The Grand Ole Opry is finishing up its winter run at the Ryman Auditorium this weekend in a big way on Saturday night, with 2 shows scheduled. The featured attraction on Saturday night will be Toby Keith, who will be making just his 2nd Opry appearance ever. He will be joined by Trace Adkins, and despite comments made about her last Opry appearance, Laura Bell Bundy returns. Also returning for his 2nd Opry appearance will be Frankie Ballard.
You will notice that there is no Jimmy Dickens this week at the Opry. Don't sweat, he is fine. He actually will be making a personal concert appearance in Texas on Saturday night. Good to see that Jimmy is well enough to be making some appearances outside of Nashville.
Friday January 28
7:00: Jeannie Seely(host); Jim Ed Brown; Brett Eldredge
7:30: Riders In The Sky(host); Jack Greene; Del McCoury Band
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Darryl Worley
8:45: Ricky Skaggs(host); T.G.Sheppard; The Whites
Saturday January 29
First Show
7:00: John Conlee(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Frankie Ballard
7:30: The Whites(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Laura Bell Bundy
8:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jan Howard; Josh Thompson; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Trace Adkins(host); Carter's Cord; Toby Keith
Second Show
9:30: John Conlee(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Frankie Ballard
10:00: Riders In The Sky(host); Jack Greene; Laura Bell Bundy
10:30: Bill Anderson(host); Stu Phillips; Josh Thompson; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Trace Adkins(host); Carter's Cord; Toby Keith
There was no mention of Charlie Louvin by Pete Fisher prior to the Friday Night Opry. Let's see if he will recognize Charlie tonight.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, when Hank Snow died, they didn't dedicate a show for a couple of weeks--bearing in mind that he died just before Christmas. While I have doubts that Fisher has this much class and decency, it may be that they are planning for more of a tribute show--for example, having Emmylou Harris there?
ReplyDeleteThat would be great if they would do that, but I just have my doubts. For a while, it was tradition that they would open the show on the following Saturday with the Opry's general manager making a short tribute and then a moment of silence. Then it kind of changed that they would do the short tribute before the Friday and Saturday shows. Hopefully that is corrected tonight.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a tribute segment to Charlie Louvin and the Louvin Brothers, but I just don't see it happening. Like I mentioned in the post I did after Charlie died, for whatever reason, Charlie was not considered on the same level as the other Opry members who are also members of the Hall of Fame. He deserved better.
If Fisher is capable of feeling shame, we may see it.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall, when Skeeter Davis and Roy Drusky died, they paid tribute in separate weeks. I'm not sure of that.
Steve Buchanan, President of the Grand Ole Opry, read the tribute to Charlie Louvin before tonight's show, then they had the moment of silence.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it was Steve that did this and not Pete Fisher, who traditionally has done the tributes. It could be that Steve felt he should do it, especially considering that Charlie did not have very many kind words for Pete in the past several years.
Unfortunately, they deleted out the tribute by Buchanan on the Sirius XM feed. Sometimes they just do a horrible job when they cut the show down for this feed. On the night of Jimmy Dickens 90th Birthday, they cut Jimmy totally out. You would think they would have left the Louvin tribute in before the show as it wasn't a freaking commercial!! A disappointing and poor job of editing tonight. Whoever edits the feed and edited out the dedication of the show tonight to Louvin should be ashamed of themselves. On something more positive, kudos to Trace Adkins for doing See the Big Man Cry on both shows. Also, to Bill Anderson for his words about Louvin and singing a couple of the songs he wrote for Louvin. Those were all nice moments this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI had to miss the broadcast last night and am sorry I missed those parts. Fisher did the tribute to Del Reeves, as I recall, and ol' Franklin Delano was part of the same article with Charlie Louvin and Stonewall Jackson criticizing the management.
ReplyDeleteI did not hear all of the Opry last night, so I missed Bill Anderson. I did hear Trace Adkins do "Big Man Cry", and it was great. Glad to hear one of the younger artists remembering Charlie.
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