Grand Ole Opry 5/24 & 5/25

Memorial Day weekend is the first big summer holiday and a lot of folks are out on the road. That also includes many of the country entertainers, but even with a lot of personal bookings, the Opry has come up with a pretty good line-up for both Friday and Saturday night.

Grand Ole Opry members scheduled for both nights include Mike Snider, John Conlee and Jeannie Seely. Joining that trio on Friday night will be Connie Smith and Bobby Osborne, while on Saturday The Whites, Jesse McReynolds and Bill Anderson are listed. That makes five members of Friday and six on Saturday.

Guesting on the Friday Night Opry will be Adam Doleac, Kalie Shorr, Sister Hazel, comedian Dick Hardwick, Darryl Worley, Tony Jackson (who impressed a lot of folks when he was on for his Opry debut) and Charles Esten. On Saturday night, the list includes David Ball, Elizabeth Cook, Gary Morris, comedian John Crist and Lauren Alaina.

For those wondering, this will be the Grand Ole Opry debut for John Crist, who is a noted comedian. He is also Lauren Alaina's current boyfriend.

Friday May 24
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Adam Doleac
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Kalie Shorr; Sister Hazel
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee (host); Dick Hardwick; Darryl Worley
8:45: Connie Smith (host); Tony Jackson; Charles Esten

Saturday May 25
7:00: John Conlee (host); The Whites; David Ball
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Elizabeth Cook; Gary Morris
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds; John Crist; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Lauren Alaina

The Malpass Brothers will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree this Saturday night. They should have been scheduled for the Opry this weekend as they are a fantastic duo.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the 4th weekend in May 2009:

Friday May 22
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Mike Snider; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Caitlin & Will
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Rhonda Vincent
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Tracy Byrd
8:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Stonewall Jackson; Jack Greene; The Whites

Saturday May 23
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Dale Watson
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; Emily West
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Riders In The Sky; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Hal Ketchum

Now from 25 years ago, Saturday May 28, 1994:

1st show
6:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Skeeter Davis
6:45: Bill Monroe (host); Wilma Lee Cooper
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Hank Locklin; Jeanne Pruett; Charlie Walker; Connie Smith
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Four Guys; Stonewall Jackson; Charlie Daniels Band
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Roy Drusky; The Whites; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jack Greene; Charlie Louvin and Bob Bates; Billy Walker; The Carol Lee Singers

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host): JD Sumner and The Stamps; Charlie Daniels Band
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); Jean Shepard
10:15: Grandpa Jones (host); Roy Drusky
10:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:45: Jack Greene (host); The Four Guys; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); The Whites; Charlie Louvin; Billy Walker; The Carol Lee Singers
11:30: Mike Snider (host): Hank Locklin; Connie Smith

And from 50 years ago, Saturday May 24, 1969:

1st show
6:30/6:45: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Stringbean; The Four Guys; Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann; Margie Bowes
7:00: Roy Acuff; Jim Ed Brown
7:30: Porter Wagoner; Mel Tillis; Dolly Parton; Crook Brothers
8:00: Ernest Tubb; Glaser Brothers; Willis Brothers; Lonzo and Oscar
8:30: Hank Snow; Bill Carlisle; Del Wood; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Glaser Brothers; Willis Brothers; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Stringbean; The Four Guys
10:00: Jim Ed Brown; Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann; Virgil Gifford
10:15: Roy Acuff; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Porter Wagoner; Dolly Parton; Del Wood
10:45: Ernest Tubb; Mel Tillis; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow; Margie Bowes; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins; Lonzo and Oscar; Jeanne Pruett; Don Winters

Finally, let's take a look at an Opry line-up from a few years ago, Saturday May 24, 1986. Nothing particularly special took place that night, but I thought it would be interesting to look back at an Opry show from the middle 1980s.

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
The Four Guys (host): Fox on the Run
Jeannie Seely: Tell Me Again
The Four Guys: Some Memories Just Won't Die

6:45: Rudy's
Jack Greene (host): Lasting First Impression
Wilma Lee Cooper: Honey in the Rock
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Y'All Come
Ernie Ashworth: Memphis Memory
Vic Willis Trio: Shenandoah
Loretta Lynn: They Don't Make'em Like My Daddy Anymore/America
Porter Wagoner and Becky Hinson: Good Love Died Tonight/What A Memory We'd Make

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Connie Smith: Louisiana Man/Once a Day
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

8:00: Martha White
Stonewall Jackson (host): Muddy Water
Lorrie Morgan: Crazy
Ray Pillow; Please Don't Leave Me Anymore
Shelly West: Jose Cuervo/Here Comes My Baby
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry

8:30: Music Valley
Hank Snow (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Jean Shepard: Blanket on the Ground
Roy Drusky: I Really Don't Want to Know
Roger Whitaker: (?)/The Last Farewell
Hank Snow: Among My Souvenirs

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
The Four Guys (host): Tennessee
Jeannie Seely: Why Doesn't He Just Leave Me Alone
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Lorrie Morgan: One Love at a Time
Charlie Louvin: Hungry Eyes
The Four Guys: Mama Rocked Us to Sleep with Country Music

10:00: Little Debbie
Roy Drusky (host): Tennessee Border
Wilma Lee Cooper: Philadelphia Lawyer
Roy Drusky: Have I Stayed Away Too Long

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Loretta Lynn: Wouldn't That Be Great/You're Looking at Country/Coal Miner's Daughter/You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man

10:30: Pet Milk
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Shelly West: Jose Cuervo
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name

10:45: Heil-Quaker
Osborne Brothers (host): Georgia Mules and Country Boys
Connie Smith: I've Got My Baby on My Mind
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham
Osborne Brothers: Hide Me, Blessed Rock of Ages
Blaine Sprouse: Katy Hill

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Right or Wrong
Justin Tubb: Walkin' the Floor Over You/Sing Blue Eyed Elaine Again
Jean Shepard: I'm All Right/Second Fiddle
Hank Snow: I Almost Lost My Mind

11:30: Quincy's
Ray Pillow (host): Too Many Memories
Cathedral Quartet: Can He; Could He; Would He/Wonderful Grace of Jesus/I'll Have a New Body; I'll Have A New Live/Everybody Will Be Happy Over There
Johnny Russell: No Relief in Sight/Act Naturally
Ray Pillow: Congratulations; You're Absolutely Right

On the first show, Porter did a duet with Becky Hinson. Becky was a member of Porter's group, The Right Combination. At last word, she plays at the Nashville Palace and it is advertised as Becky Hinson and The Nashville Palace Band.

There you have it for this week and for the month of May. As always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!