I have completed the list of Grand Ole Opry appearances by Opry members in 2010. In 2010, there were a total of 188 Opry shows. The complete breakdown was 54 Friday night shows, 70 Saturday night shows, 42 Tuesday Night Oprys and 22 Opry Country Classic shows on Thursday night. Just to give everyone some comparison, in 2009, there were 200 Opry shows, with the big difference this year being 11 less Saturday shows, as the Opry has only one show on the majority of Saturday nights. Going back to 2008, before the Thursday shows started, there were 201 Opry show, with 105 of those on Saturday night. So from 2008 to 2010, the number of Saturday shows has dropped by 35!!
In listing the appearances by Opry members, I have them in order from most appearances to the least. Also, in parentheses I have how that number compares to the year before, 2009. Also, I have included all the shows. So, even though Larry Gatlin has a number of Opry appearances, all were on the Thursday night show. Theoretically, more Opry shows spread over more nights is supposed to give Opry members more opportunities to be on the show. But, as you will see, that is not necessarily happening. Also, 2010 did have the flood, which did affect the show greatly as the Opry moved between various sights.
1. 126-Jimmy Dickens(145 in 2009)
2. 99-Mike Snider(121)
3. 82-The Whites(108)
4. 81-Jeannie Seely(81)
5. 79-Jim Ed Brown(95)
6. 78-Jimmy C. Newman(96)
7. 73-Jean Shepard(93)
8. 71-Bill Anderson(96)
9. 70-Connie Smith(98)
10. 68-John Conlee(51)
11. 66-Jack Greene(63)
12. 63-Riders In The Sky(63)
13. 49-Jan Howard(43)
14. 48-Bobby Osborne(47)
15. 45-Jesse McReynolds(53)
16. 39-George Hamilton IV(30)
17. 28-Del McCoury(32)
18. 27-Stonewall Jackson(27)
19. 23-Marty Stuart(34)
20. 19-Ricky Skaggs(37)
21. 17-Vince Gill(32)
22. 13-Diamond Rio(9)
23. 12-Ray Pillow(11), Charlie Daniels(13)
24. 11-Joe Diffie(10)
25. 10-Larry Gatlin(9), Charlie Louvin(12), Craig Morgan(10), Mel Tillis(9), Steve Wariner(13)
26. 9-Blake Shelton(0)
27. 8-Trace Adkins(10), Terri Clark(5), Emmylou Harris(2), Charley Pride(7)
28. 7-Montgomery Gentry(9), Lorrie Morgan(16), Stu Phillips(10)
29. 6-Dierks Bentley)5), Ralph Stanley(10), Pam Tillis(12), Josh Turner(7), Carrie Underwood(10)
30. 5-Roy Clark(3)
31. 4-Loretta Lynn(3), Brad Paisley(3)
32. 3-Martina McBride(6), Dolly Parton(0)
33. 2-Mel McDaniel(16), Ronnie Milsap(3), George Jones(1)
34. 1-Wilma Lee Cooper, Alan Jackson(0), Hal Ketchum(20), Patty Loveless(3), Randy Travis(0), Trisha Yearwood(2)
35. 0-Clint Black(0), Garth Brooks(0), Billy Grammer(2), Tom T. Hall(0), Alison Krauss(5), Barbara Mandrell(0), Reba McEntire(1), Jeanne Pruett(0), Ricky Van Shelton(0), Travis Tritt(0)
Currently there are 67 Grand Ole Opry members. I did include appearances by Wilma Lee Cooper and Mel McDaniel, because they were on the Opry stage during actual Opry numbers. It is hard to believe that only 25 of the Opry's members appeared at least 10 times in 2010.
It was disturbing to see a number of the Opry's popular veterans have reduced appearances in 2010, after really supporting the show the year before. Those would include Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis and Hal Ketchum. I feel some of the reduction had to do with less Saturday night shows as a number of the artists listed mostly appeared on Saturday nights and would do both shows. Also, I think the show moving around did not help. It was nice to see a jump in appearances by Emmylou Harris and John Conlee.
Most of the Opry's legends saw either a slight reduction in appearances or about the same number as the year before. Again with the legends, most of this is by management's choice, not the artists. Most every legend would do every Opry show if they were asked.
All of Blake Shelton's appearances took place before he became a member. And, it should be noted that a number of the Opry members with no appearances, have either retired or do not appear do to health reasons. Those would include Billy Grammer, Barbara Mandrell, Jeanne Pruett and Ricky Van Shelton.
As far as non-Opry members who appeared the most in 2010? Here are the top ones:
1. 16-Holly Williams, Chris Young
2. 15-Dailey & Vincent, Darryl Singletary
3. 14-Mandy Barnett
4. 12-Emily West
5. 11-Restless Heart, Rebecca Lynn Howard
6. 9-Jimmy Wayne, The Grascals, Elizabeth Cook, Joey+Roey
7. 8-Chuck Mead, Cherryholmes
8. 6-Point Of Grace, Sam Bush, Gene Watson, Eric Church
And, as always, I have tried to make sure the list is accurate. However, there is the possibility that I may have missed an appearance by someone. But, I think it is overall correct. Hope you enjoy this little look back.
Terrific job--thanks! A thought of two:
ReplyDelete--I think Hal Ketchum has taken some time off, and even told management he would do that. I'm a bit more inclined to forgive him in that case if he's just gotten out for a year. Before that, he was pretty dedicated.
--The dropoff by the bigger names you mentioned (Vince, Marty, Lorrie, and Ricky) is disappointing, especially the last two. I wonder if they are a bit fed up with things, too?
--I find it ironic that the most frequent were the ones management least wants around: the old-timers. In the top 10, Mike Snider is the only one under the age of 60.
Hal Ketchum hasn't performed publicly since October 2009 (with the exception of a few badly misjudged shows last summer). He's been very ill, and while he's improving, it's going to be a long time before he performs in public again.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear he's been ill, and I'm glad to hear he's improving.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard he had been I'll. I know his website said he was going to take the year off. Hope he is doing ok.
ReplyDeleteI did a little looking. He was diagnosed a few years ago with multiple sclerosis and said he was doing well and fighting it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your hard work. I did not see a tally for Rhonda Vincent. On an unrelated note, I've heard that Cherryholmes is disbanding.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about Cherryholmes and RhondaVincent made just 4 Opry appearances last year.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really enjoy looking at your annual tally of appearances. It explains why we are almost certain to see 5 or 6 of the top-15 every time we go to Nashville.
ReplyDelete