Here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, April 30:
7:00: John Conlee; Michael Ray
7:30: Carly Pearce; Dailey & Vincent
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson; The Striking Matches
8:45: Chris Janson
And for Opry Country Classics, May 2
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Marty Stuart
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers; Linda Davis; Tegan Marie; Michael Ray
Two nice shows and it is always nice to see Marty Stuart on the Opry, no matter what night of the week it is.
Nationally recognized independent Grand Ole Opry historian Byron Fay offers news and comments regarding country music's premier show.
Monday, April 29, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Grand Ole Opry 4/26 & 4/27
Before posting about this weeks Grand Ole Opry shows, I wanted to share this information that was announced in Nashville a few days ago:
His debut single, "Prayed For You" has amassed over 30 million digital streams, getting notice on Billboard's Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs Charts and play on SiriusXM's The Highway. The song has also been featured on a number of other digital music sites. This summer, Matt will be playing at a number of country music festivals.
I also wanted to mention that on the Opry website line-up, Steve Earle & The Dukes are listed as making their Opry debut on Friday night. While I am sure they are referring to Steve along with The Dukes, my memory tells me that Steve Earle has appeared on the Opry previously, in fact several times if I remember correctly.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the last weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 24
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Emily West
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Cherryholmes
8:00: Lorrie Morgan (host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene
8:30: Marty Stuart (host); Mike Snider; Connie Smith
Saturday April 25
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jimmy C Newman; Jennifer Hanson
8:00: Marty Stuart (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Raul Malo
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Sunny Sweeney
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown; Jennifer Hanson
10:30: Marty Stuart (host); Stonewall Jackson; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Raul Malo
From 25 years ago, Saturday April 23, 1994:
1st show
6:30: The Four Guys (host); Charlie Louvin
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Jean Shepard; Ricky Skaggs
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeanne Pruett; Jack Greene; Randy Travis
7:30: Bill Monroe (host); Jimmy C Newman; Brother Oswald; John Conlee; Mike Snider
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); The Whites; Billy Walker; Roy Drusky; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jan Howard; Jim Ed Brown; Hank Locklin; Riders In The Sky
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jimmy C Newman; Ray Pillow; The Four Guys; Jan Howard; Tim Atwood
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Roy Drusky
10:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Kukuruza; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Mike Snider; Hank Locklin; Jim Ed Brown; Jean Shepard
11:30: Jack Greene (host); Billy Walker; Jeanne Pruett; Johnny Russell
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 26, 1969:
7:30: Billy Grammer (host); Grandpa Jones; The Four Guys; Wilma Burgess
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Leroy Van Dyke; Cousin Jody; David Rodgers; Victor Jordan; Crook Brothers
8:30: Del Reeves (host); Johnny Darrell; Diana Trask; Texas Bill Strength
9:00: Bill Monroe (host); Del Wood; Cal Smith; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Leona Williams
9:30: Justin Tubb (host); Willis Brothers; Marion Worth; Duke of Paducah
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); The Four Guys; Leona Williams
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Billy Grammer; Wilma Burgess
10:30: Del Reeves (host); Leroy Van Dyke; David Rodgers
10:45: Willis Brothers (host); Cousin Jody; Crook Brothers
11:00: Bill Monroe (host); Del Wood; Johnny Darrell; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Diana Trask; Sam McGee
11:30: Justin Tubb (host); Marion Worth; Duke of Paducah; Cal Smith
Pretty light night for Opry members. I count 14 including the Crook Brothers and the Fruit Jar Drinkers, and 2 former members.
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I mentioned this last year, but it is worth to note again. April 28, 1973 marked the first time that Conway Twitty performed on the Grand Ole Opry.
Country music fans forever love their favorites and one of those who's career began in the 1950s and lasted into the 1990s was Conway Twitty. From his first sessions for Sun Records in 1957 through his last session for MCA, Conway never lost sight of his core concept that his records were the jukebox equivalent of a romantic greeting card. Any man needing to say something directly to a woman in any juke joint in America since 1957 could slide a coin in the slot and get Conway to do his talking.
Harold Jenkins, a Mississippi native who returned from the Army in the mid-1950s with a yen to sing, concocted his stage name from two Southern towns and invented his strong, silent and romantic public persona. That persona, Conway Twitty, knew who his listeners and fans were, knew what they wanted, and earned more #1 hits (40) than any other artist in the history of country music. In his concerts, "Hello Darlin'" never failed.
In addition to his solo career, his duets with Loretta Lynn became legendary and when Conway Twitty died of an aortic aneurysm in Springfield, Missouri in 1993 at the age of 59, country music lost one of its true giants.
So here we go, from 46 years ago, Saturday April 28, 1973, the night Conway Twitty appeared on the Grand Ole Opry:
1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Willis Brothers: Women's Liberation
Billy Grammer: Detroit City
6:45: Rudy's
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Big Midnight Special
Stan Hitchcock: Let Me Roll
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Did You Think to Pray
Carol Lee Cooper and George McCormick: Never Ending Song of Love/Old Fashioned Love Song
7:00: Rudy's
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Lonzo and Oscar: Movin' on #2/Easy Loving
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Mary Lou Turner: Teddy Bear Song
Bill Anderson: If You Can Live With It
Jimmy Gately: Sweet, Sweet Loving
Bill Anderson: Don't She Look Good
7:30: Standard Candy
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jimmy Newman: The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Ray Pillow: I Wish Somebody Love Me that Much
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Tommy Jones: Black Mountain Rag
Jimmy Newman: Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
Ray Pillow: Cinderella
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Bobby Lewis: It's Such a Pretty World Today
Conway Twitty: She Needs Someone to Hold Her/Hello Darlin'
Conway Twitty and Kathy Twitty: Don't Cry Daddy/Jackson
Roy Acuff: Won't It be Wonderful There
8:30: Stephens
Ernest Tubb (host): Baby, It's so Hard to be Good
Stu Phillips: IF Loving You Means Anything
The Four Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of a Dove
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Ernest Tubb: Have You Ever Been Lonely
Stu Phillips: She's Got to Be a Saint
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Billy Grammer (host): Wabash Cannonball
Willis Brothers: Little Red Wagon
Lonzo and Oscar: A King Size Cola and A Moon Pie
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
Billy Grammer: Life's Railway to Heaven
Willis Brothers: Cool Water
Billy Grammer: What a Friend
10:00: Fender
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Poor Ellen Smith
Ray Pillow: I Wish Somebody Loved Me That Much
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: To My Mansion
10:15: Union 76
Archie Campbell (host): Lonesome Road
Stan Hitchcock: Let Me Roll
Tommy Jones: Dueling Banjos/The Claw
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Gathering Flowers from the Hillside
Conway Twitty: Baby's Gone/She Needs Someone to Hold Her
Conway Twitty and Kathy Twitty: Daddy Don't Cry/Daddy Frank
10:45: Beech-Nut
Ernest Tubb (host): Filipino Baby
Bobby Lewis: Together Again
Crook Brothers: Eighth of January
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
11:00: Coca Cola
Jimmy Newman (host): The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Louie Roberts: Hey, Good Looking
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark
Jimmy Newman: San Antonio Rose
Louie Roberts: Make the World Go Away
Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because
Jimmy Newman: Good Deal Lucille
11:30: Elm Hill
Stu Phillips (host): Crystal Chandeliers
The Four Guys: Down By the Lazy River/Turn Your Radio On
Diane Jordan: Here I Am Again
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Diane Jordan: Teddy Bear Song
Stu Phillips: If Loving You Mean Anything
It is interesting that Conway really never performed at the Grand Ole Opry. He had such a busy touring schedule and outside interests that it would have been difficult for him to have found time for the Opry.
There you have it for this week as we finish up the month of April. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!!
Ryman Hospitality expanding Nashville's country music brand with TV channel
Nate Rau, Nashville Tennessean Published 7:30 a.m. CT April 24, 2019 | Updated 4:01 p.m. CT April 24, 2019
Ryman Hospitality is partnering with a broadcast television chain to launch an over-the-air network and on-demand streaming service focusing on country music content.
Details are scarce at the onset of the joint venture with Gray Television, Inc., which owns local television stations across the country.
There's no name, no price point for the on-demand streaming service and no specifics on content.
But, the country music-fueled channel continues a trend for Ryman Hospitality, which has been steadily expanding its entertainment division in recent years. The company helped create the television show "Nashville," launched a slate of new music venues and invested tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to its cornerstone facilities: the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry.
CEO: Country fans are underserved
Ryman is banking on the continued rise in popularity of country music and investing heavily in ways to lure tourists to Nashville and to export country music across the globe.
Although there aren't specifics on the content that will appear on the new channel, Ryman is sitting on a treasure trove of archived live performances. In "Nashville," Ryman showed the ability to create original content as well.
Ryman Hospitality Chairman and CEO Colin Reed has for years been steadfast in his assertion that an estimated 110 million country music fans are still relatively under-served for original content.
"For more than 93 years, the Grand Ole Opry has provided a platform for country music fans to discover and connect with its artists," Reed said. "This partnership with Gray is the next step in the continued evolution of our company's position as a country music discovery point for fans.
"Its distribution network closely aligns with our fan base and will allow us to quickly scale our delivery of existing and original artist-centered content to help reach the 110 million country music fans in the United States."
In an interview with The Tennessean, Reed called the new channel "the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle" for the company's strategic expansion of its entertainment offerings.
Ryman didn't disclose the capital investment to launch the network, but Reed said the greatest expense will be creating content in the coming years. The channel will have about 25 employees working out of its Nashville office.
Reed predicted the new channel will be "as big or bigger for Nashville" than the television show "Nashville."
"This brings to fruition years worth of research and investment, which included bringing on more music venues like the Ole Red brand, getting our retail line and offerings in order and now the digital content side," Reed said.
Between its growing roster of music venues and its deep archives of Opry performances, Ryman has been sitting on country music content it believes country fans want to consume. The challenge was finding the correct partner to share the content.
Expected launch date in 2020
Gray Television Inc. is a publicly traded company which owns or operates television stations in 93 markets. Gray's television stations cover about 24 percent of the households nationally.
The broadcast television channel is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2020. The on-demand streaming component will come after that.
"We have believed for some time that tremendous opportunity exists to bring differentiated entertainment offerings that celebrate country music to our audience base," said Gray President and Co-CEO Pat LaPlatney. "Opry Entertainment's unparalleled history in the country music industry combined with their special and enduring relationship with the artist community makes them a natural partner to help us deliver this premium content to our local communities."
Overseeing the content for the new channel will be Opry Entertainment President Scott Bailey, who started in the job last year. Bailey said there's a "gap" for where fans can go to watch "artist-centered" programming on television and mobile devices.
Bailey's background includes previous stops overseeing content for NASCAR and the PGA, in addition to overseeing operations for Comcast.net.
"We believe there is significant opportunity to become the category leader in country lifestyle entertainment and to play an important role in delivering this content and experience," Bailey said.
Ryman leaders have pondered the concept of a delivery system for country music content for years and aggressively pursued the channel for about the last year. Bailey said Ryman is uniquely positioned to launch the channel because its deep vault of existing content and its relationships within the music industry to create new, original shows.
Bailey said the company tested a sizzle reel of nine potential shows and received immensely positive feed back on all of them from intensive focus group sessions spanning several months.
Between Ryman's access to content and Gray's large distribution network, the new channel has built-in advantages.
"You're talking about really three different kinds of programming," Bailey said. "The first is original content. Next would be historic, archival content — we have at least 6,000 hours of footage available already. And the last would be live (music) opportunities (at the music venues Ryman owns)."
Reed and Bailey downplayed the notion that the new channel will compete with CMT. Reed said Ryman is grateful to CMT, which partnered to air the final season of "Nashville" after the drama had been cancelled.
"Our research showed there is an immense appetite for more country content that is not being met," he said.
That is big news as mentioned in the article, Ryman Hospitality has a treasure chest full of both previously broadcast Grand Ole Opry shows, along with tapes of their in-house filming of the Opry, which have never been shown previously. They literally have thousands of hours of tape available for this new channel. What is also interesting is the return to television for the company. This is obviously a change of direction for the same company that closed Opryland and sold TNN. It is nice to see that Colin Reed continues to grow the Opry brand and Ryman Hospitality continues to broaden its impact in Nashville and in the world of country music.
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Now to this week's Grand Ole Opry which will feature two pretty nice shows, highlighted a guest appearance by Wynonna and an appearance by Grand Ole Opry member Martina McBride on what will be a very busy weekend in Nashville with the NFL draft taking place, along with the Music City Marathon. Both events will be drawing huge crowds.
At the Opry this weekend, Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both nights include John Conlee, Connie Smith and Mark Wills, each of whom will be hosting segments both nights. On Friday night that trio will be joined by Bobby Osborne, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites. Saturday night, it will be Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, Jesse McReynolds and Martina McBride joining John, Connie and Mark.
Guesting both nights will be Jeanne Robertson, a fine story teller who has made several Opry appearances in the past. She will be joined on Friday night by Wynonna, who is scheduled to close out the night. Also appearing will be Lindsay Ell, T. Graham Brown and Steve Earle & The Dukes. Saturday night, along with Jeanne, will be Suzy Bogguss, Charles Esten and making his Opry debut, Matt Stell.
Friday April 26
7:00: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Lindsay Ell
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; T. Graham Brown
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Jeanne Robertson; Steve Earle & The Dukes
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Wynonna
Saturday April 27
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Mike Snider; Matt Stell
7:30: John Conlee (host); Jeanne Robertson; Suzy Bogguss
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Jesse McReynolds; Charles Esten; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Martina McBride
As mentioned, Mark Stell will be making his Grand Ole Opry debut.
Matt Stell, who is from Center Ridge, Arkansas, is a self-taught vocalist and guitar player. He is also an outstanding basketball player, who played at Drury University. After completing his undergraduate work, he was accepted into Harvard University's Extension School Pre-Med program. However, Matt decided to follow his dream and in 2014 he made the move to Nashville and signed a publishing deal with Wide Open Music and a record deal with Song Music Entertainment.
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Now to this week's Grand Ole Opry which will feature two pretty nice shows, highlighted a guest appearance by Wynonna and an appearance by Grand Ole Opry member Martina McBride on what will be a very busy weekend in Nashville with the NFL draft taking place, along with the Music City Marathon. Both events will be drawing huge crowds.
At the Opry this weekend, Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both nights include John Conlee, Connie Smith and Mark Wills, each of whom will be hosting segments both nights. On Friday night that trio will be joined by Bobby Osborne, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites. Saturday night, it will be Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, Jesse McReynolds and Martina McBride joining John, Connie and Mark.
Guesting both nights will be Jeanne Robertson, a fine story teller who has made several Opry appearances in the past. She will be joined on Friday night by Wynonna, who is scheduled to close out the night. Also appearing will be Lindsay Ell, T. Graham Brown and Steve Earle & The Dukes. Saturday night, along with Jeanne, will be Suzy Bogguss, Charles Esten and making his Opry debut, Matt Stell.
Friday April 26
7:00: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Lindsay Ell
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; T. Graham Brown
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Jeanne Robertson; Steve Earle & The Dukes
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Wynonna
Saturday April 27
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Mike Snider; Matt Stell
7:30: John Conlee (host); Jeanne Robertson; Suzy Bogguss
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Jesse McReynolds; Charles Esten; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Martina McBride
As mentioned, Mark Stell will be making his Grand Ole Opry debut.
Matt Stell, who is from Center Ridge, Arkansas, is a self-taught vocalist and guitar player. He is also an outstanding basketball player, who played at Drury University. After completing his undergraduate work, he was accepted into Harvard University's Extension School Pre-Med program. However, Matt decided to follow his dream and in 2014 he made the move to Nashville and signed a publishing deal with Wide Open Music and a record deal with Song Music Entertainment.
His debut single, "Prayed For You" has amassed over 30 million digital streams, getting notice on Billboard's Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs Charts and play on SiriusXM's The Highway. The song has also been featured on a number of other digital music sites. This summer, Matt will be playing at a number of country music festivals.
