Grand Ole Opry 3/3 & 3/4

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the two shows this weekend, the Friday Night Opry and Saturday'a Grand Ole Opry. While not having the "star" power of last weekend's shows, there are still two pretty nice shows lined up.

Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both nights include Jeannie Seely, The Whites, Bill Anderson and Riders In The Sky. In fact, those four will be the segment hosts each night. Also appearing both nights will be Mike Snider, joined by Bobby Osborne on Friday night and Jesse McReynolds on Saturday night.

Guests scheduled for Friday night include Seth Ennis, Guy Penrod, Ray Scott, Restless Heart, Jerrod Niemann and Mark Wills, who is also scheduled for Saturday night. Saturday's guest list, in addition to Mark Wills, includes Love and Theft, Steve Moakler, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, and Steven Curtis Chapman, who will be appearing in the Opry gift shop after the show.

Friday March 3
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Seth Ennis; Mike Snider
7:30: The Whites (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Guy Penrod
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Ray Scott; Restless Heart
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Mark Wills; Jerrod Niemann

Saturday March 4
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Love and Theft; Mike Snider
7:30: The Whites (host); Steve Moakler; Carson Peters & Iron Mountain
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Steven Curtis Chapman

Let me just say a few words about Carson Peters & Iron Mountain. I have seen Carson at the Opry several times and if you ever get a chance to see this group, take my recommendation and go and see them. Each of the members of Iron Mountain are fantastic musicians who play true bluegrass. And if you go to their website, the premier CD from Carson Peters and Iron Mountain is currently available. It is a collection of bluegrass and gospel. Not to leave anyone out, and I hope I have all the names correctly, Iron Mountain consists of Carson's father Jamie Peters, along with Eric and Ben Marshall, and Austin Tate.

And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from five years ago, the weekend of March 2 & 3, 2012:

Friday March 2
7:00: John Conlee (host); The Whites; Dustin Lynch
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Rhonda Vincent
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Gloriana
8:45: Mel Tillis (host); Jesse McReynolds; Montgomery Gentry

Saturday March 3
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mike Snider; Holly Williams
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jim Ed Brown; Darryl Worley
Intermission
8:15: Mel Tillis (host); Jan Howard; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Exile

Now from ten years ago, the weekend of March 2 & 3, 2007:

Friday March 2
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Del McCoury Band; Connie Smith; Marty Stuart
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Sunny Sweeney; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Craig Morgan
9:00: Alison Krauss (host); Jim Ed Brown; Riders In The Sky; John Waite
9:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jack Greene; Mike Snider; Carrie Underwood

Saturday March 3
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mike Snider; Blue Country
7:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jan Howard; Riders In The Sky; The Whites
7:30: Alison Krauss (host); Jimmy C Newman; Connie Smith; John Waite
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jeannie Seely; Jim Ed Brown; Craig Morgan; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Danielle Peck; Del McCoury Band

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Blue Country
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Craig Morgan; Ricky Skaggs
10:30: Alison Krauss (host); The Whites; John Waite; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Danielle Peck; Del McCoury Band

Finally, it was 33 years ago this weekend, Saturday March 3, 1984 that The Whites became members of the Grand Ole Opry.

The Whites have been a part of the Grand Ole Opry family for more than 30 years and have been showcasing their own family harmony as a professional stage act even longer. Buck's skills on the piano landed him early gigs with the Opry's Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb and others. He married Pat Goza in 1951, and in 1962 they moved from Texas to Arkansas, where they began performing with another couple as the Down Home Folks. Their children performed as the Down Home Kids.

By the mid-'60s, the family was well known in bluegrass circles, and when the younger Whites decided they wanted to sing professionally, the family moved to Nashville in 1971. During their first years in Nashville, they performed as the Down Home Folks and recorded several bluegrass albums.

In 1973, mother Pat retired from the group, and in 1975, The Whites played a Washington, D.C., show with Emmylou Harris. That association led to Sharon and Cheryl providing background vocals on Harris' 1978 "Blue Kentucky Girl" album. "She just opened so many doors for us and put us in front of people who had never seen us before," Sharon told interviewer Paul Edward Joyce.

In 1981, Sharon White married Ricky Skaggs, a one-time member of Emmylou's Hot Band who also co-produced The Whites' major-label debut, "Old Familiar Feeling." The album yielded four Top 10 hits, including "You Put the Blue in Me," and "Hangin' Around." Other albums by The Whites, which blend country, folk, bluegrass, and gospel sounds include "Forever You," "Ain't No Blinds," and "Doin' It by the Book." In 2000, The Whites appeared in the film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," performing the Carter Family classic, "Keep on the Sunny Side," and picking up a Grammy for their efforts. The Whites were inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008, the same year their collaboration with Ricky, "Salt of the Earth," also won a Grammy award.

Technically, the induction date for The Whites is listed as March 2, which was a Friday, thus Saturday March 3 was the first Grand Ole Opry show for The Whites as members. Here is the running order from that Saturday night:

1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Bill Monroe (host): Will You Be Lovin' Another Man
Jeannie Seely: When Your Heart's Been Stepped On
Bill Monroe: Shenandoah Breakdown

6:45: Rudy's
Grandpa Jones (host): Little 'Ol Gal A' Waitin'
Jan Howard: Rock Me Back to Little Rock
Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walkin'
Grandpa Jones: I'll Meet You in the Morning

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Skeeter Davis: I Ain't Never
Charlie Louvin & Debbie Groves: Something to Brag About
Lonzo & Oscar: I'm My Own Grandpa
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore
Porter Wagoner: The Cowboy's Hat/Tennessee Saturday Night

7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
The Whites: The Cowboy Lives Forever/You Put the Blue In Me
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Liberty
Bill Anderson: From Rock n' Roll to Rock of Ages

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Minnie Pearl: Maple on the Hill
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Connie Smith: I'm Only In It for the Love/Sing, Sing, Sing

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): I've Been Everywhere
4 Guys: Wings of A Dove
Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away
Tom T Hall: Sneaky Snake/I Love
Hank Snow: Paper Roses

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
4 Guys: Marie
Jeannie Seely: When Your Heart's Been Stepped On
Billy Walker: Cross the Brazos at Waco
The Whites: Give Me Back that Old Familiar Feeling/Alabama Jubilee
Porter Wagoner: Alive & Well

10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe (host): My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling
Charlie Walker: My Window Faces the South
Jan Howard: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Bill Monroe: It's Me Again, Lord

10:15: Sunbeam
Grandpa Jones (host): Banjo Sam
Skeeter Davis: The Rose
Stonewall Jackson: Angry Words
Grandpa Jones & George McCormick: Wait A Little Longer, Please Jesus

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Connie Smith: That's the Way Love Goes
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

10:45: Beech-Nut
Bill Anderson (host): Country D.J.
Jeanne Pruett: It's Too Late
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin'
Bill Anderson: Still

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): There's a Fool Such As I
Jean Shepard: If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time/The Wonders You Perform
Justin Tubb: Pull the Covers Over Me
Charlie Louvin: Love Has to Die
Hank Snow: Nobody's Child

11:30: Hardee's
Jack Greene (host): Midnight Tennessee Woman
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink on Me/Oh, What A Party
Tom T Hall: Your Man Loves You Honey/Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

Congratulations to The Whites upon their 33rd anniversary as members of The Grand Ole Opry.

As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!