Can you believe it is the end of September already? Where did the month go? Before you know it, we will be talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas. While fall rolls on, so does the Grand Ole Opry and the schedule has been posted for the weekend shows. One show on Friday and one show on Saturday.
Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both shows this weekend include Connie Smith, Mike Snider and Jeannie Seely. Friday night, that trio will be joined by Bobby Osborne and Steve Wariner, while on Saturday night Dailey & Vincent, The Whites and Bill Anderson will join the trio, giving us five Opry members on Friday and six on Saturday.
The guest list this weekend is led by the legendary Tony Joe White. Now 75, he is best known for his 1969 hit "Polk Salad Annie," which was a Top 10 single and recorded by numerous other artists including Elvis Presley, and for writing the Brook Benton classic "Rainy Night in Georgia." Since then, he has released dozens and dozens of albums on various labels, and while not having any monster hits, has developed a following and a reputation for experimenting with various types of music and recording with dozens of artists including Jessi Colter, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams.
Joining Tony Joe White on Friday night will be Kalie Shorr, Runaway June, LEVON, Shelly Fairchild, and the ever popular Hunter Hayes. Saturday night will feature guest artists Lindsay Ell, Brent Cobb, Maggie Rose, Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy, and making his Grand Ole Opry debut, Brandon Lay.
Friday September 28
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Kalie Shorr; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Runaway June; LEVON
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Shelly Fairchild; Tony Joe White
8:45: Steve Wariner (host); Hunter Hayes
Saturday September 29
7:00: Connie Smith (host); Mike Snider; Lindsay Ell
7:30: Dailey & Vincent (host); The Whites; Brent Cobb
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Brandon Lay; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Jeannie Seely (host); Maggie Rose; Charlie McCoy
As mentioned, Saturday will be the Grand Ole Opry debut for Brandon Lay.
Growing up in Jackson, Tennessee, Brandon Lay lived out the songs of John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, and Bruce Springsteen. He played sports during the day, fixed cars after school and eventually wrote down his experiences in song, telling not only his story, but the story of other kids raised in small town America.
Now signed to EMI Records Nashville, he's able to share those songs on a grand scale, beginning with his autobiographical debut single "Speakers, Bleachers and Preachers." Inspired directly by Brandon's life, the song spells out right in its title the three chief influences that shaped him. There was always country music on the radio, he played basketball, football and baseball, and his dad spread gospel on Sundays as a minister. "Between going to church and playing sports, there was always a lesson to be learned," says Brandon. "And country music lyrics are all about life lessons. All of that helped me figure out who I am in the world and what I wanted to do."
At first, he thought his path would lead him to sports, but music won out, thanks in part to a guitar teacher who inspired him in college and the luck of where he was born, halfway between Memphis and Nashville. "Growing up in Jackson, you were hearing out of each ear: Rock & Roll and R&B to the west in Memphis, and country to the east in Nashville," he says. "But country is the only genre I wanted to be a part of."
Brandon's commitment to music was cemented, however, when he performed at his first open-mic night, at a cinder block roadhouse near the Tennessee River. He sang jukebox staples "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" and "Brown Eyed Girl," and despite an initial crowd of only eight people looking on, he returned each week and discovered he had a knack for commanding an audiences attention.
Other than perhaps the basketball court, there's nowhere Brandon feels more at home than in a recording studio. Upon signing a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell in 2013, he absorbed all he could about studio production and when it came time to cut his own music, teamed up with producer Paul Digovanni to co-produce all of his songs, a rare feat for a new artist.
