Grand Ole Opry 2/17 & 2/18

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the two shows this weekend, the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. Both nights have pretty solid line-ups.

The Friday Night Opry will feature Grand Ole Opry members Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith, Bobby Osborne, The Whites, Ricky Skaggs, and one of my personal favorites, Del McCoury. Of those mentioned above, Mike, Riders, Connie, Ricky and Del will be back on Saturday night, joined by Bill Anderson and Jesse McReynolds. Overall, a nice collection of a number of the Opry's veteran members.

As to guest artists this weekend, both nights will feature Mark Wills. Mark has been making a number of Opry appearances for years, in fact, many more than most of the Opry's members. He will be joined by the duo Smithfield and the group Exile. Saturday night will feature a couple of stars of the "Nashville" television series on CMT, Sam Palladio and Charles Esten. Those two will be joined by Aaron Tippin and William Michael Morgan, a true country singer.

Currently, there are 11 acts listed for Friday night, with one more to be added. 8 of those are Opry members, with 12 acts scheduled for Saturday night, 7 of whom belong to the Opry.

Friday February 17
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Mark Wills; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Smithfield; Del McCoury Band
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Exile

Saturday February 18
7:00: Connie Smith (host); Aaron Tippin; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Sam Palladio; Del McCoury Band
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); William Michael Morgan; Charles Esten

And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry schedule from 5 years ago, the weekend of February 17 & 18, 2012:

Friday February 17
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Sarah Darling
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Riders In The Sky; Steve Wariner
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Mark Wills; Craig Morgan
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); John Conlee; Diamond Rio

Now from 10 years ago, the weekend of February 16 & 17, 2007:

Friday February 16
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; Jack Greene; Mountain Heart
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Brad Paisley
9:00: Lorrie Morgan (host); Sammy Kershaw; Gene Watson
9:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Stu Phillips; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Terri Clark

Saturday February 17
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jennifer Hanson
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Junior Brown; Mountain Heart
7:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jan Howard; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Brad Paisley
8:00: The Whites (host); Connie Smith; Andy Griggs; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Lorrie Morgan (host); Cherryholmes; Sammy Kershaw

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Jennifer Hanson
10:00: Lorrie Morgan (host); Mountain Heart; Sammy Kershaw
10:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Charlie Louvin; Andy Griggs; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Connie Smith; Cherryholmes

Finally, it was Saturday February 18, 1995 that Charlie Douglas announced his final Grand Ole Opry show.

Charlie Douglas, whose real name was Doug China, began his radio career in 1953 at KLIC in Monroe, Louisiana. As with other disc jockeys of that era, Charlie moved around frequently and worked in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Asheville, North Carolina; Buffalo, New York; and in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston in Texas. Beginning in 1971, he achieved his biggest fame when he began his "Road Gang" overnight truckers show on WWL 870 in New Orleans. The show, which was on the air for 13 years, became a vital link for truckers to keep in touch with family and friends and enjoyed national success.

In 1984, Charlie was offered the opportunity to move to Nashville and work at WSM and to be an announcer on the Grand Ole Opry. He stayed at WSM and the Opry until 1995, when he retired from the radio business to work full time for CDX, a country music distribution business he established with Paul Lovelace in 1991. Charlie, who was elected to the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame in 1994, passed away at his home in Picayune, Mississippi on Thanksgiving Day 2011 at the age of 78.

Here is the line-up from Saturday February 18, 1995, the night Charlie Douglas retired from WSM and the Grand Ole Opry:

1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Bill Monroe (host): I'm on My Way Back to the Old Home
Roy Drusky: The Waltz of the Angels
George Lindsay: Comedy
Bill Monroe: Bluegrass Breakdown

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Mike Snider (host): Foggy Mountain Chimes
Bill Carlisle: Leave That Liar Alone
Mike Snider: Snuff Dipper/Foggy Mountain Breakdown

7:00: Shoney's
The Whites (host): San Antonio Rose
Jeannie Seely: One Step Away (From Coming Home)
Jim & Jesse: Air Mail Special
Jimmy C Newman: Allons of Lafayette
Ray Pillow: One Memory to Another
The Whites: Doing It By the Book/Keep on the Sunny Side

7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Stu Phillips: Blue Canadian Rockies
Hal Ketchum: Maybe You Could Stay Forever
Doug Stone: Faith In You; Faith In Me
Charlie Pride: Kiss An Angel Good Morning/Kaw-Liga
Jimmy Dickens Band: Steel Guitar Rag

8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Charlie Louvin: Everytime You Leave
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
Stacy Williams (?): Could I Have This Dance
Jean Shepard: I'm Tied Around Your Finger
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Durango's Hornpipe
Porter Wagoner & Colene Walters: If Teardrops Were Pennies
Porter Wagoner: Freight Train Boogie

8:30: Kraft
Hank Snow (host): Gonna Find Me A Bluebird
Osborne Brothers: Midnight Flyer
Jack Greene: You Are My Treasure
Connie Smith: Did We Have to Come This Far to Say Goodbye
4 Guys: River of Dreams/Catfish John/
Hank Snow: Linda Lou

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Coming
Brother Oswald: Euneta
Stu Phillips: Wicked Greed
Charlie Walker: A Way to Free Myself
The Isaacs: I'm Gonna Move
Porter Wagoner: Y'All Come

10:00: Goody's
Bill Monroe (host): Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Bill Monroe: Bluegrass Stomp/Mule Skinner Blues

10:15: Sunbeam/Tennessee Pride
Jeannie Seely (host): Go Down Swinging
Osborne Brothers: Flying South
Jeannie Seely: Too Far Gone

10:30: Gruhn Guitars
Mike Snider (host): Bending the Strings/Born to Shop/What Have They Done to the Dominica Hen

10:45: Fairfield Communities
Jean Shepard (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jim & Jesse: Orange Blossom Special
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Turkey in the Straw
Jean Shepard/Jim & Jesse: The Violet & A Rose

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Weary River
Charlie Louvin: In the Cross
Jack Greene: Oh, Lonesome Me
Connie Smith: I Can't Stop Loving You
4 Guys: It's All Right (To Have A Good Time)
Hank Snow: My First Night Alone

11:30: Cates Pickles
Jimmy C Newman (host): (?)
Charlie Pride: All I Have to Offer You is Me/Mountain of Love
Hal Ketchum: Every Little Word/No Easy Run
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya

Jimmy Dickens was scheduled to host the 7:30 TNN segment and the 10:45 segment on the 2nd show, however he had throat issues and could not sing.

On a final note: the announcer who replaced Charlie Douglas at WSM and the Opry? Eddie Stubbs.

Overall, things have been pretty quiet on the Opry front as we move through February. No news on any potential candidates to be the Opry's newest general manager. On another note, voting should be about finished up for this year's Country Music Hall of Fame class. The announcement usually comes sometime in March. I really haven't given much thought to the potential candidates for this year although the names being mentioned are likely the same as we have heard over the past several years. I will have more thoughts on the Hall of Fame coming up.

With that, I hope everyone has a great week and enjoys the Opry this weekend!!