I also wanted to mention that on the Opry website line-up, Steve Earle & The Dukes are listed as making their Opry debut on Friday night. While I am sure they are referring to Steve along with The Dukes, my memory tells me that Steve Earle has appeared on the Opry previously, in fact several times if I remember correctly.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the last weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 24
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Emily West
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Cherryholmes
8:00: Lorrie Morgan (host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene
8:30: Marty Stuart (host); Mike Snider; Connie Smith
Saturday April 25
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jimmy C Newman; Jennifer Hanson
8:00: Marty Stuart (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Raul Malo
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Sunny Sweeney
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown; Jennifer Hanson
10:30: Marty Stuart (host); Stonewall Jackson; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Raul Malo
From 25 years ago, Saturday April 23, 1994:
1st show
6:30: The Four Guys (host); Charlie Louvin
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Jean Shepard; Ricky Skaggs
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeanne Pruett; Jack Greene; Randy Travis
7:30: Bill Monroe (host); Jimmy C Newman; Brother Oswald; John Conlee; Mike Snider
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); The Whites; Billy Walker; Roy Drusky; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jan Howard; Jim Ed Brown; Hank Locklin; Riders In The Sky
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jimmy C Newman; Ray Pillow; The Four Guys; Jan Howard; Tim Atwood
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Roy Drusky
10:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Kukuruza; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Mike Snider; Hank Locklin; Jim Ed Brown; Jean Shepard
11:30: Jack Greene (host); Billy Walker; Jeanne Pruett; Johnny Russell
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 26, 1969:
7:30: Billy Grammer (host); Grandpa Jones; The Four Guys; Wilma Burgess
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Leroy Van Dyke; Cousin Jody; David Rodgers; Victor Jordan; Crook Brothers
8:30: Del Reeves (host); Johnny Darrell; Diana Trask; Texas Bill Strength
9:00: Bill Monroe (host); Del Wood; Cal Smith; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Leona Williams
9:30: Justin Tubb (host); Willis Brothers; Marion Worth; Duke of Paducah
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); The Four Guys; Leona Williams
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Billy Grammer; Wilma Burgess
10:30: Del Reeves (host); Leroy Van Dyke; David Rodgers
10:45: Willis Brothers (host); Cousin Jody; Crook Brothers
11:00: Bill Monroe (host); Del Wood; Johnny Darrell; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Diana Trask; Sam McGee
11:30: Justin Tubb (host); Marion Worth; Duke of Paducah; Cal Smith
Pretty light night for Opry members. I count 14 including the Crook Brothers and the Fruit Jar Drinkers, and 2 former members.
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I mentioned this last year, but it is worth to note again. April 28, 1973 marked the first time that Conway Twitty performed on the Grand Ole Opry.
Country music fans forever love their favorites and one of those who's career began in the 1950s and lasted into the 1990s was Conway Twitty. From his first sessions for Sun Records in 1957 through his last session for MCA, Conway never lost sight of his core concept that his records were the jukebox equivalent of a romantic greeting card. Any man needing to say something directly to a woman in any juke joint in America since 1957 could slide a coin in the slot and get Conway to do his talking.
Harold Jenkins, a Mississippi native who returned from the Army in the mid-1950s with a yen to sing, concocted his stage name from two Southern towns and invented his strong, silent and romantic public persona. That persona, Conway Twitty, knew who his listeners and fans were, knew what they wanted, and earned more #1 hits (40) than any other artist in the history of country music. In his concerts, "Hello Darlin'" never failed.
In addition to his solo career, his duets with Loretta Lynn became legendary and when Conway Twitty died of an aortic aneurysm in Springfield, Missouri in 1993 at the age of 59, country music lost one of its true giants.
So here we go, from 46 years ago, Saturday April 28, 1973, the night Conway Twitty appeared on the Grand Ole Opry:
1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Willis Brothers: Women's Liberation
Billy Grammer: Detroit City
6:45: Rudy's
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Big Midnight Special
Stan Hitchcock: Let Me Roll
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Did You Think to Pray
Carol Lee Cooper and George McCormick: Never Ending Song of Love/Old Fashioned Love Song
7:00: Rudy's
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Lonzo and Oscar: Movin' on #2/Easy Loving
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Mary Lou Turner: Teddy Bear Song
Bill Anderson: If You Can Live With It
Jimmy Gately: Sweet, Sweet Loving
Bill Anderson: Don't She Look Good
7:30: Standard Candy
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jimmy Newman: The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Ray Pillow: I Wish Somebody Love Me that Much
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Tommy Jones: Black Mountain Rag
Jimmy Newman: Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
Ray Pillow: Cinderella
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Bobby Lewis: It's Such a Pretty World Today
Conway Twitty: She Needs Someone to Hold Her/Hello Darlin'
Conway Twitty and Kathy Twitty: Don't Cry Daddy/Jackson
Roy Acuff: Won't It be Wonderful There
8:30: Stephens
Ernest Tubb (host): Baby, It's so Hard to be Good
Stu Phillips: IF Loving You Means Anything
The Four Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of a Dove
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Ernest Tubb: Have You Ever Been Lonely
Stu Phillips: She's Got to Be a Saint
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Billy Grammer (host): Wabash Cannonball
Willis Brothers: Little Red Wagon
Lonzo and Oscar: A King Size Cola and A Moon Pie
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
Billy Grammer: Life's Railway to Heaven
Willis Brothers: Cool Water
Billy Grammer: What a Friend
10:00: Fender
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Poor Ellen Smith
Ray Pillow: I Wish Somebody Loved Me That Much
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: To My Mansion
10:15: Union 76
Archie Campbell (host): Lonesome Road
Stan Hitchcock: Let Me Roll
Tommy Jones: Dueling Banjos/The Claw
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Gathering Flowers from the Hillside
Conway Twitty: Baby's Gone/She Needs Someone to Hold Her
Conway Twitty and Kathy Twitty: Daddy Don't Cry/Daddy Frank
10:45: Beech-Nut
Ernest Tubb (host): Filipino Baby
Bobby Lewis: Together Again
Crook Brothers: Eighth of January
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
11:00: Coca Cola
Jimmy Newman (host): The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Louie Roberts: Hey, Good Looking
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark
Jimmy Newman: San Antonio Rose
Louie Roberts: Make the World Go Away
Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because
Jimmy Newman: Good Deal Lucille
11:30: Elm Hill
Stu Phillips (host): Crystal Chandeliers
The Four Guys: Down By the Lazy River/Turn Your Radio On
Diane Jordan: Here I Am Again
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Diane Jordan: Teddy Bear Song
Stu Phillips: If Loving You Mean Anything
It is interesting that Conway really never performed at the Grand Ole Opry. He had such a busy touring schedule and outside interests that it would have been difficult for him to have found time for the Opry.
There you have it for this week as we finish up the month of April. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!!
Monday, April 22, 2019
Tuesday Night Opry 4/23 & Opry Country Classics 4/25
After the excitement of last week's Tuesday Night Opry, where the Opry inducted a new member, and featuring a few unannounced surprises, things look like they are back to normal for the show this week.
Tuesday Night Opry April 23
7:00: The Whites; Kelsey Waldon
7:30: Del McCoury Band; Craig Morgan
Intermission
8:15: Abby Anderson; Jimmie Allen
8:45: Erin Enderlin; Ricky Skaggs
As far as Opry Country Classics, it would appear that Trace Adkins will be the spotlight artist. Also appearing will be Tony Jackson, Ashley Campbell, TG Sheppard, and The Gatlin Brothers. Larry Gatlin will be your host.
Tuesday Night Opry April 23
7:00: The Whites; Kelsey Waldon
7:30: Del McCoury Band; Craig Morgan
Intermission
8:15: Abby Anderson; Jimmie Allen
8:45: Erin Enderlin; Ricky Skaggs
As far as Opry Country Classics, it would appear that Trace Adkins will be the spotlight artist. Also appearing will be Tony Jackson, Ashley Campbell, TG Sheppard, and The Gatlin Brothers. Larry Gatlin will be your host.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Grand Ole Opry 4/19 & 4/20
It's Easter weekend and the Grand Ole Opry has scheduled two very nice shows this weekend, both featuring Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill. Over the past couple of years, Vince has really reduced his Opry appearances as he has been very busy touring with The Eagles and making his own solo concert appearances. Add in his Monday night gig with The Time Jumpers, attending Nashville Predator hockey games, and his other charitable activities, I can see why he hardly finds time to make it to the Grand Ole Opry House. Hopefully, we will see more of Vince as the year goes on.
Appearing with Vince both nights will be Opry members Jeannie Seely, Dailey & Vincent and Bill Anderson. Joining that quartet on the Friday Night Opry will be members Terri Clark, Mike Snider, John Conlee, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites and Jesse McReynolds. That adds up to 10 members for the Friday show. On Saturday night, Old Crow Medicine Show is once again on the schedule, along with Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith and Bobby Osborne, which will give us 8 members on Saturday.
Guesting on Friday night will be Christian comedian Chonda Pierce, and making their Opry debut, Mandolin Orange. Saturday night has Zach Williams, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde and, making her solo Opry debut, Wendy Moten.
Friday April 19
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Dailey & Vincent
7:30: Terri Clark (host); Mike Snider; John Conlee
Intermission
8:15: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Chonda Pierce
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Jesse McReynolds; Mandolin Orange
Saturday April 20
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Riders In The Sky; Zach Williams
7:30; Old Crow Medicine Show (host); Connie Smith; Ashley McBryde
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Maddie & Tae; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Wendy Moten; Dailey & Vincent
It is nice to see Terri Clark and Old Crow Medicine Show hosting segments. It is always a pleasure to see fresh faces headlining the segments and it is needed. Mark Wills and Dailey & Vincent have also taking their turns at hosting and each of those acts have done a very nice job. As more and more of the veteran acts reduce their appearances, the Opry needs to take advantage of these newer and younger members who have stepped up to support the show.
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As mentioned, there are two artists that will be making their Grand Ole Opry debuts this weekend, Mandolin Orange on the Friday Night Opry and Wendy Moten on Saturday's Grand Ole Opry.
Mandolin Orange is described as a folk duo based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They are gaining quickly in popularity and in the fall they will be headlining two sold out shows at the Ryman Auditorium. This is in addition to a constant tour schedule. The group was formed in 2009 and consists of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz. Andrew is the group's songwriter and thus far the duo has produced five albums of his his original work. In addition to touring extensively in the United States, they have also tour Europe and have made appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and MerleFest. Their latest album, Tides of a Teardrop, was released February 1st.
While Wendy Moten will be making her solo Opry debut on Saturday night, she has appeared on the Opry before, with Vince Gill. In fact, she performed with him on the night of Vince's 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Wendy is from Memphis, Tennessee and sang in the nationally known Overton Choir. She got her first break singing with Michael Bolton at a benefit concert. She signed with EMI in 1992 and that year she released her self-titled debut album. Her biggest hit single came over 20 years ago, with "Come In Out of the Rain" making the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a No. 5 Adult Contemporary hit. In addition to her work with Vince Gill, she has also supplied background vocals for a number of other artists including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the 3rd weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 17
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely; Dean Brody
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Darius Rucker
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Sons Of The Pioneers
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host): Jimmy C Newman; The Whites
Saturday April 18
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Steve Wariner (host); Rascal Flatts
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jan Howard; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Steve Wariner (host); Rascal Flatts
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 16, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Skeeter Davis; Brother Oswald
6:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeanne Pruett
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Charlie Walker; Riders In The Sky; Mike Snider
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Doug Stone
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Bill Carlisle; Jean Shepard; Mel McDaniel; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); The Whites; Jeannie Seely; Billy Walker; Jimmy C Newman
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jean Shepard; Doug Stone
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Jan Howard
10:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Four Guys; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jack Greene; The Whites; Ray Pillow; Johnny Russell
11:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely; Billy Walker; Mel McDaniel
(During the televised portion of the Opry that night, Minnie Pearl was inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame)
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 19, 1969:
7:30: Bobby Lord (host); Skeeter Davis; Johnny Darrell; Minnie Pearl
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); The Hardens; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers; Arlene Harden
8:30: Roy Drusky (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Red Sovine; Ernie & The Countrymen; Cousin Jody
9:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Jim and Jesse; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Billy Parker
9:30: Bill Monroe (host); Willis Brothers; Del Wood; Cal Smith
10:00: Bobby Lord (host); The Four Guys; Skeeter Davis
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); The Hardens; Johnny Darrell
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Cousin Jody; Red Sovine
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Crook Brothers
11:00: Willis Brothers (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Del Wood; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Rouse Brothers; Sam McGee
11:30: Roy Drusky (host); Jim and Jesse; Cal Smith; Ernie & The Countrymen
There were a couple of acts that night that a few might not be familiar with, the first being Ernie & The Countrymen. Ernie Kucera was from Nebraska and in the mid 1960s he established a four piece band that played a lot of dates in the Midwest. The original members of the group were Ernie Kucera, Larry Sedlak, Lynn Lueben and Art Hoffbar. The group entered a competition: the Marlboro Country Music Contest, winning the local, state and national levels and as a result, were awarded a guest spot on the Grand Ole Opry. The group continued on, with various members, until 1992 when Ernie became ill and the group disbanded.
The other act from that night were the Rouse Brothers, who were described as "hard drinking fiddle demons who lived in the Everglades amongst the outlaws and wetlanders, shack shakers, and juke jointers. They were party lifers, and money spenders." They were also chart topping songwriters. Ervin Rouse is the man responsible for the "Orange Blossom Special," which has been covered on over 200 records and made most famous by Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe, among others. They first recorded the song in 1939. And of course, on that night in 1969, they played "Orange Blossom Special."
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Going back into the history of the Grand Ole Opry, it was on Saturday April 19, 1947 that Roy Acuff returned to the Grand Ole Opry.
One year earlier, on Saturday April 6, 1946, Roy quit the Opry in a salary dispute. At the time, he was the host and star of "The Prince Albert Show" segment of the Grand Ole Opry that was broadcast on the NBC radio network. He was making $15 per night at the Opry and asked for a raise to $100 per night. When Opry and WSM management refused his demands, he left the show and went out to California on an extended tour, that included personal appearances and an attempt at movie making. Over the years, Roy never talked much about leaving the Opry, but he knew that as the Opry's biggest star, he could make more money out on the road on extended tours, in areas that his commitment to the Opry would not allow. Depending on who is doing the talking, the West Coast tour wasn't very successful and Roy missed the Opry and being in Nashville. A year later, according to the story, Ernest Tubb and Harry Stone went to see Roy, who was in a Nashville hospital, asking him to come back to the Opry, saying the show was in trouble without him. While there is no evidence to support that statement, it worked and Roy came back to the Opry. However, since Red Foley was now the host of the Prince Albert portion, Roy would return as the host of the Royal Crown Cola segment of the Opry. That would begin on Saturday April 26. However, to publicize and build up Roy's return to the Opry, he was scheduled to appear on the Prince Albert show on April 19.
Here is the running order from 72 years ago, Saturday April 19, 1947, the night Roy Acuff returned to the Opry.
8:00: Purina
Oklahoma Wranglers: Rocky Mountain Express
Eddy Arnold: You're Not My Darling Any More
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris: Wish You All Well
Eddy Arnold: Rocking Alone in an Old Rocking Chair
Rod Brasfield: Jokes
Oklahoma Wranglers: Old Indians Never Die
Annie Lou and Danny: Mountain Maw
Lonzo and Oscar: Corn Bread and Molasses
Eddy Arnold: Chained to a Memory
8:30: Warren Paint and Color Co.