With his album already finished, Brandon, who cites class of '89 alums like Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson as country heroes, is focusing on taking the songs on the road. He's already opened for artists like Dierks Bentley and Old Dominion, and is playing fairs and festivals around the country. And Saturday night, he will be playing the Grand Ole Opry.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from the 10 years ago, the final weekend in September 2008:
Friday September 26
8:00: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jack Greene; Suzy Bogguss
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Del McCoury Band; Terri Clark
9:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; The Whites; Darryl Worley
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Helen Cornelius; Stonewall Jackson; Connie Smith; The Grascals
Saturday September 27
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; Tennessee Mafia Jug Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:00: Marty Stuart (host); Keith Urban; Carolina Chocolate Drops; Connie Smith; Sharon & Cheryl White
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Jeannie Seely; Del McCoury Band
10:00: Marty Stuart (host); Jan Howard; Tennessee Mafia Jug Band; Connie Smith
10:30: Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Helen Cornelius; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Keith Urban; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; Carolina Chocolate Drops
Now from 50 years ago, Saturday September 28, 1968:
1st show
6:30: Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host); The Four Guys
6:45: Willis Brothers (host); Ernie Ashworth
7:00: Roy Acuff (host); Charlie Walker; Del Wood; The Harden Trio
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann; Stringbean; Crook Brothers
8:00: Hank Locklin (host); Bill Carlisle; George Morgan; Cousin Jody
8:30: Charlie Louvin (host); Jim and Jesse; Penny DeHaven; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Jim Alley
2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson (host); Willis Brothers; Ernie Ashworth
10:00: Roy Acuff (host); Bill Carlisle; Jimmy Martin
10:15: Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host); Bill Carlisle; Del Wood
10:30: Hank Locklin (host); Charlie Walker; Stringbean
10:45: George Morgan (host); Harden Trio; Crook Brothers
11:00: Archie Campbell (host); Jim and Jesse; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Lorene Mann; Sam McGee
11:30: Charlie Louvin (host); Penny DeHaven; Cousin Jody
It was nice to see the Harden Trio listed on the Opry that night. The trio consisted of Bobby Harden and his sisters Robbie and Arlene. Originally from England, Arkansas, the trio began performing on the Louisiana Hayride while still teenagers.
Robbie was the first to move to Nashville as part of The Browns, filling in for Bonnie Brown on the Grand Ole Opry and on most road dates. Bobby and Arlene followed and the trio began working together again. In 1964 the signed with Columbia Records and released their debut single "Poor Boy." That was followed by "Tippy Toeing" which spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at No. 2. Before disbanding in 1968, the trio had four more singles and three albums on the country charts.
After the trio broke up, Arlene and Robbie charted as final single as The Hardens in 1968 with "Who Loves You." Bobby briefly formed a new trio with Karen Wheeler and Shirley Michaels before going solo and recording on several different labels. His greater success was as a songwriter, with songs recorded by George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, among others. Bobby passed away on May 30, 2006.
Arlene also went solo and released several albums on various labels and had a total of 18 singles released between 1967 and 1978. Robbie joined the Johnny Cash show in 1969 as part of the Carter Family, replacing June Carter who was pregnant with John Carter Cash.
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Looking back in Opry history at the last weekend of September, it was on Saturday September 29, 1956 that Rose Maddox became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
You can't tell the story of Rose Maddox without first discussing the Maddox family.
The Maddox Brothers and Rose advertised themselves as "the most colorful hillbilly band in America." During their prime years from the mid-40's through the mid-50's, they lived up to their publicity, which not only featured colorful costumes but loads of talent and humor in various vocal and instrumental combinations. The Maddox Family offered West Coast Country fans an exciting alternative to Western Swing and Cowboy music.
The Maddox family hailed from the Sand Mountain country of Appalachian Alabama where the family, which included seven children and were sharecroppers, struggled to survive during the Great Depression. When cotton prices dropped, Mom Maddox determined to better the family's condition and decided to fulfill her lifelong dream of taking them to California. Selling their few possessions gained the parents $30 in cash. With the two older children remaining in Alabama, the rest of the family walked and hitchhiked to Meridian, Mississippi. From their, freight trains provided the rest of the transportation, taking the family to Oakland, California. As to other homeless families in California, the family worked picking fruit, traveling as farm laborers up and down the interior valley of the state.
The Maddox family had taken their musical instruments on their journey to California, and in 1937 older brother Fred decided to form a family band and talked a Modesto business man to sponsor them on local radio, provided there was a girl singer. Named the Alabama Outlaws and fronted by eleven year old Rose, the family hit the airways and quickly received thousands of letters of fan mail. By the end of the year, they renamed themselves Maddox Brothers & Rose and with their mix of southern folk music, contemporary western song, and roguish, the group built up a avid following. In 1939 they took first place in a hillbilly band competition at the California State Fair, winning a two-year contract on the McClatchy Broadcasting network based in Sacramento.
