Grand Ole Opry 12/7 & 12/8

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the shows this weekend, with two shows each night, Friday and Saturday. With only four more weekends in 2018, I thought this would be a good weekend to head down to Nashville and take in the weekend shows, so that is where I will be this weekend.

Among the notable artists scheduled this weekend is Grand Ole Opry member, and Country Music Hall of Fame member, Emmylou Harris, who is scheduled for all four shows. Emmylou hasn't been on the Opry very often over the past decade, so it will be a treat to see her on the Ryman stage. Also scheduled for all four shows this weekend are Opry members Mike Snider, Connie Smith and John Conlee. They will be joined for both shows on Friday night by Jeannie Seely, while The Whites are set for both shows on Saturday night. Additionally, Riders In The Sky are listed for the first show on Saturday, with Bobby Osborne scheduled for just the second show.

Among the guest artists this weekend will be Toby Keith, who is scheduled for both shows on Friday night. Toby has appeared on the Opry a few times in the past, and it has been several years since his last appearance. Looks like the Opry is going all out for Toby as he has his own 30 minute segment on each show.

Other guest artists scheduled for Friday night include Tenille Townes, Mac McAnally, Paul Thorn, and Eddy Raven. Saturday it will be another guest appearance for Kelsea Ballerini, joined by Jessie James Decker, Tegan Marie, and an outstanding duo, The Secret Sisters.

Friday December 7
1st show
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Tenille Townes; Mike Snider
7:30: John Conlee (host); Emmylou Harris
8:00: Connie Smith (host); Mac McAnally; Eddy Raven; Paul Thorn
8:30: Toby Keith

2nd show
9:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Tenille Townes; Mike Snider
10:00: John Conlee (host); Emmylou Harris
10:30: Toby Keith
11:00: Connie Smith (host); Mac McAnally; Eddy Raven; Paul Thorn

Saturday December 8
1st show
7:00: John Conlee (host); Mike Snider; Jessie James Decker
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Tegan Marie; The Secret Sisters
8:00: The Whites (host); Emmylou Harris; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Connie Smith (host); Kelsea Ballerini

2nd show
9:30: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Jessie James Decker
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Tegan Marie; The Secret Sisters
10:30: The Whites (host); Emmylou Harris; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Connie Smith (host); Kelsea Ballerini

Hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on Saturday evening will be Riders In The Sky. Nice to see an Opry act hosting the jamboree this weekend.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the weekend of December 5 and 6, 2008:

Friday December 5
7:00: Marty Stuart (host); Mike Snider; Connie Smith
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; John Conlee; Del McCoury Band
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jim Ed Brown; Randy Rogers Band
8:30: Emmylou Harris (host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene

Saturday December 6
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown w/Helen Cornelius; Mike Snider
7:30: Marty Stuart (host); Jimmy C Newman; Connie Smith
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; T. Graham Brown; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Emmylou Harris (host); Jean Shepard; John Conlee; Del McCoury Band

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Jack Greene; Mike Snider
10:00: Marty Stuart (host); Jimmy C Newman; Connie Smith
10:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; T. Graham Brown; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Emmylou Harris (host); John Conlee; Del McCoury Band

Now from 25 years ago, Saturday December 4, 1993:

1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Ricky Skaggs (host): Heartbroke
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ricky Skaggs: Honey, Won't You Open that Door

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Jimmy Dickens: We Could

7:00: Shoney's
Bill Monroe (host): Will You Be Loving Another Man
Wilma Lee Cooper: No One Now
Charlie Walker: Smoke; Smoke; Smoke
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya
Connie Smith: The Key's in the Mailbox
Bill Monroe: Tombstone Junction

7:30: Standard Candy
Grandpa Jones (host): Going Down the Country
J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet: American Trilogy
Roger Francis: He Stopped Loving Her Today/Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain/He'll Have to Go/Today I Started Loving You Again/El Paso
Shotgun Red: Comedy
Stonewall Jackson: Life to Go
J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet: You'll Never Walk Alone
Grandpa Jones: Eight More Miles to Louisville

8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind
John Conlee: The Old School/Common Man
Jeannie Seely: When He Leaves You
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Ragtime Annie
Porter Wagoner: The Old Log Cabin for Sale

8:30: Kraft
Hank Snow (host): On the Sea Shores of Old Mexico
Jan Howard: Oh, Lonesome Me
Jim Ed Brown: Fools
The Whites: Pins and Needles
The Four Guys: In the Middle of the Night
Hank Snow: That's When he Dropped the World in My Hand

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Ray Pillow: Someone Had to Teach You
The Whites: It's Not What You Know; It's Who You Know
The Four Guys: I Know; I Know
J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet: I'm a Poor, Poor, Rich Man/Will the Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away/I Saw the Light/Let Us Have a Little Talk With Jesus

10:00: Little Debbie
Ricky Skaggs (host): I Wouldn't Change You If I Could
Jean Shepard: I'll Sail My Ship Alone
Ricky Skaggs: You're Runnin' Wild

10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam
Grandpa Jones (host): Ol' Rattler
Skeeter Davis: Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Roger Francis: He Stopped Loving Her Today/Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain/Hello Darling/But Love Me/
Grandpa Jones: Come and Dine

10:30: Piccadilly
Jim Ed Brown (host): Everyday People
Connie Smith: You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me
Jim Ed and Maxine Brown: Looking Back to See

10:45: Opry Book
Bill Monroe (host): Get Up, John
Jimmy C Newman: Big Mamou
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Dance all Night
Bill Monroe: Christmas Time's A Comin'

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Snowbird
John Conlee: Domestic Life/Lifetime Guarantee
Jan Howard: You Don't Know Me
Clinton Gregory: An Old Hard Time Blues
Hank Snow: Old Shep

11:30: General Jackson
Jimmy Dickens (host): Me and My Big Loud Mouth
Jeannie Seely: When He Leaves You
Charlie Walker: Silver Dew on the Bluegrass Tonight
Johnny Russell: Why Me Lord
Jimmy Dickens: There's No Place Like Home on Christmas

A few may ask, who was Roger Francis? He was a vocalist, musician and a very good impersonator who was featured on The Shotgun Red Variety Show on RFD-TV. Roger was born blind, entertained all over the United States, impersonating such artists as Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Buck Owens, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Freddie Fender and many, many more. As recently as 2017, he was still actively touring and performing.

