As the Grand Ole Opry gets ready for the Memorial Day weekend and the summer tourist season in Nashville, things have been pretty quiet around the Opry. Not much going on and really not a whole lot to report. Most of you know that George Jones remains hospitalized in Nashville as he is still being treated for the respiratory infection that he has had for the past several months. He has cancelled all shows through June. The other bit of news regarding an Opry member was the report that Loretta Lynn is older than has been reported. Press reports have her as being 80 years old instead of 77. While that might not mean a whole lot, it does change her life story and being married before she was 16. But I did like Loretta's response that it was nobody's business what age she was. Classic, which you would expect from Loretta.
As far as the Opry this weekend, there will be 1 show on Friday night and 1 show on Saturday night. The Friday Night Opry will feature the Opry debut of Angie Johnson, who was on the television show, "The Voice." She will be joined by Opry members Pam Tillis and Ricky Skaggs, among others.
The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night will feature another Opry appearance by new Opry members Rascal Flatts. That will make 2 Opry shows this week for them, as they appeared on the Tuesday Night Opry last night. Joining them will be guest artists The Grascals, Greg Bates and Jason Crabb.
Friday May 25
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown; Andy Gibson
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Pam Tillis
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Angie Johnson
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Connie Smith
Saturday May 26
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Greg Bates
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jason Crabb
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; The Grascals; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Rascal Flatts
13 artists on Friday night of which 11 are Opry members and 12 artists on Saturday night, of whom 9 are Opry members.
The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be hosted this week by Jett Williams. She usually puts on a pretty good show so it should be a good one.
Everybody enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.
I forgot to mention but Pam Tillis was taken off the schedule for Friday night and replaced by Jimmy Wayne. As much as Jimmy is on the Opry, they might as well make him a member.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Wayne is more dedicated to the Opry than about two dozen of the current members, so, why not? As it is, he and others might as well be ever since they redesigned the Opry website to feature anyone who performs there, instead of the members who used to give up--something nasty coming--big paydays to make sure they got to the Opry 20 times or more each year.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the way the website is set up, many people might think Jimmy Wayne is already an Opry member. It is just another way the Opry management is showing the Opry membership isn't as important to the show as it once was. Some shows there are more non-Opry members than actual members performing.
ReplyDeleteWe were there Friday night, didn't realize Pam wasn't performing until we got there. Mike Snider was great. Jimmy Dickens seemed to struggle abit with his voice but funny. Jesse was great. Bill Anderson sang the same songs he did last time we were there. Angie was very good. Riders in the Sky were great. I didn't realize how good they could sing. Ricky Skaggs segment was the most disappointing. The White's and Connie Smith were difficult to listen to.
ReplyDeleteI know we all have different taste and prefer some artist over others. Keeping this in mind I have to ask what Connie Smith did that was hard to listen to? I was listening and as I recall she did songs from here new CD but I don't recall what. I didn't notice anything unusual in her performance such as forgetting the word as she did to one of the new songs recently! Just curious!
DeleteJim
Knightsvlle, IN
I did not listen to the entire show on Friday night, so I don't know what Connie sang or did not sing. I am sorry you did not have an enjoyable time.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Bill Anderson, it must have been the luck of the draw, so to speak, as he is usually one of the Opry's better members at offering some variety in his songs from week to week.
I will say that is one of the things that does bug we, when an artist does the same numbers each week. Variety please!!