The Grand Ole Opry is getting an early jump in announcing this weekends line-ups. And, I can see why, as both Friday night and Saturday night have solid line-ups. Friday night, Charley Pride and Vince Gill are the highlights and they are joined on Saturday by Joe Diffie and a special appearance by rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson and Jack White.
Here are the line-ups:
Friday January 14
7:00: Riders In The Sky(host); Jean Shepard; Lee Brice
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Del McCoury Band
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Jan Howard; Jimmy C. Newman; Rodney Atkins
8:45: Vince Gill(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Charley Pride
Saturday January 15
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Mike Snider; Joe Diffie
7:30: Charley Pride(host); The Whites; Riders In The Sky; Connie Smith
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Jeannie Seely; Del McCoury Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Vince Gill(host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Wanda Jackson featuring Jack White
Miss Wanda Jackson from Maud, Oklahoma! Jack White could use a little more sun but he sure does have good taste!
ReplyDeleteUsually when I listen to the Opry, I will catch bits and pieces of it on my car radio while driving, on-line, on my i-pod or the replay later in the week on WSM. Last night, I had to make a long distance drive so I had the luxury of listening to the Friday Night Opry the old-fashioned way: on the car radio and for the entire show. And, let me tell you, if you have not listened to it that way for a while, you need to do it.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the show was really, really good. It was a good line-up with a good mix of artists. And, everyone sounded great and the crowd sounded enthused.
For the 2nd week in a row, Jimmy Dickens really sounded good. Perhaps he is finally over the throat issues that were causing him some problems. Jean Shepard and Jan Howard also were great.
During the Cracker Barrel portion, when Carol Lee Cooper is helping Eddie Stubbs read the commercial, Eddie recognized the 54th Opry anniversary of when "Stoney, Wilma Lee and Carol Lee Cooper" became members of the Opry. Interesting comment, because no where is Carol Lee listed as an Opry member. Actually, she should be considered one.
During the Opry intermission show, Martha White was not the sponsor as they have been most weeks since they have been doing the intermission. In fact, there was no sponsor. It was just 15 minutes of pre-recorded music. There was a Martha White commercial during one of the segment breaks with Rhonda Vincent.
Finally, it is always a good night at the Opry when Vince Gill and Charley Pride are on.
My luck, I had to be out last night and couldn't check it out on the internet. Interesting about Carol Lee because she has talked about being considered a member and Dee Kilpatrick saying he wanted younger performers (remember that he brought in the Everly Brothers and the Kershaws). This begs the question, then, of whether she would STILL be considered a member, since her mother is and she still is on there ... except, as you say, no one lists her.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at Carol Lee Cooper's website, under the bio section, the first 2 paragraphs read as follows:
ReplyDelete"At the age of 14, Carol Lee Cooper joined the Grand Ole Opry along with her parents, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, in 1957. This gives Carol Lee the unique distinction of being the youngest member ever to join the Grand Ole Opry."
Did I miss something? I have to do some serious digging because nowhere have I seen it written that Carol Lee Cooper was ever a member of the Grand Ole Opry, much less it's youngest member ever. Everything I have seen written in the Opry History Picture Books lists 'Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper.'
In the 1969 edition, it states, "The Coopers have one daughter, Carolee. Carolee performed with her parents for several years, and is now the wife of Assembly of God Pastor, Jimmy Rogers Snow, sone of the Singing Ranger."
The same thing is listed in an earlier edition. Like I said, I will have to do some digging to try to find out what the story is. Looking at another group, is Sharon White a member of the Opry or is she a member of the Opry solely as a member of th Whites?
If she ever was a member, at what point did she give up her membership? And if so, I would wonder why she was not granted membership again when she started the Carol Lee Singers and performing on the Opry each week? That is, if she was ever a member.
Oh, by the way, can you believe that she is 68 years old?
(1) It's so unusual for me to not be working on a Friday night that I turned on the radio in the car and went channel surfing and, since it was FREEZING in Orlando last night, WSM came up crisp and clear. At first, I was just trying to figure out what the beautiful fiddle melody that was playing was...at which point I recognized the voice of Woody Paul...but it took a few minutes to realize that it was Friday night and this was the Opry!
ReplyDelete(2) I thought Little Jim sounded better than he had in a long time which pleased me a great deal. There have been nights in the recent past that it was just painful to hear.
(3) Tonight's show is loaded with actual Opry stars! When was the last time that happened? And the one "guest star" on the show is one of country/ rockabilly's living legends...closer to my idea of a great Opry show!
(4) I've never seen anywhere where Carol Lee was an "official" Opry member. She was always a member of the family act but not an official member. BTW, does anybody remember when the Four Guys were the Opry's backup vocal group?