The Grand Ole Opry has filled out the line-up for this week. With only 8 Opry members on the original schedule, do you think they would have called a few more members to fill out the line-up? All of you know the answer to that one. They have added Holly Williams, Elizabeth Cook, Exile and Sarah Darling to the shows this weekend. All nice performers, but not an Opry member in the bunch.
Fresh off what I still call a very disappointing Grand Ole Opry birthday weekend, the line-ups have been posted for the shows this weekend. As the Opry moves through October, they continue with 2 shows on Saturday night, in addition to the Friday Night Opry.
This weekend the highlight will be the return of Opry member Roy Clark to the stage, as he will be appearing at all 3 shows. In additon to Roy, the Friday Night Opry will feature Jim Lauderdale, while the Saturday Grand Ole Opry will have Andy Gibson and Elizabeth Cook as guest artists. The line-ups are not complete and to be honest, they are a little thin. Looking at who is scheduled on Saturday night, it makes me wonder why they are having 2 shows.
Friday October 12
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); James Otto; The Whites
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jim Lauderdale
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne &The Rocky Top X-Press; Holly Williams
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Elizabeth Cook; Roy Clark
Saturday October 12
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Andy Gibson; The Whites
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Exile
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Elizabeth Cook; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Sarah Darling; Roy Clark
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Andy Gibson; The Whites
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Exile
10:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jim Ed Brown; Elizabeth Cook; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Sarah Darling; Roy Clark
Nice to see that Bill Anderson is back on this weekend after being forced to cancel on the birthday show due to illness. Also I find it interesting that Roy Clark is not in a host spot for any of the shows. Usually when Roy is on, it is an automatic that he is in that role. And after missing the birthday weekend, Opry regulars Jeannie Seely and Mike Snider are back.
As the Grand Ole Opry continues through it's birthday month, I wanted to present more line-ups from the past birthday shows. Being that this is the weekend of October 12, I wanted to focus on the shows that took place over the same weekend in years past so that everyone can compare the line-ups.
The first line-up is from October 13, 1979; 33 years ago this Saturday:
1st show
6:00: Billy Grammer (host); Skeeter Davis; Charlie Louvin
6:30: Ray Pillow (host); Del Wood; Wilma Lee Cooper
6:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Ernie Ashworth
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jan Howard; Charlie Walker; Wilburn Brothers; Justin Tubb; Susan McCann
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jean Shepard; Stonewall Jackson; Crook Brothers
8:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Hank Locklin; Vic Willis & Curtis Young; Bill Carlisle
8:30: George Hamilton IV (host); 4 Guys; Stu Phillips; Marion Worth; Fruit Jar Drinkers
2nd show
9:30: Ernest Tubb (host); Skeeter Davis; Billy Grammer; Charlie Louvin; Wilma Lee Cooper; Ray Pillow;
10:00: Stonewall Jackson (host); Ernie Ashworth; Del Wood
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Jan Howard; Lamar Alexander
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Jean Shepard; Wilburn Brothers; George Hamilton IV
10:45: Charlie Walker (host); Vic Willis & Curtis Young; Justin Tubb; Crook Brothers
11:00: 4 Guys (host); Hank Locklin; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Marion Worth
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Jeanne Pruett; Stu Phillips; Bill Carlisle
This line up is from the Opry's 62nd birthday celebration that took place on October 10, 1987:
1st show
6:30: Del Reeves (host); 4 Guys
6:45: Jimmy C Newman (host); Lorrie Morgan
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jean Shepard; Charlie Louvin; George Hamilton IV; Jan Howard
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Stonewall Jackson; Del Wood; Glen Campbell
8:00: Bill Monroe (host); Connie Smith; Riders In The Sky; The Whites; Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Skeeter Davis; Roy Drusky; Jack Greene; Bill Carlisle
2nd show
9:30: Bill Monroe (host); Jeannie Seely; Del Reeves; The Whites; Jimmy C Newman
10:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); 4 Guys
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Wilma Lee Cooper
10:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Jean Shepard
10:45: Jack Greene (host); Charlie Walker; Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Connie Smith; Charlie Louvin; Jan Howard; Justin Tubb
11:30: Roy Drusky (host); Skeeter Davis; Bill Carlisle; Riders In The Sky
Here is the line-up 3 years later, on October 13, 1990 during the Opry's 65th birthday celebration:
1st show
6:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Skeeter Davis
6:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Wilma Lee Cooper
7:00: Tom T Hall (host); Stu Phillips; Hank Locklin; Steve Wariner
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Loretta Lynn; Minnie Pearl
8:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jack Greene; Jean Shepard; The Whites; Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Billy Walker; Charlie Louvin; Osborne Brothers; Bill Carlisle
2nd show
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jan Howard; Ray Pillow; Charlie Walker; Stonewall Jackson
10:00: Tom T Hall (host); Steve Wariner
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Loretta Lynn
10:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:45: Jack Greene (host); Jean Shepard; Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Osborne Brothers; Billy Walker; Jeannie Seely; The Whites
11:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Hank Locklin; Charlie Louvin
Finally, Opry Country Classics on Thursday night October 11 will feature Second Generations of country stars. Bill Cody will be the host, with Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis the spotlight artists. Others performing will be Jenny Gill, George Hamilton IV & V, Waylon Payne, Ronny Robbins and Holly Williams.
Don't forget that next Tuesday October 16 will be the Opry induction of Darius Rucker.
at least there are no country rock performers with their loud music this weekend; I called today to get the info for submitting my dissatisfaction with the Birthday weekend and especially the Tv show - will be interesting if I get a response to my letter
ReplyDeleteI think Roy Clark is positioned at the end because Fisher clearly wants a big name to wrap it up--that seems to be how he has been doing the lineup. I'm just amazed that a 79-year-old Opry member is actually eligible to be considered a big name.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Roy is celebrating his 25th Anniversary as a member so that is probably why he is in the last spot. (oldtimeopry)
ReplyDeleteOldtime, Roy joined in August 1987, so, close enough! To be fair, he made clear when he came aboard--Byron has talked about this--that he wouldn't make enough appearances.
ReplyDeleteRight. Roy joined the Opry on August 22, 1987, so it is his 25th year. What Mike is referring to is that when he was asked to join the Opry, he made it clear to the Opry executives that if he was accepted as a member, he could not commit to any specific number of Opry appearances due to his heavy touring schedule, and at the time, performing in Branson.
ReplyDeleteThe Opry wanted him anyways, and of course this was during the time period when the members that were joining did not have to commit to any specific number of appearances, so Roy was made a member. Roy generally appears just a couple of times each year, usually in June and October. At the time, those were the months that Hee Haw did some of their filming in Nashville and he was in town. Since then, he has kind of kept to the same schedule.
Historically, the most Opry appearances Roy has ever made in one year has been 6, but most years it has been 3 or 4. While I wish Roy could do the Opry more, I give him credit for being honest with the Opry's management regarding when or if he would be on, which is more than you can say about a lot of members.
As far as the Opry doing anything special for his 25th anniversary, I have not heard a thing. It would be nice if they do, but it will probably be not more than a mention. In the past I have given my thoughts on how the Opry handles the various anniversary of it's members. I think the best you can say is that they are consistent in being inconsistent.