In an effort to boost ticket sales, the Grand Ole Opry is having something called "Opry All Star Weekend" this Friday and Saturday night. Based on the fact that Carrie Underwood will be on the Friday Night Opry, there will be 2 shows. Also on Friday night will be Rodney Aktins, the Steep Canyon Rangers, and appearing on Friday and Saturday night, will be Blake Shelton, who will be making his first Opry appearances since joining the Opry in September.
Saturday night will feature the return of Brad Paisley, who will be using his appearance to highlight his 10th anniversary as an Opry member, which actually took place in February. Also on Saturday night will be The Band Perry.
Like I said, this is a promotion to boost ticket sales. When this was first announced, I thought that the Opry was really going to go all out and have a group of superstars on this weekend. But, when you look at the entire line up, it looks a lot like a regular Opry show, although with some better booking. Even with this line up, ticket sales must be lagging as the Opry is offering discounts if you book a package that includes a ticket to the Opry and a room at the resort.
Even with the line up that the Opry had last weekend, the shows were not a sellout, and there were plenty of seats available. You have to believe that the convention business, which the Opry depends on, is still not coming back after the flood. And, with the shopping center still closed, and probably never going to reopen, the people are just not coming to the Opryland area. I know when I was there a couple of weeks ago, it was really a dead zone.
Anyways, Jeannie Seely will be in the Opry shop on Friday night signing copies of her new CD and Terri Clark will be in the Opry shop on Saturday.
Friday March 4
First Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); The Whites; Rodney Atkins
7:30: Jim Ed Brown(host); Jean Shepard; Steep Canyon Rangers
8:00: Jeannie Seely(host); Jack Greene; Blake Shelton
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); Carrie Underwood
Second Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Rodney Atkins
10:00: Jim Ed Brown(host); Jan Howard; Steep Canyon Rangers
10:30: Jeannie Seely(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Blake Shelton
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Carrie Underwood
Saturday March 5
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; David Nail
7:30: John Conlee(host); Terri Clark; The Band Perry
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jean Shepard(host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Blake Shelton; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson(host); Edens Edge; Brad Paisley
I hope that Jim Ed Brown gives Jean Shepard a nice introduction on Friday night and makes mention of her Hall of Fame election. And, it is nice to see her hosting a segment on Saturday night.
Finally, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop is back to taping the Midnight Jamboree this Saturday night. The show will tape at 10:00pm at the theater and will air. I am not sure but looking at the website, I would be led to believe that the show is now going to air the same night it is taped and not on a one week delay as before. I will have to find out for sure. Also, the host this week is Barbara Fairchild. Boy, it would have been nice to see Barbara on the Opry this weekend.
Jimmy Dickens sounded pretty good last night and Jim Ed Brown did make mention of Jean Shepard getting elected into the Hall of Fame. Jean made the comment to Jim Ed that he should be in the Hall also.
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