Grand Ole Opry 3/15 & 3/16

With the SEC Basketball Tournament a Nashville this week, Saturday night's show is being advertised as "Grand Ole Opry Salutes the SEC" which will be sponsored by Belk. This special Opry show will feature free music, a fashion show and SEC action in the Opry Plaza as well as a hoops-themed evening Opry performance. I am sure a lot of fans will be at the Opry on Saturday night, but you have to wonder with the tournament at the Bridgestone Arena downtown, how many will make the trek out to the Opry House. From a personal standpoint from being in Nashville and the SEC Tournament two years ago, most of those who come for the basketball tend to stay downtown and in the downtown area. Hopefully a few make it out to the Opry area.

Regarding the Opry line-up for this weekend,  there are a few Grand Ole Opry members who will be appearing both nights. That list includes John Conlee, Mike Snider, Connie Smith, Riders In The Sky, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites and Eddie Montgomery with Montgomery Gentry. They will be joined on Friday night by Jeannie Seely and Jesse McReynolds, while on Saturday night Bobby Osborne and Craig Morgan are scheduled. That comes out to 9 Opry members each night.

Guesting this weekend will be Dillon Carmichael, Craig Campbell, and making her Opry debut, Lauren Jenkins on Friday night, while on Saturday the guest list includes Maddie & Tae and Riley Green, while the Nashville Irish Step Dancers will be making their annual St. Patrick's Day appearance.

Friday March 15
7:00: John Conlee (host); Dillon Carmichael; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Craig Campbell; Connie Smith
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds; Lauren Jenkins
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Eddie Montgomery with Montgomery Gentry

Saturday March 16
7:00: Nashville Irish Step Dancers; John Conlee (host); Maddie & Tae; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Riley Green; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Intermission
8:15: Craig Morgan (host); Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Eddie Montgomery with Montgomery Gentry

Just in case anyone has forgotten, Saturday night will be the 45th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry moving to the new Grand Ole Opry House from the Ryman Auditorium. I am sure that will be mentioned at some point during the show (I would hope).
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Each week it seems that another artist is making their Opry debut and this weekend it will be Lauren Jenkins making her debut on the Friday Night Opry.

 Born in Texas and raised in Carolina, Lauren Jenkins, who records for Big Machine Records, has been a touring artist since she was 15 years old. Named an Artist to Watch by the New York Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Pandora, and many more, Lauren was also chosen as a member of the "Class of 2019" by radio DJ Bobby Bones. She recently completed writing, co-producing, and starring in an original short film titled Running Out of Road that accompanies the release of her debut album, NO SAINT, which is out this month. The first single from the album is the recently released "Give Up the Ghost."
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the weekend of March 13 & 14, 2009:

Friday March 13
7:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeannie Seely; John Conlee; Justin Moore
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Mel McDaniel; Tracy Lawrence
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Craig Morgan
8:30: Marty Stuart (host); Mike Snider; Connie Smith; Charlie Daniels Band

Saturday March 14
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; John Conlee; Radney Foster
7:30: Marty Stuart (host); Charlie Louvin; Connie Smith; Crystal Gayle
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; Riders In The Sky; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jack Greene; Mike Snider; Tracy Lawrence

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); John Conlee; Jeannie Seely; Radney Foster
10:00: Marty Stuart (host); Connie Smith; Mike Snider; Crystal Gayle
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Tracy Lawrence

Nice to see that even ten years ago, the Opry was capable of putting on a very solid show. A full line-up with a great group of Opry members.

