The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the shows this weekend. There is the usual Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry, along with a Saturday matinee. Overall, the quality of the line-ups is pretty good, especially the Friday Night Opry.
The Friday Night Opry will mark the return of Mel Tillis, as this will be his first show anywhere since his heart surgery earlier this year. And for Mel, it will be a very busy weekend as in addition to the Friday Opry, he is scheduled for both shows on Saturday, along with hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree.
Also on Friday Night, Lorrie Morgan is scheduled and it will mark her 30th anniversary as an Opry member. Lorrie joined the Opry on June 9, 1984. In her early years as an Opry member, Lorrie made many appearances on the show. In her first year, 1984, she appeared 79 times. In 1985 it was 120 appearances and in 1986, 116. But as her career took off, the appearances reduced and by 1991 she was down to just 5 appearances that year. Lately, she has been a little bit better, but I think there is still room for improvement.
Joining Mel and Lorrie on Friday night will be Opry members Rascal Flatts, along with Ricky Skaggs and Charley Pride, both of whom are also scheduled for Saturday Night. Along with Mel, Charley and Ricky, Saturday's Grand Ole Opry will feature Opry member Craig Morgan, along with guest artists Billy Ray Cyrus and Lindsay Eli.
Friday June 6
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jimmy C Newman; One More Girl; Scotty McCreery
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Mel Tillis; Lorrie Morgan; Jesse Keith Whitley
Intermission
8:15: Charley Pride (host); Connie Smith; Sara Evans
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Rascal Flatts
Saturday June 7 Matinee
3:00: Charley Pride; Robin Meade
3:30: Jesse McReynolds; Charles Esten
4:00: Jim Ed Brown; The Willis Clan
5:00: Kree Harrison; Mel Tillis
Saturday June 7
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Lindsay Eli; Jim Ed Brown
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Billy Ray Cyrus
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Mel Tillis; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Charley Pride (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Craig Morgan
Now here is the Grand Ole Opry line-up from 5 years ago this weekend, June 5 & 6, 2009:
Friday June 5, 2009
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jimmy C Newman; George Hamilton IV; Little General Cloggers
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jean Shepard; Carter Twins
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jack Greene; Kathy Mattea
8:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Helen Cornelius; Stonewall Jackson; The Whites; Mark Chesnutt
Saturday June 6, 2009
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Mark Wills
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; George Hamilton IV; Crystal Gayle
8:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Stonewall Jackson; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; Patty Loveless
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mark Wills
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jan Howard; Jack Greene; Crystal Gayle
10:30: Jean Shepard (host); Stonewall Jackson; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; Patty Loveless
Now the line-up from 10 years ago this weekend, June 4 & 5, 2004:
Friday June 4, 2004
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jack Greene; Amy Dalley
8:00: George Hamilton IV (host); Connie Smith; Marty Raybon
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Osborne Brothers; Rushlow
9:00: Jean Shepard (host); Stu Phillips; Elizabeth Cook; Eddy Raven
9:30: Mike Snider (host); Pinmonkey; Ralph Stanley
Saturday June 5, 2004
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Amy Dalley
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jean Shepard; Dale Ann Bradley & Coon Creek
7:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Osborne Brothers; Eddy Raven
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Billy Walker; Pinmonkey; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; T. Graham Brown
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Amy Dally
10:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jack Greene; Dale Ann Bradley & Coon Creek
10:30: Jean Shepard (host); Billy Walker; Eddy Raven; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Osborne Brothers; Pinmonkey
11:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; T. Graham Brown
As already mentioned, this will be Lorrie Morgan's 30th anniversary as an Opry member. When Lorrie joined the Opry, it was based on the fact that she was George Morgan's daughter and as someone who looked like they had a bright future in country music. It wasn't until 1989 that her career really took off with her hit, "Dear Me." As she said, "The Opry gave me my start in country music. It's a place we all need to go from time to time to remember why we're here and what gave us the opportunity to be here."
This week's feature line-up is from Saturday June 6, 1984, which was the night 30 years ago that Lorrie Morgan became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Connie Smith: Had a Dream (For the Heart)
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
6:45: Rudy's
Del Reeves (host); Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime At A Time/Looking At the World Through A Windshield
Jeannie Seely: Your Sweet Lies Just Turned Down My Sheets Again
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
7:00: Shoney's
Jim Ed Brown (host): Lying In Love With You
Billy Grammer: Homestead on the Farm
Skeeter Davis: Turning Away
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On
Jean Shepard: Virginia
Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top
7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Po Folks
Lorrie Morgan: Candy Kisses/Stand By Your Man
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Bill Anderson: Still
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
The Whites: Forever You/Swing Down, Sweet Chariot
Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin
Jeanne Pruett: Back to Back
Howdy Forrester: (?)
