Some weekends the Grand Ole Opry is better than others and this is one of those weekends. The line-ups for this weekend's Opry shows are excellent, with a great group of veterans and hall of famers being featured. In fact, of the 4 segment hosts on Friday night, 3 are members of the Hall of Fame, and all 4 segment hosts on Saturday night are members of the Hall. I guess my only complaint is that there is only 1 show on Saturday night, but there is the usual Opry matinee that is always featured during the CMA music fest. I know that there are several of my readers attending Opry shows this weekend, and it should be great.
Here is the line-up for the Friday Night Opry, June 11:
7:00: John Conlee(host); George Hamilton IV; Jean Shepard; Rhonda Vincent
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jan Howard; Mark Wills
INTERMISSION
8:15: Roy Clark(host); Charlie Louvin; Mike Snider; The Whites
8:45: Charley Pride(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Connie Smith
Here is the line-up for Opry matinee on Saturday June 12:
3:00: The Whites; Mandy Barnett
3:30: Riders In The Sky; Joey + Rory
4:00: Jimmy C. Newman; Pam Tillis
4:30: Jimmy Dickens; Mark Chesnutt
(Interesting that there is no intermission during this show)
Here is the line-up for the Grand Ole Opry, Saturday June 12:
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Riders In The Sky
7:30: Roy Clark(host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene; John Conlee
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mel Tillis(host); Stonewall Jackson; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Charley Pride(host); Mike Snider; Terri Clark
All the shows this weekend are at the Ryman Auditorium. I also will be interested in how Roy Clark sounds as I have heard that he has had a few issues of late. Hopefully, all is fine.
Finally, Rhonda Vincent will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, which will take place at Robert's, directly across from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway. Interesting that it is not taking place in the record shop itself. Of course, it is small and cramp and attending the midnight jamboree before, it can be tough to see and hear.
I also was thrilled to see all members Saturday night. It would be nice if, Friday night, Rhonda was invited to become a member. I also am disappointed that with the MusicFest going on, I don't see some of the bigger name members.
ReplyDeleteI agree Michael. Nice to see all Opry members on the Opry. Maybe they should try that on the Thursday night show as most weeks there are hardly any Opry members.
ReplyDeleteLike I have written before, I remember years back when the strongest Opry line-ups of the year were during fanfair. And, we know that most of the Opry members are in town for the festival. It is just too back that they cannot even stop by and do one song.
We often talk about Vince and Marty. I was glad to see Brad Paisley return. I have been very impressed with Carrie Underwood. Other new members like Randy Travis were very good at one time about being there and disappeared. I hope that doesn't happen with Carrie, and that Brad keeps coming back now.
ReplyDeleteI hope that this is a start of a new commitment by Brad to do the Opry more often. Sometimes it takes something like this flood to remind performers how important the Opry is to country music and how well the Opry treated Brad during his first days in Nashville, before he had the hits.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to the Opry tonight and actually listened to it through the intermission, which I don't normally do, and noticed that the intermission is sponsored by Martha White. I have to admit that I do not know when that started, but perhaps it is a sign that Martha White is back in good graces with the Opry.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to post to ask if this was something new, because I missed the last couple of weeks! It's good to hear, but one key thing is missing: Lester singing the theme.
ReplyDeleteMy other comment in listening to the Friday Night Opry was on Roy Clark. He made a comment that he was doing his segment sitting on a stool, as he recently had hip replacement surgery. He sounded like he was doing well and I am glad that Roy is still out there performing. His guitar playing sounded great. But, his voice did sound a big shaky and hoarse. He has never had the greatest singing voice, but it sounded weak to me. It also seemed at a couple of times during his introductions that he did not have the microphone up to his mouth as he was hard to hear.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Roy Clark sounded, shall we say, older and a bit weaker, but seemed to be doing fine. Mel Tillis seemed to have a lot of trouble, though, and Charley Pride ALWAYS has a problem with his microphone!
ReplyDelete