The Grand Ole Opry has released the line-ups for the two Opry shows this weekend, the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry and it didn't take long for Dailey & Vincent, the Opry's newest members, to make their presence known. Not only are they returning to the Opry this weekend, but they will be hosting a segment, and I expect them to do a great job.
Joining Dailey & Vincent on the Friday Night Opry will be Opry members Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, Bill Anderson and Bobby Osborne. Jeannie, Mike and Bill are also scheduled for Saturday night, where they will be joined by members The Whites and Jesse McReynolds. That comes out to just 5 Opry members each night.
As to guest artists this weekend, Darryl Worley and T. Graham Brown are scheduled for both nights, joined on Friday night by JT Hodges, Chuck Mead, Maggie Rose, Mickey Guyton and Nashville star Charles Esten. Saturday night, joining Darryl and T. Graham will be Emily West, Amanda Shires, Flatt Lonesome and Ellie Holcomb.
Friday March 31
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); JT Hodges; Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys
7:30: Dailey & Vincent (host); Maggie Rose; Darryl Worley
Intermission
8:15: Mike Snider (host); T. Graham Brown; Mickey Guyton
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Charles Esten
Saturday April 1
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Emily West; Jesse McReynolds
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Amanda Shires; T. Graham Brown
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Flatt Lonesome; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: The Whites (host); Ellie Holcomb; Darryl Worley
For Ellie Holcomb, this will be her Grand Ole Opry debut. Born Elizabeth Asher Bannister in Nashville, Tennessee, she graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2005 with a degree in English and in 2006 she received her Masters in Education. In 2006 she married Drew Holcomb. Her musical career began in 2005 with Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, after which she began her solo career. In 2011 Ellie had her first release with "Magnolia." She followed that with "With You Now" which reached as high as #7 on the Christian Album chart. Her debut studio album, "As Sure as the Sun" was released in 2014, the same year that she was awarded Best New Artist at the GMA Dove Awards. Her second album "Red Sea Road" was released this past January.
And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 5 years ago, the weekend of March 30 & 31, 2012:
Friday March 30
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Randy Montana
7:30: The Whites (host); Billy Yates; Rhonda Vincent
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Elizabeth Cook
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jesse McReynolds; Patty Loveless
Saturday March 31
1st show
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jimmy C Newman; Sam Bush
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeannie Seely; Keith & Kristyn Getty
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Stu Phillips; Crystal Gayle; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); John Conlee; Patty Loveless
2nd show
9:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Patty Loveless
10:00: John Conlee (host); Jeannie Seely; Sam Bush
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Keith & Kristyn Getty; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Crystal Gayle
Now from 10 years ago, the weekend of March 30 & 31, 2007:
Friday March 30
8:00: Mike Snider (host); The Whites; Julie Roberts
8:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jan Howard; Mel McDaniel; Connie Smith
9:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Angela Hacker
9:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jack Greene; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Joe Nichols
Saturday March 31
1st show
6:30: Mike Snider (host); The Whites; Jimmy C Newman
7:00: Martina McBride; Little Big Town; Angela Hacker; Terri Clark
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); George Hamilton IV; Mel McDaniel; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Hal Ketchum; Cherryholmes
2nd show
9:30: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Martina McBride
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); The Whites; Riders In The Sky; Terri Clark
10:30: Hal Ketchum (host); George Hamilton IV; Little Big Town; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Angela Hacker; Cherryholmes
So the big question from that weekend is who was Angela Hacker and what every became of her? Well, Angela Hacker was the winner of season 5 of "Nashville Star." Nashville Star aired on USA Network from 2003 until mid-2008, and also on NBC in 2008. Among the winners: Season 1-Buddy Jewell (with Miranda Lambert finishing in 3rd place); Season 2-Brad Cotter ( with George Canyon finishing in 2nd place); Season 3-Erika Jo; Season 4-Chris Young; with Angela Hacker winning in Season 5 (which saw Whitney Duncan finishing in 5th place and Kacey Musgraves finishing in 7th); and in Season 6, the final season, Melisa Lawson was the winner.
Angela was born in 1978 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. At the age of 13, she entered a singing contest at her school and has continued singing since. After spending a number of years struggling and working on her singing, she landed an audition for season five of "Nashville Star" and was selected to be one of the shows ten finalists. For the final show, which she won, she competed against her younger brother. As part of her winnings, she received a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. Her debut album, "The Winner Is..." was released on April 3, 2007, thus corresponding to her Opry appearance. The album had no singles and has had no chart success. At last word, she was living in Florence, Alabama and still singing.