With the brothers fighting overseas during World War II, the group broke up, however in December 1945 the band was back on the air and recording for Four Star Records. They hired rodeo tailor Nathan Turk to create some of the most elaborate and striking costumers worn by a country music act to date. With their unorthodox, high volume honky-tonk music, matched by their legendary show and dance presentation, group became legendary. Records such as "Alimony," "Single Girl, " and "Hangover Blues" established Rose as an independent, almost protofeminist figure, and by the time the family guested on the Grand Ole Opry in February 1949, she was possibly the leading national female star in country music.
In 1950, disgusted with the financial arrangements at Four Star, where the group never was paid, the family, with the help of union intervention, was released from their contract. They immediately signed with Columbia Records. Rose was so popular that by the mid-1950s, Columbia held three separate contracts on her (one with her brothers, one as a single, and one as a short-lived duet act with her sister-in-law). Due to a combination of producer Don Law wanting the family to tone down their sound, and Rose's ambition to cut more pop-slanted records, in 1956 the group disbanded.
This led to Rose returning to the Grand Ole Opry on September 29, 1956, this time as a member, and making an appearance that would become legendary in Opry history. That night, after changing into a risqué, bare-midriff cowgirl suit, Rose hid until her name was called, then appeared to a tumultuous reception to sing "Tall Men." It was a performance for the ages.
Rose was at the Opry less than 6 months. While political tensions between California-based and Tennessee-base musicians ultimately led to her dismissal in March 1957, it was reportedly at the request of Roy Acuff that she was fired. He felt her act was a little too much for the Opry's conservative audiences.
In 1959, after Rose left Nashville and the Opry, she signed with Capital Records and had her biggest chart successes: "Sing a Little Song of Heartache" which went to #3 in 1962, and with Buck Owens, "Loose Talk" which reached #4 in 1961. In By 1967 she was recording for Starday, followed by various independent labels with little national success.
Rose suffered several heart attacks from the late 1960s onwards, but continued to record and perform. In 1996, she was nominated for a Grammy award for her Arhoolie bluegrass album, "$35 and a Dream." Her final album, "The Moon is Rising" was released in 1996. In her later years, she lived in Ashland, Oregon. She died in Ashland on April 15, 1998 due to kidney failure. She was 72.
Here is the running order from 62 years ago, Saturday September 29, 1956, the night Rose Maddox joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry:
7:30: Federal Fertilizer Company
Jim Reeves (host): According to My Heart
Del Wood: Intermission at the Opry
Justin Tubb: Lucky Lucky Someone
Jim Reeves: Oklahoma Hills
Fiddle Tune: Arkansas Traveler
7:45: American Ace
Marty Robbins (host): Singing the Blues
Jean Shepard: You Are Calling Me Sweetheart
Benny Martin: Lover of the Town
Marty Robbins: Who At My Door is Standing
Fiddle Tune: Turkey in the Straw
8:00: Martha White
Ray Price (host): Crazy Arms
Flatt and Scruggs: Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Carter Sisters: Sweet Talking Man
Possum Hunters: Fire in the Mountain
Ray Price: You Done Me Wrong
Martha Carson: Let the Light Shine
George Morgan: Stay Away from Me Baby
Flatt and Scruggs: Give Mother My Crown
Ray Price: Release Me
8:30: Prince Albert
Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore
Jordanaires: When I Move
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Sunny Side of the Mountain
Fiddle Tune: Mississippi Sawyer
Hank Snow: Farther Along
Moon Mullican: Blue Tears
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Hawkshaw Hawkins: If It Ain't on the Menu
Chet Atkins: Avalon
Hank Snow: Conscience I'm Guilty
Fiddle Tune: Sally Goodin
9:00: Jefferson Island Salt
Jimmy Dickens (host): Big Sandy
Ferlin Husky: Imitations
Goldie Hill: I'm Beginning to Feel Mistreated
Bill Monroe: Blue Moon of Kentucky
Jimmy Dickens: Cornbread and Buttermilk
Rose Maddox: Tall Men
Ferlin Husky: That Big Old Moon
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin Hen
Jimmy Dickens: I Never Thought it Would Happen to Me
9:30: Stephens
Carl Smith (host): You Are the One
Jim Reeves: If You Were Mine
Lew Childre: Southern Hospitality
Anita Carter: One Heart Ache at a Time
Carl Smith: If You Do Dear
Jean Shepard: It's Hard to Tell
Justin Tubb: Lucky Lucky Someone
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Jim Reeves: Highway to Nowhere
Carl Smith: Don't Tease Me
10:00: Wall-Rite
George Morgan (host): Rainbow in My Heart
Martha Carson: Satisfied
Moon Mullican: You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry
George Morgan: Take A Look at Yourself
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream
10:15: Delited
Marty Robbins (host): Call Me Up and I'll Come Calling on You
Benny Martin: Whipper Will
Marty Robbins: Singin' the Blues
Fiddle Tune: Bill Cheatham
10:30: Hester Battery
Jimmy Dickens (host): Blackeyed Joe
Bill Monroe: I Believed in You Darling
Goldie Hill: Sample My Kisses
Jimmy Dickens: It Scares Me Half to Death
Fiddle Tune: 8th of January
10:45: D-Con
Hank Snow (host): Would You Mind
Rose Maddox: (?)