Finally, back to the first year of the new Grand Ole Opry House, Saturday December 7, 1974, which was the first holiday season at the new Opry House:

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host): Truck Stop
Justin Tubb: Sunshine Lady
Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor
Willis Brothers: Cool Water

6:45: Rudy's
George Morgan (host): In the Misty Moonlight
Marion Worth: Shake Me; I Rattle
Jim and Jesse: Love Is A Fading Rose
George Morgan: The Last Letter

7:00: Rudy's
Roy Drusky (host): Dixie Lily
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Mel Tillis: Memory Maker
Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want to Go Home
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long
Mel Tillis: Midnight, Me and the Blues/Sawmill
Roy Drusky: One Day at a Time

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Old Time Sunshine Song
Stoney and Carol Lee Cooper: Nobody's Darling But Mine
Crook Brothers: Bill Cheatham
Herman Crook: Lost John
Howdy Forrester: Sally Goodin
Stoney and Carol Lee Cooper: Big Midnight Special
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

8:00: Martha White
George Jones (host) and Tammy Wynette: We Go Together/Take Me to Your World
The Four Guys: What About Me
Lonzo and Oscar: Divorce #2
Patsy Sledd: Chip; Chip
George Jones: The Door
George Jones and Tammy Wynette: The Jet Set
The Four Guys: Country Lullaby
George Jones: White Lightening

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore
Dottie West: Lay Back Lover
Stu Phillips: Let Me Love You All Over Again
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking in My Sleep
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Hank Snow: Tammy/You're Easy to Love

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
George Morgan (host): Release Me
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Lonzo and Oscar: Traces of Life
George Morgan: You Turn Me On
Marion Worth: Shake Me; I Rattle
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Lonzo and Oscar: Crawdad Song

10:00: Fender
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jim and Jesse: Paradise/I Wish You Knew
Roy Acuff: Cabin in Gloryland

10:15: Union 76
Roy Drusky (host): A Satisfied Mind
Mel Tills: I'll Come Back to You/Ruby, Don't Take Your Guns to Town
Roy Drusky: Red, Red Wine

10:30: Trailblazer
George Jones (host) and Tammy Wynette: We're Gonna Hold On
Tammy Wynette: Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad
Bill Carlisle: Same Old Tale that the Crow Told Me
George Jones: The Window Up Above
George Jones and Tammy Wynette: Let's All Go Down to the River

10:45: Beech-Nut
Stoney Cooper (host) and Carol Lee Cooper: Little Darling Pal of Mine
The Four Guys: Turn Your Radio On
Crook Brothers: Mississippi Sawyer
Carol Lee Cooper: Rocky Top

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Hello Love
Dottie West: Lay Back Lover
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Hank Snow: Black  Diamond
Dottie West: The Bitter They Are, The Harder They Fall
Sam McGee: Columbus Stockade Blues
Hank Snow: On the Sea Shores of Old Mexico

11:30: Elm Hill
Justin Tubb (host): Rambling Man
Jeanne Pruett: Hold to My Unchanging Love/Love Me/You Don't Need to Move a Mountain/Satin Sheets/Welcome to the Sunshine
Stu Phillips:There Must Be Another Way to Say Goodbye
Ronnie Robbins: El Paso
Justin Tubb: Loving Arms

A couple of notes from that night: Jean Shepard was scheduled but cancelled. Also, that is not a misprint: Wilma Lee Cooper was not on that night and Carol Lee took her place. And finally, Skeeter Willis was absent that evening.

One thing I enjoyed during that period was Roy Acuff did not always sing Wabash Cannonball on the first show. Many times he would add variety to the early show, saving the Cannonball for the late show. It was a nice treat for those attending the late show to hear Roy sing his signature song. In his later years, it was always the Cannonball early.
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To finish up, the Tuesday Night Opry is back down to one show this week and here is the line-up for this coming Tuesday, December 11:

7:00: Riders In The Sky; Carly Pearce
7:30: Riley Green; Craig Morgan
Intermission
8:15: Lori McKenna & The Love Junkies; Luke Combs; Little Big Town

The Tuesday Night Opry will mark the Opry debut for Riley Green. Riley was born in Jacksonville, Alabama, where he was raised on the sounds of old traditional country, bluegrass, and southern gospel music. He learned the spirit of songwriting at a young age while spending time with his grandfather, Bufford Green, who ran Golden Saw Music Hall. Riley shared the stage with him and other men of his generation, laying a foundation for the songs he'd craft in the years to come, reflecting on the experiences of a young southern man trying to find his place in the world. With a mixture of outlaw-rebellion and respect for tradition, Riley's original music has already tallied over 27 million streams to date while his latest music video for "Bury Me in Dixie" has been viewed over a million times since last fall. Constantly touring throughout the southeast over the past five years to thousands of fans, Riley has also built fierce support on social media. Now signed to BMLG Records, he is in the studio recording new music with award winning music producer Dann Huff.


There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend and I will add my personal observations on the weekend when I return.