The big news at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend will be the formal induction of Mark Wills as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. While Mark is scheduled for both shows this weekend, the induction is scheduled to take place during the Friday Night Opry.
Daryl Mark Williams was born in Cleveland, Tennessee on August 8, 1973. His family later moved to Blue Ridge, Georgia, where in his teenage years he played in garage bands, taking inspiration from rock groups. During his young adulthood, he began to take an interest in country music and he entered a local talent contest at the age of 17. After doing some local performing, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia and did work as a demo singer. His career as a demo singer continued after moving to Nashville. While in Nashville, he was discovered by record producers Carson Chamberlain and Keith Stegall, and in 1996 he signed a recording contract with Mercury Records Nashville.
While with Mercury Records, Mark released five studio albums, Mark Wills, Wish You Were Here, Permanently, Loving Every Minute, and And the Crowd Goes Wild. He also released a greatest hits album. During his time with Mercury, Mark had sixteen singles on the Billboard country charts, all of which made the top 40. He left Mercury in 2003 and signed with Equity Music Group and charted three more singles.
Among his singles were "19 Somethin'" and "Wish You Were Here," both of which reached No.1 on the Hot Singles Songs chart. Six more of his singles reached the Top 10: "Jacob's Ladder," "Places I've Never Been," "I Do (Cherish You," "Don't Laugh at Me," "She's in Love, and "Back at One."
While never a superstar in country music, Mark has had a nice career and while no longer on a permanent label, he has continued to record and tour. And over the past several decades, he has made hundreds of guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Thanks to all of those appearances, and his continued dedication to guest on the Opry when needed, last month the Opry awarded Mark's perseverance with a invitation to become a Grand Ole Opry member.
Mark Willis is scheduled for both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. Joining Mark both nights will be Grand Ole Opry members Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider and Riders In The Sky. In addition to that group, the Friday Night Opry will feature members Connie Smith, Crystal Gayle, The Whites and Craig Morgan, while Chris Janson and Bobby Osborne are scheduled for Saturday night.
Friday night guest artists include Brook Eden and Carlton Anderson, who will be making his Opry debut, while on Saturday night Maisy Stella, Flatt Lonesome, Don Schlitz and LOCASH are on the guest list.
I haven't heard who might be officially welcoming Mark to the Opry cast. There are lots of choices and some of the Opry's bigger names will be in Nashville this weekend for the Willie Nelson tribute show taking place Saturday night at the Bridgestone Arena. Garth and Reba have handled the past several, so who knows? I am sure whoever it is, Mark will be surprised.
Friday January 11
7:00: Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (host); Brooke Eden; Mike Snider
7:30: Connie Smith (host); Carlton Anderson; Crystal Gayle
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Craig Morgan
8:45: Jeannie Seely (host); Mark Wills
Saturday January 12
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Mike Snider; Maisy Stella
7:30: Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (host); Flatt Lonesome; Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Chris Janson (host); LOCASH
As mentioned, Carlton Anderson will be making his Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday night. Carlton is from Cypress, Texas. Moving to Nashville, he attended Belmont University and spent time playing in the clubs on Lower Broadway. He considers Willie Nelson and George Strait as his main musical influences. In 2014 he released a self titled EP with the songs "Airplane" and "Forever." In 2018 he signed with Sony Nashville and in May released his debut single "Drop Everything." According to reports, he is currently with Arista Records.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from the second weekend in January ten years ago, the weekend of January 9 & 10, 2009:
Friday January 9
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jeannie Seely; Mike Snider; Melissa Lawson
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jan Howard; Jimmy C Newman; Randy Houser
9:00: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; The Grascals
9:30: Vince Gill (host); George Hamilton IV; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Loretta Lynn
Saturday January 10
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; The Wrights
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jack Greene; Del McCoury Band
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Jimmy C Newman; Blake Shelton; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: John Conlee (host); Stonewall Jackson; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Loretta Lynn
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday January 15, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Skeeter Davis; Jean Shepard
6:45: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jack Greene
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jim and Jesse; Jeanne Pruett; The Whites
7:30: Vince Gill (host); Charley Pride; Lorrie Morgan
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); The Four Guys; Hank Lockin; Mike Snider; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Bill Carlisle; Charlie Louvin; Jeannie Seely
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Roy Drusky; The Four Guys; Charlie Walker
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Lorrie Morgan
10:15: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Jan Howard
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Hank Locklin; Charlie Louvin; Bob Bates
10:45: John Conlee (host); Charley Pride; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jeannie Seely; Vince Gill; Dawn Sears
11:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; Riders In The Sky; Mike Snider
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Finally, it was on Saturday January 13, 2001 that future Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show made their debut on the Opry.
