The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the 3 shows this weekend. I am very happy to say that the Opry actually found 3 Opry members for the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night: Bill Anderson, Mike Snider and Ray Pillow on the 1st show and Anderson, Snider and Vince Gill on the 2nd. I know it sounds like a broken record, but how can you have a show called the Grand Ole Opry with just 3 Opry members? And if that isn't enough, the 3 Opry members are hosting the first 3 segments, with no host for the final segment, which is devoted to 3 cast members from the "Nashville" television show. Maybe they are going to film and induct another "fake" Opry member for televison!! Sorry, maybe I am too harsh.
As far as the Friday Night Opry, the rounded up 6 members, with Mike Snider, Jean Shepard, Ray Pillow, Bill Anderson, Bobby Osborne and Vince Gill. That is not a bad group at all, but more could have been added.
Friday December 5
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Janelle Arthur; Jean Shepard
7:30: Ray Pillow (host); The Steeldrivers; Mandy Barnett
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Jimmy Wayne
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Gene Watson; The Willis Clan
Saturday December 6
1st show
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Greg Bates; (Jimmy Dickens?)
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Amanda Shires; The Henningsens
8:00: Ray Pillow (host); The Willis Clan; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Aubrey Peeples; Chaley Rose; Sam Palladio
2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson (host); Greg Bates
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Amanda Shires; The Henningsens
10:30: Vince Gill (host); The Willis Clan; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Aubrey Peeples; Chaley Rose; Sam Palladio
Wow!!
I don't know who all listened last Saturday night, but Jimmy Dickens was on again during the first show and did "Out Behind the Barn." The was a pretty embarrassing moment when Jimmy forgot the words to the 2nd verse. He tried to make a small joke and I don't think the audience realized that he was being serious, that he couldn't remember. I kept waiting for someone to step in and help him out. He finally figured it out, but it made for bad radio. Maybe Jimmy just needs to stick to "Mountain Dew". Also, I have heard from a few folks asking about Connie Smith. All I know is that for about the last month, she has not been at the Opry and has been cancelling some concert dates. Marty Stuart has been out on the road and is scheduled for the Opry next Friday night, so hope it is nothing too serious. Speaking of next Friday night, I will be in Nashville next weekend and plan to attend all 3 Opry shows.
And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 5 years ago this weekend, December 4 and 5, 2009:
Friday December 4
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jack Greene; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); John Conlee; The Whites
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Mike Snider; Mark Wills
8:30: Marty Stuart (host); Jan Howard; Jim Ed Brown; The Quebe Sisters Band
Saturday December 5
1st show
7:00: John Conlee (host); Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown; Jamie O'Neal
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Connie Smith; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Trisha Yearwood
2nd show
9:30: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Trisha Yearwood
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely; Del McCoury Band
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jamie O'Neal; Connie Smith
Now from 10 years ago, the weekend of December 3 & 4, 2004:
Friday December 3
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Mel McDaniel; Jennifer Hanson
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; The Whites
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Osborne Brothers; Shelly Fairchild
9:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; George Hamilton IV; Buddy Jewell
9:30: Hal Ketchum (host); Jimmy C Newman; Ralph Stanley
Saturday December 4
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Jimmy C Newman; Connie Smith
7:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Buddy Jewell; Blue Country; Sawyer Brown
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Billy Walker; Jean Shepard; Ralph Stanley; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Jim Ed Brown w/Helen Cornelius; Radney Foster
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Osborne Brothers; Blue Country
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jan Howard; Mel McDaniel; Ralph Stanley
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Sawyer Brown; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Buddy Jewell
11:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); w/Helen Cornelius; George Hamilton IV; Radney Foster
Now from 20 years ago Saturday night, December 3, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Billy Walker (host); Skeeter Davis
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Jimmy C Newman
7:30: Johnny Russell (host); Chonda Pierce; Garth Brooks
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jan Howard; Hank Locklin; Osborne Brothers; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: 4 Guys (host); Stonewall Jackson; Mark Collie
2nd show
9:30: Johnny Russell (host); Oswald; Garth Brooks
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Ray Pillow
10:15: Jimmy Dickens (host); Roy Drusky
10:30: Billy Walker (host); Riders In The Sky
10:45: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jan Howard; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: The Whites (host); Connie Smith; Hank Locklin
11:30: 4 Guys (host); Jeannie Seely; Mark Collie
Finally, from 40 years ago this Saturday night, December 7, 1974:
1st show
6:30: Willis Brothers (host); Justin Tubb; Ernie Ashworth
6:45: George Morgan (host); Marion Worth; Jim & Jesse
7:00: Roy Drusky (host); Bill Carlisle; Mel Tillis
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Stoney Cooper; Crook Brothers; Howdy Forrester
8:00: George Jones (host); Tammy Wynette; 4 Guys; Lonzo & Oscar; Patsy Sledd
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Dottie West; Stu Phillips; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Jeanne Pruett
2nd show
9:30: George Morgan (host); Willis Brothers; Lonzo & Oscar; Marion Worth; Ernie Ashworth
10:00: Roy Acuff (host); Jim & Jesse
10:15: Roy Drusky (host); Mel Tillis
10:30: George Jones (host); Tammy Wynette; Bill Carlisle
10:45: Stoney Cooper (host); 4 Guys; Crook Brothers; Carolee Cooper
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Dottie West; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Justin Tubb (host); Jeanne Pruett; Stu Phillips; Ronnie Robbins
(I posted these Opry line-ups from the past 40 years so that everyone can see how the line-ups have varied over the years and compare what is at the Opry this weekend with past weekends).