Lew Childre: Fog on the Rio Grande
Paul Howard: Somebody Else's Trouble
Bill Monroe: Blue Moon of Kentucky
Milton Estes: Cowboy Has to Sing
Clyde Moody: Leaf of Love
Lew and Stringbean: Rabbit in the Log
Chubby Wise: Down Yonder
Marie and Clyde: Railroad Boomer
Possum Hunters: Miss Sally
Robert Lunn: Since They Put a Radio in the Henhouse
Jimmy Walker: Gone, Gone, Gone
9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Golden West Cowboys: Alabama Jubilee
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Billy in the Low Ground
Cowboy Copas: Texas Red
Texas Ruby: Kansas City Blues
Curly Fox: Farmer and His Mule
Bradley Kincaid: Billy Richardson's Last Ride
York Brothers: Life Can Never Be the Same
Cowboy Copas: Tragic Romance
Johnnie and Jack: This World Can't Stand Long
Shorty Boyd: 8th of January
9:30: Prince Albert
Red Foley: Tennessee Central No. 9
Square Dance: Turkey in the Straw
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
Oak Ridge Quartet: Blind Bartemus
Ernest Tubb: There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made Around Here
Red Foley: I'll Never Let You Go Little Darling
Minnie Pearl: Jokes
Roy Acuff: Wait for the Light to Shine
Instrumental: Careless Love
Square Dance: Leather Britches
10:00: Wall-Rite
Earl Scruggs: Why Did You Wander
Bill and Lester: True Life Blues
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris: Pleasure Down on the Farm
Quartet: Shining Path
Lester: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
10:15: Weatherhouse
Paul Howard: There's a Big Rock in the Road
Lew and Stringbean: Roll On Buddy Roll On
Clyde Moody: Where the Old River Flows
Johnny and Jack: Sing Tom Kitty
Possum Hunters: Old Rat
10:30: Cherokee Mills
Roy Acuff: No One Will Ever Know
Rachel and Oswald: Columbus Stockade Blues
Curly Fox and Ruby: Did You Ever Go Sailing
Jimmy: My Life's Been a Pleasure
Jug Band: Detour
Arthur Smith: Kicking Mule
10:45: Southern Woodenware
Golden West Cowboys: Tennessee Waltz
Bill Monroe: My Rose of Old Kentucky
Bradley Kincaid: Granny's Old Arm Chair
Crook Brothers: The Old Account Was Settled
Golden West Cowboys: Cowboy's Special
11:00: Eddy Arnold Songbook
Eddy Arnold: I Couldn't Believe It Was True
Lily Belle: You Only Want Me When You're Lonely
Lonzo and Oscar: John Henry
Eddy Arnold: You Can't Break the Chains of Love
11:15: Ernest Tubb Songbook
Ernest Tubb: Rainbow at Midnight
Hal Smith: Joe Turner Blues
Dot and Smokey: Let's Pretend
Ernest Tubb: I'm Telling You
11:30: Saf-Kill
Wally Fowler: Waiting for My Call to Glory
Oklahoma Wranglers: A No Good Son of a Gun
Curly Fox: Bully of the Town
York Brothers: Life Can Never Be the Same
Gully Jumpers: Dance All Night
11:45: Michigan Bulb
Milton Estes: I'm Writing You Darling Through Tears
Jimmy Walker and Robert Lunn: I'd Trade All My Tomorrows
Kirk McGee: I'm Gonna Be Boss from Now On
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Chinese Breakdown
Milton Estes: I Don't Care
By the way, when Roy came back, he was paid above union scale, a practice that the Opry still follows today.
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!!
Appearing with Vince both nights will be Opry members Jeannie Seely, Dailey & Vincent and Bill Anderson. Joining that quartet on the Friday Night Opry will be members Terri Clark, Mike Snider, John Conlee, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites and Jesse McReynolds. That adds up to 10 members for the Friday show. On Saturday night, Old Crow Medicine Show is once again on the schedule, along with Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith and Bobby Osborne, which will give us 8 members on Saturday.
Guesting on Friday night will be Christian comedian Chonda Pierce, and making their Opry debut, Mandolin Orange. Saturday night has Zach Williams, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde and, making her solo Opry debut, Wendy Moten.
Friday April 19
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Dailey & Vincent
7:30: Terri Clark (host); Mike Snider; John Conlee
Intermission
8:15: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Chonda Pierce
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Jesse McReynolds; Mandolin Orange
Saturday April 20
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Riders In The Sky; Zach Williams
7:30; Old Crow Medicine Show (host); Connie Smith; Ashley McBryde
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Maddie & Tae; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Wendy Moten; Dailey & Vincent
It is nice to see Terri Clark and Old Crow Medicine Show hosting segments. It is always a pleasure to see fresh faces headlining the segments and it is needed. Mark Wills and Dailey & Vincent have also taking their turns at hosting and each of those acts have done a very nice job. As more and more of the veteran acts reduce their appearances, the Opry needs to take advantage of these newer and younger members who have stepped up to support the show.
_______________________________________________________________________
As mentioned, there are two artists that will be making their Grand Ole Opry debuts this weekend, Mandolin Orange on the Friday Night Opry and Wendy Moten on Saturday's Grand Ole Opry.
Mandolin Orange is described as a folk duo based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They are gaining quickly in popularity and in the fall they will be headlining two sold out shows at the Ryman Auditorium. This is in addition to a constant tour schedule. The group was formed in 2009 and consists of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz. Andrew is the group's songwriter and thus far the duo has produced five albums of his his original work. In addition to touring extensively in the United States, they have also tour Europe and have made appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and MerleFest. Their latest album, Tides of a Teardrop, was released February 1st.
While Wendy Moten will be making her solo Opry debut on Saturday night, she has appeared on the Opry before, with Vince Gill. In fact, she performed with him on the night of Vince's 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Wendy is from Memphis, Tennessee and sang in the nationally known Overton Choir. She got her first break singing with Michael Bolton at a benefit concert. She signed with EMI in 1992 and that year she released her self-titled debut album. Her biggest hit single came over 20 years ago, with "Come In Out of the Rain" making the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a No. 5 Adult Contemporary hit. In addition to her work with Vince Gill, she has also supplied background vocals for a number of other artists including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the 3rd weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 17
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely; Dean Brody
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Darius Rucker
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Sons Of The Pioneers
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host): Jimmy C Newman; The Whites
Saturday April 18
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Steve Wariner (host); Rascal Flatts
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jan Howard; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Steve Wariner (host); Rascal Flatts
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 16, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Skeeter Davis; Brother Oswald
6:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeanne Pruett
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Charlie Walker; Riders In The Sky; Mike Snider
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Doug Stone
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Bill Carlisle; Jean Shepard; Mel McDaniel; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); The Whites; Jeannie Seely; Billy Walker; Jimmy C Newman
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jean Shepard; Doug Stone
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Jan Howard
10:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Four Guys; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jack Greene; The Whites; Ray Pillow; Johnny Russell
11:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeannie Seely; Billy Walker; Mel McDaniel
(During the televised portion of the Opry that night, Minnie Pearl was inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame)
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 19, 1969:
7:30: Bobby Lord (host); Skeeter Davis; Johnny Darrell; Minnie Pearl
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); The Hardens; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers; Arlene Harden
8:30: Roy Drusky (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Red Sovine; Ernie & The Countrymen; Cousin Jody
9:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Jim and Jesse; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Billy Parker
9:30: Bill Monroe (host); Willis Brothers; Del Wood; Cal Smith
10:00: Bobby Lord (host); The Four Guys; Skeeter Davis
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); The Hardens; Johnny Darrell
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Cousin Jody; Red Sovine
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Crook Brothers
11:00: Willis Brothers (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Del Wood; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Rouse Brothers; Sam McGee
11:30: Roy Drusky (host); Jim and Jesse; Cal Smith; Ernie & The Countrymen
There were a couple of acts that night that a few might not be familiar with, the first being Ernie & The Countrymen. Ernie Kucera was from Nebraska and in the mid 1960s he established a four piece band that played a lot of dates in the Midwest. The original members of the group were Ernie Kucera, Larry Sedlak, Lynn Lueben and Art Hoffbar. The group entered a competition: the Marlboro Country Music Contest, winning the local, state and national levels and as a result, were awarded a guest spot on the Grand Ole Opry. The group continued on, with various members, until 1992 when Ernie became ill and the group disbanded.
The other act from that night were the Rouse Brothers, who were described as "hard drinking fiddle demons who lived in the Everglades amongst the outlaws and wetlanders, shack shakers, and juke jointers. They were party lifers, and money spenders." They were also chart topping songwriters. Ervin Rouse is the man responsible for the "Orange Blossom Special," which has been covered on over 200 records and made most famous by Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe, among others. They first recorded the song in 1939. And of course, on that night in 1969, they played "Orange Blossom Special."
_________________________________________________________________________
Going back into the history of the Grand Ole Opry, it was on Saturday April 19, 1947 that Roy Acuff returned to the Grand Ole Opry.
One year earlier, on Saturday April 6, 1946, Roy quit the Opry in a salary dispute. At the time, he was the host and star of "The Prince Albert Show" segment of the Grand Ole Opry that was broadcast on the NBC radio network. He was making $15 per night at the Opry and asked for a raise to $100 per night. When Opry and WSM management refused his demands, he left the show and went out to California on an extended tour, that included personal appearances and an attempt at movie making. Over the years, Roy never talked much about leaving the Opry, but he knew that as the Opry's biggest star, he could make more money out on the road on extended tours, in areas that his commitment to the Opry would not allow. Depending on who is doing the talking, the West Coast tour wasn't very successful and Roy missed the Opry and being in Nashville. A year later, according to the story, Ernest Tubb and Harry Stone went to see Roy, who was in a Nashville hospital, asking him to come back to the Opry, saying the show was in trouble without him. While there is no evidence to support that statement, it worked and Roy came back to the Opry. However, since Red Foley was now the host of the Prince Albert portion, Roy would return as the host of the Royal Crown Cola segment of the Opry. That would begin on Saturday April 26. However, to publicize and build up Roy's return to the Opry, he was scheduled to appear on the Prince Albert show on April 19.
Here is the running order from 72 years ago, Saturday April 19, 1947, the night Roy Acuff returned to the Opry.
8:00: Purina
Oklahoma Wranglers: Rocky Mountain Express
Eddy Arnold: You're Not My Darling Any More
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris: Wish You All Well
Eddy Arnold: Rocking Alone in an Old Rocking Chair
Rod Brasfield: Jokes
Oklahoma Wranglers: Old Indians Never Die
Annie Lou and Danny: Mountain Maw
Lonzo and Oscar: Corn Bread and Molasses
Eddy Arnold: Chained to a Memory
8:30: Warren Paint and Color Co.
Lew Childre: Fog on the Rio Grande
Paul Howard: Somebody Else's Trouble
Bill Monroe: Blue Moon of Kentucky
Milton Estes: Cowboy Has to Sing
Clyde Moody: Leaf of Love
Lew and Stringbean: Rabbit in the Log
Chubby Wise: Down Yonder
Marie and Clyde: Railroad Boomer
Possum Hunters: Miss Sally
Robert Lunn: Since They Put a Radio in the Henhouse
Jimmy Walker: Gone, Gone, Gone
9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Golden West Cowboys: Alabama Jubilee
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Billy in the Low Ground
Cowboy Copas: Texas Red
Texas Ruby: Kansas City Blues
Curly Fox: Farmer and His Mule
Bradley Kincaid: Billy Richardson's Last Ride
York Brothers: Life Can Never Be the Same
Cowboy Copas: Tragic Romance
Johnnie and Jack: This World Can't Stand Long
Shorty Boyd: 8th of January
9:30: Prince Albert
Red Foley: Tennessee Central No. 9
Square Dance: Turkey in the Straw
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
Oak Ridge Quartet: Blind Bartemus
Ernest Tubb: There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made Around Here
Red Foley: I'll Never Let You Go Little Darling
Minnie Pearl: Jokes
Roy Acuff: Wait for the Light to Shine
Instrumental: Careless Love
Square Dance: Leather Britches
10:00: Wall-Rite
Earl Scruggs: Why Did You Wander
Bill and Lester: True Life Blues
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris: Pleasure Down on the Farm
Quartet: Shining Path
Lester: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
10:15: Weatherhouse
Paul Howard: There's a Big Rock in the Road
Lew and Stringbean: Roll On Buddy Roll On
Clyde Moody: Where the Old River Flows
Johnny and Jack: Sing Tom Kitty
Possum Hunters: Old Rat
10:30: Cherokee Mills
Roy Acuff: No One Will Ever Know
Rachel and Oswald: Columbus Stockade Blues
Curly Fox and Ruby: Did You Ever Go Sailing
Jimmy: My Life's Been a Pleasure
Jug Band: Detour
Arthur Smith: Kicking Mule
10:45: Southern Woodenware
Golden West Cowboys: Tennessee Waltz
Bill Monroe: My Rose of Old Kentucky
Bradley Kincaid: Granny's Old Arm Chair
Crook Brothers: The Old Account Was Settled
Golden West Cowboys: Cowboy's Special
11:00: Eddy Arnold Songbook
Eddy Arnold: I Couldn't Believe It Was True
Lily Belle: You Only Want Me When You're Lonely
Lonzo and Oscar: John Henry
Eddy Arnold: You Can't Break the Chains of Love
11:15: Ernest Tubb Songbook
Ernest Tubb: Rainbow at Midnight
Hal Smith: Joe Turner Blues
Dot and Smokey: Let's Pretend
Ernest Tubb: I'm Telling You
11:30: Saf-Kill
Wally Fowler: Waiting for My Call to Glory
Oklahoma Wranglers: A No Good Son of a Gun
Curly Fox: Bully of the Town
York Brothers: Life Can Never Be the Same
Gully Jumpers: Dance All Night
11:45: Michigan Bulb
Milton Estes: I'm Writing You Darling Through Tears
Jimmy Walker and Robert Lunn: I'd Trade All My Tomorrows
Kirk McGee: I'm Gonna Be Boss from Now On
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Chinese Breakdown
Milton Estes: I Don't Care
By the way, when Roy came back, he was paid above union scale, a practice that the Opry still follows today.
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!!
Monday, April 15, 2019
Tuesday Night Opry 4/19 & Opry Country Classics 4/21
The big event this week will take place during the Tuesday Night Opry as Kelsea Ballerini, at the age of 25, will become the newest, and youngest member, of the Grand Ole Opry.
Kelsea Ballerini was born in Mascot, Tennessee and grew up in Knoxville. Growing up, she sang in church and school choirs. She wrote her first song at age 12 for her mother and moved to Tennessee three years later. After graduating from Centennial High School in Franklin, Tennessee, she attended Lipscomb University for two years until leaving to pursue a musical career.
At age 19, she signed a deal with Black River Entertainment and in late 2014, Kelsea released her first single, "Love Me Like You Mean It." The song reached No.1 in July 2015 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Kelsea the first solo female country artist to score a number of hit with her debut single since Carrie Underwood did so with "Jesus, Take the Wheel" in 2006. She also became only the fifth solo female artist, and the first since Jamie O'Neal in 2001, to achieve back-to-back number one hits with her first two singles when "Dibs" also reached No, 1 on the Billboard charts. Both singles were from her debut album, "The First Time." Kelsea released her second album, "Legends" in June 2017.
Thus far in her career, she has released seven singles, four of which hit No. 1, the two listed above, along with "Peter Pan" in 2016 and "Legends" in 2017.
Her awards include New Female Vocalist of the Year in 2015, Best New Country Artist at the iHeart Radio Music Awards in 2016, and the Gene Weed Milestone Award from the ACM in 2017. She has received nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year from the ACM (Academy of Country Music) and from the CMA (Country Music Association). She has also been nominated for several Kid's Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, CMT Music Awards, and in 2019 received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album.
Kelsea has said that she has been influenced by both pop and country artists, saying that she grew up on Top 40 music and lists Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and NSYNC among the early artists she listened to. It was not until she heard "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban that she decided to delve deeper into country music by listening to albums by Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Dixie Chicks. She cites Shania Twain as her greatest influence.
Kelsea made her Grand Ole Opry debut on February 14, 2015. Over the past four years, she has continued to make guest appearances on the Opry and I personally have seen her several times. She definitely appeals to the younger country music fans.
