With Christmas this week, the Grand Ole Opry has already posted the line-ups for the final two Opry shows of the year, both nights at the Ryman Auditorium. A lot of the "names' are missing as many of the Opry's members are off enjoying the holidays with their families.
Saturday night's Grand Ole Opry will feature the traditional appearance by Jett Williams, the daughter of Hank Williams. She always appears on the Opry right around January 1st each year, which was the date that Hank Williams died. Also appearing on Saturday night will be frequent Opry guest, but not Opry member, Rhonda Vincent. Also appearing on Saturday night, and making what looks like her first appearance on the Opry is Jenn Bostic. She is another of the newcomers who seems to be having some chart success in the United Kingdom. She is from Philadelphia and is working on getting her career going.
Friday Night's Opry will feature an appearance by Joey + Rory, who have a very nice show on RFD-TV each week. Also joining them will be Craig Campbell and Dailey & Vincent, who will also be appearing on Saturday night.
Friday December 28
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Craig Campbell; Connie Smith
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mallary Hope; Jim Ed Brown
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Joey +Rory
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Dailey & Vincent
Saturday December 29
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Craig Campbell; Connie Smith; Jimmy C Newman
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jenn Bostic; Dustin Lynch
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Rhonda Vincent; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: John Conlee (host); Jett Williams; Dailey & Vincent
That comes out to 12 acts on Friday night and 13 on Saturday with 8 Opry members on Friday and 7 on Saturday.
The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be another archived show hosted by Jett Williams. I am not sure if it is the same show that she hosted a couple of weeks ago or if they are running a show from a previous year.
This week's archived line-up will be from Saturday December 29, 1990, 22 years ago. Nothing really stands out from this show except for the number of Grand Ole Opry members who in just 22 short years are no longer with us.
1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Wilma Lee Cooper: Big Midnight Special
Bill Anderson: Still
6:45: Hall of Fame
Grandpa Jones (host): Apple Jack
Jan Howard: Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good
Jim & Jesse: Hard-Hearted
Grandpa Jones: It's Raining Here This Morning
7:00: Shoney's
Jimmy Dickens (host): I'm Little But I'm Loud
4 Guys: Down on the Corner
Jean Shepard: An Old Bridge That You Keep Burning
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
The Whites: San Antonio Rose
Jimmy Dickens: Shopping for Dresses
7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy C Newman (host); Diggy Liggy Lo
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
George Hamilton IV: It's My Time
Mike Snider: Turkey Knob/Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Jimmy C Newman: Cajun Stripper
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host); Wabash Cannonball
Connie Smith: I Never Once Stopped Loving You/Sing, Sing, Sing
David Houston: Almost Persuaded/Living In A House Full of Love
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Snow Flake Reel
Roy Acuff: That's The Man I'm Looking For
8:30: Pops Rite
Charlie Walker (host): Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
Riders In The Sky: No Rodeo Dough
Charlie Louvin: A Better Man's Hands
Roy Drusky: It's My Way of Loving You
Charlie Walker: Happy Birthday Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon/Take Me Back To Tulsa
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Jim & Jesse: Air Mail Special
Jean Shepard: Gospel Melody
Roy Drusky: Have I Stayed Away Too Long
Bill Anderson: Deck of Cards
10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host): Banjo Sam
The Whites: Swing Down, Sweet Chariot
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long
Grandpa Jones: Ball Headed End of the Broom
10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Once More
4 Guys: Moments to Remember
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:30: Pet Milk
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Mike Snider: Instrumental
Jimmy Dickens: She Always Got What She Wanted
10:45: B. C. Powder
Ray Pillow (host): Too Many Memories
Jeannie Seely: Houston
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Golden Slippers
Ray Pillow: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke
11:00: Coca-Cola
Jimmy C Newman (host): Lafayette
Connie Smith: You Got Me Right Where You Want Me
Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203
Riders In The Sky: Strawberry Roan
David Houston: My Elusive Dreams
Jimmy C Newman: Cajun Honey
11:30: Creamette
Charlie Walker (host): Right or Wrong
Skeeter Davis: My Last Date With You
Charlie Louvin: Think I'll Go Somewhere & Cry Myself to Sleep
Johnny Russell: Kawliga
Charlie Walker: Take Me Back to Tulsa
That comes out to 22 acts on the 1st show and 23 on the 2nd show, for a total of 28 different artists (if I counted right) all of whom were Grand Ole Opry members. Of those 28, 15 are now deceased or no longer part of the Opry. Time goes fast!!