For this week's feature line-up, I go to Saturday December 5, 1964. I picked this date because it was the following day, Sunday December 6 that it was announced in the Nashville Tennessean's headline read, "Opry Drops 12 Top Stars."
"Twelve top country and western music stars," the story read, "will not appear on the Grand Ole Opry in 1965, and have been prohibited from using the Opry name in their outside billings, it was learned yesterday. Another entertainer, long-time favorite Minnie Pearl, has been given a leave of absence from the show for the coming year, but will continue to use the Opry billing in her present contracts, a WSM spokesman said."
Dismissed from the Opry roster were George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells, the Jordanaires (background singers on Elvis Presley's records and concert dates), Faron Young, Ferlin Husky, Chet Atkins, Justin Tubb, Stonewall Jackson, and Ray Price. Opry officials, after using the policy only minimally before, had insisted on strict adherence to a rule that said Opry performers had to appear on twenty-six shows in a year to be retained on the roster. WSM public relations director Bill Williams tried to put the best face on it, insisting, "Nobody is mad at anybody. It's just that periodically we have to take stock. It's just a routine thing."
Irving Waugh, somewhat removed from the Opry in his capacity as general manager of the WSM television station, nevertheless thought the announcement was ill advised. He viewed the action as an "antagonism" of the country music community by WSM president Jack DeWitt.
Looking back on it, the "Purge of '64" might have been a monumental public relations goof. Within a day of the release of the original story, Opry manager Ott Devine had to remove Chet Atkin's name from the list of the original twelve. His name should not have been included, Devine said, because "Chet has not been officially connected with the Opry for many years." That admission suggested to some that the entire incident reflected adversely on the quality of Opry managment.
Money is what really generated the hassle. Faron Young remembered, "When they insisted on the twenty-six week thing, I put a pen to it and figured it out. I was gonna lose $180,000 a year to work the Opry twenty-six weeks out of the year." Percentages paid by the artists to the WSM Artists' Service Bureau (make that read "booking agency") also were in contention. Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells's husband explained, "They booked some of our dates, and then some of the dates were booked by our personal managers and booking agents. There were charging us fifteen percent on the dates they booked, and then if they didn't book a date you still had to pay them five percent of the dates that you booked yourself. Some of the artists stopped paying the five percent, a lot of them. But Kitty and I paid it right up to the very last, and I told Ott Devine, 'Ott, I don't think it's fair for us to pay that and some of them not paying it. Unless you get everybody to pay it, then I'm not gonna pay it.' They didn't fire anyone. We just quit because we didn't wanna pay the five percent."
Quit or fired? It didn't make any difference; the public perception was that their favorites had been summarily dismissed. If anything good came out of the incident, it was the realization in the city, and in some quarters, for the first time, that the Grand Ole Opry was really important to Nashville.
On Tuesday, December 8, the Nashville Tennessean ran an editorial under the heading, "Opry Has Duty of Protection." It said, "The Opry has been, and continues to be, the nucleus of Nashville's $40 million music industry. There is hardly a successful music enterprise in the city that does not owe its orgin and its longevity to the Opry. Thus, it seems the Opry has a responsibility to compel observance of reasonable restrictions for its own protection and for the protection of the rest of the music industry in Nashville. Most of the thousands of people who line up at the Opry House every Friday and Saturday night have traveled long distances to see in person the stars they have come to love by radio. It must be a disappointment for these fans to arrive at the Opry on this one big night for them and find that their favorite stars have found a more profitable audience in some other state. Opry Manager Ott Devine says the 11 released stars will be missed. And they will be. But there is a feeling that such a loss would be more keenly felt if the stars had not already been missed too often at the Opry."
