The Grand Ole Opry has announced the line ups for this weekends shows. As usual, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night.
Looking at the Friday Night Opry, the Little General Cloggers will be making their annual appearance on the show. They have been coming down once a year for as long as I can remember. I saw them on the Opry once, and this youthful group does a nice job with their clogging. Also on Friday night, The Black Lillies will be making their Opry debut. I have to admit that I have never heard of this group before, so I did some checking and found out that they are out of Knoxville, Tennessee and they bill themselves as an Americana folk band. If nothing else, they continue the trend of Americana groups making their Opry debuts, as we have seen a few of these in recent months. Rounding out the Friday line up will be Opry member Ricky Skaggs, along with Kellie Pickler returning to the Opry stage.
On Saturday night, HLN morning news anchor Robin Meade will be making another Opry appearance. For those of you who have not heard her sing, she has an amazing voice. Gospel group Point Of Grace will also be on, along with Sarah Darling making a return Opry appearance.
Friday June 17:
7:00: John Conlee (host); Jimmy C Newman; Little General Cloggers; Mike Snider
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; The Black Lillies
INTERMISSION
8:15: Ricky Skaggs (host); Connie Smith; The Whites
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Kellie Pickler
Saturday June 18
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Sarah Darling
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Charlie Nagatani; T. Graham Brown
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Robin Meade; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Jim Ed Brown; Point of Grace
Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry, June 21:
7:00: John Conlee; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Connie Smith; Mark Wills
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely; Chris Young
8:45: Jimmy Dickens; Rodney Atkins
Just in a closing note regarding the Opry, I have noticed that in the past several months that Jesse McReynolds has been listed on the line up and in the program as just himself and not with The Virginia Boys. I don't know why the change, as most weeks he still has his Virginia Boys group with him.
Finally, Opry veteran Jeannie Seely will be hosting this weeks Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. While I always enjoy the Midnight Jamboree, I always find it special when an Opry member hosts the show. I think it just goes back to the early days of the show when many of the Opry's members would go over and appear on the show. Nice to see it.
Hi,Byron; Fred from Bismarck here:
ReplyDeleteI would like to see the Opry return to its roots -- or at least to more what it was like as recently as the 1980s -- with more comedy and more string-band music.
I would start with Johnny Counterfeit for the comedy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band for the old-time. Both have been well-received in previous guest appearances.
What strikes me as most depressing about modern "country" music -- and the Opry is as bad as country radio here -- is the lack of fun and showmanship.
There are a lot of old-time string bands out there -- many including younger performers -- who would be thrilled with a guest spot on the Opry. You never hear them on the radio; they press their own CDs; all they have going is the wonderful job they do of conveying those old country sounds.
I suspect all this would be of zero interest to Gaylord. But, after Gaylord quits -- and they will -- and somebody comes in to pick up the pieces, this could be a strategy for revival. Go back to small -- the way the Opry started -- and see what can be done.
Quite a lot, I suspect.