Crook Brothers: Tom and Jerry
Hank Snow: Why Do You Punish Me
Fiddling Fish and Stick: Back Up and Push
11:00: Coca-Cola
Carl Smith (host): Doggone it Baby, I'm in Love
Jim Reeves: My Lips are Sealed
Jean Shepard: It's Hard to Tell the Married
Flatt and Scruggs: What's Good for You Should be Alright for Me
Carl Smith: Before I Met You
Jordanaires: Shaking Bridges
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Rattle Snake Daddy
Gully Jumpers: Durang Horn Pipe
Jim Reeves: Waiting on Top of the World
Carl Smith: Go Boy Go
11:30: Jamison
Ray Price (host): Crazy Arms
Ferlin Husky: Waiting
Justin Tubb: You Nearly Lose Your Mind
Sam and Kirk: Milk'em in the Morning
Ray Price: Release Me
Lew Childre: Hang out the Front Door Key
Ferlin Husky: Imitations
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark
Ray Price: I'll Be There
Fiddle Tune: Leather Britches
There you have it for this week. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!!
Rose Maddox is among the few artists overlooked by the Opry on their historic timeline of members. She, along with Slim Whitman and Merle Travis, are not listed at all as being past members. It makes me wonder if the Opry even knows these three legendary artists were ever part of their ranks. Also missing is Lazy Jim Day, who some believe was a member, while others believe he was not. He was apart of many Opry packaged shows, and appeared on the Opry very frequently (truthfully regularly) in the 1950’s.
ReplyDeleteSomeone on this note, I did noticed that the Opry changed the induction date of Bobby Bare on their website from “Member since 2018” to “member since 1964”. I guess he gets the “Jimmy Dickens” treatment and gets his orginial induction date.
Dsvid, that's really interesting, and thanks. By the way, Bare joined in 1965. The Opry continues to do such a fine job of keeping track of its history. Why don't they hire Byron?
ReplyDeleteA lot of longtime members--including Mr. Acuff--left for a time, in his case, for about a year, but everybody said he'd been a member since 1938. That's a bit more agreeable than when they said Little Jimmy had been an Opry member since 1948.
Twenty eight years ago I went to see Willie Nelson during what he calls his worse decision: his extended run playing in Branson to pay off his tax debt. There was an older lady sitting in front of us arguing with what I assumed was a grandson maybe in his 20s. Never thought another thing about it until the end of the show when Willie said, "We've got a special guest here that I'd like to have come up on the stage and sing with me - Rose Maddox!" Yep, the woman in front of me got up and sang "I'll Fly Away" with Willie! How I wished that I had known about Rose Maddox back then. I would love to have talked to her, gotten an autograph and a photo - that along with missing a Bill Monroe concert near my home where I believe I could have met him and not going to a Sinatra concert are three of my biggest musical regrets. I do believe that the Maddox Brothers and Rose belong in the Hall Fame and yes, her album "$35 Dollars and a Dream" is a classic - her version of "Sin City" is one for the ages. (oldtimeopry)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn looking at the cast members listed in the Grand Ole Opry's 90th Anniversary Family Album, the 2nd edition, Lazy Jim Day is not listed as a former Opry member, however both Slim Whitman and Rose Maddox are listed.