Congratulations to Kelsea Ballerini on becoming the Grand Ole Opry's newest member and it will be interesting going forward, to see how much support she gives to the Opry has her career continues to expand.
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As to the rest of the Tuesday Night Opry, here is the line-up:
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Eddie Montgomery with Montgomery Gentry
7:30: Kelsea Ballerini
Intermission
8:15: Dale Watson; Maggie Rose
8:45: Del McCoury Band; Dustin Lynch
As to Opry Country Classics on Thursday night, no official line-up of artists has been posted as of this time, however, listed as scheduled to appear include Charlie Daniels, Charlie McCoy, Mark Wills, The Gatlin Brothers and Emily West. Larry Gatlin is listed as the host. My guess is that Charlie Daniels will be the spotlight artist.
Kelsea Ballerini was born in Mascot, Tennessee and grew up in Knoxville. Growing up, she sang in church and school choirs. She wrote her first song at age 12 for her mother and moved to Tennessee three years later. After graduating from Centennial High School in Franklin, Tennessee, she attended Lipscomb University for two years until leaving to pursue a musical career.
At age 19, she signed a deal with Black River Entertainment and in late 2014, Kelsea released her first single, "Love Me Like You Mean It." The song reached No.1 in July 2015 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Kelsea the first solo female country artist to score a number of hit with her debut single since Carrie Underwood did so with "Jesus, Take the Wheel" in 2006. She also became only the fifth solo female artist, and the first since Jamie O'Neal in 2001, to achieve back-to-back number one hits with her first two singles when "Dibs" also reached No, 1 on the Billboard charts. Both singles were from her debut album, "The First Time." Kelsea released her second album, "Legends" in June 2017.
Thus far in her career, she has released seven singles, four of which hit No. 1, the two listed above, along with "Peter Pan" in 2016 and "Legends" in 2017.
Her awards include New Female Vocalist of the Year in 2015, Best New Country Artist at the iHeart Radio Music Awards in 2016, and the Gene Weed Milestone Award from the ACM in 2017. She has received nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year from the ACM (Academy of Country Music) and from the CMA (Country Music Association). She has also been nominated for several Kid's Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, CMT Music Awards, and in 2019 received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album.
Kelsea has said that she has been influenced by both pop and country artists, saying that she grew up on Top 40 music and lists Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and NSYNC among the early artists she listened to. It was not until she heard "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban that she decided to delve deeper into country music by listening to albums by Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Dixie Chicks. She cites Shania Twain as her greatest influence.
Kelsea made her Grand Ole Opry debut on February 14, 2015. Over the past four years, she has continued to make guest appearances on the Opry and I personally have seen her several times. She definitely appeals to the younger country music fans.
Congratulations to Kelsea Ballerini on becoming the Grand Ole Opry's newest member and it will be interesting going forward, to see how much support she gives to the Opry has her career continues to expand.
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As to the rest of the Tuesday Night Opry, here is the line-up:
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Eddie Montgomery with Montgomery Gentry
7:30: Kelsea Ballerini
Intermission
8:15: Dale Watson; Maggie Rose
8:45: Del McCoury Band; Dustin Lynch
As to Opry Country Classics on Thursday night, no official line-up of artists has been posted as of this time, however, listed as scheduled to appear include Charlie Daniels, Charlie McCoy, Mark Wills, The Gatlin Brothers and Emily West. Larry Gatlin is listed as the host. My guess is that Charlie Daniels will be the spotlight artist.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Grand Ole Opry 4/12 & 4/13
This past week, country music lost two enduring artists: Jim Glaser and Earl Thomas Conley.
James William Glaser was born in Spalding, Nebraska in 1937. He began playing guitar at age four and began performing at local shows with his brother Tompall as the Glaser Brothers. In 1959, Marty Robbins signed The Glaser Brothers, which by then included their brother Chuck, to his Robbins Records label, which released their first single, "Five Penny Nickel." Decca Records later purchased their contract from Robbins and Owen Bradley produced their records. During those early years, they toured with Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, among others. In 1966, signing with MGM brought chart success on songs such as "Gone, On the Other Hand," "California Girl (and the Tennessee Square)," "Moods of Mary," and "Rings," which reached No. 7 on the Billboard charts. In 1981 Elektra Records released "Loving Her was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" which reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and stayed there for two weeks. The group ceased performing together in 1973 and reunited in 1979.
Jim earned a No. 1 hit as a solo artist with "You're Gettin' to Me Again" from his Man In The Mirror album, which also included the Top 20 song "When You're Not a Lady" and the Top 10 hit "If I Could Only Dance With You." In 1983, Jim was awarded the Academy of Country Music's New Male Artist Award. Jim was also a talented songwriter, and his hits included "Woman, Woman" which was a huge hit for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.
Jim was the tenor voice that could be heard on the Marty Robbins' hit "El Paso" and along with his brothers on the Johnny Cash hit "Ring of Fire." Along with his brothers, he owned and operated Glaser Sound Studios in Nashville, which became known as "Hillbilly Central."
The Glaser Brothers were members of the Grand Ole Opry for a number of years, leaving the cast in 1973 when they broke up. They reunited for a final time in 1990 for Hank Snow's 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. That outstanding performance can be seen on YouTube. Jim continued to perform as a solo artist until his death of a heart attack at the age of 81.
While never a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Earl Thomas Conley enjoyed a very successful career in country music. During the 1980s, Earl had 18 No. 1 hits and only Alabama and Ronnie Milsap had more. Earl Thomas Conley who had a great soulful voice and sang some very heart felt ballads, was 77.
___________________________________________________________________________
Looking at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend, both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry offer two very solid shows. Grand Ole Opry members appearing both nights include Mark Wills, John Conlee, Mike Snider and Connie Smith. They will be joined on Friday night by The Whites and Bobby Osborne, while Jesse McReynolds, Riders In The Sky and Steve Wariner are listed for Saturday night.
Guesting on Friday night will be the very, very good Annie Moses Band, along with Mickey Guyton, LOCASH, Dusty Slay and the legendary Gene Watson. Saturday night features Drew Baldridge, comedian Henry Cho, Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert, and Heather Morgan.
Friday April 12
7:00: John Conlee (host); Mickey Guyton; Mike Snider
7:30: Connie Smith (host); LOCASH
Intermission
8:15: The Whites (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Dusty Slay
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Gene Watson; Annie Moses Band
Saturday April 13
7:00: John Conlee (host); Drew Baldridge; Mike Snider
7:30: Mark Willis (host); Jesse McReynolds; Henry Cho
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Steve Wariner (host); Heather Morgan; Connie Smith
In what has become a pattern at the Grand Ole Opry, it seems as if an artist is making their Opry debut each week. This Saturday night it will be Heather Morgan's turn in the circle.
Heather Morgan is from Richardson, Texas. After she graduated from TCU, she signed her first publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. Her songs have been featured on the TV show "Nashville" and recorded by Keith Urban, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Eli Young Band, Maddie & Tae, among others. She is now a staff writer at Sony ATV Music, and had her first No. 1 single in June 2014 with Brett Eldredge's "Beat of the Music." She was awarded the 2015 BMI Song of the Year. She has been nominated for Music Row's Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Award and has taken part as a songwriter at the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp. She is currently with Eleven Feather Records and her current single is "Your Hurricane."
_________________________________________________________________________
And now, there is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the 2nd weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 10
7:00: Marty Stuart (host); Jimmy C Newman; John Conlee; Connie Smith
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mel McDaniel; Jim Ed Brown; Ricky Skaggs
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Mike Snider; Point Of Grace
8:30: Vince Gill (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jean Shepard; The Whites
Saturday April 11
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Mike Snider; Jo Dee Messina
7:30: Mel Tillis (host); Jean Shepard; John Conlee; Rhonda Vincent
8:00: Marty Stuart (host); Connie Smith; Ricky Skaggs; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Martina McBride; Vince Gill
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Mike Snider; Martina McBride
10:00: Mel Tillis (host); Kenyon Lockry; Riders In The Sky; Jo Dee Messina
10:30: Marty Stuart (host); Rhonda Vincent; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Ricky Skaggs; Vince Gill
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 9, 1994:
6:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Bill Monroe (host); Skeeter Davis
7:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Ray Pillow; Jean Shepard; Roy Drusky
7:30: Jack Greene (host); Connie Smith; Johnny Russell; Glen Campbell
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Hank Locklin; Jean Shepard; Charlie Louvin; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jeannie Seely; Stonewall Jackson; The Whites; Mike Snider
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Charlie Walker; Jan Howard; Glen Campbell
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); The Four Guys
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Hank Locklin
10:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jan Howard and Hank Locklin
10:45: Jack Greene (host); Charlie Louvin; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Nashville Bluegrass Band; Jeannie Seely; Stonewall Jackson
11:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeanne Pruett; The Whites; Connie Smith
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 12, 1969:
7:30: Archie Campbell (host); Lorene Mann; Stu Phillips; The Four Guys
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Skeeter Davis; Ernie Ashworth; Crook Brothers
8:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Del Wood; Bill Carlisle; Martha Carson
9:00: Jack Greene (host); Mel Tillis; Jim and Jesse; Stringbean; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Margie Bowes; Cousin Jody; Louie Roberts
10:00: Stu Phillips (host); The Four Guys; Ernie Ashworth
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Skeeter Davis; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Hank Snow (host); Stringbean; Martha Carson
10:45: Willis Brothers (host); Jim and Jesse; Crook Brothers
11:00: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Mel Tillis; Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Jack Greene (host); Margie Bowes; Cousin Jody; Del Wood; Louie Roberts
_______________________________________________________________________
April 13, 1991 was the final Reunion Show, often referred to as "Old-Timer's Night." These annual shows began in 1974 and brought together a number of former Grand Ole Opry members. However, as the years rolled on, there were less and less of the original former members alive, and many of those still living were not appearing.
Here is the running order from 28 years ago, Saturday April 13, 1991:
1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Grandpa Jones (host): Ball Headed End of a Broom
Bill Anderson: Still
Grandpa Jones: Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea
6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Bill Monroe (host): Molly & Tenbrooks/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Ricky Skaggs: Let It Be You/Honey Open that Door
Bill Monroe: Southern Flavor
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Comin'
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Jan Howard: Heartaches by the Number
Jim and Jesse: It's a Lonesome Feeling
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Porter Wagoner: 'Ol Slewfoot
7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): Country Boy
Margie Bowes: When I Call Your Name
Zeke Clements: No More Smoke on the Water
Faron Young: Wine Me Up/Hello Walls
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz
Charlie Louvin: When You Can Only Dream that Far/When I Stop Dreaming
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted/Elvira
Opry Square Dance Band and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham
8:30: Pops Rite
Hank Snow (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Skeeter Davis: Who's Gonna Tell Marie
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Riders In The Sky: How the Yodel Was Born
John Conlee: Common Man
Hank Snow: My Little Old Home Down in New Orleans
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Country Music Has Gone to Town
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Picture on the Wall
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
The Whites: Doing it by the Book
Porter Wagoner: I'll Go Down Swinging
10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host): Better Time's A' Comin'
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Jeannie Seely: One Step Away from Coming Home
Grandpa Jones: The Sweet Sunny South
10:15: Sunbeam/Tennessee Pride
Roy Acuff (host): I'll Fly Away
Faron Young: It's Four in the Morning/After The Lovin'/Hello Walls
10:30: Pet Milk
Ricky Skaggs (host): He Was Onto Something
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ricky Skaggs: Lovin' Only Me
10:45: B.C. Powder
Bill Anderson (host): Son of the South
Jim and Jesse: Dream of Me
Opry Square Dance Band and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Rachel
Bill Anderson: Thank You Darling for Loving Me
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Frankie and Johnny
Jimmy Dickens: Me & My Big Loud Mouth
Justin Tubb: Keep Me from Blowing Away
John Conlee: Common Man/Rose Colored Glasses
Hank Snow: Whispering Rain
11:30: Creamette
Bill Monroe (host): Old Dangerfield
Mike Snider: Shuckin' the Corn
Charlie Louvin: In The Pines
Riders In The Sky: When the Boom is on the Sage
Charlie Walker: Deep Water
Bill Monroe: Dark as the Night; Blue as the Day
That final reunion show featured only Faron Young on both shows, while Margie Bowes, Zeke Clements and Pee Wee King were featured on the first show. Even Minnie Pearl who usually did not miss one of these shows, was absent.
There you have it for this weekend. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!
James William Glaser was born in Spalding, Nebraska in 1937. He began playing guitar at age four and began performing at local shows with his brother Tompall as the Glaser Brothers. In 1959, Marty Robbins signed The Glaser Brothers, which by then included their brother Chuck, to his Robbins Records label, which released their first single, "Five Penny Nickel." Decca Records later purchased their contract from Robbins and Owen Bradley produced their records. During those early years, they toured with Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, among others. In 1966, signing with MGM brought chart success on songs such as "Gone, On the Other Hand," "California Girl (and the Tennessee Square)," "Moods of Mary," and "Rings," which reached No. 7 on the Billboard charts. In 1981 Elektra Records released "Loving Her was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" which reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and stayed there for two weeks. The group ceased performing together in 1973 and reunited in 1979.
Jim earned a No. 1 hit as a solo artist with "You're Gettin' to Me Again" from his Man In The Mirror album, which also included the Top 20 song "When You're Not a Lady" and the Top 10 hit "If I Could Only Dance With You." In 1983, Jim was awarded the Academy of Country Music's New Male Artist Award. Jim was also a talented songwriter, and his hits included "Woman, Woman" which was a huge hit for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.
Jim was the tenor voice that could be heard on the Marty Robbins' hit "El Paso" and along with his brothers on the Johnny Cash hit "Ring of Fire." Along with his brothers, he owned and operated Glaser Sound Studios in Nashville, which became known as "Hillbilly Central."
The Glaser Brothers were members of the Grand Ole Opry for a number of years, leaving the cast in 1973 when they broke up. They reunited for a final time in 1990 for Hank Snow's 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. That outstanding performance can be seen on YouTube. Jim continued to perform as a solo artist until his death of a heart attack at the age of 81.
While never a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Earl Thomas Conley enjoyed a very successful career in country music. During the 1980s, Earl had 18 No. 1 hits and only Alabama and Ronnie Milsap had more. Earl Thomas Conley who had a great soulful voice and sang some very heart felt ballads, was 77.
___________________________________________________________________________
Looking at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend, both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry offer two very solid shows. Grand Ole Opry members appearing both nights include Mark Wills, John Conlee, Mike Snider and Connie Smith. They will be joined on Friday night by The Whites and Bobby Osborne, while Jesse McReynolds, Riders In The Sky and Steve Wariner are listed for Saturday night.
Guesting on Friday night will be the very, very good Annie Moses Band, along with Mickey Guyton, LOCASH, Dusty Slay and the legendary Gene Watson. Saturday night features Drew Baldridge, comedian Henry Cho, Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert, and Heather Morgan.
Friday April 12
7:00: John Conlee (host); Mickey Guyton; Mike Snider
7:30: Connie Smith (host); LOCASH
Intermission
8:15: The Whites (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Dusty Slay
8:45: Mark Wills (host); Gene Watson; Annie Moses Band
Saturday April 13
7:00: John Conlee (host); Drew Baldridge; Mike Snider
7:30: Mark Willis (host); Jesse McReynolds; Henry Cho
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Steve Wariner (host); Heather Morgan; Connie Smith
In what has become a pattern at the Grand Ole Opry, it seems as if an artist is making their Opry debut each week. This Saturday night it will be Heather Morgan's turn in the circle.
Heather Morgan is from Richardson, Texas. After she graduated from TCU, she signed her first publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. Her songs have been featured on the TV show "Nashville" and recorded by Keith Urban, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Eli Young Band, Maddie & Tae, among others. She is now a staff writer at Sony ATV Music, and had her first No. 1 single in June 2014 with Brett Eldredge's "Beat of the Music." She was awarded the 2015 BMI Song of the Year. She has been nominated for Music Row's Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Award and has taken part as a songwriter at the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp. She is currently with Eleven Feather Records and her current single is "Your Hurricane."
