Grand Ole Opry 1/25 & 1/26

Starting off this week with congratulations to Grand Ole Opry member Carrie Underwood and her husband Mike Fisher on the birth of their son, Jacob Bryan. Reports are that mom and baby are doing fine.

As to the Grand Ole Opry this weekend, a couple of real nice shows with a good group of Opry members appearing, highlighted by Vince Gill, who will be appearing both nights. Joining Vince on Friday and Saturday will be Mike Snider, John Conlee, Riders In The Sky, and Dailey & Vincent. They will be joined on Friday night by Jeannie Seely, Joe Diffie, The Whites, Crystal Gayle, and Hall of Fame member Ricky Skaggs. Saturday night, it will be Bobby Osborne and Connie Smith joining the two night group. It is really nice to see Connie back on the schedule after missing a couple of weeks to illness.

Guesting this week will be Michael Ray and the fabulous Dom Flemons on Friday night, while Abby Anderson, Frankie Ballard, The Steel Woods, Eric Paslay and Drew & Ellie Holcomb are set for Saturday night.

January 25
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Michael Ray; Mike Snider
7:30: John Conlee (host); Dailey & Vincent; Joe Diffie
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Ricky Skaggs
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Dom Flemons; Crystal Gayle

Saturday January 26
7:00: John Conlee (host); Abby Anderson; Mike Snider
7:30: Dailey & Vincent (host); Frankie Ballard; The Steel Woods
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Eric Paslay; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Connie Smith; Drew & Ellie Holcomb

Really nice line-ups with 10 Opry members on Friday night and 7 on Saturday. Friday night is particularly strong and it is nice to see Vince back on the Opry. Last year was a pretty slim year for him so hopefully this weekend is a sign of things to come.
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Looking back in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, it was 27 years ago, Saturday January 25, 1992 that Emmylou Harris became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

God didn't make honky tonk angels, but if he had, he would have broken the mold with Emmylou Harris. With her crystal-clear soprano, lissome beauty, impeccable instincts, and uncompromising integrity, Emmylou redefined the image and role of women in country music. Few if any artists have so successfully erased the boundaries between country, folk, and rock and roll.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Emmylou spent her youth in North Carolina and Virginia. As the daughter of a career Marine, her upbringing was not particularly musical. But during the '60s she fell in love with folk music, especially Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and began performing while studying drama at the University of North Carolina. She moved to Greenwich Village in 1967 to join the burgeoning folk revival, sharing stages with Jerry Jeff Walker and David Bromberg, and released her first record in 1969. On the Coast club circuit, she met Gram Parsons, and both her career and life changed forever. Gram, formally of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, became her mentor and singing partner, drawing her into the '70s country rock movement and strengthening her ties to traditional country music. Emmylou toured and recorded with gram until his death in 1973. 

In 1975 she recorded her first major album, Pieces of the Sky, introducing her Hot Band, which, over the years, included such world-class players as James Burton, Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and Ricky Skaggs. Emmylou has enjoyed seven No. 1 hits and 27 Top 10 songs including "If I Could Only Win Your Love," "Together Again," "Sweet Dreams," "Making Believe," To Daddy" and "Heartbreak Hill." 

The 2008 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee has 10 gold albums and 12 Grammy Awards, including one for her 1987 Trio album with Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton as well as one for her work on the soundtrack to the motion picture O Brother, Where Art Thou? 

Here is the running order from 27 years ago, Saturday January 25, 1992, the night Emmylou Harris became a member of the Grand Ole Opry: 

1st show

6:30: Opry Tours

Boxcar Willie (host): Fireball Mail/Train of Love/Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/Wreck of the Old 97/I'm Moving On/Gotta Travel On/Night Train to Memphis

Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours

Boxcar Willie: Cowboys & Horses; Hobos & Trains

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame

Grandpa Jones (host): Apple Jack

The Four Guys: Tennessee

Skeeter Davis: The End of the World

7:00: Shoney's

Porter Wagoner (host): You Gotta Have a License

John Conlee: I Don't Remember Loving You

Osborne Brothers: Nearer My God to Thee

Lorrie Morgan: Except for Monday/Autumn's Not that Cold

Porter Wagoner: Wake Up, Jacob

7:30: Standard Candy

Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball

Vince Gill: Take Your Memory With You When You Go/When I Call Your Name/Drifting Too Far From the Shore

Emmylou Harris: Walls of Time/Blue Kentucky Girl

8:00: Martha White

Bill Monroe (host): Nine Pound Hammer

Jimmy Dickens: John Henry

The Whites: Doing it By the Book

Del Reeves: There She Goes

Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham

Bill Monroe and Tom Ewing: Body and Soul

8:30: Opryland

Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good

Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

Jimmy C Newman: (?)