To finish it up for this week, it was 39 years ago Saturday night, April 1, 1978, that the Opry featured another one of the reunion shows. Here is the running order of the Opry from that night:
1st show
6:00: Vietti
Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya
Wilma Lee Cooper: Come Walk with Me
Lonzo & Oscar: Crawdad Song
Charlie Louvin: Warm, Warm Women
Zeke Clements: Live & Learn/Somebody's Been Beatin' My Time/Why Should I Cry Over You/Just A Little Lovin'/Hope on the Water
Jimmy C Newman: Diggy Liggy Lo
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Sid Harkreader: Mockingbird Breakdown
Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo
6:45: Rudy's
Jack Greene (host): Your Love Takes Care of Me
Jeannie Seely: Since I Met 'Cha, Boy
Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule
Jack Greene & Jeannie Seely: Sing for the Good Times
7:00: Shoney's
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong With the Way that We're Doing it Now
Pee Wee King: Deck of Cards/Tennessee Waltz
Billy Grammer: Bonaparte's Retreat
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball/Tennessee Central No. 9/Sunshine Special
Minnie Pearl: Careless Love
Alcyone Beasley: My Wild Irish Rose
Jack Shook: Along the Santa Fe Trail
Jack Shook & Alcyone Beasley: When the Desert Sun Goes Down
Crook Brothers/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Eight of January
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away
8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind's A' Comin'
Del Reeves: When My Angel Turns into a Devil
Guy Willis: Boots & Saddle
Annie Lou & Danny Dill: Slippin' Around
4 Guys: You've Got Me Runnin'
Porter Wagoner: Katy Did/Swing Lo; Sweet Chariot
8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): In the Misty Moonlight
Billy Walker: San Antonio Rose/You Gave Me a Mountain
Paul Howard: Stay A Little Longer
Wilburn Brothers: Trouble's Back in Town
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Hank Snow: It Kinda Reminds Me of Me
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bucket to the South
Lonzo & Oscar: No Relief in Sight
Charlie Louvin: If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
Ernie Ashworth: You Can't Pick a Rose in December
Del Reeves: When My Angel Turns into a Devil
10:00: Fender
Jack Greene (host): You Love Takes Good Care of Me
Jeannie Seely: Who Needs You
Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz/Beer Barrel Polka
Roy Acuff: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
10:30: Trailblazer
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Billy Grammer: I Still Love You As I Did In Yesterday
Stonewall Jackson: Angry Words
Porter Wagoner: I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand/On A Highway Headed South
10:45: Beech-Nut
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with the Way that We're Doing it Now
Crook Brothers w/Sid Harkreader/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Gray Eagle
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
4 Guys: When Will I Be Loved/The Wurlitzer Prize
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Guy Willis: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Kirk McGee: Victory Rag/Freight Train
Hank Snow: Paper Roses
11:30: Elm Hill
Billy Walker (host): Sing Me A Love Song to Baby
Stu Phillips: Let Me Love You All Over Again/Crystal Chandeliers
Wilburn Brothers: It Looks Like the Sun's Gonna Shine/The Light House
Billy Walker: A Legend in My Time
Among the former Opry members who appeared on the 1978 reunion show were Zeke Clements; Sid Harkreader; Curly Fox; Pee Wee King; Alcyone Beasley; Jack Shook; Paul Howard; and finally, Annie Lou & Danny Dill.
"The Sweethearts of Country Music" Annie Lou and Danny were a duet act that were members of the Grand Ole Opry between 1946 and the mid-1950s. After their joint career ended, Danny Dill became one of the Cedarwood publishing company's best songwriters.
Annie Lou Stockard Dill was born on July 27, 1925 in Skull Bone, Tennessee. She was singing with her twin sisters on radio in Jackson, Tennessee when she met, and in 1945 married, another radio singer Horace Dill, later given the name Danny by one of his first touring partners, the Duke of Paducah. Their music was much in the style of Lulu Belle & Scotty, and they joined the Grand Ole Opry in January 1946. They recorded for Bullet in 1949. Besides their Nashville radio work, they toured with the Duke of Paducah, Eddy Arnold, Ernest Tubb, George Morgan and other Grand Ole Opry stars until their act, and their marriage, broke up in the 1960s.
Horace Eldred "Danny" was born in Dollar Hill, Tennessee on September 19, 1924. He recorded solo for ABC and Curb Records and turned to songwriting, his first hit being "If You Saw Her Through My Eyes" for Carl Smith in 1954. Later he co-wrote "Long Black Veil" and "Detroit City."