With that, the Tennessean put the onus squarely on the artists, perhaps unfairly. But a lesson was learned, expressed best in a bit of old country philosophy, "Don't try to fix what aint' broke."
Over time, many of those dismissed from the Opry 50 years ago this weekend would return as Opry members, however at reduced appearances. And those who did not rejoin the cast officially, were still welcomed back as guests.
I know it has been mentioned many times before what the reaction would be if Steve Buchanan and Pete Fisher were to drop those artists who fail to make the ten appearances per year that they are requesting of the members. To put it simply, if that rule had been in effect this year, the Opry would lose 30 of its members. In other words, almost half of the current cast. The Opry would not be able to survive the bad publicity that would follow. The key is to induct members who will honor the word they give and actually appear at least ten times per year, or something close to that number. But as we know, Opry membership doesn't really mean that much anymore. In fact, of the guest artists that the Orpy invites, almost 20 have appeared more than ten times. In other words, many more times then the majority of Opry members.
Here is the Opry running order from 50 years ago this weekend, Saturday December 5, 1964. Even without the 11 Opry members dismissed, it was still a pretty good show.
7:30: Luzianne
Porter Wagoner (host): Come On In
Jean Shepard: He Plays the Bongo; I Play the Banjo
Sonny James: (?)
Del Wood: Cattle Call
Porter Wagoner: A Satisfied Mind
Ernest Ashworth: Just One Time
Jean Shepard: Foggy Mountain Top
Sonny James: (?)
Porter Wagoner: Misery Loves Company
8:00: Martha White
Flatt & Scruggs (host): (?)
Skeeter Davis: (?)
Carter Family: (?)
Curly Fox: (?)
Flatt & Scruggs: (?)
Crook Brothers: Lafayette
Skeeter Davis: (?)
Cousin Jake: (?)
Flatt & Scruggs: (?)
8:30: Stephens
Roy Acuff (host): Plastic Heart
Wilburn Brothers: Somebody's Back In Town
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Rachel's Guitar
Archie Campbell: Comedy
Roy Acuff: No Letter In the Mail
Jimmy Day: Beautiful Dreamer
Oswald: Roll On, Buddy, Roll On
Wilburn Brothers: I Don't Care
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Matthew 24
Roy Acuff: Farther Along
9:00: Pet Milk
Bill Anderson (host): (?)
Margie Bowes: (?)
George Hamilton IV: (?)
Lonzo & Oscar: Gotta Find Julie
Bill Anderson: (?)
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hop Light, Ladies
Margie Bowes: (?)
George Hamilton IV: (?)
Bill Anderson: (?)
9:30: Kellogg's
Roy Drusky (host): Peel Me A Nanner
Bill Monroe: Christmas Time's A'Coming
Marion Worth: Shake Me, I Rattle
Willis Brothers: Good Night, Cincinnati
Roy Drusky: Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall
Stringbean: Run Little Rabbit, Run
Bill Monroe: I'm One of God's Sheep
Marion Worth: Kentucky Waltz
Roy Drusky: You Never Cried When You Were Mine
10:00: Schick
Porter Wagoner (host): Will You Be Loving Another Man
Carter Family: (?)
Skeeter Davis: (?)
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name
10:15: SSS Tonic
Flatt & Scruggs (host): (?)
Ernest Ashworth: You Can't Pick A Rose In December
Archie Campbell: Most Richly Blessed
Flatt & Scruggs: (?)
10:30: Harvey's
Sonny James (host): (?)
Jean Shepard: (?)
Del Wood: Night Train to Memphis
Sonny James: (?)
10:45: Newport
Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: (?)
Crook Brothers: Ida Red
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
11:00: Coca-Cola
Wilburn Brothers (host): I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight
Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose
Bill Anderson: (?)
Lonzo & Oscar: Country Music Time
Wilburn Brothers: I Guess I'm Crazy
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Stoney Point
Roy Drusky: All For the Love Of A Girl
Sam & Kirk McGee: Snowdrop
Wilburn Brothers: I've Got that Old Time Religion
11:30: Lava
Marty Robbins (host): Beggin't to You
Bill Monroe: Salt Creek
Curly Fox: Bully of the Town
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Marty Robbins: Ruby Ann
Marion Worth: Tomorrow Never Comes
Stringbean: Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy
Bill Monroe: Mule Skinner Blues
Marty Robbins: Don't Worry
Yes, the Opry got along just fine. Enjoy the Opry this weekend!!