Riders In The Sky: Blue Shadows on the Trail

Jean Shepard: Let's All Go Down to the River/I Saw the Light/Will the Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away/Somebody Touched Me

Bill Anderson: Still

2nd show

9:30: Dollar General

Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley

Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away

John Conlee: Friday Night Blues

Emmylou Harris: Guitar Town

Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill: If You Needed Me

Porter Wagoner: Misery Loves Company

Wagonmasters: Instrumental 

10:00: Little Debbie

Grandpa Jones (host): Ol' Rattler

Charlie Louvin: The Precious Jewel

Wilma Lee Cooper: I Dreamed About Mama Last Night

Grandpa and Mark Jones: Arkansas Traveler

10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam

Roy Acuff (host): Once More

Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore

George Hamilton IV: I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map/Cabin in Gloryland

Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin

10:30: Pet Milk

Bill Monroe (host): True Life Blues

Roy Drusky: Too Old to Die Young

Boxcar Willie: Hobo Heaven

Bill Monroe: I'm Working on a Building

10:45: B.C. Powder

Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless: When I Call Your Name

Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Lafayette

Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her that Way

11:00: Coca-Cola

Bill Anderson (host): You Can Have Her

Osborne Brothers: Low and Lonely

Jeannie Seely: Go Down Swinging

Stonewall Jackson: Side Steppin' the Blues

Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away

Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard

Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar

11:30: Creamette

Charlie Walker (host): Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind

Riders In The Sky: How Does He Yodel

The Whites: Swing Down, Chariot

Johnny Russell: No One Will Ever Know

Charlie Walker: Take Me Back to Tulsa

I saw Emmylou on the Opry during my December trip and she sounds as amazing as ever. As a fan of Emmylou, I do wish she would visit the Opry more often. She seems to enjoy it and those attending have always been treated to a great performance. Additionally, if you are in Nashville or planning to visit, there is a great exhibit on Emmylou at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Known for there past exhibits featuring Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash, among others, this might be their best one yet. 

Again, congratulations to Emmylou Harris upon her 27th year as an Opry member.
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And finally, looking back at 50 years ago, Saturday January 25, 1969:

7:30: Standard Candy
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Skeeter Davis: Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Justin Tubb: As Long As There's a Sunday
Jim and Jesse: When the Snow Is On the Roses
Jim Ed Brown: The Longest Beer of the Night
Stringbean: Ruby
Del Wood: Ballin' the Jack
Skeeter Davis: The Closest Thing to Love
Jim Ed Brown: Jack & Jill

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Bob Luman: Sing the Blues to Daddy
Ray Pillow: Bubbles In My Beer
Crook Brothers: Instrumental
Roy Acuff: You Win Again
Bob Luman: Ain't Got Time to Be Unhappy
Ray Pillow: Take Me As I Am (Or Let Me Go)
Larry McNeely and Charlie Collins: Lime Rock

8:30: Stephens
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Dottie West: Reno
Leroy Van Dyke: Green, Green Grass of Home
Lonzo and Oscar: Crawdad Song
Billy Grammer: Peace in the Valley
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby
Cousin Jody: Mockingbird
Leroy Van Dyke: Walk on By/Auctioneer

9:00: Luzianne
Bill Monroe (host): Train 45
Archie Campbell: Comedy
Bill Carlisle The Great Snowman
Margie Bowes: You Oughta Hear Me Cry/I Saw the Light
Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann: Warm and Tender Love
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Fire on the Mountain
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted

9:30: Kellogg's
Hank Snow (host): The Name of the Game was Love
Willis Brothers: Private Lee
Grandpa Jones: Little Old Log Cabin by the Stream
Stu Phillips: That's A Chance I'll Have to Take
Hank Snow: With This Ring I Thee Wed
Marion Worth: You Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad
Willis Brothers: Cool Water
Grandpa Jones: Raining on the Mountain, Now, My Love
Hank Snow: My Blue Eyed Jane

10:00: Fender
Jim Ed Brown (host): Big Daddy
Skeeter Davis: The Closest Thing to Love
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Jim Ed Brown: Bottle; Bottle/He'll Have to Go/Four Walls

10:15: Pure
Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal
Justin Tubb: Ballad of 40 Dollars
Jim and Jesse: Truck Driving Man
Leroy Van Dyke: Auctioneer
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird

10:30: Buckley's
Bill Monroe (host): The Gold Rush
Bob Luman: Guitar Man
Stringbean: Ol' Man, Can You Play a Banjo
Ray Pillow: I Don't Know Why I Keep Loving You

10:45: Kent
Billy Grammer (host): Detroit City
Dottie West: Today, I Started Loving You Again
Crook Brothers: Liberty
Billy Grammer: God Will Take Care of You

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): The Wreck of the Old #9
Willis Brothers: Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy
Margie Bowes: Saint to a Sinner
Lonzo and Oscar: Love Took My Heart and Smashed That Sucker Flat
Hank Snow: A Legend in My Time
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hickory Leaf
Sam McGee: Rambling Rose
Willis Brothers: A 6 Ft 2 By 4
Hank Snow: Tammy

11:30: Lava
Archie Campbell (host) w/Lorene Mann: The Dark End of the Street
Grandpa Jones: Are You From Dixie
Marion Worth: Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed
Stu Phillips: Little Old Wine Drinker Me
Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann: Warm and Tender Love
Grandpa Jones: T for Texas
Marion Worth: Yours, Love
Stu Phillips: Juanita Jones

Finally, I have already been receiving a few questions and emails about the Country Music Hall of Fame. The announcement usually takes place in late spring (March or April). I know the voting is taking place. We always discuss our favorites and I am sure we will be doing that in the coming weeks and months.

There you have it for this week. As we get to the end of January, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!