The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the 2 shows this weekend. The Opry is back to just 1 show on Saturday night, and while the line-ups look good this weekend, there is really nothing special. On Friday night, Charlie Daniels will be appearing, as will Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison. Friday night will also feature this week's Opry newcomer, Jon Pardi, who has had one sone on the charts. The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night will feature return visits by the Quebe Sisters Band, Sarah Darling, and Janie Fricke, who usually does the Opry every year. There is no Jimmy Dickens this weekend.
Friday October 19
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Darryl Worley; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jon Pardi; Connie Smith
Intermission
8:15: George Hamilton IV (host); Gary Mule Deer; Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jan Howard; Charlie Daniels Band
Saturday October 20
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); J.T. Hodges; Jimmy C Newman
7:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Sarah Darling; Connie Smith
Intermission
8:15: Jean Shepard (host); Jesse McReynolds; Quebe Sisters Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: The Whites (host); Janie Fricke; Mac Powell
That comes out to 12 artists per show, with 8 Opry members on Friday night and 7 Opry members on Saturday night.
This will be a big weekend for Connie Smith, as in addition to both Opry shows this weekend, on Sunday she, along with Garth Brooks and Hargus "Pig" Robbins, will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as the Medallion Ceremony will be taking place. Congratulations go again to all of the new inductees and they are all well deserved.
This week's look back at Grand Ole Opry history takes us to October 19, 1991, which was the morning that Country Music Hall of Fame member and long-time Opry announcer Grant Turner passed away. He died shortly after announcing the Friday Night Opry. Grant had been at WSM since December 7, 1944 and was the "Dean" of Opry announcers. He had such an easy style about him and was well liked and respected by everyone at the Opry. He was friends with many of the performers and did a great job announcing each segment.
In honor of Grant Turner, here is the line-up from the Grand Ole Opry, Saturday October 19, 1991:
1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Jan Howard: Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good
Porter Wagoner: A Satisfied Mind/Big Wind
6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Grandpa Jones (host); Melinda
Jim & Jesse: Orange Blossom Special
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me
Grandpa Jones: Baby-O
7:00: Shoney's
Bill Monroe (host); Feast Here Tonight
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Skeeter Davis: Jesus is the Answer/He Will Be There
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
The Whites: Pipeliner's Blues
Bill Monroe: Bluegrass Breakdown
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Clark (host): Beaumont Rag
Billy Grammer: Yesterday/There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder
George Hamilton IV: Abilene
Jean Shepard: If Teardrops Were Pennies
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Roy Clark: If I Had to Do It All Over Again/Under the Double Eagle
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Connie Smith: Then and Only Then/Satisfied
Bill Anderson: Po'Folks/I Wonder If God Likes Country Music
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Golden Slippers
8:30: Opryland
Hank Snow (host): Ramblin Rose
Charlie Louvin: Ain't You Even Gonna Cry
Osborne Brothers: Take Me Home Country Roads
Ray Pillow: The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Jimmy Dickens: Family Reunion
Hank Snow: I've Done At Least One Thing That Was Good In My Life
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host); Y'all Come
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
The Whites: Love Is A Rose
Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame
Billy Grammer: Who's Sorry Now/Gotta Travel On
Porter Wagoner: Ol' Slewfoot
10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
Jim & Jesse: Bringing In the Georgia Mail
Bill Anderson: Still
10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Roy Clark: San Antonio Rose
Roy Acuff & Roy Clark: I Saw the Light
10:30: Pet Milk
Bill Monroe (host): Foggy Mountain Top
Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away
Bill Monroe: The Boat of Love
10:45: B. C Powder
Grandpa Jones (host): Happy Little Home in Arkansas
Charlie Walker: A Way to Free Myself
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham
Grandpa Jones: When the Southbound Pulls Away
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Down the Trail of Aching Hearts
Connie Smith: The Key's In the Mailbox
Ray Pillow: If I Didn't Have You In My World
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Hank Snow: Let Me Go, Woman
11:30: Creamette
Jimmy Dickens (host): Me and My Big Loud Mouth
Charlie Louvin: Old Dreams
Bill Carlisle: Business Man
Osborne Brothers: Too Old to Die Young
Jimmy Dickens: What Will I Do Then
On this week's Tuesday Night Opry, the show will honor the 100th birthday of Minnie Pearl. The show will feature Vince Gill, Amy Grant and many more and will be devoted to comedy.
And finally, thoughts and prayers tonight go out to T.G. Sheppard, who is hospitalized with a very serious bladder disorder and blood infection. I saw him on Opry Country Classics 2 weeks ago and he looked and sounded great. Here is to his recovery.
Tuesday's Opry features Anita Renfroe.
ReplyDeleteCheck this out.
Tuesday can't come soon enough for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxT5NwQUtVM
Sorry to see the news about T.G.
ReplyDeleteI am sure I've mentioned this before, but that night, George IV said he was going to do a gospel number for Grant Turner when George V reminded him that Grant came from Abilene, Texas. So ....
Looking at that lineup, I am more depressed about the lack of Opry segments and performers today than I am, I confess, about who we lost. MOST, I would say, of the performers on that 1991 lineup are still with us. Among those who aren't, of course we miss them and wish we were here, but a good number of them--Bill Carlisle, Charlie Louvin, Hank Locklin, Porter Wagoner, and of course the Mt. Rushmore group of Mr. Acuff, Mr. Monroe, and Mr. Snow, all had good, long runs, even if we wish they had been longer.
I am listening to the Opry, and the Grascals are on the first segment. They are listed on the Opry website, but Jimmy C. Newman is listed above. Can we double-check to make sure all is well in Cajunland?
ReplyDeleteWell, Jimmy C. was on the 8:15 segment with Jean Shepard (ironic that he was being introduced by the only person with longer consecutive service at the Opry), so I wonder about Jesse McReynolds!
ReplyDeleteI quick observation about Friday night. It was great to hear Jan Howard do Pick Me Up On Your Way Down. She almost made it without forgetting anything. Connie Smith occasionally sings this but as great as Connie is Jan and the staff band did the shuffle much better. And, with her connection to Harlan and the song made it even more authentic. I sure miss Charlie Walker and those great Texas shuffles he did.
ReplyDeleteJim
Knightsville
One other thing I forgot to mention is that Jimmy Dickens and Janie Fricke were scheduled to be at the Dixie Center in Huntingdon, TN near Jackson on Saturday afternoon. I can only assume that Jimmy made that show and also that is why Janie was in Nashville this weekend. If I'm thinking correctly, she lives in Texas.
ReplyDeleteThe Dixie Center is a nice theater. We saw one of the Family Reunion Road shows there in August with Bill, Jan, Jimmy Fortune and Buck Trent. A very nice experience.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
Jim, I'm with you on Charlie Walker and those shuffle numbers. And if The Potato was performing in the afternoon, I suspect the idea would be that he shouldn't do more than that.
ReplyDeleteI did some checking and Jesse McReynolds had a bit of a sore throat last night which is why he was not on the Opry and the schedule was switched around with the addition of The Grascals.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to Jimmy Dickens performing a show yesterday, I heard that there was a yard sale going on at his house. Not sure of all the details as to what was behind it or what was for sale, but I had a friend who was going to go so hopefully he will give me a "full report."