I read on one venue site that Connie had an acute infection and under doctors orders was to cancel and reschedule all appearances thru December. That was last month so it must be pretty serious.
ReplyDeleteFred, Bismarck:
ReplyDeleteThis week's are bad lineups, any way you look at them. Most of the member old folks can barely sing anymore, and the guests are mostly non-entities who, moreover, don't sing country music.
This looks like the worst of both worlds.
I don't dispute Byron's contention that blowing up this lose-lose strategy would destroy the Opry as we know it. But what, exactly, would be wrong with that? What is it but "the Opry as we know it" that we bemoan on here every week?
The show itself needn't perish except in the absence of a backup strategy. I've outlined one in the past that would, of course, require new owners. You and I don't have the pockets, but I can't help thinking there are some c&w stars out there who do. If these love the Opry as much as they profess, maybe they could step up.
I must respectfully disagree regarding Friday's show.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't have stuff planned locally, I'd love to see it.
The second hour is especially good, at least according to my tastes.
Saturday's shows, not so much....
Fred, I've probably mentioned this before, but I grew up watching Walter Cronkite, and CBS News was the jewel of broadcast journalism. New executives in the 1980s destroyed it. Finally, Don Hewitt, who created and produced 60 Minutes, got together with Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, Dan Rather, and Bill Moyers and tried to buy CBS News from the network. Uh, Garth, are you out there with your fortune?
ReplyDeleteI should have specified more clearly that my comments on the quality of the Opry this weekend more was more of a comment on the Saturday shows rather than the Friday Night Opry. Any show with The Steeldrivers, Gene Watson, Ray Pillow and Vince Gill can't be all bad.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the Opry has pulled the line-up for the 2nd Saturday show from their website. Not sure what is up with that. Perhaps just a technical glitch. I wouldn't think they would be making any drastic changes to the line-up. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteThey can make drastic changes to the last half hour of the second Saturday show. Wouldn't bother me one bit.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Jan Howard has stepped into Jean Shepard's slot tonight. Jean missed last week too. Let's hope she is okay.
ReplyDeleteTo Fred's earlier comment about the old folks I would agree when it gets to be embarrassing it's time to stop but as long as they are reasonably able to still perform it's like my brother and I say about old records. We'd rather here a quality song and performance through a scratchy record than a terrible song and unpleasant music through a crystal clear computerized CD. I admit it is getting harder as time goes by to listen to some of the older folks but the alternative at least on the Opry isn't offering a good replacement.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
For myself, I am liking all three shows, except for the ending acts on both Saturday night shows. "Opry Entertainment" is behind the tv show Nashville. I am sure that the Opry folks will continue featuring the actor/singers on this show to be on the Opry stage, until the show ends. I do not watch this show.
ReplyDeleteI have also read that Connie Smith has cancelled shows due to illness. I'm really sorry to hear that she has been ill & that it could be serious. I sure hope she is feeling better real soon, my thoughts & prayers go out to her.
What I find very interesting is that "A.B.", who posts comments on this blog, commented last week that as far as he/she knew, Marty was not going to have a 7th season of his show. I sent RFD-TV a message inquiring about this & haven't received a reply. So far no official announcement has been made by Marty or RFD-TV. Do any of them really think we would not notice that a new season of shows was not being televised? Or if they put another show in Marty's time slot, they wouldn't know they could anticipate on being flooded with emails or Facebook inquiries? If Marty knew that he was no longer going to continue with his show, he should have made the announcement on the very last show that featured his & Johnny Cash's musical/personal relationship (which was THE BEST.) Maybe he didn't know, maybe it's on RFD-TV's end, though that to me seems strange, why would Patrick Gottsch tell Marty no more show when Marty has been the face of RFD-TV as it has been the #1 rated show on RFD-TV these last few years? Maybe Marty chose not to do another season. It's possible that he wanted to take a small break from it. He produces & edits his show, he produces his own & others recordings, he still tours, does the Opry, is a husband, son & brother so it isn't as if he doesn't have enough going on. I saw him in concert a couple of years ago & got in line for him to autograph a few CD covers & I gave him a couple of ideas of artists I would love to see on his show, Steve Wariner & Brenda Lee. I told him how much I loved his show & he thanked me for watching & he told me how much he loved putting the show on. And since reading that he will not have a 7th season show & as I thought about it, I haven't heard Eddie Stubbs give away pairs of tickets to the tapings of Marty's show in the last few months, as he always has. While I don't listen to Eddie every single night, it is possible I never heard him give away or not give away tickets to the tapings. Maybe they are moving the start date of shows to a different month this coming year. Maybe with Connie's illness, they have postponed tapings. Marty is scheduled to appear on the Friday Night Opry, Dec. 12th, maybe he'll make an announcement at that time.