After their divorce, Annie Lou never remarried and died in Bradford, Tennessee in 1982 at the age of 57. Danny, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975, passed away on October 23, 2008.
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!
Just thought I would share this.
ReplyDeleteIF YOU KNOW ANY OFFICERS OR DIRECTORS OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION (CMA), PLEASE ASK THEM TO READ THIS POST IN ITS ENTIRETY.
For a list of those individuals, please click here: http://www.cmaworld.com/about-cma/board-of-directors/
The grim reality is this: Dottie West and other deceased artists in the Veterans Category – like Jerry Reed, the Wilburn Brothers, Johnny Horton, Archie Campbell, and others – have little or no chance of being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame under the present induction process used by the Country Music Association (CMA).
The main reason is because there is only one inductee selected each year in the Veterans Category, and the ongoing trend is for those inductees to be still active. In the past eight years, there have been NO deceased artists inducted in the Veterans Category. Dead artists are not visible and marketable to the CMA’s Hall of Fame electors. Living artists are.
Another reason is because the CMA recently lowered the qualification years for the Veterans Category from 45 to 40. That means that many living artists like Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams, Jr., Crystal Gayle, and others are now eligible in the Veterans Category. That list includes Charlie Daniels, the most recent Veterans Category inductee. Under the previous 45-year restriction, he would have been considered in the Modern Catetory with Randy Travis.
In recent years a majority of the inductees in the Veterans Category (e.g., Charlie Daniels, Jim Ed Brown) as well as the Modern Category (e.g., Randy Travis, Oak Ridge Boys) have all been represented by the same publicity firm. That same publicity firm also represents Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams, Jr., and Crystal Gayle who are now eligible to be inducted in the Veterans Category. The issue is not that publicity firm – they are simply doing their job, and doing it well. The issue is also not the past inducteees – they are all deserving.
The problem lies with the CMA’s actual induction process. It is flawed, and until the CMA revamps its system – Dottie West and others (who have no publicity firm) will most likely never be rightfully recognized.
One obvious solution would be to initiate a separate Veterans Category designated specifically for posthumous inductions.
Sounds like we will not have a Dottie West induction for 2017.
ReplyDeleteThis article is a echo of what myself and others have been saying for many years. I will add though that no deceased artist has been inducted from the Veteran category since the addition of Lew DeWitt with the Statlers in 2009. Prior to that it goes back to the mass induction of 2001, which I feel was very poorly done and handled. Floyd Cramer, DeFord Bailey, Pop Stoneman, Hank Cochran and Grady Martin have all been elected through the "rotating" categories in the last 15 years.
I agree that no one is to blame but the CMA. You cannot blame the artists for working with PR firms to try to achieve the highest honor of the genre.
I guess we'll know in a week. The only predictions I will make is that I feel a female wil go in this year. Crystal Gayle or Tanya Tucker. And both could be elected in either category; as their commercial success extended from the early 1970's thru the 1990's.
Yes David, I would agree, especially based on the comment in the Facebook post, that Crystal Gayle and/or Tanya Tucker are in. And it might give a clue as to Hank Williams, Jr. also.
DeleteI agree that should be a posthumous inductions for all those who are already gone [say 5-10 inductions every year]Here are my posthumous picks for 2017. Wilburn Brothers,Bradley Kincaid,Dottie West,Lulu Belle & Scotty,Wilma Lee & Stoney,Archie Campbell,Lonzo & Oscar.Do it now before they're forgotten
ReplyDeletewho do you guys see getting into the Hall of Fame this year out of the following acts for the Modern and Veterans categories this year?
ReplyDeleteModern Category
Ricky Skaggs
Alan Jackson
Brooks & Dunn
Veterans Category
Hank Williams Jr.
Tanya Tucker
Crystal Gayle
Ray Stevens
I wish PR had nothing to do with these things, but, of course, it does. It's part of life.
ReplyDeleteI am sure I have shared this here, but my mother, who introduced me to old country music (my dad likes it, but at first that was in self-defense!), resented how Minnie Pearl said she pushed for Rod Brasfield's induction because she didn't want people to "forget" him. Of course he shouldn't be forgotten, but how many have been forgotten because someone wasn't there to lend support like that?
But my mother used to say the hall of fame was silly. Her argument was that if you're honoring contributions to country music, isn't it a bit strange that Marty Robbins goes in ahead of Jimmy Dickens, who discovered him? I suppose, but thank goodness they did it when you consider that Marty died a couple of months later. There will always be these kinds of debates, and there will be people who we are convinced belong and aren't in, or, in some cases, don't belong. Looking above at the modern and veterans category, can anyone really object to any of them? It's hard to, but in the Modern Category, Ricky Skaggs jumps out because he was the one who started country music back to where it was supposed to be, and then along came Randy Travis--who's in.
