Grand Ole Opry 5/3 & 5/4

The big event at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend will take place on Saturday night as Randy Travis turns 60 and the Opry is celebrating. Saturday's show will be a tribute to Randy Travis, who is scheduled to appear.

Joining Randy on Saturday night will be Grand Ole Opry members John Conlee, Jesse McReynolds, Connie Smith, Mike Snider, Bill Anderson, along with Ricky Skaggs and Josh Turner. Among the guest artists will be Country Music Hall of Fame member, and songwriter, Don Schlitz. Don has written several of Randy's hits, including "Forever and Ever, Amen," (co-written with Paul Overstreet), "Points of Life," "Deeper Than The Holler," "Heroes and Friends," and "On the Other Hand." Also appearing will be "Nashville" star Charles Esten and Charlie Worsham.

Meanwhile, on the Friday Night Opry, Grand Ole Opry members Vince Gill and Charlie Daniels are the headliners, along with Opry members Mike Snider, The Whites, Bobby Osborne and Connie Smith.

Guesting on Friday night will be Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Jimmy Wayne, Rachel Wammack, High Valley, and making his Opry debut, Sam Outlaw.

Friday May 3
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Darin & Brooke Aldridge; Jimmy Wayne
7:30: The Whites (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Sam Outlaw
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Rachel Wammack; High Valley
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Charlie Daniels Band

Saturday May 4
7:00: John Conlee (host); Charlie Worsham; Jesse McReynolds
7:30: Connie Smith (host); Mike Snider; Charles Esten
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Don Schlitz; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); Josh Turner

While not listed on the official line-up, it has been announced that Randy Travis will be at the Opry on Saturday night. I find it interesting that even though Randy has been unable to perform since his stroke, he has visited backstage on numerous occasions; more times than several of the other members.

Sam Outlaw (real name Sam Morgan), was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, moving with his family while still young, to California. As a young adult growing up, he listened to  Asleep at the Wheel and The Beatles. However, it was the classic country sounds of George Jones and Emmylou Harris that inspired Sam to get more serious about playing the guitar and writing songs. Taking his mother's maiden name of Outlaw, Sam decided to pursue a musical career.

At the age of 30, and after years of working in the advertising business, Sam began to focus on music. He self-released an EP in 2014 and led to appearances at the Stagecoach Festival and AmericanaFest. In preparation for his first LP, Sam began working with musician and record producer Ry Cooder. Sam wrote all of the songs for the album, Angeleno. In March 2015, he signed with Six Shooter Records and was featured in Rolling Stone magazine as one the top country music acts to see at SXSW in 2015. His latest album, Tenderheart, was released in April 2017.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the 1st weekend in May 2009:

Friday May 1
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Heidi Newfield
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Del McCoury Band
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Lee Greenwood
8:30: Marty Stuart (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Connie Smith

Saturday May 2
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Mandy Barnett
7:30: Marty Stuart (host); George Hamilton IV; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Connie Smith
8:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jean Shepard; Trace Adkins; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Mike Snider (host); Jimmy C Newman; Martina McBride

Now the 1st Saturday 25 years ago, May 7, 1994:

1st show
6:30: Bill Anderson (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Brother Oswald and Buck White
7:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeannie Seely; Jack Greene; The Whites; Jeanne Pruett
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Whitstein Brothers; Nashville Bluegrass Band; Osborne Brothers
8:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Charlie Walker; Skeeter Davis; Johnny Russell; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Stonewall Jackson; The Four Guys; Connie Smith; Mike Snider

2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Whitstein Brothers; Nashville Bluegrass Band; Osborne Brothers
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Wilma Lee Cooper
10:15: Jack Greene (host); Mike Snider
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Four Guys
10:45: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Stonewall Jackson; Jeannie Seely; Ray Pillow; Jeanne Pruett
11:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Billy Walker; Clinton Gregory; Connie Smith; Johnny Russell

Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday May 3, 1969:

1st show
6:30: Bobby Lord (host); Skeeter Davis
6:45: Billy Grammer (host); Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); Willis Brothers; Norma Jean; Stonewall Jackson
7:30: Hank Locklin (host); Osborne Brothers; Dottie West; Crook Brothers; Grandpa Jones
8:00: Roy Acuff (host); Charlie Walker; Lonzo and Oscar; Leroy Van Dyke; Del Wood
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Justin Tubb; Marion Worth; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Ray Pillow

2nd show
9:30: Bobby Lord (host); Billy Grammer; Skeeter Davis; Willis Brothers
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); Norma Jean; Del Wood
10:15: Hank Locklin (host); Osborne Brothers; Grandpa Jones
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Dottie West; Stonewall Jackson
10:45: Archie Campbell (host); Lorene Mann; Bobby Harden; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Justin Tubb; Lonzo and Oscar; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee; Louie Roberts
11:30: Charlie Walker (host); Ray Pillow; Marion Worth; Leroy Van Dyke
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Looking back into Grand Ole Opry history, May 3, 1997 was the 50th anniversary of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville. After the Opry that night, a huge Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree took place on Broadway in downtown Nashville in from of the record shop.