_________________________________________________________________________
And now, there is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the 2nd weekend in April 2009:
Friday April 10
7:00: Marty Stuart (host); Jimmy C Newman; John Conlee; Connie Smith
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mel McDaniel; Jim Ed Brown; Ricky Skaggs
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Mike Snider; Point Of Grace
8:30: Vince Gill (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jean Shepard; The Whites
Saturday April 11
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Mike Snider; Jo Dee Messina
7:30: Mel Tillis (host); Jean Shepard; John Conlee; Rhonda Vincent
8:00: Marty Stuart (host); Connie Smith; Ricky Skaggs; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Martina McBride; Vince Gill
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Mike Snider; Martina McBride
10:00: Mel Tillis (host); Kenyon Lockry; Riders In The Sky; Jo Dee Messina
10:30: Marty Stuart (host); Rhonda Vincent; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Ricky Skaggs; Vince Gill
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 9, 1994:
6:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Bill Monroe (host); Skeeter Davis
7:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Ray Pillow; Jean Shepard; Roy Drusky
7:30: Jack Greene (host); Connie Smith; Johnny Russell; Glen Campbell
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Hank Locklin; Jean Shepard; Charlie Louvin; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jeannie Seely; Stonewall Jackson; The Whites; Mike Snider
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Charlie Walker; Jan Howard; Glen Campbell
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); The Four Guys
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Hank Locklin
10:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jan Howard and Hank Locklin
10:45: Jack Greene (host); Charlie Louvin; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Nashville Bluegrass Band; Jeannie Seely; Stonewall Jackson
11:30: Mike Snider (host); Jeanne Pruett; The Whites; Connie Smith
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 12, 1969:
7:30: Archie Campbell (host); Lorene Mann; Stu Phillips; The Four Guys
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Skeeter Davis; Ernie Ashworth; Crook Brothers
8:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Del Wood; Bill Carlisle; Martha Carson
9:00: Jack Greene (host); Mel Tillis; Jim and Jesse; Stringbean; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Margie Bowes; Cousin Jody; Louie Roberts
10:00: Stu Phillips (host); The Four Guys; Ernie Ashworth
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Skeeter Davis; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Hank Snow (host); Stringbean; Martha Carson
10:45: Willis Brothers (host); Jim and Jesse; Crook Brothers
11:00: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Mel Tillis; Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Jack Greene (host); Margie Bowes; Cousin Jody; Del Wood; Louie Roberts
_______________________________________________________________________
April 13, 1991 was the final Reunion Show, often referred to as "Old-Timer's Night." These annual shows began in 1974 and brought together a number of former Grand Ole Opry members. However, as the years rolled on, there were less and less of the original former members alive, and many of those still living were not appearing.
Here is the running order from 28 years ago, Saturday April 13, 1991:
1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Grandpa Jones (host): Ball Headed End of a Broom
Bill Anderson: Still
Grandpa Jones: Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea
6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Bill Monroe (host): Molly & Tenbrooks/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Ricky Skaggs: Let It Be You/Honey Open that Door
Bill Monroe: Southern Flavor
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Comin'
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Jan Howard: Heartaches by the Number
Jim and Jesse: It's a Lonesome Feeling
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Porter Wagoner: 'Ol Slewfoot
7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): Country Boy
Margie Bowes: When I Call Your Name
Zeke Clements: No More Smoke on the Water
Faron Young: Wine Me Up/Hello Walls
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz
Charlie Louvin: When You Can Only Dream that Far/When I Stop Dreaming
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted/Elvira
Opry Square Dance Band and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham
8:30: Pops Rite
Hank Snow (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Skeeter Davis: Who's Gonna Tell Marie
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Riders In The Sky: How the Yodel Was Born
John Conlee: Common Man
Hank Snow: My Little Old Home Down in New Orleans
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Country Music Has Gone to Town
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Picture on the Wall
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
The Whites: Doing it by the Book
Porter Wagoner: I'll Go Down Swinging
10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host): Better Time's A' Comin'
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Jeannie Seely: One Step Away from Coming Home
Grandpa Jones: The Sweet Sunny South
10:15: Sunbeam/Tennessee Pride
Roy Acuff (host): I'll Fly Away
Faron Young: It's Four in the Morning/After The Lovin'/Hello Walls
10:30: Pet Milk
Ricky Skaggs (host): He Was Onto Something
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ricky Skaggs: Lovin' Only Me
10:45: B.C. Powder
Bill Anderson (host): Son of the South
Jim and Jesse: Dream of Me
Opry Square Dance Band and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Rachel
Bill Anderson: Thank You Darling for Loving Me
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Frankie and Johnny
Jimmy Dickens: Me & My Big Loud Mouth
Justin Tubb: Keep Me from Blowing Away
John Conlee: Common Man/Rose Colored Glasses
Hank Snow: Whispering Rain
11:30: Creamette
Bill Monroe (host): Old Dangerfield
Mike Snider: Shuckin' the Corn
Charlie Louvin: In The Pines
Riders In The Sky: When the Boom is on the Sage
Charlie Walker: Deep Water
Bill Monroe: Dark as the Night; Blue as the Day
That final reunion show featured only Faron Young on both shows, while Margie Bowes, Zeke Clements and Pee Wee King were featured on the first show. Even Minnie Pearl who usually did not miss one of these shows, was absent.
There you have it for this weekend. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Tuesday Night Opry 4/9 & Opry Country Classics 4/11
Last week was the final week, at least for now, for the Wednesday Night Opry, so the Opry is back down to just the Tuesday Night Opry and Opry Country Classics for this week.
The Tuesday Night Opry will feature Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson, Terri Clark, Del McCoury Band, Pam Tillis and Charlie Daniels.
Tuesday April 9
7:00: Bill Anderson; Terri Clark
7:30: Del McCoury Band; Aaron Lewis
Intermission
8:15: Mindy Smith; Pam Tillis
8:45: Charlie Daniels Band
A very nice Tuesday night line-up.
As far as Opry Country Classics this week, Larry Gatlin is off to parts unknown, thus Bill Cody will be the host and Chris Young the spotlight artist.
Thursday April 11
Host: Bill Cody
Spotlight Artist: Chris Young
Also Appearing: Billy Dean; Brook Eden; The Malpass Brothers; Gene Watson
Seems a little strange to have a classics show with Gene Watson, and Gene not being the spotlight artist.
Enjoy!!
The Tuesday Night Opry will feature Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson, Terri Clark, Del McCoury Band, Pam Tillis and Charlie Daniels.
Tuesday April 9
7:00: Bill Anderson; Terri Clark
7:30: Del McCoury Band; Aaron Lewis
Intermission
8:15: Mindy Smith; Pam Tillis
8:45: Charlie Daniels Band
A very nice Tuesday night line-up.
As far as Opry Country Classics this week, Larry Gatlin is off to parts unknown, thus Bill Cody will be the host and Chris Young the spotlight artist.
Thursday April 11
Host: Bill Cody
Spotlight Artist: Chris Young
Also Appearing: Billy Dean; Brook Eden; The Malpass Brothers; Gene Watson
Seems a little strange to have a classics show with Gene Watson, and Gene not being the spotlight artist.
Enjoy!!
Sunday, April 7, 2019
April Opry Highlights
April showers bring May flowers!!! Welcome to Spring, when the trees begin to bloom, the winter dirt disappears and the start of the major league baseball season. I know everyone has their favorites, but here in Ohio we are Tribe fans and this could be their year. Go Tribe!! Now back to serious business and as I do each month, here are the important and historical events that have taken place at the Grand Ole Opry, or with Opry members, during the month of April.
April 19, 1924: The WLS "National Barn Dance" was aired for the first time in Chicago. The National Barn Dance was the first of what would be many weekly barn dance programs sponsored by various radio stations around the country. Among the performers who were part of the "National Barn Dance" were Lulu Belle & Scotty, Bradley Kincaid, Gene Autry and a host of others. The "National Barn Dance" lasted until 1960 when the station changed formats. As many know, especially my friends in the Chicago area, WLS stood for "World's Largest Store," which was Sears, who were the owners of the station.
April 17, 1926: Uncle Dave Macon became a regular member of the WSM Barn Dance, soon to be known as the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 55, he was the first performer to join the show that had a national reputation and his hiring, in a way, would start the show on the path of becoming a group of professional entertainers instead of those, who as George D. Hay used to say, "came down from the hills for the weekend." Uncle Dave would remain a popular Opry member until his death on March 1, 1952, at the age of 81.
April 14, 1932: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Loretta joined the cast of the Opry in September 1962. At the age of 87, Loretta continues her recovery following her hip surgery and stroke.
April 30, 1932: The Dixieliners, which consisted of Kirk and Sam McGee, along with Arthur Smith, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. All three had been performing on the Opry for several years, but this was the first time that they teamed up as an organized group. Their popularity and reputation grew and within a short amount of time they had two ten-minute segments on the show. It began to end for the Dixieliners in 1938 as Arthur had a drinking problem and was suspended from the Opry. On January 14, 1939, the Dixieliners made their final Opry appearance, after which Arthur left the Opry, while Sam and Kirk would continue on for many years.
April 11, 1933: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Clark was born in Meherrin, Virginia. Roy, who joined the Grand Ole Opry in August 1987, passed away last year. In addition to being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Roy was also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and gained fame as the co-host of Hee Haw.
April 29, 1933: The Delmore Brothers, Rabon and Alton, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. The brothers remained members of the Opry until 1938 when they left to pursue what they felt were better opportunities. Alton would later write an excellent book, "Truth is Stranger" in which he detailed their time at the Opry and the issues that they had with George D. Hay and Harry Stone. After leaving the Opry, the Delmore Brothers moved around the country and had shows at various radio stations until they played out the territory and moved on. They eventually ended up at WLW in Cincinnati, where they got together with Grandpa Jones and Merle Travis and recorded under the name "Browns Ferry Four." Each of these individuals would eventually be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. September 11, 1938 was the final Opry show for the Delmore Brothers and they sang, "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul."
April 1, 1934: Country Music Hall of Fame member, and former Opry member, Jim Ed Brown was born in Sparkman, Arkansas. Jim Ed was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years, which included time with his sisters Bonnie and Maxine.
April 15, 1937: Bob Luman was born. Bob gained fame as a member of the Louisiana Hayride, and then came to Nashville, joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1965. When Bob joined the Opry, many felt that he had too much "rock-n-roll" in him, but he was a very popular member of the Opry and fans enjoyed his performances. Bob remained at the Opry until he passed away in December 1978.
April 26, 1941: Ernest Tubb recorded "Walking the Floor Over You" in Dallas, Texas. This recording was also the first to use an electric guitar. The success of this record, which would become Ernest's theme song, led him to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry several years later.
April 14, 1945: Upon the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, a performance of taps was played from the stage of the Opry. This marked the first time that a trumpet was played during an Opry broadcast. Buddy Harroll, part of Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys was the performer, and while it was the right thing to do, George D. Hay was not thrilled. Also of note, while there was an Opry performance that night, it was not broadcast on WSM as the station was running NBC network programming commemorating the life and death of the President.
April 6, 1946: Roy Acuff quit the Opry in a salary dispute. At the time, he was the host of "The Prince Albert Show" segment of the Opry that was broadcast on the NBC radio network. He was making $15 per night at the Opry and asked for a raise to $100 per night. When WSM refused his demands, he left the show and went out to California for an extended tour. Over the years, Roy never talked much about the whole episode, but he knew that as the Opry's biggest star, he could make more money out on the road and have extra time to make movies. A year later, Roy would return to the Opry and when he did, he was paid more than union scale.
April 13, 1946: A week after Roy Acuff left, Red Foley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and debuted as the new host of "The Prince Albert Show." There is a story behind this. After Roy quit, William Esty and Company, which was the advertising agency that represented R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the makers of Prince Albert chewing tobacco, undertook a study to determine how best to replace Roy Acuff as the host of the program. Most listeners wanted the Opry to continue without any changes, but it was clear after all the questioning was done that a large portion of the Opry fans wanted more music and less talk, suggesting that a singer needed to be hired as the replacement. Esty checked all the available data, which included record sales, jukebox plays and radio favorites, and it all pointed to Red Foley. Red would later say, "I guess I was never more scared than that night I replaced Roy Acuff. The people thought I was a Chicago slicker who came to pass himself off as a country boy and bump Roy out of his job." While it is true that Red came to the Opry from WLS in Chicago, he was actually born in Kentucky and had a string of country hits. It is interesting to note that while Red became a member of the Opry, he only appeared on, and hosted, the Prince Albert segment of the show.
April 13, 1946: The same night that Red Foley came to the Opry, so did Chet Atkins, who was introduced that night by Red. Chet stayed at the Opry with Red for just six months, when he left in his own dispute with Esty. Chet would return later with the Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters and he would continue to make guest appearances until his death.
April 2, 1947: Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris was born. Emmylou joined the cast of the Opry in January 1992, the last member of the cast to have been inducted by Roy Acuff. Sadly, Emmylou does not appear on the Opry as often as many of us would like.
April 19, 1947: Roy Acuff returned to the Grand Ole Opry. Roy left the Opry a year earlier in what some said was due to a salary dispute. On the night he returned, Roy was a guest on the Prince Albert portion of the show. The following Saturday, he would take over as the host of the Royal Crown Cola portion of the Opry.
April 26, 1947: Just over a year after leaving the Opry, Roy Acuff returned as host of the "Royal Crown Cola Show." There is a story that Ernest Tubb and Harry Stone went to see Roy, who was in a Nashville hospital, telling him that the Opry might go under if he didn't return. While there is no evidence that the Opry was about to go under, the words worked and Roy came back, this time to stay for good.
April 3, 1948: The Louisiana Hayride started on KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. Over the next decade, the Hayride would become known as a farm club of the Opry, with many of the Hayride's biggest stars leaving Shreveport for Nashville. Among those were David Houston, Billy Walker, Webb Pierce, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. The Hayride was also were Elvis Presley got his start. While the Hayride was very successful with Horace Logan at the helm, the lack of a recording industry in Shreveport meant that the stars had to go elsewhere, including Nashville to record. Once there, the Opry grabbed many of them.
April 26, 1952: Martha Carson, the great gospel singer, joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. She came to the Opry on the strength of her hit "Satisfied." Martha remained a member of the Opry until 1957, at which time she took a leave of absence when her first child was born and to spend some time working in New York City. However, when it came time for her to return, the Opry would not hire her back. According to Martha, "I got a leave of absence from the Opry. I didn't quit and I wasn't fired. When I came back to Nashville, Opry manager Ott Devine said they had no openings. I never did go back. I never even got to be a guest." Obviously a poor decision by Ott and the Opry's management.
April 9, 1953: Grand Ole Opry member Hal Ketchum was born. Hal, who over the past several years has experienced some serious health issues, joined the Opry in January 1994.
April 18, 1953: Red Foley made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance as the host of "The Prince Albert Show." Red made the decision to leave Nashville and go to the Ozark Jubilee, which was televised. Red had numerous personal issues when he was with the Opry and when he decided to leave, the Opry had no objections. While many wondered about Red when he first came to the Opry, he become one of the Opry's biggest stars and one of the more popular members. After he left, "The Prince Albert Show" no longer had a permanent host.
April 12, 1957: Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill was born. Vince has been a loyal and vocal member of the Opry since 1991. While Vince has always supported the Opry, and has been very vocal in that support, last year saw him just a few times on the show as he was busy touring with his own show and as a member of The Eagles. Who else finds it hard to believe that Vince will be 62 this year?
April 4, 1959: Bill Anderson made his debut as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Several years later, in July 1961, Bill would become an Opry member.