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light
8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Forever and One Day
Dottie West: It's High Time/I Fall to Pieces/Sweet Dreams
4 Guys: Cottonfields/Mariah
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell
Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving
Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore
2nd show
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Lovin'
4 Guys: How Married Are You Mary Ann
Jeannie Seely: When Your Hearts Been Stepped On
Del Reeves: Good Hearted Woman
Wilma Lee Cooper: Daisy A Day
Jim Ed Brown: You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma
10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Jan Howard: Lord, I Hope this Day is Good
Ray Pillow: Julie Loved Boston More Than Me
Bill Anderson: Southern Fried
10:15: Sunbeam
Billy Walker (host): Cross the Brazos at Waco
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy
Skeeter Davis: Turning Away
Billy Walker: He Sang the Songs About El Paso
10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Roy Thackerson: Eighth of January
10:45: Beech-Nut
Roy Drusky (host): Don't It Make You Want to Go Home
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Gray Eagle
Roy Drusky: One Day at a time
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Dottie West: It's High Time/Here Comes My Baby
The Whites: Hangin' Around
Jerry Douglas: Cincinnati Rag
Hank Snow: Born For You
11:30: Quincy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Why I'm Walking
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard/Oh, What A Party
Lorrie Morgan: What I've Got in Mind/Crazy
Stonewall Jackson: Old Chunk of Coal
Congratulations to Lorrie Morgan for 30 years of membership on the Grand Ole Opry, and to all, enjoy the Opry this weekend!!
Interesting that Dan Kelly guested on Mr. Acuff's segment and, three years later, succeeded Howdy Forrester, who also had a number on his segment that night.
ReplyDeleteI remember "Nashville Now" showing her induction by, as she put it, "Uncle Bill," who of course was crying because Ol' Whisper, like me, cries at the sight of anything. S he had flowers and Ralph asked where they came from and she said, "Uncle Jimmy," meaning Newman, who talked about how her dad helped him when he came to the Opry.
Roy Acuff also had one-armed fiddler Roy Thackerson on as a guest at 10:30, so there was plenty of fiddling on Roy's segments that night. And Stonewall Jackson hosting on both shows. They would do the hour-long segment thing before they'd let him host now, even if it was an emergency (if he could get on the show in the first place lol).
ReplyDeleteWell, Robert, remember: back then, Stonewall hadn't sued the management and forced a settlement!
ReplyDeleteHaha, well that's true! I guess bygones are never bygones.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Facebook message that has been posted reminding people that Lorrie Morgan is being recognized for being an Opry member for 30 years on Friday night. The message also says that Lorrie is upset, as she is only getting 10 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI look at this a couple of ways. Yes, she should be recognized for being an Opry member for 30 years. It is an achievement. But, it is not like she is there every week, or even once a month. Her appearances over the past decade have been rather infrequent.
She is complaining about getting only 10 minutes. That should take care of a song or two and the presentation of the plaque by Pete Fisher. But I wonder how George Hamilton IV, Jimmy C Newman, Jesse McReynolds or Jean Shepard feel. They are at the Opry almost every week, yet on their 50th Opry anniversaries, they each received about 5 minutes of time. How much time did Jan Howard get for 40 years? Yes, they did do more for Ricky Skaggs on his 30th, but then again, he has been much better at appearing on the Opry.
I still offer my congratulations to Lorrie Morgan on her 30 years of Opry membership, but I wonder if she is really upset and will use this as an excuse to stay away even more from the Opry.
Byron,
ReplyDeleteI understand that you are listing the 2004 and 2009 show only to show how much has changed and not to provide full information on the shows. I do have two interesting notes from the Saturday 2004 show. One, Eddy Raven had been saying during past visits that he got started writing with Acuff-Rose and that Mr. Acuff had recorded many of his song and sometime on the Opry he needed todo some. This night, he sang Back in the Country. Also, former President Reagan passed on this day and Bill Anderson sang God Bless America Again and made some comments.
You are right on target with Lorrie Morgan. First, you don't whine to your public about such treatment. If you deserve it, your peers and fans will bring it light for you. And if she was in tune with what goes on the Opry she would be ashamed to complain if she knew how little time and attention her friends like Jimmy C got for his 50th. I do wish she would come around more do think she has something to offer the Opry in her own right as well as carrying the torch from one generation to another. However, I agree that she has not participated in the Opry enough in recent years to justify her complaint when looking at how other longer standing and more loyal members have been treated.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
From ANON in PA: Lorrie will get more than her 10-minutes because she will probably be on-stage with her son, also listed on the same segment. They do a remake of the Keith/Lorrie duet, surely that will happen. Has he been on the Opry before - don't recall seeing his name.
ReplyDeleteYes, he has been on the Opry before. If my memory is right, I think it was one of the mid-week shows.