Ray Stevens is great (so are the others in the Veterans Category), but I would be hard-pressed to argue he has been more important to country music than, to pick someone with some similarities, Archie Campbell.
Too me it has a lot to do with who you know or knew and as you said with Minnie and Rod, who is pulling for you. By the way, I have been listening to many old Opry shows from the 40's and 50's and Rod Brasfield was great. I loved Minnie Pearl but Rod is every bit as good as she was. There again, she became a household name and of course she live a long life.
ReplyDeleteI understand the thought on Marty and Jimmy but there again, Marty was very high profile. Not only was he a huge hit maker, writer and grammy winner but he had made movies, had his own TV shows and raced cars with the big boys of NASCAR. Who was Jimmy Dickens? Other than appearing on Carson and having his fame with Bird of Paridise, how recognizable was his face or name. As great as he was as a country performer and innovator his name was not that well known. And I'm a big fan and think he very much deserves the HOF but compared to Marty's reach into other entertainment types, he was not that well known.
In my opinion two names that are not talked about much is Hawkshaw Hawkins and Cowboy Copas. They have been gone over 50 years now and as great as Patsy was, they have existed in her shadow ever since the crash. As we get further away, how many of the voters will know who they are? And, generations today and upcoming are less interested in distant history than the history possibly the generation just before them.
There are so many who have contributed but as time marches on, so many to choose from. They can't all be in the HOF for then it would not be special. It makes me think of things I hear today where they want to give trophies to loosing teams in school competition so that no one feels demeaned or left behind. That's life, if you loose, you work harder the next time and maybe you win.
I understand there is no next time in the case of these performers careers but my point is that the HOF should be for those who made the greatest impact on the industry and the public. I've mentioned Goldie Hill before and I would personally like to see her in the HOF but if I apply my above theory does she really pass the test? Sadly, probably not.
I agree there should be a posthumous category to go and pick up some of these folks but there would still be people left behind that probably deserve to be in that would not make it.
I'm just thankful that Jean Shepard, The Browns, Carl Smith and Mac Wiseman got in time to enjoy it.
So goes the conversation and opinions.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
I have one more posthumous induction for 2017;JOHNNY HORTON
ReplyDeleteTo me Rod Brasfield has every rite to be in the Hall of Fame. As well as The Duke Of Paducah. I realize many people scratch their heads today wondering "who are those two?" But you must realize how important a comedy act was to a tour and the Grand Ole Opry during the early years. And the 3 biggest names was Minnie, Rod and The Duke. I believe Brasfields career was rising even higher at his death. Achieving a roll in a major motion picture. The Duke sold his joke book to Hee Haw. They lived on him for many years. I have no issues with either one of them being members. Now the next generation of comics, Ray Stevens, Jerry Clower and Archie Campbell need the same respect. As I believe those three had Hall of Fame careers.
ReplyDeleteJim and David, I certainly intended no disrespect to Rod Brasfield, who was a brilliant actor--I emphasize actor; he played a rube, and watch him in "A Face in the Crowd"; he could do anything. My point was, as Jim said above, that Minnie was there to support his induction. Yet we have a lot of Dottie West supporters, including family, and that doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. The Country Music Hall of Fame, like any other hall of fame or anything in life, is political, and I don't mean in terms of partisanship. So we'll keep on posting here and debating it!
ReplyDeleteWell who could tell Minnie Pearl "no". Lol. That would be like telling your grandmother to take a hike. I see your point Michael. Acording to a source I have Brasfield was nominated in 73, 76, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86 and finally elected in 1987. So I can see where Minnie was concerned her friend, already deceased 30 years, may get lost in time. In thinking about it, Stonewall Jackson, is most likely the last artist left that possibly worked with Brasfield.
DeleteMichael,
DeleteDidn't think you were being disrespectful. I had jsut been listening to Rod and his talent was fresh on my mind.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
In terms of a PR agency doing their job, why doesn't someone create a PR agency for deceased country artists with the sole intent of keeping their name alive for HoF purposes?
ReplyDeleteNew greatest hits package? PR blitz. Date of birth, anniversary of death, or some other event coming up? PR blitz. You'd have to get the okay from all the estates of course, but if you mention it's for HoF purposes, I'm sure most, if not all, would be willing.
Just because no one has done it yet doesn't mean it's a ridiculous concept. I think it could succeed if helmed by the right people.
A.B.