are listed, meaning no Crook Brothers, Fruit Jar Drinkers, or Sam and Kirk McGee from Sunny Tennessee--or Ralph Sloan and the Tennessee Travelers or Ben Smathers and the Stoney Mountain Cloggers.
ReplyDeleteI think that the string bands were on the Opry that night, it was just that the information on the line-up that I got for that night only listed the main artists that performed. For whatever reason, some of the line-ups that I have received over the years did not list a lot of the string bands or the square dancers. Not really sure why that was the case.
ReplyDeleteWell, it still happens, I notice, on opry.com!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I may have you on one, and since that would be a first, pardon me for being excited if I actually caught the best Opry historian I know of. Wasn't Johnny Sullivan, Rollin's brother, Lonzo at that time?
Well Michael, you got me!!! That is what is so great about the readers of the blog. If I make a mistake, it is caught. Lloyd Leslie George was Lonzo from the time that the duo started until late 1949, when he quit and decided to become a solo artist. He recorded under the name Ken Marvin.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Sullivan took over the role of Lonzo, and he played the part from 1950 until he was killed in an auto accident on June 5, 1967. David Hooten then took over the role into the 1980s.
By the way, the original Lonzo died in 1991. Rolin, the last I heard, is still alive, and would be 91 now.
Mike, thanks again for the clarification. The funny thing is that I had all three names in my records-I just looked at the date wrong.
That will be my one, ever. You are a wealth of information. If you ever sit down with Eddie Stubbs, let me know--I'll try to fly in to listen!
ReplyDeleteLast I heard, Rollin was still alive, but he sold the name to two guys who are performing as Lonzo & Oscar. He also had said that it was Dave Hooten who talked him out of wearing the outfits and just dressing normally.