ReplyDeleteJust a couple of more thoughts on the Lorrie Morgan situation. 10 minutes will give her a solo, the duet with her son, and the plaque from Pete. She may get a minute or two more, but I really think that will be about it. Why the anger from Lorrie? My guess is that she probably thought that she should be hosting a segment, and that might be a valid point. But, let's look at the schedule for Friday night.
ReplyDeleteHosting segments are Bill Anderson, who always hosts when he is on, Ricky Skaggs, who hosts the vast majority when he is scheduled, and Charley Pride. Charley doesn't appear much but when he does, he generally will host. The final hosts are Riders In The Sky, and they generally will host, but not always. The other two acts that are on Friday and are capable of hosting, are Lorrie and Mel Tillis. Past history tells us that when Lorrie is on, she will host the vast majority of the time, while Mel has hosted about half the times he has been on. So that means someone, or someones, are going to be left out.
The logical choice to bump as a host would be Riders In The Sky, but there is the problem. They are hosting the 1st segment, which is not the most desirable one to host and one that many of the artists will specifically say they do not want to host. Even back in the day, Roy Acuff did not want to open the show. Traditionally that 1st segment on Friday is hosted by a veteran Opry member, such as Jimmy Dickens, Jim Ed Brown, and more recently, John Conlee or Jeannie Seely. None of those are scheduled on Friday night.
Skaggs and Anderson very, very rarely host the opening segment. Anderson did back in the TNN days when he hosted the backstage show, but if he doesn't need to rush out of town, he generally will not. Charley has never hosted the opening segment. Perhaps Lorrie was given the option of hosting and declined. Instead she is scheduled in the final slot before the intermission. That slot, and the final slot during the last segment, are generally given to the bigger artists and actually, is a pretty logical place to put Lorrie. It will lead the audience into intermission. Not to take anything away from Lorrie, but Rascal Flatts or Sara Evans are the logical folks to put in that final slot as they will get a much bigger response from the audience.
I think Lorrie will get properly honored and the audience will respond in kind. And I am sure Lorrie and Pete will be very nice to each other.
Listened to Lorrie's segment tonight. She talked a bit about her younger days at the Opry and mentioned all of her family members that were in attendance. She did a melody of just about all of her hits, finishing with "Something in Red." Ricky Skaggs then introduced Pete Fisher, who came out and presented what appeared to be a picture of Lorrie from when she first joined the Opry. He mentioned the Morgan name and Lorrie's father and his legacy at the Opry. Lorrie laughed when presented the picture, said thanks and that was it. There seemed to be no interplay or conversation between Lorrie and Pete.
ReplyDeleteFred, Bismarck:
ReplyDeleteHard to see what Morgan's complaint is. She couldn't even show up on Saturday night.
To me, Morgan is one of those "big names" who, while having had some radio hits and made plenty of money, has contributed exactly nothing to the body of real country music. Quick: Name a country classic of Morgan's that will be performed by generations of singers, a la "Walkin' the Floor," "San Antonio Rose," "I'm Movin' On," "This Old House," "Your Cheatin' Heart" and so many others.
Friday's was a non-event, in my opinion, as it deserved to be.
Fred, Bismarck:
ReplyDeleteAs a P.S. to the above:
Laurie has long complained of Nashville's "neglect" of the memory of her father. Hmm. At least, George is in the Hall ... and two of his songs, Candy Kisses and Room Full of Roses, have entered that Big Rotation in the Sky. Which, as I suggested above, none of Laurie's entries are likely to do.
Bottom line: I think Laurie Morgan rode good looks and a lifestyle that titillated the kids into a notoriety that had little to do with music -- certainly not with country music. I wish her long life and enjoyment of her success. I simply think she is of little interest to fans of the kind of music we talk about on Fayfare's Opry Blog.
First, it's Lorrie not Laurie. Second, she is of interest to me and I am a fan of the kind of music we talk about on this Blog! Listened tonight....and she ended up along with her son and the presentation getting 15 min of air time. It was a nice segment, it was a important milestone for her and her family, and once again, I will say too that Pete Fisher always does these presentations well. I would guess like you said Byron that she probably expected to host and I think she should have if she wanted to.
ReplyDeleteI think she is right to be upset, but I also think she thinks too much of the Opry. They are obviously more about the new and current stars who basically think Opry membership is just another trophy on their shelf. She is truly proud of being a member and takes it pretty seriously, although the amount of shows she performs per year may not be the highest number. I was sad to see her get barely any time on the 7:30 slot so that the bigger names could close. I've quit going because the Opry just isn't the Opry anymore, and this really bothered me even more.
ReplyDeleteEddie Stubbs on the fiddle (Tuesday Night 'Opry, 6-10-2014) and the crowd goes wild!
ReplyDeleteSay what you will, I like Chris Janson!