I read that RFD-TV was in the process of moving their entire Nebraska headquarters to Nashville & that they are in the process of moving both Marty's show & Larry's Country Diner to the former GAC (Great American Country cable channel) facilities on Music Row, as GAC moved their facilities to Knoxville. This was reported back in August, so again, if they are moving Marty's show to the former GAC studios .....
Byron, as far as the Opry pulling line-ups from their website, that has been happening these last few weeks. I'll look at the 7:00 line-up & I ask, "ok, where's the 9:30 line-up?" Or I'll look at the 9:30 line-up & ask "ok, where's the 7:00 line-up?" I think it may just be a technical glitch but it could be something else altogether. No figuring these people/Opry out down there.
(Jeanene)
After posting what I did, I found that there is a "The Marty Stuart Show" Facebook page - who knew? Not me. Someone inquired about the start date of the 2015 show & they were told from the show itself that taping of the show is on hiatus until further notice. OK, I/we Marty fans have some type of answer ....
ReplyDelete(Jeanene)
It has been the pattern that when a veteran cancels, the Opry has not replaced them, just having whoever the other guest was to sing another song. So it is surprising this week that when Jean Shepard cancelled, Jan Howard was put on the schedule to replace her. Of course, Jan cancelled last Saturday night, as I am pretty sure she was at the Hall of Fame for the Ronnie Milsap concert.
ReplyDeleteAs far as The Marty Stuart Show on RFD, I know that in press releases RFD stated that it was the highest rated show on their network. That seems to have been the case for the past several years. So I would be interested if they were not going to film anymore shows, whose decision it was, the network or Marty. Considering that they did most of the filming within a couple of week period, it didn't seem to be taking too much time on Marty's end. Perhaps they are just going in a different direction.
Jeanene, I am going to be at the Opry next weekend for both nights and all 3 shows. At first glance, it looks much better then the birthday weekend. Hopefully all those announced so far show up. And yes, I am looking forward to seeing not only Marty Stuart on Friday night, but also Joe Diffie, and on Saturday night Emmylou Harris, for what looks like her once a year visit to the Opry.
Having listened to the Opry for over 50 years, I thorougly enjoyed tonights Friday Opry. If the old timers Fred of Bismarck talked about barely being able to sing were Ray Pillow, Jan Howard, Bill Anderson, Bobby Osborne or Gene Watson, they all sounded just fine tonight, and along with Vince Gill and Mandy Barnett made for a show worth paying to attend. Lots of good traditional country music tonight and talented newcomers to boot. And I'm as much a traditionalist as anyone.
ReplyDeleteDashmann
Flushing, Mich
Byron, it will be interesting to see if Marty's show never comes back or if what they say about taking a hiatus could be just taking some time off. Yes, he taped two shows a day & they taped half the shows before Thanksgiving & the balance after New Year's. You are right, it didn't take a whole lot of time, though I am sure just trying to get the guests, plan the show out, tape & edit it, is all time consuming & then tour, record, produce & all. So we'll see. It will be interesting to see if they continue to air his shows on a Saturday night & then on Sunday night after the end of this month. The current season is almost done repeating. Maybe some information will drop in your lap without much "poking around." I am of the opinion that someone always knows something. I just find it interesting that there has been no announcement from either side.
ReplyDeleteI read your original post above that you will be in Nashville next weekend. Nice! I enjoy Joe Diffie also. The last time he was on the Opry he actually did two different songs than he normally does, I was happy. It was always the same two songs. And Emmylou Harris - she's so awesome. She may visit the Opry once a year but at least you will see her that one time - yah you! And enjoy your time down there - I know we can all look forward to newsy tidbits upon your return - safe travels- :-)
(Jeanene)
I'm with Dashmann. Friday's show was really good. I thought the old timers sounded just fine.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I was able to hear of the Friday Night Opry, it was a very good show. I say that as once again, the WSM online stream on my tablet started out fine and then the static and bad sound kicked in. Mike Snider did a very nice job and it was nice that Jan Howard was able to do 2 songs. Ray Pillow was a fine host and The Steeldrivers turned in their usual strong performance. Mandy Barnett has such a great voice, it's just too bad that she just can't seem to get that big break. And then that was it.