ReplyDeleteFor what it is worth, the Opry has reached out to me, asking what I have regarding various dates as to Opry members, guest artists and their appearances. I know in talking to them, there is a real effort being made to improve and update their historical records.
Another reason I “assumed” Lazy Jim Day was a member was the fact he was immortalized in “The Grand Ole Opry Song”, on the now legendary “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” album, featuring Jimmy Martin. The follow artists are mentioned in the song (in order): Red Foley, Hank Williams, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield, Lazy Jim Day, Little Jimmy Dickens, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Ernest Tubb, Uncle Dave Macon, Cowboy Copas, Sam & Kirk McGee, George D. Hay, Lonzo & Oscar, George Morgan, Bradley Kincaid, Stringbean, Hank Snow and Chubby Wise.
DeleteAll included in the song were members, with the exception of Hay and maybe Chubby Wise. If not a member, it’s safe to say, Lazy Jim Day must have been a big part of the show. There is little about him on YouTube. A comical “talky” recording or two.
David, it's kind of interesting that the song mentions Earl Scruggs but he wasn't a member yet, and by that time he and Lester had left Bill Monroe. I guess it shows just how important his banjo playing was!
ReplyDeleteByron, Great news and compliment (to you) that the Opry needs your help in recordkeeping!! Sad commentary that they need your help. You should be a paid consultant. (from Anonymous in PA)
ReplyDeleteCongrats Byron...Your the BEST...Bob
ReplyDeleteThis puts Byron right up there with Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Jim Ed Brown and so so many others. He's a legendary veteran and he is still talking to all of us. :)
ReplyDeleteNice job Byron. Should make us feel pretty good too that we have such wonderful conversations with a man that the Opry looks to for help. I'm sure having the Opry reach out just drives you to work that much harder to collect the facts and keep up the blog and your work. Thanks for letting us be a part of you blog.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
@Anonymous in PA and Jim ... I totally agree with both of you in all you say about Byron. I have been reading the Fayfare's Opry blog about eight years and it is always a great read. If one wants to know anything about the Opry, they know where to go for any and all information. Byron is pretty well accessible should anyone need a question answered.
DeleteAs always, job well done Byron; and thanks for letting all of us add our "two cents" to your blog and congrats.
(Jeanene)
Add me to the list of folks who really enjoy what Byron is doing here.
DeleteSeldom miss a day of "checking in" to see what's happening.
I'll join in singing Byron's praises. This blog is a must-read for me, and should be for anyone who loves country music.
ReplyDeleteYou folks are all too much. The kind words are appreciated very much. I try to do the best that I can and I never realized how much people do care about the Opry and want to know about the history of the show. I have been amazed at the number of emails I have received asking for information. Many of those come from family members of long forgotten country music performers. Some have found about the blog from google searches while a good number of them have been referred to me by the Opry.
ReplyDeleteIn talking to those who are responsible for the record keeping at the Opry, there is a realization that much has been lost and if in some small way I can help them fill in any gaps, it is my pleasure to help out. And as I said, there is a concerted effort to do a better job and I know they are. That is one reason why you see members and guests recognized when they hit a certain milestone, whether in years as a member or number of guest appearances.
Again, my thanks and appreciation to all who leave comments and opinions, or who just stop by for a brief visit. While we may have a difference of opinion, we all share a common love of the Opry. My hat is off to each and everyone of you.
Thank‘s Byron for all your hard work! I read every word from you.
ReplyDeleteI hope that the Opry will open the podcast archives some day, since on WSM are only the 2014-2018 shows online. Sadly they deleted the 2011-2013 podcasts...
Regards Sven
We just watched a show called "Opry Encore" (on RFD-TV); it was from 1997. It was one of the Opry TV shows and Porter Wagoner was the host; he was celebrating his 40th year on the Grand Ole Opry. At that time, there was no significant outward recognition (at least on the TV portion). He brought his son and two daughters on stage to introduce them and at the end, he brought out his two "dearest friends and fishing buddies", Grandpa Jones and Little Jimmy Dickens. They stepped from off stage and made brief remarks. It seemed a little awkward, in that, Porter was doing his own recognition for his 40 years. He also changed into the jacket he wore on the night he became a member. None of the other performers congratulated him either. At least now there is better recognition of the milestones of the members.
ReplyDelete