1st show
6:30: WSM online.com
Jim Ed Brown (host): Looking back to See
Connie Smith: I'll Come Running to You
Jan Howard: Oh, Lonesome Me
The Whites: Texas To a T/Doing it By the Book
Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius: Lyin' In Love with You/I Don't Want to Have to Marry You
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Brewster's Farm
Holly Dunn: You Really Had Me Going
Jim and Jesse: I Love Nobody But You
Clay Davidson: Unconditional/Sometimes
BR-549: I Told You No 1,000 Times
7:30: Standard Candy
Billy Walker (host): Sing Me a Love Song to Baby
Andy Griggs: Baby, You Made Me that Way/Ain't Done Nothing Wrong
Vince Gill: Give Me One More Last Chance/If You Ever Have Forever in Mind
8:00: Martha White
Marty Stuart (host): Streamed Line Lover
Elizabeth Cook: Success
Wilma Lee Cooper: Shake Me Mother's Hand for Me/A Beautiful Life
Old Crow Medicine Show: Tear it Down
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Rich Bennett: Journey Home
Marty Stuart: Martha White Theme
8:30: Physicians Mutual
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz
Mike Snider: Instrumental Melody
Jack Greene: Statue of a Fool
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way
2nd show
9:30: WSM online.com
Porter Wagoner (host): Tell Her Lies and Feed Her Candy
Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius: I Don't Want to Have to Marry You
Jean Shepard: A Phone Call Away
The Whites: Making Believe
Vince Gill: Look at Us/If You Have Forever in Mind
10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Opry.com
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed
Holly Dunn: Blue Rose of Texas
Wilma Lee Cooper: Big Midnight Special
Clay Davidson: Unconditional/Sometimes
Jimmy Dickens: We Could
10:30: Folex/Joggin' In a Jug
Marty Stuart (host): Mister Engineer
Steve Earle: My Old Friend the Blues
Elizabeth Cook: Success
Charlie Louvin: When I Stop Dreaming
Old Crow Medicine Show: Raise a Ruckus Tonight/Roll Along Mule
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Black Mountain Rag
Steve Earle: Hillbilly Highway
11:00: Coca Cola
Jeannie Seely (host): Healing Hands of Time
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda
BR-549: Story Book Endings/Cherokee Boogie
Jeannie Seely: Make the World Go Away
11:30: Opry at The Ryman
Mike Snider (host): Going Across the Ocean
Charlie Walker: Who'll Buy the Wine
Ray Pillow: Too Many Memories
Andy Griggs: Where's the Train/Riding With You
Mike Snider: Instrumental Melody
Old Crow Medicine Show was doing a show in Cleveland, Ohio on August 16, 2013, when Marty Stuart surprised the group with an invitation to become members of the Grand Ole Opry. Of course, the group accepted and on September 17, 2013 the group became official members of the Opry's cast. It was one of the best moves the Opry had made in years, as the group has brought energy and spirit to the show with each of their appearances, along with a dose of mountain music. While currently on hiatus, I know many are looking forward to Old Crow Medicine Show returning to the Opry soon.
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend. Both shows look very good. For those interested, Ron Williams will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. on Saturday evening.
Congratulations again to Mark Wills on becoming the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Following the Opry on Saturday night, and running several times throughout the week, Bill Cody will be hosting a special on Ronnie Milsap's new duets album! Milsap has been a huge influence on my life, and not because of the fact we're both blind. haha I knew all the major material, but I stayed away from performing it because I did not want people to say "the blind guy does the other blind guy's stuff." That all changed when youtube came into my life! His live stuff is just amazing, and for a period of several years that was a huge part of what I listened to daily! Ironically, when we met, it was his lead guitar player who brought me to Nashville and produced me not long ago. I have no idea if anything will come of that, but either way I'm so excited for the special! Wills as I've said here before, went out of his way to be so very kind to me, and I don't believe for a second it was just because a very close mutual friend made the introduction. Class acts both, and I'm looking forward to this weekend! Of course, I do hope that sooner rather than later, I'll be on the Opry stage myself. Though I'd love to make radio, that matters far less than just making a living singing. There's a bunch of stuff on youtube, some good some bad if you guys care to listen. Hopefully, I'll get a nice review from Jim one day!!!!!! GOALS!!!!
ReplyDeleteWith all of those big names at the Willie Nelson tribute, wouldn't it be nice if some of them had also scheduled themselves at the Opry this weekend? I seem to recall it being possible at one time to appear at, say, Charlie Daniels's Volunteer Jam or even do a TV show and then get over to the Opry.
ReplyDeleteSo many would do Ralph Emery's Nashville Now and then head over on those Friday nights. We know Roy and Minnie did almost weekly, but there were many others.
ReplyDeleteIt also was fun when someone from the Opry would wander over. Of course, Mr. Acuff would decide to come over from his house, and Opryland WAS his backyard, after all! It's interesting that I think Minnie did a lot more of the Opry in those years because she was there each Friday night.
DeleteI have to laugh. Ralph talked about how so many of the submissions would be dirty jokes, and he would think, to Minnie Pearl? Then I think of the night on the Opry she was doing a routine about trying to get her feller interested and Mr. Acuff said, "Having trouble getting Henry started?" and she just dissolved.
Connie Smith out again tonight. Mike Snider hosting the first segment and Larry, Steve and Rudy moved down into Connie's spot. Sierra Hull added.
ReplyDeleteYou can sense the excitement tonight for Mark Wills. Lots of build up in the earlier segments. Wonderful to have Nancy Jones there with Mark.
ReplyDeleteThis is sure an upbeat Opry night.
Hope we have more of these coming soon.
Agree Gary. Also, Craig Morgan handled the induction. No special or unannounced guests last night.
ReplyDeleteWho do you guys see going into the Hall of Fame this year?.
ReplyDeleteMaisy Stella is just an AMAZING SINGER! I don't know if folks who don't sing, like who haven't done it a lot realize how few people can do the jumps and runs she does! Often times that rasp in a singer's voice though might mean they're doing something wrong. A lot of them first show signs outwardly of having vocal problems with that kind of thing. I soooo hope that's not the case here! CUZ MAN! OH MAN! WHAT! A! SINGER!!! Wills's induction was wonderful as well! My question though? WHERE'S LENNON!
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