Now from 25 years ago, Saturday March 12, 1994:

1st show
6:30: Bill Anderson (host): Skeeter Davis
6:45: The Four Guys (host); Wilma Lee Cooper
7:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; Roy Drusky; Charlie Louvin; Osborne Brothers
7:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jeannie Seely; Grandpa Jones; Joe Diffie
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Stonewall Jackson; Charlie Walker; Jeanne Pruett; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Bill Carlisle; Hank Locklin; The Whites; Jimmy C Newman

2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jan Howard; Brother Oswald and Charlie Collins; Joe Diffie
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates
10:15: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Osborne Brothers
10:45: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); The Four Guys; Jean Shepard; Roy Drusky; Ray Pillow
11:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jimmy C Newman; Charlie Walker; Stonewall Jackson

Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday March 15, 1969:

7:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Grandpa Jones; Merle Travis; Kay Adams; Johnny Carver
8:00: Billy Grammer (host); Skeeter Davis; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers
8:30: Ray Pillow (host); Bill Carlisle; Martha Carson; Harden Trio
9:00: Stu Phillips (host); Del Wood; Cousin Jody; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Harold Weakley
9:30: Willis Brothers (host); Marion Worth; Lonzo and Oscar; Van Trevor
10:00: Bill Carlisle (host); The Four Guys; Kay Adams
10:15: Billy Grammer (host); Skeeter Davis; Johnny Carver
10:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Van Trevor; Merle Travis
10:45: Willis Brothers (host); Martha Carson; Crook Brothers
11:00: Ray Pillow (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Harden Trio; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Stu Phillips (host); Marion Worth; Cousin Jody

Not a particularly strong line-up from 50 years ago, but there are a couple of names worth noting that many may have forgotten.

Van Trevor was the stage name of Robert Boulanger. He was born in 1949 and passed away in 2005. He was a singer/songwriter and among the songs he recorded a number of singles and albums throughout the 1960s. He was a solid performer, just never a big star.

Kay Adams, on the other hand, did have some success in country music. Kay was born in Knox City, Texas and grew up in Vernon, Texas. Among her recordings in the 1960s were "Six Days a Waiting," "Old Heart Get Ready," "Anymore," "Don't Talk Trouble to Me," "Trapped," "Roll Out The Red Carpet," "I Cried At Your Wedding," : Honky Tonk Heartache," and "She Didn't Color Daddy."

Part of the Bakersfield sound, Kay appeared on the Buck Owen' Ranch television show and in 1965 she won the award for Top New Female Vocalist at the  inaugural Academy of Country Music Awards show. Her vocal style and recordings, which featured the Bakersfield sound twangy Telecaster guitar, has been compared to Wanda Jackson.

Her recording career ended in the late 1970s and at last report, she was still alive at the age of 77.
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I am sure most everyone is aware that 45 years ago, Saturday March 16, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. It was a huge occasion with President Richard Nixon and other dignitaries attending, along with the majority of the Opry's members.

Friday March 15, the Friday Night Opry took place at the Ryman Auditorium. That was the final Opry performance at the old Ryman and like the previous Saturday night, which was the final Saturday Grand Ole Opry performance from the Ryman, the night was emotional.

I have posted the opening night line-up from Saturday March 16, 1974 numerous times (if anyone would like to see it again, I would be happy to post it), however it has been a few years since I listed the running order from the final Friday show, March 15. Before posting it, let me make a note: for many years, the Opry sold a souvenir program from that final night at the Ryman. However, the actual running order of the show was a little different:

7:00: Cracker Barrel
Roy Drusky (host): Alone With You
Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' on Me
Jan Howard: The One You Slip Around With
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Roy Drusky: Satisfied Mind
Del Reeves: Girl on the Billboard
Jan Howard: Rock Me Back to Little Rock
Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again
Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose

7:30: Varallo
Bill Anderson (host): If You Can Live With It
Bob Luman: Lonely Women Make Good Lovers
Jim and Jesse: Diesel on My Tail
Mary Lou Turner: Poor Sweet Baby
Bill Anderson: A World of Make Believe
Bob Luman: When You Say Love
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Bill Anderson: Po' Folks

8:00: Odom Sausage/U.S. Borax
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Bobby Bare: Ride Me Down Easy
Dottie West: Country Sunshine
Justin Tubb: Rambling Man
Phil Campbell: Valley of the Never Do No Good
Bobby Bare and Bobby Bare, Jr: Daddy, What If
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby
Justin Tubb: Traveling Singing Man

