The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the shows this weekend. After the big activites of last weekend with Jim Ed Brown and Carrie Underwood, this week's shows are somewhat of a letdown with the "featured" attraction on Friday night being "Nashville" star Charles Esten, who was backstage at the Opry this past weekend, and Johnny Rivers making a return Opry appearance on Saturday night.
Joining Charles on Friday night will be guest artists Brandy Clark and Lonesome River Band. I saw Brandy at the Opry in December during Marty Stuart's 20th anniversary show, and I was impressed with her. And stepping in to host on Friday night will be Ray Pillow. The Saturday show, in addition to Johnny Rivers, will feature very frequent Opry guests Sarah Darling, Chris Janson and Mark Wills, who is scheduled both nights.
Friday August 16:
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Angie Johnson; Jimmy C Newman
7:30: The Whites (host); Brandy Clark; Lonesome River Band
Intermission
8:15: Ray Pillow (host); Connie Smith; Mark Wills
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Charles Esten
Saturday August 17:
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Andy Gibson; George Hamilton IV
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Sarah Darling; Connie Smith
Intermission
8:15: The Whites (host); Jean Shepard; Chris Janson; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Johnny Rivers; Mark Wills
Interesting that the Opry is going with The Whites hosting both nights instead of possibly Connie Smith or Jean Shepard. I know that The Whites hosted last Friday night, and I don't know how it sounded on the radio, but Sharon Skaggs, who did most of the talking, just did not seem very comfortable in the role. She tried a couple of jokes that really fell flat. I enjoy their singing but perhaps hosting a segment is not for them.
The Opry also posted the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry on August 20, which has already created a couple of comments with only 1 Opry member scheduled.
7:00: Craig Campbell; Bill Anderson
7:30: John Cowan Band; Tracy Lawrence
Intermission
8:15: Sunny Sweeney; Dailey & Vincent
8:45: Greg Bates; Lee Greenwood
Now it's time for a look at an Opry line-up from the past. With the passing yesterday of former Opry member Tompall Glaser of the Glaser Brothers, I thought I would post a line-up that featured the Glaser Brothers and with what turned out to be their last appearance together. The occasion was Hank Snow's 40th anniversary as an Opry member, which took place on January 20, 1990. The brothers had not performed together for many years yet they came back at the special invitation of Hank. There is a clip of their performance on YouTube and in watching it you would never know that they had not performed in years. It is a classic performance.
Thomas Paul Glaser was born on September 3, 1933 in Spalding, Nebraska. Along with his brothers Chuck and Jim, he came to Nashville in the 1950s at the invitation of Marty Robbins. They spent time as backup vocalists for Marty Robbins while having success on their own. As a solo artist, his biggest hit was "Put Another Log On The Fire", which reached #21 in 1975. He was part of the album "Wanted! The Outlaws", along with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter that was released in 1976 and went to #1 on the country charts. One of the greatest albums of all time, what makes it so interesting is that it contained all previously released material that RCA put together. Along with his brothers, Tompall was an Opry member, joining in the 1960s and continuing until 1973, after which the group broke up. They got back together in the early 1980s with a little chart success and then went on to solo careers. After that, Tompall faded from view, making few appearances or recordings. That what makes the 1990 Opry show so special. Over the past several years, he had been in declining heath.
In my opinion, the Glaser Brothers had some of the best harmony singing there was and I still enjoy their recordings. So here is the Opry line-up from January 20, 1990 as we remember Tompall Glaser.
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Skeeter Davis: If I Don't Have You
Bill Anderson: Po' Folks
6:45: Rudy's
John Conlee (host): Got My Heart Set On You
Jeannie Seely: Tell Me Again
John Conlee: Don't Get Me Started
7:00: Shoney's
Bill Monroe (host): I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home
Jimmy C Newman: Happy Cajun
Jean Shepard: Someone's Gotta Cry
Charlie Louvin: He Keeps On Crying
Jack Greene: Precious Memories/There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
Bill Monroe: Little Cabin Home on the Hill
7:30: Standard Candy
Hank Snow (host): Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
Glaser Brothers: Loving Her Was Easier/Release Me/Then I Turned & Walked Away Slowly/Many Tears Ago/You Win Again/Bouquet of Roses
Mel Tillis: Tall Drink of Water/It Makes No Difference Now
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Tender Years: Marshall Barnes
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top/Rank Strangers
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Dance All Night
8:30: Music Valley
Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving
Jim & Jesse: Truck Stops and Pretty Girls
Connie Smith: The Keys in the Mailbox
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Jim Ed Brown: Fools
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Bill Anderson (host): Before I Met You
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Ray Pillow: I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Billy Walker: Behind Closed Doors
Bill Anderson: Still
10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe (host): Stay Away From Me, You're Causing Me Trouble
Roy Drusky: Too Old to Die Young
Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl
Bill Monroe: Come Back to Me In My Dreams
10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Traveling the Highway Home
Jeannie Seely: It Should Be Easier Now
10:30: Pet Milk
John Conlee (host): Domestic Life
Jean Shepard: At the Time
Charlie Walker: Deep Water
John Conlee: Don't Get Me Started
10:45: B.C. Powder
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time/Looking at the World Through A Windshield
Jimmy C Newman: Thibodeaux & His Cajun Band
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Rachel
Del Reeves: The Race Is On
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Gonna Find Me A Bluebird
Jim Ed Brown: Morning Comes Too Early
Jim & Jesse: Dream of Me
Mel Tillis: Good Woman Blues/I Got the Horse & You Got the Saddle
Hank Snow: Brand On My Heart
11:30: Creamette
Jack Greene (host): Walking on New Grass
Osborne Brothers: Harvest of my Heart
Dottie West: Are You Happy Baby/Together Again
Johnny Russell: Making Plans/Act Naturally
Jack Greene: Until My Dreams Come True
Enjoy the Opry weekend
Excited to hear Brandy Clark. Saw her on the Marty Stuart Show a while ago and she was great.
ReplyDeleteI counted 28 members and noticed Dottie West and Johnny Russell were only on the 11:30.
ReplyDeleteThat night was very special because of the Glasers. Anyone who hasn't looked them up on You Tube should do so to see what they did and the reception they got. What did NOT appear was Tompall saying he hadn't sung in several years and they hadn't performed together in several years, but Hank Snow was their hero when they were growing up in Nebraska. He introduced them saying that he'd called and said, "We NEED you."
Fred, Bismarck:
ReplyDeleteA less-than-dynamite weekend, for sure. It would be a shutout for bluegrass but for the Lonesome River Band, a veteran group and worthy addition. Johnny Rivers -- who's he for? (Not the kids, certainly.)
Another Ho-hum weekend. Really starting to get anxious about the Anniversary Weekend in October; other than Steve Wariner for the afternoon matinee, have not seen any other information. We were upset last year with the shows and especially Jason Aldean's country "rock" too-loud portion - and how they made such a big deal about it.
ReplyDeleteExile has been added to the Friday show.
ReplyDeleteJust saw on the Opry Facebook and Twitter pages that Marty Stuart invited Old Crow Medicine Show to become members. Pretty good choice.
ReplyDeleteA.B.