Remember when October used to be called "Country Music Month"? The CMA Awards show took place, the DJ convention and the Opry's birthday celebration, the Hall of Fame announcements. I can remember all of the local DJ's up here in Ohio going to Nashville for the week, doing live remotes and interviews with all the country stars. Now it is all a distant memory. There is no more "Country Music Month", the CMA show is in November, there is no DJ convention, the Opry's birthday bash has seen better days, and the Hall of Fame announcement comes in March.
If you get a chance to see the video "The Nashville Sound", it was filmed during the DJ convention in 1969. A great piece with some very nice Opry performances at the Ryman by Earl Scruggs, Tex Ritter, Roy Acuff, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Porter & Dolly, Jeannie C Riley, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and others. That is my recommendation for the night.
As far as this week's mid-week Opry shows, here is what we have for the Tuesday Night Opry on October 1:
7:00: Rachel Farley; Larry Gatlin
7:30: Jason Crabb; John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith; Striking Matches
8:45: Marty Stuart; Vince Gill
Opry Country Classics returns for it's October run and will feature Lorrie Morgan as the Spotlight Artist. Joining Lorrie will be Rebecca Lynn Howard, Chris Janson, Riders In The Sky and TG Sheppard, along with Bill Cody as the host. I will be there for that show as it is the start of the Opry's 88th birthday weekend.
Finally, has anybody else noticed that Bill Cody is doing more and more Opry announcing, in addition to Eddie Stubbs and Mike Terry?
No complaints as he does a nice job.
Byron, yes I do remember when October was known as "Country Music Month" - the Chicago country music station would choose one particular artist a day & play one song per hour of that artist - 31 wonderful days of great country music. I remember everything else you mentioned - if I recall correctly, back in the good ol' days, the new Hall of Fame members were announced the night of the CMA's & I can remember the looks of total surprise on their faces & they were able to get up on the stage & thank the CMA's with really nice acceptance speeches. That ALL went away long before the CMA's realized just how much money there was in televising the CMA's in November for the "November sweeps." I remember when the CMA's were held in the Grand Ole Opry house instead of the mega-seat arena selling more seats & making more money. It's all gone & most likely never to return. The only thing the CMA's may not have figured out yet is bigger, flashier & louder is not always better ... maybe they have & just don't care - they are too busy counting their money. Sad as it is, it's all about money. I have been watching the CMA's since they were first televised - each year that goes by it gets harder to watch them - I do like some of the music out today - Josh Turner, Trace Adkins, Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington & Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, The Band Perry - Charlie Worsham's new song is pretty danged good. The rest ... well, it just depends upon who the artist is - not a fan of everyone - my list of "not a fan of" is longer than "a fan of" - but traditional country music is what I love & listen to most.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Bill Cody - I know he has been announcing the Tuesday Night Opry for quite a while now. Apparently he is the permanent host of the Tuesday Night Opry - he wasn't always but as you say, no complaints & he has a great sense of humor. This means that Eddie Stubbs has one less night to do the announcing but once the Opry is over, Eddie is in-studio doing his "Two for Tuesday" twin spins as he has for a long time. Now I'm actually trying to remember if Bill did the Spring Opry Classics, I thought it was Eddie Stubbs - I could be mistaken. Larry Gatlin has been introducing the artists - maybe he no longer will be. I must be listening to too much of this stuff if I can't remember back to Spring of this year - it's all starting blur! YIKES!!!
Enjoy the Opry Classics show - I REALLY DIG Chris Janson & I have always loved Lorrie Morgan's voice - she.can.sing. And Rebecca Lynn Howard is no slouch in that department either. Like Riders In The Sky & I have always liked T.G.
Enjoy the Opry Birthday celebration - I look forward to reading all the ins & outs of the birthday celebration, the Opry & Nashville - your posts of your Nashville trips are always very newsy. I am still planning on getting down there before the end of the year to take in the Bakersfield exhibit at the Hall of Fame.
Have a great weekend everyone ~
(Jeanene)
Jeanene, Bill Cody did several of the Thursday night shows. As I think about it, the Opry usually had three announcers for years, until current management cut back the shows. But it occurs to me that even with fewer shows, it means a long work week for Eddie Stubbs and six days for Mike Terry.
ReplyDeleteJeanene, the Hall of Fame extended The Bakersfield Sound exhibit until the end of 2014 because it's so popular. Here's the press release: http://countrymusichalloffame.org/recent-press-releases/view/2266
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I believe that Eddie Stubbs is still the announcer for the Thursday Opry Country Classics show, doing the commercials and the sign on/sign off for the program, and then they have an announcer/host for the program. Many weeks that person has been Larry Gatlin, while Bill Cody has also been used.
ReplyDeleteI miss the Hall of Fame segment on the CMA shows. Remember Cindy Walker's induction? Tennessee Ernie Ford, Willie Nelson, Ray Price..etc.. all classic CMA moments. Since they ceased I have quit watching the show. I cannot for the life of me understand how the CMA claims induction in the CMHF is the highest honor in the industry and yet do not even mention the inductees anymore. And they go as far as to develop the "Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award", which is televised. So tell me, which is the highest honor now?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Willie Nelson Award, I have not heard who this years' recipient will be. I heard Willie on a radio interview that he was going to nominate Little Jimmy Dickens for 2013 and Ray Price for 2014. I somehow suspect that the CMA will totally skip what few artists are left from that older generation and go directly toward artists such as Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, George Strait..etc... No doubt being in her early 80's, Loretta is due, and worthy, but like Willie Nelson, I believe Dickens and Price are worthy first.
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award was created and meant to be presented to an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music The award recognizes an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances humanitarian efforts philanthropy record sales and public representation at the highest level the artists receiving this award must have positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented and provides historical impact on fans and industry alike I Think It Will Go To Dolly Parton This Year
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