Grand Ole Opry 2/13 & 2/14

Comments have been made regarding the quality of the Grand Ole Opry line-ups since the first of the year, and how strong the shows have been. The trend continues this weekend as again, the line-ups for the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry have been posted and the quality is very good.

Starting with the Friday Night Opry, guest artists include Jamey Johnson, who appeared on the Opry two weeks ago to a huge audience ovation. Jamey is someone who does appreciate traditional country music, sung in his own style. Also scheduled is former Opry member BJ Thomas. BJ joined the Opry on August 7, 1981. During that year he made 7 Opry appearances, followed by 8 in 1982 and then he was gone. BJ joined the Opry at a time when members were expected to appear and it was later written that BJ had no hard feelings toward the Opry, he just came to realize after becoming a member that the Opry just wasn't for him. But, even after leaving the cast, he has continued to make Opry appearances and is always well received. And it is nice to see The Mavericks back for another appearance, along with EmiSunshine and Love and Theft, who continue their string of Opry appearances.

Saturday's Grand Ole Opry will feature guest artists Chris Janson, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, who will also be hosting a mid-day show at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Chuck Wicks, along with "Nashville" star Charles Esten. No, I did not forgot Mo Pitney. This new, real country artist, is back for another appearance. There are a lot of folks behind this young man who feel he has everything it takes to become a country star. Let's hope. And then there is 21 year old Kelsea Ballerini, who will be making her Opry debut.

As far as Opry members this weekend, Ricky Skaggs, Bill Anderson and Mike Snider are set for both nights, joined by Vince Gill, Del McCoury Band, Jeannie Seely and Riders In The Sky on Friday night, and by Connie Smith, The Whites and Jim Ed Brown on Saturday night. This makes 3 weekends in a row since Jim Ed has been back and he is getting back out on the road. Good to see.

Friday February 13
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Del McCoury Band; Riders In The Sky
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Mike Snider; Jamey Johnson
Intermission
8:15: Ricky Skaggs (host); BJ Thomas; Love and Theft
8:45: Vince Gill (host); EmiSunshine; The Mavericks

Saturday February 14
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Connie Smith (host); Chris Janson; Mike Snider
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Kelsea Ballerini; The Whites
Intermission
8:15: Jim Ed Brown (host); Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers; Chuck Wicks
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Mo Pitney; Charles Esten

And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 5 years ago this weekend, February 12 & 13, 2010:

Friday February 12
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); John Conlee; Jimmy C Newman; Restless Heart
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Elizabeth Cook; Rodney Crowell
8:00: Steve Wariner (host); Stu Phillips; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jean Shepard
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jack Greene; Connie Smith

Saturday February 13
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Joey+Rory
7:30: John Conlee (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jeannie Seely; T. Bubba Bechtol
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Jan Howard; Luke Bryan; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Mel Tillis (host); Ray Pillow: Jean Shepard; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press

And from 10 years ago this weekend, February 11 & 12, 2005:

Friday February 11
7:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; Mountain Heart
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Stu Phillips; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jeff Carson w/Lisa Brokop
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Rhonda Vincent
9:00: Jimmy C Newman (host); Josh Turner; Gene Watson
9:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Chely Wright; T. Graham Brown

Saturday February 12
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; The Whites
7:00: Pam Tillis (host); Travis Tritt; Josh Turner; Tracy Lawrence
8:00: Hal Ketchum (host); Jeannie Seely; Jim Ed Brown; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Gene Watson

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Josh Turner
10:00: Pam Tillis (host); The Whites; Jim Ed Brown
10:30: Hal Ketchum (host); Stonewall Jackson; Travis Tritt; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Calvin Gilmore; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Tracy Lawrence
11:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Charlie Louvin; Gene Watson

For this week's feature line-up, it was on Saturday February 11, 1967 that the Four Guys made their first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. They were an immediate success which led to them becoming Opry members on April 13, 1967. The original Four Guys were Sam Wellington, Berl Lyons, Richard Garratt and Brent Burkett.

The week they first performed on the Grand Ole Opry, they were in Nashville and making an appearance on a local television show, "The Bobby Lord Show." They did well enough that they were booked on the noon show and later that afternoon on "The Ralph Emery Afternoon Show." It was during that show that Ott Devine, the Opry's manager, was sitting in the audience and was so impressed by The Four Guys, that he invited them to appeared on that week's Friday Night Opry. They were introduced by Stoney Cooper, who was hosting the segment and they sang, "Shenandoah." The audience responded with such applause that they came back out for an encore. Ott Devine greeted them as they came off stage and asked them what they were doing the next night. When the answer was nothing, they were invited back for Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. As happened on Friday night, The Four Guys were called back our for encores and were invited to for the next several weeks, until finally, they were asked to become members.