April 30, 1960: The WLS "National Barn Dance" aired for the final time. At one time, the barn dance was considered a major competitor of the Opry, and while it lasted much longer than others, like those others, it could not sustain itself as musical tastes changed.
April 30, 1966: Ray Pillow became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Ray's 53rd year as an Opry member. On the night he joined, Ernest Tubb introduced him. Though he is now on senior status and his Opry appearances are few, he still does a great job each time he is on the show.
April 22, 1967: The Four Guys became members of the Grand Ole Opry. They came to the Opry from the Wheeling, West Virginia area and spent 33 years as members of the Opry until they were fired in April 2000. The reason given for their termination was the fact that all four of the original members had left the group. For a number of years, they operated a very successful dinner theater in Nashville and were a popular cruise trip attraction.
April 6, 1968: Following the assassination of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., the city of Nashville imposed a curfew that forced the Opry to cancel the live show for that night. WSM played a previously taped Opry appearance. After being notified that the show was going to be cancelled, Roy Acuff, Sam and Kirk McGee, along with a few others, put on a makeshift show at a nearby square dance hall that afternoon for Opry fans who came to town to attend the Opry. WSM and the Opry claims this was the only time that the Opry was ever cancelled, however when looking at the Opry's history, it was not the first.
April 6, 1968: On that same evening as the Opry was cancelled, Bud Wendall became the new general manager of the Grand Ole Opry. He replaced Ott Devine, who had been in charge of the Opry since 1959.
April 21, 1971: After taking a break to raise her children, Connie Smith returned as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Connie joined the Opry in 1965. At the time she returned, Connie had been gone for about two years.
April 12, 1972: The first "Fan Fair" was held in Nashville. It was so successful that it would become an annual event, eventually moving to June and the summer tourist season. Fan Fair was a chance for the fans to meet their favorite country music stars and the Opry was a big part of the event. It still takes place, although it is now called "CMA Music Fest."
April 27, 1972: Opryland opens for the first time. The park was an immediate hit and within several years, the Opry House would be completed and the Opry would make the move. Opryland shut down at the end of 1997 and replaced by Opry Mills shopping center. Yes, while it may seem hard to believe, Opryland has been closed for 20 years.
April 28, 1973: Conway Twitty performed on the Opry for the first time. While never becoming an Opry member, Conway had one of the great voices in the history of country music.
April 5, 1975: After having been suspended from the Opry in December 1973, Skeeter Davis was welcomed back to the show. Several Opry members had gone to Bud Wendall, asking that she be allowed to return to the show. When Skeeter returned, she did apologize for those safety forces that she might have offended.
April 23, 1976: Don Williams is introduced as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jeanne Pruett did the honors. As everyone knows, Don and the Opry experience didn't really work and he left the show several years later. Even though he left the Opry as a member, he did return for a couple of guest appearances.
April 2, 1977: Vito Pellettieri worked his final show as the stage manager of the Grand Ole Opry. Several days later, he suffered a stroke and on April 14 he passed away at the age of 87. While very few people have heard of Vito, he was probably one of the most influential people in the history of the Opry, so much so that he was never really replaced when he passed away. Years after his death, one veteran Opry member said, "I miss Vito. You know, we don't have a marshal anymore. What we have out there is a piece of paper in a box, with a list of acts and when they're supposed to go on. But we don't have anybody encouraging us, goading us, giving us advice on how to do better. Nobody to jack us up." One of Vito's closest friends was Hank Snow and Hank wrote extensively about Vito in his autobiography, including the jokes they used to play on each other. Now for those who do not know, Vito was WSM's librarian and started as the Opry's stage manager in 1934. He was the one who set up the Opry on a schedule, with assigned times and slots for each performer. He broke the show into segments with sponsors. Before that, it had been a free-for-all, with the artists coming and going as they pleased. In 1959, Vito faced mandatory retirement at WSM. However, every one of the Opry's members signed a petition demanding that Vito be allowed to continue working at the Opry and that November at the annual disc jockey convention, Opry members staged a show in Vito's honor. By the way, Vito never drove or owned a car and took the bus to WSM and the Opry each day.
April 13, 1981: Guy Willis of the Willis Brothers died at the age of 65. The Willis Brothers consisted of Guy, Skeeter and Vic. They originally joined the Opry in 1946, but left in 1948 to go on the road with Eddy Arnold. They rejoined the Opry in 1960. Skeeter passed away in 1976, after which Guy and Vic continued on, until Guy retired from performing in 1979 due to illness.
April 3, 1982: DeFord Bailey made his final appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. An early member of the show, DeFord had returned in the 1970s and made several appearances on the Opry's annual reunion shows.
April 13, 1985: The Grand Ole Opry was broadcast for the first time on TNN. The original shows were a half hour in length, later expanding to an hour. In 2001 the broadcast moved to CMT and then later to GAC in 2003. The first televised show was a one hour edition and featured Roy Acuff, as the host for the first half hour, with Connie Smith, Minnie Pearl and the Four Guys as guests. The 2nd half hour was hosted by Porter Wagoner and featured Dottie West, Jack Greene, the Crook Brothers and the Melvin Sloan Dancers. Those original TNN shows were not scripted for television and were nothing more than the radio show with a camera. As a result, the timing was sometimes a little bit off and the hosts forgot they were on television and would mention the names of the radio sponsors.
April 22, 1989: Clint Black made his first appearance as a guest at the Grand Ole Opry. in 1991, Clint would become an Opry member.
April 20, 1991: Emmylou Harris began a three night run at the Ryman Auditorium, during which her recording of "At The Ryman" took place. It marked one of the first uses of the Ryman for a concert performance since the Opry had left in 1974. Due to the condition of the building, only a small portion of the seating was able to be used. Those shows with Emmylou helped to spark the idea of renovating and reopening the Ryman.
April 2, 1994: During the TNN telecast of the Opry, an all-star bluegrass jam took place that featured Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Roy Husky, Jr., Marty Stuart, Alison Krauss and Earl Scruggs. Vince said, "That's what this place is all about. Night that are like that."
April 12, 1997: Lewis Crook passed away in Nashville at the age of 87. The Crook Brothers joined the Opry on July 24, 1926, so it is safe to say that they were original members of the WSM Barn Dance. The Crook Brothers remained at the Opry until 1988, a total of 62 years. Lewis was not with the Crook Brothers when they originally began at the Opry, joining the group later in 1928. After Herman passed away and the Crook Brothers name was retired, Lewis would continue to play and make appearances with the Opry's Square Dance Band. When you add it all up and do the math, Lewis was at the Opry on and off for almost 69 years.
April 6, 1998: Former Grand Ole Opry member Tammy Wynette passed away in Nashville at the age of 55. She had been battling health issues for a number of years. Tammy joined the Opry in 1969 and remained for just a few years.
April 4, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Jerry Clower made his final appearances on the Opry. Jerry, who joined the cast in October 1973, appeared on both Saturday shows that weekend, along with the Friday Night Opry the night before. Jerry passed away in August 1998 due to complications from heart surgery.
April 18, 1998: Diamond Rio became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 21st year as Opry members, and overall, they have been pretty good members of the Opry's cast.
April 12, 1999: Lecil Martin, known better as Boxcar Willie, passed away in Branson, Missouri after an extended illness. He was 67. Boxcar joined the Opry in 1981 at the personal invitation of Roy Acuff, who was a real fan of Boxcar, so much so that when Boxcar was on the Opry, and Roy was there, he would come out and do his famous train whistle during the Wabash Cannonball.
April 17, 2004: The Judds made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming Opry members, they would show up a time or two on the show.
April 30, 2004: The Grand Ole Opry took to the road and sponsored the "Grand Ole Opry American Road Show." The appearance took place in York, Pennsylvania and included Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, the Del McCoury Band and Rebecca Lynn Howard.
April 21, 2012: Keith Urban became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 7th year as an Opry member. Sorry to say that Keith hasn't been around much since joining the cast.
April 26, 2013: The Grand Ole Opry dedicated the shows that weekend to Opry member George Jones, who had passed away several days earlier. Those performing included Brad Paisley, Montgomery Gentry and John Conlee.
April 11, 2015: Long time Grand Ole Opry member Jim Ed Brown made his final Opry appearance. The newly elected member of the Country Music Hall of Fame had been an Opry member for just over 50 years.
April 30, 2016: Ray Pillow was recognized upon is 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Opry general manager Pete Fisher presented Ray with a gold pocket watch.
April 7, 2018: Former Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Bare was reinstated as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Bobby, who originally joined the Opry in 1964, left the Opry in 1974, just after when the show moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the new Grand Ole Opry House.
April 16, 2019: Kelsea Ballerini will become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Kelsea was invited to join the cast by Little Big Town during the Tuesday Night Opry on March 5.
There you have it for this month and as usual, it was a busy one around the Opry.
April 19, 1924: The WLS "National Barn Dance" was aired for the first time in Chicago. The National Barn Dance was the first of what would be many weekly barn dance programs sponsored by various radio stations around the country. Among the performers who were part of the "National Barn Dance" were Lulu Belle & Scotty, Bradley Kincaid, Gene Autry and a host of others. The "National Barn Dance" lasted until 1960 when the station changed formats. As many know, especially my friends in the Chicago area, WLS stood for "World's Largest Store," which was Sears, who were the owners of the station.
April 17, 1926: Uncle Dave Macon became a regular member of the WSM Barn Dance, soon to be known as the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 55, he was the first performer to join the show that had a national reputation and his hiring, in a way, would start the show on the path of becoming a group of professional entertainers instead of those, who as George D. Hay used to say, "came down from the hills for the weekend." Uncle Dave would remain a popular Opry member until his death on March 1, 1952, at the age of 81.
April 14, 1932: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Loretta joined the cast of the Opry in September 1962. At the age of 87, Loretta continues her recovery following her hip surgery and stroke.
April 30, 1932: The Dixieliners, which consisted of Kirk and Sam McGee, along with Arthur Smith, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. All three had been performing on the Opry for several years, but this was the first time that they teamed up as an organized group. Their popularity and reputation grew and within a short amount of time they had two ten-minute segments on the show. It began to end for the Dixieliners in 1938 as Arthur had a drinking problem and was suspended from the Opry. On January 14, 1939, the Dixieliners made their final Opry appearance, after which Arthur left the Opry, while Sam and Kirk would continue on for many years.
April 11, 1933: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Clark was born in Meherrin, Virginia. Roy, who joined the Grand Ole Opry in August 1987, passed away last year. In addition to being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Roy was also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and gained fame as the co-host of Hee Haw.
April 29, 1933: The Delmore Brothers, Rabon and Alton, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. The brothers remained members of the Opry until 1938 when they left to pursue what they felt were better opportunities. Alton would later write an excellent book, "Truth is Stranger" in which he detailed their time at the Opry and the issues that they had with George D. Hay and Harry Stone. After leaving the Opry, the Delmore Brothers moved around the country and had shows at various radio stations until they played out the territory and moved on. They eventually ended up at WLW in Cincinnati, where they got together with Grandpa Jones and Merle Travis and recorded under the name "Browns Ferry Four." Each of these individuals would eventually be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. September 11, 1938 was the final Opry show for the Delmore Brothers and they sang, "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul."
April 1, 1934: Country Music Hall of Fame member, and former Opry member, Jim Ed Brown was born in Sparkman, Arkansas. Jim Ed was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years, which included time with his sisters Bonnie and Maxine.
April 15, 1937: Bob Luman was born. Bob gained fame as a member of the Louisiana Hayride, and then came to Nashville, joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1965. When Bob joined the Opry, many felt that he had too much "rock-n-roll" in him, but he was a very popular member of the Opry and fans enjoyed his performances. Bob remained at the Opry until he passed away in December 1978.
April 26, 1941: Ernest Tubb recorded "Walking the Floor Over You" in Dallas, Texas. This recording was also the first to use an electric guitar. The success of this record, which would become Ernest's theme song, led him to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry several years later.
April 14, 1945: Upon the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, a performance of taps was played from the stage of the Opry. This marked the first time that a trumpet was played during an Opry broadcast. Buddy Harroll, part of Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys was the performer, and while it was the right thing to do, George D. Hay was not thrilled. Also of note, while there was an Opry performance that night, it was not broadcast on WSM as the station was running NBC network programming commemorating the life and death of the President.
April 6, 1946: Roy Acuff quit the Opry in a salary dispute. At the time, he was the host of "The Prince Albert Show" segment of the Opry that was broadcast on the NBC radio network. He was making $15 per night at the Opry and asked for a raise to $100 per night. When WSM refused his demands, he left the show and went out to California for an extended tour. Over the years, Roy never talked much about the whole episode, but he knew that as the Opry's biggest star, he could make more money out on the road and have extra time to make movies. A year later, Roy would return to the Opry and when he did, he was paid more than union scale.
April 13, 1946: A week after Roy Acuff left, Red Foley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and debuted as the new host of "The Prince Albert Show." There is a story behind this. After Roy quit, William Esty and Company, which was the advertising agency that represented R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the makers of Prince Albert chewing tobacco, undertook a study to determine how best to replace Roy Acuff as the host of the program. Most listeners wanted the Opry to continue without any changes, but it was clear after all the questioning was done that a large portion of the Opry fans wanted more music and less talk, suggesting that a singer needed to be hired as the replacement. Esty checked all the available data, which included record sales, jukebox plays and radio favorites, and it all pointed to Red Foley. Red would later say, "I guess I was never more scared than that night I replaced Roy Acuff. The people thought I was a Chicago slicker who came to pass himself off as a country boy and bump Roy out of his job." While it is true that Red came to the Opry from WLS in Chicago, he was actually born in Kentucky and had a string of country hits. It is interesting to note that while Red became a member of the Opry, he only appeared on, and hosted, the Prince Albert segment of the show.
April 13, 1946: The same night that Red Foley came to the Opry, so did Chet Atkins, who was introduced that night by Red. Chet stayed at the Opry with Red for just six months, when he left in his own dispute with Esty. Chet would return later with the Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters and he would continue to make guest appearances until his death.
April 2, 1947: Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris was born. Emmylou joined the cast of the Opry in January 1992, the last member of the cast to have been inducted by Roy Acuff. Sadly, Emmylou does not appear on the Opry as often as many of us would like.
April 19, 1947: Roy Acuff returned to the Grand Ole Opry. Roy left the Opry a year earlier in what some said was due to a salary dispute. On the night he returned, Roy was a guest on the Prince Albert portion of the show. The following Saturday, he would take over as the host of the Royal Crown Cola portion of the Opry.
April 26, 1947: Just over a year after leaving the Opry, Roy Acuff returned as host of the "Royal Crown Cola Show." There is a story that Ernest Tubb and Harry Stone went to see Roy, who was in a Nashville hospital, telling him that the Opry might go under if he didn't return. While there is no evidence that the Opry was about to go under, the words worked and Roy came back, this time to stay for good.
April 3, 1948: The Louisiana Hayride started on KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. Over the next decade, the Hayride would become known as a farm club of the Opry, with many of the Hayride's biggest stars leaving Shreveport for Nashville. Among those were David Houston, Billy Walker, Webb Pierce, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. The Hayride was also were Elvis Presley got his start. While the Hayride was very successful with Horace Logan at the helm, the lack of a recording industry in Shreveport meant that the stars had to go elsewhere, including Nashville to record. Once there, the Opry grabbed many of them.
April 26, 1952: Martha Carson, the great gospel singer, joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. She came to the Opry on the strength of her hit "Satisfied." Martha remained a member of the Opry until 1957, at which time she took a leave of absence when her first child was born and to spend some time working in New York City. However, when it came time for her to return, the Opry would not hire her back. According to Martha, "I got a leave of absence from the Opry. I didn't quit and I wasn't fired. When I came back to Nashville, Opry manager Ott Devine said they had no openings. I never did go back. I never even got to be a guest." Obviously a poor decision by Ott and the Opry's management.
April 9, 1953: Grand Ole Opry member Hal Ketchum was born. Hal, who over the past several years has experienced some serious health issues, joined the Opry in January 1994.
