This Tuesday night, as part of the Tuesday Night Opry, Ricky Skaggs will be celebrating 30 years as a Grand Ole Opry member. Ricky joined the show on May 15, 1982. When Ricky came onto the country music scene and joined the Opry, country music was being dominated by crossover artists. Ricky, along with Randy Travis among others, led country music back into a traditional movement that lasted for a few years. Since the death of Bill Monroe, Ricky as moved back into bluegrass music, at the expense of his country music career. But as a bluegrass performer, he has helped the Opry keep to its roots and has influenced a generation of bluegrass performers.
Since joining the Opry, Ricky has been a dedicated and loyal member. Except for a few bumps in the road, he has been a member who has taken his membership seriously and has support the show and has kept up his Opry appearances. He is also married to Sharon White of The Whites, and has performed on the Opry with their children.
Ricky has won numerous country music and bluegrass music awards over the years, including the CMA Entertainer of the Year Award. I fully expect to see Ricky elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame as his career has been that strong.
In honor of Ricky Skaggs and his 30 years as an Opry member, here is the line-up and running order of both shows from May 15, 1982, the night Ricky Skaggs joined the Opry.
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jack Greene (host): I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
Boxcar Willie: Train Melody
Jack Greene: You Are My Treasure
6:45: Rudys
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Jeannie Seely: I'm Almost Ready
Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
7:00: Shoneys
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jim & Jesse: Then I'll Stop Going For You
Charlie Louvin: The House on the Hill
Connie Smith: I Just Had You on My Mind
Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl
Archie Campbell: Comedy
7:30: Standard Candy
Ernest Tubb (host): Driving Nails In My Coffin
Jean Shepard: America, Tighten Up Your Belts
Billy Walker: Welcome Back to My Heart (Your Old Stomping Ground)
RICKY SKAGGS: CRYIN' MY HEART OUT OVER YOU/BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY
Crook Brothers/Tennessee Travelers: Lafayette
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jimmy C Newman:
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Tennessee Ernie Ford: Get A Little Dirt on Your Hands/Sixteen Tons
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away
8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Paper Roses
4 Guys: It's High Time to Get Back on my Feet
Roy Drusky: Blues in My Heart
Wilburn Brothers: What You Think Is Fair
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sugar Tree Stomp
Hank Snow: I Keep Dreaming of You All the Time
2nd show
9:30: Kelloggs
Ernest Tubb (host): The Women Make A Fool Out of Me
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal
Ernie Ashworth: Memphis Memory
RICKY SKAGGS: CRYIN' MY HEART OUT OVER YOU
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Boxcar Willie: Train Melody
Ernest Tubb: Journey's End
10:00: Little Debbie
Billy Walker (host): Welcome Back to My Heart (Your Old Stomping Ground)
Ray Pillow: My Love Belongs to You
Vic Willis Trio: Faded Love
Billy Walker: Behind Closed Doors
10:15: Sunbeam
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jeannie Seely: You Don't Need Me But You Will
Archie Campbell: Comedy
10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting In The Air
Billy Grammer: The Prisoner's Song
Connie Smith: Once A Day/Sing, Sing, Sing
10:45: Beechnut
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Jean Shepard: America, Tighten Up Your Belt
Crook Brothers/Tennessee Travelers: Arkansas Traveler
Jimmy C Newman: Cajun Stripper
11:00 Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): From A Jack to A King
Charlie Walker: T for Texas
Justin Tubb: Travelin' Singing Man
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cracklin Hen
Jan Howard: Beneath Still Waters
Kirk McGee: Victory Rag/Freight Train
Hank Snow: I'm Moving On
11:30: Bama
Marty Robbins: Ribbon of Darkness
4 Guys: Marie, The Dawn Is Breaking
Roy Drusky: There'll Never Be Anyone Else But You For Me
Wilburn Brothers: What You Think Is Fair
Marty Robbins: Don't Worry/Cool Water/That's All Right/18 Yellow Roses/I Don't Know Why/Devil Woman/Begging To You/Jumper Cable Man/Return To Me/Beyond The Reef/Good Hearted Woman/El Paso
Marty Robbins and his final melody lasted 50 minutes. Also, B.J. Thomas was scheduled on this night for the 8:30 and 10:15 segments, but cancelled out.
Finally, here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, May 15, where Ricky Skaggs will be honored for 30 years of Opry membership:
7:00: Jimmy Dickens/Edens Edge
7:30: The Whites/Ricky Skaggs
Intermission
8:15: Dailey & Vincent/Josh Turner
8:45: Alison Krauss/Keith & Kristyn Getty
A very nice Tuesday night show. About the only thing that would make it better is if the Opry, in honor of Ricky, would invite a new bluegrass act to join the show. It would be a perfect night to invite Dailey & Vincent.
What a great lineup Tuesday night.
ReplyDeleteSold out Saturday night for Brad/Carrie, hope Tuesday is a big crowd as well.
Second the Dailey & Vincent motion.
I'll third the Dailey & Vincent motion. It's also nice to see Alison Krauss at the Opry, making her annual appearance.
ReplyDeleteI'd also add, in bluegrass news, that Hazel Smith posted the news that Bobby and Sonny Osborne's mother died at the age of 102.
Gee Mike, what you said about Alison sounds like something I would say!! Regardless, she should be there more.
ReplyDeleteThe Tuesday Night Opry was outstanding. Jimmy Dickens did the first 15 minutes and sounded "fair". Voice was not very strong.
ReplyDeleteHe then turned it over to Ricky Skaggs for the rest of the show and Ricky handled all the introductions and participated in each segment with the artists. He also played a number of his country hits.
Jimmy mentioned Ernest Tubb introducing him as a new member and Eddie Stubbs mentioned that many people feel Ricky saved country music in the 1980s. That was the period that he led the traditionalist movement in country music. Ricky also said that while Bill Monroe was important to him, Ralph Stanley had the biggest influence and he read a note from Ralph.
What did feel weird was that the first 15 minutes with Jimmy seemed like a separate show as Ricky did the rest. In a way, it was like he was a warm-up act for the main event. But, like I mentioned, I thought it was a great show.
I couldn't listen, and what you describe is strange, but I guess it's partly this: if The Potato feels like performing, he has the right to do the show. Another way to look at it is that Dickens is the last member of the generation that built country music, and he was handing the baton to Ricky much as his contemporaries did.
ReplyDeleteThe closing segment (the Gospel according to Ricky) was much sounder theology than preached in a whole lot of churches today.
ReplyDeleteGreat evening overall.