The Ernest Tubb Record Shop first opened at 720 Commerce Street on May 3, 1947. Founded by Grand Ole Opry star Ernest Tubb in partnership with his tax accountant Charles Mosley, the store was primarily envisioned as a service for fans. In his travels around the country, Ernest was constantly approached by fans who had trouble finding their favorite records. Even in Nashville, few retailers carried large stocks of country records, preferring to play it safe with pop and classical selections.

Despite the fact that the store specialized in records few retailers carried, the initial reaction from record dealers and even some jukebox operators was anger. Many threatened to never carry Ernest's records again. Within a few months of the shop opening, however, dealers around the country found their business increasing through customers requesting specific records they heard advertised on the Grand Ole Opry.

From the beginning, Ernest was buying airtime on the Opry to promote the mail-order business, and this eventually evolved into the Midnight Jamboree radio program. The main shop moved in 1951 to its current location at 417 Broadway to allow more room for the live in-store broadcasts on Saturday nights.

Over the years, the record shop expanded with additional locations in Nashville. Forth Worth, Texas and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. However, in recent years, those other locations were closed, and under current owner David McCormick, who has owned and operated the company since Ernest passed away in 1984, the record shop continues to operate on Broadway and the Midnight Jamboree continues on WSM, taped at the Texas Troubadour Theater on Music Valley Drive.

Here is the running order from Saturday May 3, 1997, the night the Midnight Jamboree celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop:

1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Del Reeves (host): Good Time Charlie's
Jean Shepard: I Thought of You/It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels/You Win Again/
A Dear John Letter
Del Reeves: The Only Girl I Can't Forget

6:45: Joggin' In A Jug
Grandpa Jones (host): Banjo Sam
Bill Carlisle: Little Liza Jane
Grandpa Jones: Any Old Time

7:00: Shoney's
Mike Snider (host): Lonesome Road Blues
Charlie Louvin: Must You Throw Dirt in My Face
Billy Walker: Adam's Side
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
The Whites: I Don't Care
Mike Snider: Foggy Mountain Breakdown

7:30: Porter Wagoner (host):
Travis Tritt: Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)
Waylon Jennings: Good Old Boys
Joe Diffie: John Deere Green
Steve Wariner: Tips of My Fingers
Travis Tritt, Waylon Jennings and Joe Diffie: Where Corn Don't Grow
Steve Wariner, Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie and Waylon Jennings: She Thinks I Still Care/Good Hearted Woman
Travis Tritt: I Walk the Line
Steve Wariner: Kansas City Lights
Waylon Jennings: Luckenbach, Texas
Porter Wagoner, Travis Tritt, Waylon Jennings, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner: Cindy

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Jimmy C Newman: Diggy Liggy Lo
Brother Oswald: Born to Lose
Connie Smith: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Liberty
Bill Anderson: Still

8:30: Clifty Farms
Jimmy Dickens (host): Geraldine
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
Justin Tubb: Sing Blue Eyed Elaine Again
Hal Ketchum: Maybe You Would Stay Forever/I Know Where Love Lives
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her that Way

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host)
Travis Tritt: Here's A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)
Joe Diffie; John Deere Greene
Steve Wariner: Tips of My Fingers
Travis Tritt and Joe Diffie: Working Man Blues
Joe Diffie: I'll Just Walk Away (If You Want Me To)
Steve Wariner: Kansas City Lights
Travis Tritt: Anymore
Travis Tritt and Joe Diffie: Where Corn Don't Grow
Porter Wagoner, Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner: Cindy

10:00: Massey-Ferguson
Grandpa Jones (host): Kitty Klyde/Apple Jack
Steve Wariner: I'm Already Taken

10:15: La Quinta Inn
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take An Old Cold Tater
The Whites: The Violet & A Rose
Jimmy Dickens: We Could

10:30: Purnell's
Bill Anderson (host): Po Folks
Jean Shepard: I'd Rather Die Young
Bill Anderson: A World of Make Believe

10:45: White By MTD
Mike Snider (host): Tennessee Rhapsody/Cotton Eyed Joe
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Acorn Hill

11:00: Coca Cola
The Four Guys (host): River of Dreams
George Hamilton IV: Break My Mind
Jimmy C Newman: Cochon De Lait
Del Reeves: Lover's Question
Ray Pillow: I'll Break Out Again Tonight
The Four Guys: Amazing Grace

11:30: Loreal
Johnny Russell (host): Folsom Prison Blues
Stu Phillips: A Castle; A Cabin
Charlie Walker: Smoke; Smoke; Smoke
Connie Smith: You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me/Sing; Sing; Sing
David Wilkins: Butter Beans

(Loretta Lynn was on the schedule for both shows but cancelled)

There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend and congratulations to the folks at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.

And Happy 60th Birthday to Randy Travis!!!