April 18, 1953: Red Foley made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance as the host of "The Prince Albert Show." Red made the decision to leave Nashville and go to the Ozark Jubilee, which was televised. Red had numerous personal issues when he was with the Opry and when he decided to leave, the Opry had no objections. While many wondered about Red when he first came to the Opry, he become one of the Opry's biggest stars and one of the more popular members. After he left, "The Prince Albert Show" no longer had a permanent host.
April 12, 1957: Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill was born. Vince has been a loyal and vocal member of the Opry since 1991. While Vince has always supported the Opry, and has been very vocal in that support, last year saw him just a few times on the show as he was busy touring with his own show and as a member of The Eagles. Who else finds it hard to believe that Vince will be 62 this year?
April 4, 1959: Bill Anderson made his debut as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Several years later, in July 1961, Bill would become an Opry member.
April 30, 1960: The WLS "National Barn Dance" aired for the final time. At one time, the barn dance was considered a major competitor of the Opry, and while it lasted much longer than others, like those others, it could not sustain itself as musical tastes changed.
April 30, 1966: Ray Pillow became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Ray's 53rd year as an Opry member. On the night he joined, Ernest Tubb introduced him. Though he is now on senior status and his Opry appearances are few, he still does a great job each time he is on the show.
April 22, 1967: The Four Guys became members of the Grand Ole Opry. They came to the Opry from the Wheeling, West Virginia area and spent 33 years as members of the Opry until they were fired in April 2000. The reason given for their termination was the fact that all four of the original members had left the group. For a number of years, they operated a very successful dinner theater in Nashville and were a popular cruise trip attraction.
April 6, 1968: Following the assassination of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., the city of Nashville imposed a curfew that forced the Opry to cancel the live show for that night. WSM played a previously taped Opry appearance. After being notified that the show was going to be cancelled, Roy Acuff, Sam and Kirk McGee, along with a few others, put on a makeshift show at a nearby square dance hall that afternoon for Opry fans who came to town to attend the Opry. WSM and the Opry claims this was the only time that the Opry was ever cancelled, however when looking at the Opry's history, it was not the first.
April 6, 1968: On that same evening as the Opry was cancelled, Bud Wendall became the new general manager of the Grand Ole Opry. He replaced Ott Devine, who had been in charge of the Opry since 1959.
April 21, 1971: After taking a break to raise her children, Connie Smith returned as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Connie joined the Opry in 1965. At the time she returned, Connie had been gone for about two years.
April 12, 1972: The first "Fan Fair" was held in Nashville. It was so successful that it would become an annual event, eventually moving to June and the summer tourist season. Fan Fair was a chance for the fans to meet their favorite country music stars and the Opry was a big part of the event. It still takes place, although it is now called "CMA Music Fest."
April 27, 1972: Opryland opens for the first time. The park was an immediate hit and within several years, the Opry House would be completed and the Opry would make the move. Opryland shut down at the end of 1997 and replaced by Opry Mills shopping center. Yes, while it may seem hard to believe, Opryland has been closed for 20 years.
April 28, 1973: Conway Twitty performed on the Opry for the first time. While never becoming an Opry member, Conway had one of the great voices in the history of country music.
April 5, 1975: After having been suspended from the Opry in December 1973, Skeeter Davis was welcomed back to the show. Several Opry members had gone to Bud Wendall, asking that she be allowed to return to the show. When Skeeter returned, she did apologize for those safety forces that she might have offended.
April 23, 1976: Don Williams is introduced as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jeanne Pruett did the honors. As everyone knows, Don and the Opry experience didn't really work and he left the show several years later. Even though he left the Opry as a member, he did return for a couple of guest appearances.
April 2, 1977: Vito Pellettieri worked his final show as the stage manager of the Grand Ole Opry. Several days later, he suffered a stroke and on April 14 he passed away at the age of 87. While very few people have heard of Vito, he was probably one of the most influential people in the history of the Opry, so much so that he was never really replaced when he passed away. Years after his death, one veteran Opry member said, "I miss Vito. You know, we don't have a marshal anymore. What we have out there is a piece of paper in a box, with a list of acts and when they're supposed to go on. But we don't have anybody encouraging us, goading us, giving us advice on how to do better. Nobody to jack us up." One of Vito's closest friends was Hank Snow and Hank wrote extensively about Vito in his autobiography, including the jokes they used to play on each other. Now for those who do not know, Vito was WSM's librarian and started as the Opry's stage manager in 1934. He was the one who set up the Opry on a schedule, with assigned times and slots for each performer. He broke the show into segments with sponsors. Before that, it had been a free-for-all, with the artists coming and going as they pleased. In 1959, Vito faced mandatory retirement at WSM. However, every one of the Opry's members signed a petition demanding that Vito be allowed to continue working at the Opry and that November at the annual disc jockey convention, Opry members staged a show in Vito's honor. By the way, Vito never drove or owned a car and took the bus to WSM and the Opry each day.
April 13, 1981: Guy Willis of the Willis Brothers died at the age of 65. The Willis Brothers consisted of Guy, Skeeter and Vic. They originally joined the Opry in 1946, but left in 1948 to go on the road with Eddy Arnold. They rejoined the Opry in 1960. Skeeter passed away in 1976, after which Guy and Vic continued on, until Guy retired from performing in 1979 due to illness.
April 3, 1982: DeFord Bailey made his final appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. An early member of the show, DeFord had returned in the 1970s and made several appearances on the Opry's annual reunion shows.
April 13, 1985: The Grand Ole Opry was broadcast for the first time on TNN. The original shows were a half hour in length, later expanding to an hour. In 2001 the broadcast moved to CMT and then later to GAC in 2003. The first televised show was a one hour edition and featured Roy Acuff, as the host for the first half hour, with Connie Smith, Minnie Pearl and the Four Guys as guests. The 2nd half hour was hosted by Porter Wagoner and featured Dottie West, Jack Greene, the Crook Brothers and the Melvin Sloan Dancers. Those original TNN shows were not scripted for television and were nothing more than the radio show with a camera. As a result, the timing was sometimes a little bit off and the hosts forgot they were on television and would mention the names of the radio sponsors.
April 22, 1989: Clint Black made his first appearance as a guest at the Grand Ole Opry. in 1991, Clint would become an Opry member.
April 20, 1991: Emmylou Harris began a three night run at the Ryman Auditorium, during which her recording of "At The Ryman" took place. It marked one of the first uses of the Ryman for a concert performance since the Opry had left in 1974. Due to the condition of the building, only a small portion of the seating was able to be used. Those shows with Emmylou helped to spark the idea of renovating and reopening the Ryman.
April 2, 1994: During the TNN telecast of the Opry, an all-star bluegrass jam took place that featured Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Roy Husky, Jr., Marty Stuart, Alison Krauss and Earl Scruggs. Vince said, "That's what this place is all about. Night that are like that."
April 12, 1997: Lewis Crook passed away in Nashville at the age of 87. The Crook Brothers joined the Opry on July 24, 1926, so it is safe to say that they were original members of the WSM Barn Dance. The Crook Brothers remained at the Opry until 1988, a total of 62 years. Lewis was not with the Crook Brothers when they originally began at the Opry, joining the group later in 1928. After Herman passed away and the Crook Brothers name was retired, Lewis would continue to play and make appearances with the Opry's Square Dance Band. When you add it all up and do the math, Lewis was at the Opry on and off for almost 69 years.
April 6, 1998: Former Grand Ole Opry member Tammy Wynette passed away in Nashville at the age of 55. She had been battling health issues for a number of years. Tammy joined the Opry in 1969 and remained for just a few years.
April 4, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Jerry Clower made his final appearances on the Opry. Jerry, who joined the cast in October 1973, appeared on both Saturday shows that weekend, along with the Friday Night Opry the night before. Jerry passed away in August 1998 due to complications from heart surgery.
April 18, 1998: Diamond Rio became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 21st year as Opry members, and overall, they have been pretty good members of the Opry's cast.
April 12, 1999: Lecil Martin, known better as Boxcar Willie, passed away in Branson, Missouri after an extended illness. He was 67. Boxcar joined the Opry in 1981 at the personal invitation of Roy Acuff, who was a real fan of Boxcar, so much so that when Boxcar was on the Opry, and Roy was there, he would come out and do his famous train whistle during the Wabash Cannonball.
April 17, 2004: The Judds made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming Opry members, they would show up a time or two on the show.
April 30, 2004: The Grand Ole Opry took to the road and sponsored the "Grand Ole Opry American Road Show." The appearance took place in York, Pennsylvania and included Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, the Del McCoury Band and Rebecca Lynn Howard.
April 21, 2012: Keith Urban became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 7th year as an Opry member. Sorry to say that Keith hasn't been around much since joining the cast.
April 26, 2013: The Grand Ole Opry dedicated the shows that weekend to Opry member George Jones, who had passed away several days earlier. Those performing included Brad Paisley, Montgomery Gentry and John Conlee.
April 11, 2015: Long time Grand Ole Opry member Jim Ed Brown made his final Opry appearance. The newly elected member of the Country Music Hall of Fame had been an Opry member for just over 50 years.
April 30, 2016: Ray Pillow was recognized upon is 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Opry general manager Pete Fisher presented Ray with a gold pocket watch.
April 7, 2018: Former Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Bare was reinstated as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Bobby, who originally joined the Opry in 1964, left the Opry in 1974, just after when the show moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the new Grand Ole Opry House.
April 16, 2019: Kelsea Ballerini will become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Kelsea was invited to join the cast by Little Big Town during the Tuesday Night Opry on March 5.
There you have it for this month and as usual, it was a busy one around the Opry.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Grand Ole Opry 4/5 & 4/6
The Grand Ole Opry begins the first full weekend of April with a pair of shows at the Grand Ole Opry House. Both feature pretty nice line-ups and offer a variety of artists.
Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both Friday and Saturday include Riders In The Sky, John Conlee and Bill Anderson. Joining that trio on Friday night will be members Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, The Whites, Bobby Osborne and Pam Tillis. Lorrie Morgan will be closing out the show on Saturday night, joining Jesse McReynolds and Connie Smith. That adds up to eight Opry members on Friday night and six on Saturday.
Guesting on Friday will be Sarah Darling, comedian Jeff Allen, Americana artist Mary Gauthier and the very popular group Exile, who is also scheduled for Saturday night. Joining Exile will be Karen Mills, making a return appearance, along with Molly Tuttle, "Nashville" star Charles Esten, and making their Grand Ole Opry debut, Restless Kelly.
Friday April 5
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Sarah Darling; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); John Conlee; Exile
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Jeff Allen
8:45: Pam Tillis (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mary Gauthier
Saturday April 6
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds; Connie Smith
7:30: John Conlee (host); Karen Mills; Restless Kelly
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Molly Tuttle; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Lorrie Morgan (host); Exile; Charles Esten
It seem like each week someone is making their Grand Ole Opry debut, and as mentioned, this week it is Restless Kelly who is stepping into the circle for the first time.
Restless Kelly is described as an American country rock band that formed in Idaho before moving to Austin, Texas in 1996. The group is led by brothers Willy and Cody Braun, and includes Matt Gracy, Jay Nazz and Joe Miller. After moving to Austin, the group played locally, turning Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar into a noted music venue. While filling the venue on Monday nights, they were also invited to perform at other clubs in the area.
Reckless Kelly's first album, Millican, was officially released in 1998, with other albums to soon follow, with Sunset Motel, released in 2016 being their best charted album, coming in at #12 on the country chart. While the band has been touring, they return to Austin on a regular basis to continue to perform in the local clubs.
_________________________________________________________________________
And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the first weekend in April 2009:
Friday April
7:00: Diamond Rio (host); Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Suzy Bogguss
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Aaron Tippin
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Riders In The Sky; The Whites
Saturday April 4
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Mel McDaniel; Jean Shepard; Buddy Jewell
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jim Ed Brown; Michael Martin Murphy; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Joe Diffie
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Del McCoury Band
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Stonewall Jackson; Jean Shepard; Joe Diffie
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Buddy Jewell; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jim Ed Brown; Michael Martin Murphy
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 2, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Bill Anderson (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Jim Ed Brown; Cox Family
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeanne Pruett; Billy Walker; Jean Shepard; Mark Collie
7:30: Ricky Skaggs; Earl Scruggs; Alison Krauss; Vince Gill; Marty Stuart
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jeannie Seely; Jack Greene; Brother Oswald; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Mel McDaniel; Jimmy C Newman; The Whites; Mike Snider; Laura Weber
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; The Four Guys; Colleen Walters
10:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Walker; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
10:30: Ricky Skaggs; Earl Scruggs; Alison Krauss; Vince Gill; Marty Stuart
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Billy Walker; Jack Greene; The Whites; Mike Snider; Laura Weber
11:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Mel McDaniel; Jeannie Seely; Johnny Russell
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 5, 1969:
7:30: Billy Walker (host); Justin Tubb; Mel Tillis; Lonzo and Oscar; Margie Bowes
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); George Morgan; Jean Shepard; Bob Luman; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Dottie West; Bill Monroe; Grandpa Jones; Skeeter Davis
9:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Wilma Lee Cooper; Ray Pillow; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Archie Campbell
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Stu Phillips; Ernie Ashworth
10:00: George Morgan (host); Mel Tillis; Margie Bowes; Bob Luman
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Billy Walker Wilma Lee Cooper; Justin Tubb
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Bill Monroe; Jean Shepard; Lonzo and Oscar
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Dottie West; Jeannie Seely; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Dottie West; Jeannie Seely; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Grandpa Jones; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Archie Campbell; Ray Pillow; Stu Phillips; Ronnie Robbins; Ernie Ashworth
(And yes, that was not a typo as Jeannie Seely and Dottie West did a duet on two different segments, back to back).
_______________________________________________________________________
To finish it up for this week, it was on Saturday April 5, 1975 that Skeeter Davis returned to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time after being suspended from the show in December 1973.
Few artists have traversed the perilous line between country and pop as disarmingly as Mary Frances Penick, a product, fittingly, of the border state of Kentucky. Under the aegis of Nashville Sound mastermind Chet Atkins, she amassed a sizable following in both camps during her sixties heyday. Yet the musical legacy of the outspoken singer has undoubtedly been obscured by a series of personal tragedies and controversies.
Born at the onset of the Depression, Skeeter learned at an early age to harmonize with the singers she heard on the Grand Ole Opry. In high school, she and her best friend, Betty Jack Davis, formed a duo called the Davis Sisters. Radio and television exposure eventually landed them a recording opportunity on RCA in 1952. But as their smashing debut for the label, "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," began what would be a six-month say on the country charts the following year, Skeeter and Billy Jack were involved in a car accident that fatally injured Betty Jack.
Devastated by the loss, Skeeter nonetheless persevered in her career. Although she and Betty Jack's sister Georgia were unable to duplicate the original Davis Sister' success, Skeeter ultimately established herself as a solo act with such Top Ten hits as "Set Him Free" (1959), the "answer" song "I Can't Help You) I'm Falling To" (1960), and "My Last Date With You" (1961). On these as well as most of Skeeter's early-sixties releases, producer Atkins double-tracked the artists's plaintive voice to re-create the feel of her Davis Sisters work. The subsequent addition of uptown embellishments resulted in a string of crossover hits highlighted by the million selling "The End of the World" and "I Can't Stay Mad at You" (1963).
Meanwhile, Skeeter became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1959, and wed Nashville media celebrity Ralph Emery one year later. Alas, as would be chronicled in their respective autobiographies, the stormy relationship lasted only until 1964, not much longer than her earlier marriage to the anonymous Kenneth Depew. Later, in 1973, the deeply religious singer became embroiled in a well-publicized dispute with Opry management over her broadcast support for some Jesus people who had been arrested at a local shopping mall. She was suspended for more than a year. Though hitless once the early seventies hit, the seemingly ageless Skeeter continued to perform regularly and he wide-ranging catalog remained of considerable interest to collectors.
