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.
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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."
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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
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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!!