8:30: Kroger
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Minnie Pearl: Careless Love
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: There's A Big Wheel
Roy Acuff: Back in the Country
Jean Shepard: At the Time
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Roy Acuff: Cabin in Gloryland

9:00: Baltz Bros./Schlitz
Wilburn Brothers (host): It's Another World
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Jeanne Pruett: You Don't Need to Move a Mountain
Del Wood: There's a Big Wheel
Wilburn Brothers: I'm Gonna Tie One on Tonight
Osborne Brothers: Ruby
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Del Wood: Down Yonder

9:30: Acme Boots/Beech-Nut
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Hank Locklin: Goodbye, Dear Old Ryman
Grandpa Jones: Dooley
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Cates Sisters: Devil's Dream
Hank Locklin: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
Grandpa Jones: Heading South with Nashville on My Mind
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Jim Ed Brown: Sometimes Sunshine

10:00: Cee Bee Food Stores/Schlitz
Billy Walker (host): Sing Me A Love Song to Baby
Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way to Say Goodbye
Billy Walker: You Gave Me a Mountain
Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons/Will You Visit Me on Sundays/What Are Those Things
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Billy Walker: Charlie's Shoes

10:30 Shoney's
George Morgan (host): Red Rose From the Blue Side of Town
The Four Guys: Let Me Be There
Ray Pillow: Excuse Me
Lonzo and Oscar: A King Size Cola & A Moon Pie
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
The Four Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of a Dove/
Ray Pillow: Countryfried
Ernie Ashworth: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor
George Morgan: Candy Kisses

Now the posted line-up as printed in the program:

7:00: Roy Drusky (host); Del Reeves; Charlie Walker; Jan Howard
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Bob Luman; Jim and Jesse
8:00: Archie Campbell (host); Bobby Bare; Dottie West; Justin Tubb
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jean Shepard; Stonewall Jackson; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper
9:00: Wilburn Brothers (host); Osborne Brothers; Jeanne Pruett; Del Wood
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Hank Locklin; Grandpa Jones; The Carlisles
10:00: Billy Walker (host); Charlie Louvin; Stu Phillips; The Willis Brothers
10:30: George Morgan (host); The Four Guys; Ray Pillow; Lonzo and Oscar; Ernie Ashworth

As mentioned last week, Bobby Bare left the Opry rather then continue with the show when it moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. This particular Friday Night Opry was his final show until he rejoined the Opry last year.

After the Friday Night Opry ended, Grand Ole Gospel took place, hosted by Jimmie Snow. Guests on his show that night included Hank Snow, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Mother Maybelle Carter and The Carter Family. I always found it interesting that those artists did not appear on the Opry that night.
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To finish up this week, I wanted to take a moment and remember the late Don Gibson, who on March 16, 1996, made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

Born in Shelby, North Carolina, Don Gibson was the son of a railroad man. With three brothers and two sisters, Don knew early on that he would be responsible for financing his music career. So, he went to work in the textile mills to earn enough money. While he was only a kid, he moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to be a regular on the WNOX Tennessee Barndance. He also played numerous clubs in the area. Wesley Rose, president of Acuff-Rose Publishing, saw Don perform and offered him a songwriting contract. But since Don wanted to sing, he told Wesley that it was a deal only if he got to perform. To accommodate his requests, he signed a writing contract with Acuff-Rose and a recording contract with RCA.

Among the songs written and recorded by Don Gibson were "Sweet Dreams," "Oh, Lonesome Me," and "I Can't Stop Loving You." The last two were written by Don on the same afternoon, and were recorded on the same day, with "Oh, Lonesome Me" going all the way to No. 1 on the country charts. Don only had two other No. 1 hits with "Blue Blue Day,"topping the charts in 1958 and "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" reaching No. 1 in 1972. Don also he reached the Top 5 with "Give Yourself a Party," "Who Cares," "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles," "Just One Time," "Sweet Dreams," "Sea of Heartbreak," "Lonesome Number One," "Country Green," and "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart." Don also recorded a series of duets with Dottie West.