The Four Guys, through numerous line-up changes, remained as Opry members until April 2000, when they were called into the office of new Opry general manager Pete Fisher and were fired. Sam Wellington has written that The Four Guys should have been retired as an act in June 1999 when he and Brent retired. As it was, The Four Guys were Opry members for 33 years and as popular as they were, they never had a hit single.

Here is the Opry running order from Saturday February 11, 1967, the first Grand Ole Opry appearance for The Four Guys:

7:30: Luzianne
Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Maxine Brown: I Heard the Bluebird Sing
Bob Luman: Hardly Anymore
Dottie West: What's Come Over My Baby
Justin Tubb: But Wait; There's More
Pete Drake: I'm Just A Guitar (Everybody Picks on Me)
Jim Ed Brown: You Can Have Her
Bob Luman: Come On and Sing
Jim Ed & Maxine Brown: Looking Back to See

8:00: Martha White
Wilburn Brothers (host): Hurt Her Once For Me
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Ray Pillow: I Like That Sorta Thing
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Wilburn Brothers: Just To Be Where You Are
Crook Brothers: Old Hen Cackle
Billy "Crash" Craddock: There Oughta Be A Law
Hank Locklin: Hasta Luego
Wilburn Brothers: All We Have For You, Mom

8:30: Stephens
Billy Walker (host): Things
Bill Carlisle: What Kind Of Keal Is This
Bobby Bare: Shame On Me
Archie Campbell: The Cockfight
Billy Walker: Anything Your Heart Desires
Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule
Bill Carlisle: The Great Snowman
Billy Walker: Cross the Brazos at Waco

9:00: Pet Milk
Charlie Louvin (host): I Don't Love You Anymore
Ernie Ashworth: At Ease Heart
Margie Bowes: There Goes My Everything
Bluegrass Country Kin: Black Mountain Rag
Charlie Louvin: I Don't Want It
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Harold Weakley: Almost Persuaded
Ernie Ashworth: Pass Me Not
Charlie Louvin: Off and On

9:30: Kellogg's
Hank Snow (host): The Golden Rocket
Cousin Jody: I Miss Him So
Jimmy Dickens: A Country Music Lover
Carter Family: Bye; Bye
Hank Snow: A Legend In My Time
4 Guys: Shenandoah
Carter Family: Once Around the Briar Patch
Hank Snow: Hula Love

10:00: Schick
Jim Ed Brown (host): w/Maxine Brown: Where Does the Good Times Go
Dottie West: It's My Way to Survive
Jim Ed Brown: You Can Have Her
Dottie West: All the World Is Lonely Now

10:15: Pure
Bob Luman (host): Let's Think About Living
Wilburn Brothers: I'm Gonna Tie One on Tonight
Hank Locklin: Hasta Luego
Bob Luman: Hardly Anymore

10:30: Buckley's
Bobby Bare (host): I Saw the Light
Del Wood: Cajun Stripper
Ray Pillow: Two Minus One Leaves Blue
Bobby Bare: Streets of Baltimore

10:45: Kent
Bill Carlisle (host): Shanghai Rooster
Justin Tubb: But Wait; There's More
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Bill Carlisle: Doctor R.D.

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): I'm Movin' On
Billy Walker: Bare With Me A Little Longer
Margie Bowes: Enough to Make A Woman Lose Her Mind
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Hank Snow: Confused With the Blues
Sam McGee: Under the Double Eagle
Jimmy Dickens: You Destroyed Me
Billy Walker: A Million and One
Hank Snow: Man Behind the Gun

11:30: Lava
Marty Robbins (host): Running Gun
Charlie Louvin: See the Big Man Cry
Ernie Ashworth: Sad Face
Curly Fox: Bill Bailey
Don Winters: Annie Lou
Cousin Jody: Run, Please, Run
Bluegrass Country Kin: Ol' Slewfoot
Marty Robbins: Devil Woman/The Shoe Goes on the Other Foot Tonight/Begging to You/El Paso

Enjoy the Opry this weekend!!