The Grand Ole Opry has posted this weekend's line-ups. Once again, as has been the recent pattern, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night, both at the Ryman Auditorium. The Tuesday Night Opry is also scheduled there.
Jimmy Dickens is again listed for all shows this week. He has cancelled out the past several weekends, so hopefully he is feeling better and will be able to make it. Just the fact that he has been listed the past few weeks and then has cancelled leads me to believe that it is nothing serious. But, looking at the schedule, it looks like that they have a back-up plan on Friday night if he cannot make it, as they could slide Jim Ed Brown to a later segmend and he could host. On Saturday night, Mel Tillis looks like the option for the first segment if Jimmy cannot make it, with the Opry adding someone else.
Friday July 16:
7:00: Marty Stuart(host); Jim Ed Brown; Jan Howard; Rebecca Lynn Howard
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Mark Wills
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely(host); Jack Greene; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys
8:45: Mel Tillis(host); Riders In The Sky; Kenyon Lockry
Saturday July 17:
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Rebecca Lynn Howard; Mel Tillis
7:30: Bill Anderson(host); Connie Smith; Point Of Grace
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely(host); Stonewall Jackson; Lee Brice; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Riders In The Sky(host); Jim Ed Brown; Rodney Crowell
Tuesday Night Opry July 20:
7:00: Bill Anderson ; The Band Perry
7:30: Easton Corbin; Marty Stuart
INTERMISSION
8:15: Darryl Worley; Jimmy Dickens
8:45: Dierks Bentley & Friends featuring Sam Bush, Sonya Isaacs, Del McCoury & Marty Stuart
Bill Anderson is the host for the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, that is now taped at 10:00pm at the record shop, for broadcast the following Saturday night at midnight.
One final comment:
Charlie Louvin was on the Opry last Saturday night. He was allowed to sing one song. Considering that there were only 3 people on that half hour segment, and the fact that he will be undergoing cancer surgery, there is no excuse for not allowing Charlie to sing 2 songs. As serious as the surgery is, and while we don't want to think it, that may have been Charlie's last Opry appearance, at the very least for a while. He has been a member of the Opry for over 50 years and should have been allowed more.
As to your final comment, not only do I add amen, but that what happened Saturday night said a lot about the management of the Grand Ole Opry.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Dickens was on the Friday Night Opry tonight. As much as I wish I could say otherwise, he sounded pretty bad. His singing was very hoarse and even when he was telling his jokes, his voice was very weak and he was coughing on and off. He mentioned that he had been off the Opry for the past several weeks.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Mary Chapin Carpenter made a guest appearance on the show tonight, as Jan Howard and Jim Ed Brown were bumped off the first segment. Rebecca Lynn Howard did 2 songs after Marty Stuart, and then Mary Chapin did a couple of numbers. Jim Ed ended up on Jeannie Seely's segment.
Sorry to hear about The Potato. Here's hoping he's on the road back.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Mary Chapin Carpenter show up, though, from the way you describe it, that meant that Jan Howard had to go. Further nice treatment of a legend?
As much as I love Jimmy Dickens, it pains me to hear him much as it pained me to see and hear Roy Acuff in his final appearances at the Opry.
ReplyDeleteI know how much Jimmy needs and loves the Opry, and he continues to get a good audience reaction, especially from the older folks, but perhaps the Opry could look at his appearances on the Opry and maybe make a bit of a change to help his voice.
Perhaps instead of singing each time out, and in the case of last night, doing two songs, perhaps if he sang less and told more jokes, it would help him. He is pretty funny. And, limit his singing to maybe just one song a weekend.
I know it is a hard decision to make, and he is not the only one with voice issues as they get older. And under no circumstances, would I cut back on his appearances. In fact all of the legends who have the years on the Opry that they do, should be allowed to appear on as many shows they wish. Most of them now are limited to one show a weekend, such as Jan Howard and Jimmy C. Newman, while others are limited to one show each month, such as Ray Pillow and Charlie Louvin. I am sure there could be a middle ground.
It would appear that even with rest, his voice issues are not going away.