Skeeter Davis was always one of my personal favorites on the Opry. Though she battled serious health issues later in her life, she was always a smiling presence on the Opry, generally singing bouncy and happy songs, all while dressed in he colorful skirts. If you have't read her autobiography, it is a good one that I recommend.
In 2001, Skeeter became ill as her breast cancer returned, and the cancer spread through her entire body. While her last Grand Ole Opry performance was in December 2000, she appeared for the final time on a country family reunion show that was taped in August 2002, singing "The End of the World." Skeeter passed away on September 19, 2004 at the age of 72.
And now, here is the running order from the night Skeeter Davis returned, April 5, 1975:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Charlie Louvin (host): Freight Train Boogie
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Charlie Louvin: When You Have to Fly Alone/See the Big Man Cry
6:45: Rudy's
Ray Pillow (host): Countryfried
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care
Del Wood: The Entertainer
Ray Pillow: The Simple Things in Life
7:00: Rudy's
Billy Grammer (host): Lonesome Road Blues
Skeeter Davis: I Can't Help It
Lonzo and Oscar: When I Stop Dreaming
Ernie Ashworth: The High Cost of Living
Skeeter Davis: Bus Fare to Kentucky
Becky Gallion (?): Green Back Dollar
Billy Grammer: What a Friend
7:30: Standard Candy
Charlie Walker (host): Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Jimmy C Newman: Thibodeaux Cajun Band
Marion Worth: Delta Dawn
Jim and Jesse: Ashes of Love
Charlie Walker: The Last Supper
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Old Joe Clark
Charlie Walker: Good Deal, Lucille
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jeanne Pruett: Just Like Your Daddy
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
Justin Tubb: Sunshine Lady
Roy Acuff: Carry Me Back to the Mountains
Jeanne Pruett: Hold to My Unchanging Love/Love Me/You Don't Need to Move a Mountain/Satin Sheets
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: There's A Big Wheel
8:30: Stephens
Jack Greene (host): and Jeannie Seely: If You're Going Down
Jeannie Seely: Catfish John
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldiers Joy
The Four Guys: Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: He Can Be Mine
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
The Four Guys (host): What About Me
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Bill Carlisle: Rough Stuff
Marion Worth: The Hand's You're Holding Now
Ray Pillow: She's Doing it to Me Again
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee
The Four Guys: Cottonfields/Maria
10:00: Fender
Charlie Walker (host): Stay a Little Longer
Skeeter Davis: I Believe in Music
Lonzo and Oscar: Mountain Dew
Charlie Walker: The Last Supper
10:15: Union 76
Stu Phillips (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Rosemary Clooney: Half as Much
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Back in the Country
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Billy Grammer: Peace in the Valley
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:45: Beech-Nut
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Big Midnight Special
Justin Tubb: Loving Arms
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Each Season Changes You
11:00: Coca Cola
Jack Greene (host) and Jeannie Seely: Take Me Home Country Roads
Jeannie Seely: The First Time
Jimmy C Newman; The Potato Song
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin' Hen
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: Delta Dirt
Sam McGee: Victor Rag
11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Don't Worry
Jeanne Pruett: Just Like Your Daddy/Welcome to the Sunshine
Ronnie Robbins: Mama Tried/If You Love Me Let Me Know
Marty Robbins; Love Me/I'm Wanting To/Devil Woman/El Paso/Ka-Lu-A
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend!!
Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both Friday and Saturday include Riders In The Sky, John Conlee and Bill Anderson. Joining that trio on Friday night will be members Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, The Whites, Bobby Osborne and Pam Tillis. Lorrie Morgan will be closing out the show on Saturday night, joining Jesse McReynolds and Connie Smith. That adds up to eight Opry members on Friday night and six on Saturday.
Guesting on Friday will be Sarah Darling, comedian Jeff Allen, Americana artist Mary Gauthier and the very popular group Exile, who is also scheduled for Saturday night. Joining Exile will be Karen Mills, making a return appearance, along with Molly Tuttle, "Nashville" star Charles Esten, and making their Grand Ole Opry debut, Restless Kelly.
Friday April 5
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Sarah Darling; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); John Conlee; Exile
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Jeff Allen
8:45: Pam Tillis (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mary Gauthier
Saturday April 6
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds; Connie Smith
7:30: John Conlee (host); Karen Mills; Restless Kelly
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Molly Tuttle; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Lorrie Morgan (host); Exile; Charles Esten
It seem like each week someone is making their Grand Ole Opry debut, and as mentioned, this week it is Restless Kelly who is stepping into the circle for the first time.
Restless Kelly is described as an American country rock band that formed in Idaho before moving to Austin, Texas in 1996. The group is led by brothers Willy and Cody Braun, and includes Matt Gracy, Jay Nazz and Joe Miller. After moving to Austin, the group played locally, turning Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar into a noted music venue. While filling the venue on Monday nights, they were also invited to perform at other clubs in the area.
Reckless Kelly's first album, Millican, was officially released in 1998, with other albums to soon follow, with Sunset Motel, released in 2016 being their best charted album, coming in at #12 on the country chart. While the band has been touring, they return to Austin on a regular basis to continue to perform in the local clubs.
_________________________________________________________________________
And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the first weekend in April 2009:
Friday April
7:00: Diamond Rio (host); Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Suzy Bogguss
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Aaron Tippin
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Riders In The Sky; The Whites
Saturday April 4
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Mel McDaniel; Jean Shepard; Buddy Jewell
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jim Ed Brown; Michael Martin Murphy; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Joe Diffie
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Del McCoury Band
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Stonewall Jackson; Jean Shepard; Joe Diffie
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Buddy Jewell; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jim Ed Brown; Michael Martin Murphy
Now from 25 years ago, Saturday April 2, 1994:
1st show
6:30: Bill Anderson (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Jim Ed Brown; Cox Family
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeanne Pruett; Billy Walker; Jean Shepard; Mark Collie
7:30: Ricky Skaggs; Earl Scruggs; Alison Krauss; Vince Gill; Marty Stuart
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jeannie Seely; Jack Greene; Brother Oswald; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Mel McDaniel; Jimmy C Newman; The Whites; Mike Snider; Laura Weber
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; The Four Guys; Colleen Walters
10:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Charlie Walker; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
10:30: Ricky Skaggs; Earl Scruggs; Alison Krauss; Vince Gill; Marty Stuart
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Billy Walker; Jack Greene; The Whites; Mike Snider; Laura Weber
11:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Mel McDaniel; Jeannie Seely; Johnny Russell
Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday April 5, 1969:
7:30: Billy Walker (host); Justin Tubb; Mel Tillis; Lonzo and Oscar; Margie Bowes
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); George Morgan; Jean Shepard; Bob Luman; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Dottie West; Bill Monroe; Grandpa Jones; Skeeter Davis
9:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Jeannie Seely; Wilma Lee Cooper; Ray Pillow; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Archie Campbell
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Stu Phillips; Ernie Ashworth
10:00: George Morgan (host); Mel Tillis; Margie Bowes; Bob Luman
10:15: Lester Flatt (host); Billy Walker Wilma Lee Cooper; Justin Tubb
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Bill Monroe; Jean Shepard; Lonzo and Oscar
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Dottie West; Jeannie Seely; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Dottie West; Jeannie Seely; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Grandpa Jones; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Archie Campbell; Ray Pillow; Stu Phillips; Ronnie Robbins; Ernie Ashworth
(And yes, that was not a typo as Jeannie Seely and Dottie West did a duet on two different segments, back to back).
_______________________________________________________________________
To finish it up for this week, it was on Saturday April 5, 1975 that Skeeter Davis returned to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time after being suspended from the show in December 1973.
Few artists have traversed the perilous line between country and pop as disarmingly as Mary Frances Penick, a product, fittingly, of the border state of Kentucky. Under the aegis of Nashville Sound mastermind Chet Atkins, she amassed a sizable following in both camps during her sixties heyday. Yet the musical legacy of the outspoken singer has undoubtedly been obscured by a series of personal tragedies and controversies.
Born at the onset of the Depression, Skeeter learned at an early age to harmonize with the singers she heard on the Grand Ole Opry. In high school, she and her best friend, Betty Jack Davis, formed a duo called the Davis Sisters. Radio and television exposure eventually landed them a recording opportunity on RCA in 1952. But as their smashing debut for the label, "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," began what would be a six-month say on the country charts the following year, Skeeter and Billy Jack were involved in a car accident that fatally injured Betty Jack.
Devastated by the loss, Skeeter nonetheless persevered in her career. Although she and Betty Jack's sister Georgia were unable to duplicate the original Davis Sister' success, Skeeter ultimately established herself as a solo act with such Top Ten hits as "Set Him Free" (1959), the "answer" song "I Can't Help You) I'm Falling To" (1960), and "My Last Date With You" (1961). On these as well as most of Skeeter's early-sixties releases, producer Atkins double-tracked the artists's plaintive voice to re-create the feel of her Davis Sisters work. The subsequent addition of uptown embellishments resulted in a string of crossover hits highlighted by the million selling "The End of the World" and "I Can't Stay Mad at You" (1963).
Meanwhile, Skeeter became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1959, and wed Nashville media celebrity Ralph Emery one year later. Alas, as would be chronicled in their respective autobiographies, the stormy relationship lasted only until 1964, not much longer than her earlier marriage to the anonymous Kenneth Depew. Later, in 1973, the deeply religious singer became embroiled in a well-publicized dispute with Opry management over her broadcast support for some Jesus people who had been arrested at a local shopping mall. She was suspended for more than a year. Though hitless once the early seventies hit, the seemingly ageless Skeeter continued to perform regularly and he wide-ranging catalog remained of considerable interest to collectors.
Skeeter Davis was always one of my personal favorites on the Opry. Though she battled serious health issues later in her life, she was always a smiling presence on the Opry, generally singing bouncy and happy songs, all while dressed in he colorful skirts. If you have't read her autobiography, it is a good one that I recommend.
In 2001, Skeeter became ill as her breast cancer returned, and the cancer spread through her entire body. While her last Grand Ole Opry performance was in December 2000, she appeared for the final time on a country family reunion show that was taped in August 2002, singing "The End of the World." Skeeter passed away on September 19, 2004 at the age of 72.
And now, here is the running order from the night Skeeter Davis returned, April 5, 1975:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Charlie Louvin (host): Freight Train Boogie
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Charlie Louvin: When You Have to Fly Alone/See the Big Man Cry
6:45: Rudy's
Ray Pillow (host): Countryfried
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care
Del Wood: The Entertainer
Ray Pillow: The Simple Things in Life
7:00: Rudy's
Billy Grammer (host): Lonesome Road Blues
Skeeter Davis: I Can't Help It
Lonzo and Oscar: When I Stop Dreaming
Ernie Ashworth: The High Cost of Living
Skeeter Davis: Bus Fare to Kentucky
Becky Gallion (?): Green Back Dollar
Billy Grammer: What a Friend
7:30: Standard Candy
Charlie Walker (host): Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Jimmy C Newman: Thibodeaux Cajun Band
Marion Worth: Delta Dawn
Jim and Jesse: Ashes of Love
Charlie Walker: The Last Supper
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Old Joe Clark
Charlie Walker: Good Deal, Lucille
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jeanne Pruett: Just Like Your Daddy
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
Justin Tubb: Sunshine Lady
Roy Acuff: Carry Me Back to the Mountains
Jeanne Pruett: Hold to My Unchanging Love/Love Me/You Don't Need to Move a Mountain/Satin Sheets
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: There's A Big Wheel
8:30: Stephens
Jack Greene (host): and Jeannie Seely: If You're Going Down
Jeannie Seely: Catfish John
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldiers Joy
The Four Guys: Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: He Can Be Mine
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
The Four Guys (host): What About Me
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Bill Carlisle: Rough Stuff
Marion Worth: The Hand's You're Holding Now
Ray Pillow: She's Doing it to Me Again
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee
The Four Guys: Cottonfields/Maria
10:00: Fender
Charlie Walker (host): Stay a Little Longer
Skeeter Davis: I Believe in Music
Lonzo and Oscar: Mountain Dew
Charlie Walker: The Last Supper
10:15: Union 76
Stu Phillips (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Rosemary Clooney: Half as Much
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Back in the Country
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Billy Grammer: Peace in the Valley
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:45: Beech-Nut
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host): Big Midnight Special
Justin Tubb: Loving Arms
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Each Season Changes You
11:00: Coca Cola
Jack Greene (host) and Jeannie Seely: Take Me Home Country Roads
Jeannie Seely: The First Time
Jimmy C Newman; The Potato Song
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin' Hen
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: Delta Dirt
Sam McGee: Victor Rag
11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Don't Worry
Jeanne Pruett: Just Like Your Daddy/Welcome to the Sunshine
Ronnie Robbins: Mama Tried/If You Love Me Let Me Know
Marty Robbins; Love Me/I'm Wanting To/Devil Woman/El Paso/Ka-Lu-A
There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend!!
Monday, April 1, 2019
Mid-Week Opry Shows 4/2, 4/3 & 4/4
Once again, there are three mid-week Opry shows scheduled, so let's take a look at the line-ups.
Tuesday Night Opry April 2
7:00: John Conlee; Ashley Campbell
7:30: William Michael Morgan; Earls of Leicester
Intermission
8:15: Love and Theft; Chonda Pierce
8:45: The War and Treaty; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
Making their Opry debut on Tuesday night will be The War and Treaty, which consists of Michael and Tanya Trotter.
Tanya Blount grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and won her first talent contest at the age of 13. Michael Trotter spent part of his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio before moving with his mother, brother and sister to Washington. Growing up poor and at times homeless, Michael joined the United States Army and was sent to Iraq. While stationed there, he had access to a piano. A captain heard him play and sing and encouraged Michael to pursue music.
After returning home, Michael was booked on a festival that also featured Tanya Blount. After his set, Tanya approached him and asked if he'd written his songs. He had. The two exchanged numbers and their relationship began, leading to the couple being married. Naming themselves The War and Treaty, they created a buzz at the 2017 Americana Music Festival and Conference when they stepped in to fill an ill Buddy Miller's spot. Their album, Healing Tide, as described as freewheeling joy.
Wednesday Night Opry April 3
7:00: Connie Smith; Clare Dunn
7:30: Tyler Childers; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
Intermission
8:15: Elizabeth Cook; Lee Roy Parnell
8:45: Dillon Carmichael; Dailey & Vincent
Opry Country Classics April 4
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Pam Tillis
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Mo Pitney, Rhonda Vincent, Dallas Wayne
Overall, not bad.
Tuesday Night Opry April 2
7:00: John Conlee; Ashley Campbell
7:30: William Michael Morgan; Earls of Leicester
Intermission
8:15: Love and Theft; Chonda Pierce
8:45: The War and Treaty; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
Making their Opry debut on Tuesday night will be The War and Treaty, which consists of Michael and Tanya Trotter.
Tanya Blount grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and won her first talent contest at the age of 13. Michael Trotter spent part of his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio before moving with his mother, brother and sister to Washington. Growing up poor and at times homeless, Michael joined the United States Army and was sent to Iraq. While stationed there, he had access to a piano. A captain heard him play and sing and encouraged Michael to pursue music.
After returning home, Michael was booked on a festival that also featured Tanya Blount. After his set, Tanya approached him and asked if he'd written his songs. He had. The two exchanged numbers and their relationship began, leading to the couple being married. Naming themselves The War and Treaty, they created a buzz at the 2017 Americana Music Festival and Conference when they stepped in to fill an ill Buddy Miller's spot. Their album, Healing Tide, as described as freewheeling joy.
Wednesday Night Opry April 3
7:00: Connie Smith; Clare Dunn
7:30: Tyler Childers; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
Intermission
8:15: Elizabeth Cook; Lee Roy Parnell
8:45: Dillon Carmichael; Dailey & Vincent
Opry Country Classics April 4
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Pam Tillis
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Mo Pitney, Rhonda Vincent, Dallas Wayne
Overall, not bad.