Don originally joined the Grand Ole Opry in May 1958. He was among those fired in December 1964 for failing to meet the attendance requirements which the Opry had in place at the time. Don rejoined the Opry in 1975, however his Opry appearance would be few.

Don was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 and to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010. He passed away on November 17, 2003 from natural causes at the age of 75.

Here is the running order from 23 years ago, Saturday March 16, 1996, Don Gibson's final show at the Grand Ole Opry:

1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Grandpa Jones (host): Fifteen Cents is All I Got
Bluegrass Boys: I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Grandpa Jones: It's Raining Here This Morning

6:45: Joggin' In A Jug
Jan Howard: Rock Me Back to Little Rock
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Jan Howard: Evil on Your Mind

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Freight Train Boogie
Brother Oswald: John Hardy
Jean Shepard: Head Over Heels in Love with You
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal
The Whites: It Should've Been Easy
Porter Wagoner: Forty Miles from Poplar Bluff

7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose
The Hemphills: Let's Have a Revival/Partners in Emotion
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me/I Can't Stop Loving You
Jimmy Dickens: When Your House is Not a Home/Mountain Dew

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): Before I Met You
Billy Walker: Come A Little Bit Closer
Jeannie Seely: Another Bridge to Burn
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Durang's Hornpipe
Bill Anderson: The Touch of the Master's Hand/Still

8:30: Kraft
The Four Guys (host): It's All Right
Charlie Walker: Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
Connie Smith: I've Got My Baby on My Mind
Del Reeves: I Would Like to See You Again
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
The Four Guys: Forever Young

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Jean Shepard: Gone, Gone, Gone
The Hemphills: Let's All Go to Church/Partners in Emotion
Christi Lynn: Don't Stop for Nothing

10:00: Massey Ferguson
Del Reeves (host): Good Time Charlie's
Wilma Lee Cooper: Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill
Del Reeves: Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time/Looking at the World Through a Windshield

10:15: Zim's Crack Cream
Grandpa Jones (host): Nashville on My Mind
The Whites: Move it on Over
Grandpa Jones: Four Stone Walls & A Ceiling

10:30: Gruhn Guitars
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed
The Jordanaires: The Unclouded Day
Jimmy Dickens: We Could

10:45: Fairfield
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Jeannie Seely: Another Bridge to Burn
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sugar in the Goard
Bill Anderson: Big Railroad Man

11:00: Coca Cola
The Four Guys (host): Cottonfields/Mariah
Jeanne Pruett: Back to Back
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Stu Phillips: Blue Canadian Rockies
Jan Howard: My Heart Skips a Beat
The Four Guys: Tennessee

11:30: Loreal
Billy Walker (host): Ashes of Love/Blue Moon of Kentucky/That's All Right
Connie Smith: Walk Me to the Door/Walkin' After Midnight
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore/The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Roy Drusky: Waltz of the Angels
Billy Walker: Adam's Side/Charlie's Shoes

As mentioned, when Don Gibson rejoined the Opry, his appearances were very few. In fact, from 1983 until 1994 he made no Opry appearances. However in 1994, at the urging of Carol Lee Cooper, Don was persuaded to come back to the Opry. He made one appearance in 1994, then three in 1995, and then that final 1996 appearance.

And one final note from that Saturday night. You might have noticed that the Bluegrass Boys appeared on the opening segment while there was no host for the 2nd segment, with Jan Howard opening and closing. The host was supposed to have been Bill Monroe, however that morning Bill suffered a stroke, which would end his performing career. His final appearance had been on the Friday Night Opry, the night before.

There you have it for this week and I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend. And don't forget, Monday is the Hall of Fame announcement. 10:00 central time.