The Opry has finished this week's line-up by adding a couple of their standbys, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Daryle Singletary.
It has been a very quiet week around the Grand Ole Opry and I would call it a week when some news was expected, but no news came.
First, the Opry keeps saying that very soon they will announce the plans on returning to the Grand Ole Opry House, but nothing has come as of yet. When I talk to the folks at the Opry ticket office, which I do every couple of days, they keep telling me that they are selling tickets for the Opry House, starting with the Friday October 1st show. The last I was told was that the lower level is almost all sold out, with tickets still available in the balcony. I think that the Opry management just continues to wait to make sure everything will be done and ready. I know it was reported this past week, that outside of Bass Pro Shops, the rest of Opry Mills Mall will probably not reopen until next year and that many of the stores have relocated to other locations and probably will not return to the mall when it reopens. Bass Pro Shops expects to be open for the Christmas season.
The other news that some of us had speculated would come, did not. Several of us thought that the Opry was getting ready to invite Blake Shelton as its newest member and I actually thought it would take place on last night's Tuesday Night Opry. Recent articles have linked Blake more and more with the Opry and recent interviews that he has given, along with Opry President Steve Buchanan seemed to indicate that an invite to join might be coming at some point. Blake just released his new CD, which is number 1 in country music right now. I still think this is a real possibility and if it does happen, I will offer more comments and opinions at that time.
Finally, the Opry has released their line-ups for this weekend. The shows on Friday and Saturday night will take place at the Ryman Auditorium. The highlights for this week include the return of Hal Ketchum to the Opry stage. Hal had posted on his website that he intended to take the year off and this will be his first Opry appearance this year. He is on Saturday night and the one thing that does suprise me is that, considering the quality of the segment hosts on that night, that Hal is not hosting a segment. Also on Saturday night, Lee Greenwood makes an appearance, as does Kathy Mattea, who will also appear Friday night. Now for the line-ups:
Friday August 20
7:00: John Conlee(host); Riders In The Sky; Emily West
7:30: Jeannie Seely(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Daryle Singletary
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Kathy Mattea
8:45: Mike Snider(host); The Whites; Blake Shelton
Saturday August 21
7:00: Riders In The Sky(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Rebecca Lynn Howard
7:30: The Whites(host); Jan Howard; Hal Ketchum
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jean Shepard(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Kathy Mattea; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson(host); Connie Smith; Lee Greenwood
There is a slot to fill both Friday night and Saturday night, and it is in the segment that is traditionally hosted by Jimmy Dickens. It makes me think that maybe Jimmy was on the original schedule for both nights and decided he could not make it and they just bumped up Jeannie Seely and Riders In The Sky to host the segments.
To close out, Charlie Louvin is scheduled to host this week's Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree and of last report, is still set to go. This would be amazing for him to return this soon after his cancer surgery, but I am looking forward to this and will be watching the webcast on Saturday night, at 10pm to see how he looks and how he sounds. It should be a great night and I am sure some guest stars will show up to show their support for Charlie.
Did the home of the Midnight Jamboree survive the flood? Seems it was pretty near Opryland Hotel.
ReplyDeleteThe Ernest Tubb Record Shop is across the street from the Opryland Hotel and the Opry House and the water did not reach up over there although it came close. So everything is ok at the record shop. The biggest problem is that the crowds are way down with the hotel closed and the convention business not there, and with the Opry down at the Ryman and only doing one show on Saturday nights. I think attendance has been up since they started doing the show at 10.
ReplyDeleteThe 10 o-clock Jamboree would have suited us better last time I was there. We had just completed a tiring 10 hour drive that day and my brother-in-law fell asleep at the Jamboree. We had to leave for fear his snoring would be picked up on the radio!
ReplyDeleteOn a Tennessean blog this morning, it says that Charlie Louvin's surgery didn't get all of the cancer, so he and his doctors are looking into other options. Here's hoping. He said he doesn't know whether he can sing, but he said he'll have lots of guests, and he knows how to talk and play records.
ReplyDeleteMichael, thanks for posting the information on Charlie Louvin. The information in the blog was informative, and it would appear that Charlie is having a tough time with this. I would guess that there are not a lot of options to consider if the surgery was unable to get all the cancer.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the show goes well for him tomorrow night and I will be watching the webcast live to see how he looks and sounds. If he is able to sing, I am sure he will try a number.
Jean Shepard just said that she's been at the Opry longer than Jimmy Dickens, and I was glad to hear her say it because it's true and tends to be forgotten. She also said she wished he was there for her to hug. I hope he's just ailing a bit and he'll be well soon.
ReplyDeleteI am in the process of watching the webcast of Charlie Louvin on the Midnight Jamboree. The picture is a bit far away, but Charlie is sitting at center stage and he looks ok and sounds good. He sang the opening number and made reference to the fact that his cancer surgery was not successful.
ReplyDeleteSo far, it has been an all-star line-up of Grand Ole Opry stars who have come to honor Charlie and sing, including Jean Shepard, Bill Anderson, Jan Howard and Carol Lee Cooper. In addition, Charlie mentioned that Sonny Osborne was backstage and Eddie Stubbs along with Keith Bilbrey are there. Also singing so far has been Jennifer O'Brien and Glen Davis.
The show is really turning into a Charlie Louvin tribute and at the 1 hour mark, the show is still going strong.
Also, his wife, Betty, is sitting in the front row, although they did not show her on camera. As they have been playing the commercials and records, Charlie has remain seated in the chair in the center of the stage.
Charlie keeps introducing various friends of his and having them sing songs. It is truly Charlie's night and a big thank you should go to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop for scheduling this show and allowing Charlie to invite and have on who he wanted.