I know I have posted this earlier than usual, and with the exception of any breaking Grand Ole Opry news, this will be my final post for this year. I will be traveling the rest of the week visiting family. But if anything breaks, I will report.
Happy New Year to everyone!!!!
Happy New Year to you and thank you. Another thing I notice about this lineup: if you aren't thrilled with somebody, just wait three minutes and somebody else will be out there. Having fewer acts on the show means less variety but also that you might get tired of someone more quickly, if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI loved to hear "King" Roy sing "That's The Man I'm Looking For"... a personal favorite of my late Grandmother. I can still see her in her chair listening with to the Opry with me. The highlight of course, was Roy.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of good potential Opry members on this week's show. Looking forward to what Mr. Fisher has in mind for new Opry membership in 2013. Hint, Hint - Daily & Vincent, Gene Watson, Rhonda Vincent and Crystal Gayle comes to mind....
Update: The Potato was absent Friday night. Jim Ed Brown slid over to host and Jimmy Wayne filled in because, heaven knows, we can't allow members to appear. Jim Ed said that Little Jimmy was a little under the weather and asked the crowd to give him a round of applause since he was listening at home. Beyond that, I was pleased that Bobby Osborne got to do two numbers, and Mike Terry showed off when Mike Snider announced that the segment sponsor was the Country Music Hall of Fame, which he said he'd never get into, and Terry shot back, "I can get you a ticket."
ReplyDeleteMike, thanks for the update. I was traveling and did not get a chance to listen to either night. I will assume that Jimmy was missing from Saturday night also? And I was told by a friend who did listen that he thought Connie Smith actually hosted the first segment on Saturday night. If anyone has an update on that, I would appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteYes Connie did host. I think it was a surprise to her but she did great. On her personal shows i love how she interacts with the audience and her band and given the chance to host the opry more i think she would do well. She did ask the audience to give a shout out to jimmy listening at home.
ReplyDeleteFor my money, Jimmie Wayne can appear any time he wants to, and should be a member of the 'Opry.
ReplyDelete"Too gospel for country, and too country for gospel." Sounds like a perfect 'Opry member to me.
Connie did well, and I don't know whether she has hosted before. She never struck me as the sort who wanted to. It would have been nice if Jimmy C. Newman, who is only the second ranking member in seniority, had been allowed to host, but at least he got two songs, and I can't fault having Connie host when she is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Hal Durham once said the rule was that Hall of Famers hosted (so much for that rule). Nat, I like Jimmy Wayne and I'd love to see him as a member, but I hope you realize I didn't mean any criticism of HIM.
ReplyDeleteLinda and Mike, thanks for the reports. I would have to check, but I think Connie hosted once before and it was sometime in the 1990s, if I remember right. I also seem to remember that it was on Christmas Eve and it might have been the final segment that night. I will have to take a look.
ReplyDeleteNat, as far as Jimmy Wayne, when I do my tabulations, I believe that he will be the non-Opry member with the most appearances in 2012. But from what I have heard through the grapevine, he will not be asked to be an Opry member. Personally, I would not have an issue if he did join the Opry. I think he would at least be there!!!
Michael and fayfare;
ReplyDeleteI guess we're all three fans of Jimmy Wayne! I just wanted to go on record as being a Jimmy Wayne fan. I will admit it has always perplexed me as to why the 'Opry brings the same guests in to fill in at the last minute, but won't ask them to be members, while current members apparently aren't asked to perform.
Why in the world would the 'Opry not ask Jimmy Wayne to be a member? The crowd always loves him. He's a great person as well as a great entertainer.
The 'Opry will probably ask somebody who will show up about once every three years instead.
Thanks to everybody involved in this blog.
Brings a LOT of joy to a lot of folks.