ReplyDeleteThe bad connection started during Jan Howard's slot, and just went downhill from there. This seems to be happening on a somewhat regular basis anymore and I would think they could find an IT guy (or gal), that could get this fixed and up and running right. There are those who still like to listen to the Opry in far away places that the radio does not always reach. Hopefully they can get their act together and get the stream up and running the right way.
Fayfare: I'm not certain your problem with the stream is WSM's fault. My reception has been rock solid for weeks. I literally have WSM online streaming all the time, broadcasting over all of my house through an extremely small FM transmitter.
ReplyDeleteKicks off once in a great while, but overall pretty much rock solid.
Was perfect last night through the entire 'Opry, and is still on today.
http://stream01183.westreamradio.com/wsm-am1 is what my Logitech Squeezebox radio "listens" to.
I would recommend you monkey around with that address and see what happens.
You can't just cut and paste the address I gave you into your browser, it takes a program capable of decoding the stream. Not sure what that would be on your tablet......
@ Nat Hill IV - my computer is new & for the first time in all the time I've been streaming the Opry or WSM, I also began having issues with their being on/shutting off may times last night. As Byron mentioned & I agree, it became so annoying, that I turned off the streaming & turned WSM on one of the house radio's, which I lucked out, for a good 40 minutes it came in, clear as a bell. I sent a Facebook message to the Grand Ole Opry making them aware of the issue. Someone did something on their end as the streaming resumed normally except for a couple more shut offs. Once the Opry was over, I continued to listen to the Live by Request show with Eddie Stubbs for about an hour & there were no more issues. So far tonight, no issues. I find high technology to be such an interesting animal ... :-)
ReplyDelete(Jeanene)
Jeanene and Fayfare:
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that I receive WSMonline on my Squuezebox Internet radio, often for weeks at a time, with absolutely no problems.
I would wonder who your Internet providers are, and what kind of luck you have with other streaming radio stations.
Are your problems on the WSM website itself? Maybe there are problems with their player. I know mine turns off after a certain amount of time, which is why I went with an Internet Radio. It just keeps on playing.
@Nat Hill IV - well, I can tell you that I am not a professor of computer's - I'll take an old Selectric typewriter any day of the week. ha! Each time Byron reported issues listening to the Opry, I was surprised, because not until last night have I experienced any issues.
ReplyDeleteMy internet provider is AT&T. After I bought my computer & I started streaming the Opry, the radio would "time out" after four hours & the radio would shut itself off. Since then WSM changed players & I haven't noticed if I hit/surpassed the four hour mark, the radio does not shut off.
Also, I do not stream any radio station other than WSM & then it's only at night for the Opry or to listen to Eddie Stubbs. I will make it a point to stream some other station for four plus hours to test it all out.
Thank you for your help & suggestions. Much appreciated.
(Jeanene)
Havent posted in various weeks as I have been feeding my addiction to College Football, but I have been following the Opry each wek through the taped archive shows that WSM has on their site.... I rarely have problems tuning in, and listening quality over here in Spain...... Also, if you want a coll quality traditional country music station to listen to on the internet, I recomment wuuq out of chattanooga, tennessee. I listen to them during the day over here, and WSM at nite when Eddie Stubbs is on or the Opry........
ReplyDeleteTo add my 2 cents: about a year ago I started listening thru Tune in Radio because both the WSM app and the Opry app stopped allowing me to stream the program on my phone for whatever reason.
ReplyDeleteMy connection is XFinity (Comcast), and everything is wired. No wireless whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteWSM had real problems years ago getting AT&T to handle their needs, for whatever that's worth.
Last night I turned on the WSM app on my computer, and it's still working fine this morning.
I would bet you guys have problems with your internet service provider or modem or router or some part of your home network..
As complicated as the Internet is, I'm personally surprised it works as well as it does. Mine used to drop off every few days, but it has been amazing reliable of late.
Back to the 'Opry. I thought this weekend was great, save the Nashville series folks.
I loved Vince Gill and his comments about the Willis clan, who are the best thing to happen to the 'Opry in a long time. What evergy!
And, Vince is Vince.
It's all my fault!
ReplyDeleteWSM online is now "offline."
Nothing works at 8:18 AM on Monday, 12-8-14.
That's what I get for bragging on them !
Jason Cooper must have made it to work. WSM online now working just fine.
ReplyDelete