Grand Ole Opry 7/12 & 7/13

When I saw the Grand Ole Opry line-up for this weekend, I thought there must have been a misprint. I mean, how can you have a Friday Night Opry with only two Opry members, both of whom are on the first 30 minutes of the show? And of course, there are only three Opry members on Saturday night.

Personally, I feel bad for those who paid over $100 for tickets, especially to the Friday night show. Nothing against those on the schedule, but there is not one act listed who is worth that price, let alone collectively. Saturday night is a little better, thanks to Vince Gill being scheduled, but as to the rest of the acts, nothing special.

But regardless, while it might be a "thin" line-up this weekend, it is still the Grand Ole Opry and I am sure everyone attending will have a great time. Checking the Opry site, it looks like a good number of tickets are still available for both nights.

So who are the Opry members scheduled this weekend? The Whites are on both Friday and Saturday night, with Jesse McReynolds joining them on Friday, while Vince and Bobby Osborne are scheduled to appear on Saturday.

Guesting on Friday night will be the great guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, joined by Balsam Range, former "Nashville" star Clare Bowen, songwriter and Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz, Wade Hayes and making her solo Opry debut, Candi Carpenter.

Saturday night the list include Charlie Worsham, who most recently has been performing with Old Crow Medicine Show, Keith Anderson, Lauren Jenkins, Craig Campbell and Austin Jenckes, who made his Opry debut several weeks back.

Friday July 12
7:00: The Whites; Jesse McReynolds
7:30: Candi Carpenter; Tommy Emmanuel
Intermission
8:15: Wade Hayes; Don Schlitz
8:45: Clare Bowen; Balsam Range

Saturday July 13
7:00: The Whites; Keith Anderson
7:30: Lauren Jenkins; Craig Campbell
Intermission
8:15: Austin Jenckes; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Charlie Worsham; Vince Gill

I know it is summer and tour season for a lot of country music acts. One I do want to mention is Jeannie Seely, who will be appearing in Townville, Pennsylvania as part of the 50th annual Townville Old Home Days and Parade. My assumption is that Jeannie will be the guest of honor and it should be a fun day for her to be back in the area in which she grew up.
_________________________________________________________________________

Candi Carpenter, who on the Friday Night Opry will be making her solo Opry debut, is a name that might be familiar to a number of Opry fans. For a few years, Candi was a part of Jack Greene's shows and appeared on the Opry several times with Jack.

Candi was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in Lansing, Michigan. She comes from a musical family and began taking music lessons at the age of six, learning to play saxophone and piano. Candi played in bands and sang in choirs both at church and in school, performed in her family's band, and developed a keen talent at a young age. When she was in sixth grade, she bluffed her way on-stage at a Vince Gill concert to yodel for him. By the time she was 11, she was discovered by a record producer, who signed her to a contract. And when Candi was 15, she left school and relocated to Nashville, where she was playing honky tonks despite being underage. After hearing Candi, Grand Ole Opry member Jack Greene hired her as part of his band, where she also became his duet partner, touring with Jack.

Overtime, she grew frustrated with the terms of her production and management deals, which gave her little control over her creative future. Determined to assert her creative independence, Candi dismissed her managers, got out of a bad marriage, and began working multiple day jobs to finance work on recordings that would allow her to follow her heart as a musician and songwriter. In 2014, she landed a deal with CTK Management and a recording contract with Sony Music soon followed. In November 2016, Candi released he first single for Sony, "Burn the Bed" which was produced by Shane McAnally. The song charted and in 2017, Candi was named by Rolling Stone as one of ten new country artists to watch.

Candi, who in the past toured and worked shows with Porter Wagoner, Jimmy Dickens, Jim Glaser, Bill Anderson and Vince Gill, among others, continues to tour and can be seen regularly at well known songwriting venues like the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and Kulak's Woodshed in Hollywood, California.
___________________________________________________________________________

And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the second weekend in July 2009:

Friday July 10
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Chris Young
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jan Howard; Ashton Shepherd
8:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; The Whites
8:30: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Diamond Rio

Saturday July 11
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Caitlin & Will
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jim Ed Brown; Jennifer Hanson
8:00: Mike Snider (host); The Whites; Billy Dean; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Alison Krauss w/The Cox Family

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Caitlin & Will
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Alison Krauss w/The Cox Family
10:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Charlie Louvin; Jennifer Hanson; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Billy Dean

Now, from 25 years ago, Saturday July 9, 1994:

1st show
6:30: Billy Walker (host); Brother Oswald
6:45: Mike Snider (host); Charlie Louvin
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Hank Locklin; Anna White; Charley Pride
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Osborne Brothers; Charlie Walker; Shawn Camp
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Grandpa Jones; Roy Drusky; The Whites; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jeanne Pruett; Bill Carlisle; The Four Guys

2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Anna White; Shawn Camp
10:00: Bill Anderson (host); Charlie Louvin
10:15: Mike Snider (host); Ray Pillow
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Osborne Brothers
10:45: Charley Pride (host); Jeanne Pruett; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); The Four Guys; Charlie Walker; Whitstein Brothers
11:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Billy Walker; Hank Locklin; The Whites

Finally, from Saturday July 12, 1969, 50 years ago:

1st show
6:30/6:45: Del Reeves; Jean Shepard; The Four Guys; Del Wood
7:00: Bill Monroe; Jim Ed Brown; Willis Brothers; Bill Carlisle
7:30: Roy Acuff; Stu Phillips; Marion Worth; Grandpa Jones; Crook Brothers
8:00: Lester Flatt; Billy Grammer; Norma Jean; Charlie Walker
8:30: George Morgan; Hank Locklin; Loretta Lynn; Ernie Ashworth; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Del Reeves; Willis Brothers; Jean Shepard
10:00: Jim Ed Brown; The Four Guys; Del Wood
10:15: Bill Monroe; Ernie Ashworth
10:30: Roy Acuff; Stu Phillips; Grandpa Jones
10:45: Lester Flatt; Marion Worth; Bill Carlisle; Crook Brothers
11:00: Billy Grammer; George Morgan; Loretta Lynn; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Hank Locklin; Charlie Walker; Norma Jean
___________________________________________________________________________

Looking back at dates in Grand Ole Opry history, it was on Saturday July 10, 1999 that former Grand Ole Opry member June Carter Cash, made her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

With her husband Johnny Cash and an extended line of children and stepchildren in the business, June Carter belonged to American country music's first family. But she herself was born into a rich musical inheritance. Her mother was Maybelle Carter, a seminal country music guitarist and a member, with AP and Sara Carter, of the original Carter Family, one of the most successful radio and recording groups of the first age of country music.

In the late 1930s, sponsored by Kolorbak hair dye, the Carter Family's broadcasts, originating from radio station XERA in Del Rio, Texas, but transmitted to avoid federal regulations from just over the border in Mexico, radiated across the US and Canada. Almost all the second-generation Carters joined the family group, including June. All were singing and playing on the radio before they were in their teens; when June sang "Engine 143" for the first time, she was only 10.

After the Carter Family broke up in 1943, Maybelle and her daughters, June, Anita and Helen, working as Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters, moved to Richmond, where they became a leading act on the Old Dominion Barn Dance and performed on WRVA radio. After similar stints in Knoxville and Springfield, and with the addition of guitarist Chet Atkins, they moved to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry in 1950.

June played autoharp and portrayed her self as "Aunt Polly," singing comedy numbers with an exaggerated hillbilly accent and a wide toothy grin, hitching up her gingham skirt to reveal button boots. She would do comedy skits with a number of country artists including Rod Brasfield and Jimmy Dickens.

In 1961, the Carter Family went on the road with Johnny Cash, becoming both his companion on the road and duet partner in the studio. Together they charted a number of records including "It Ain't Me Babe," "Guitar Pickin' Man," "If I Were A Carpenter" and perhaps their biggest hit, "Jackson."

In addition to her musical talents, June also co-wrote "Ring of Fire" and she also studied acting, moving to New York in the 1950s. She acted in several television shows and movies, including "Little House on the Prairie," and "The Apostle." June was also a writer of several books, and in 1999 she won a Grammy Award for her album "Press On," which many consider her autobiographical story.

June, who was born on June 23, 1929, was a very talented individual who was loved my many. There are those who think she deserves a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. I will leave that discussion up to others.

Here is the running order from 20 years ago, Saturday July 10,1999, the night that June Carter Cash appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time.

1st show
6:30: Circle Club
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Skeeter Davis: It's Different Now
Jimmy C Newman: Cochon De Lait
Kenny Sears: Orange Blossom Special

6:45: Ryman Auditorium
Jeannie Seely (host): Hey, Good Lookin'
Charlie Louvin: Jesus Is Whispering Now/When I Stop Dreaming
Jeannie Seely: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long
Matt King: I Wrote the Book on Heartaches
Matt King and Jessie Alexander: From Your Knees
Matt King: Memories, Fiddles & Songs

7:30: Standard Candy
Emmylou Harris (host): Hello Stranger
June Carter Cash: Little Moses/Ring of Fire
Rodney Crowell: There's A Fool Such As I

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Jan Howard: Together When We Tried
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
T Bubba Bechtol: Comedy
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Old Joe Clark
Bill Anderson: Still

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Mike Snider (host): If My Nose Was Runnin' Money
The Four Guys: When You've Got a Good Woman, It Shows
Del Reeves: I Would Like to See You Again
Jack Greene: Love Takes Good Care of Me/Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
Mike Snider: Look What They've Done to the Dominica Hen

2nd show
9:30
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya
June Carter Cash: Wildwood Flower/I Used to be Somebody/Tiffany, Anastasia Lowe

10:00: Lincoln Mercury
Emmylou Harris (host): If I Could Only Win Your Love/Everytime You Leave

10:30: Opry Book
Jeannie Seely (host): Burning That Old Memory
Mike Snider: Snuff Dipper
Jeannie Seely: Those Memories

10:45: Joggin' In a Jug
Charlie Walker (host): Who'll Buy the Wine
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sail Away Ladies
Charlie Walker: Smoke; Smoke; Smoke

11:00: Coca-Cola
Jack Greene (host): Highway to the Sky
The Four Guys: It's All Right to Have a Good Time
T Bubba Bechtol: Comedy
Matt King: In Dreams/From Your Knees
Jack Greene: Statue of a Fool

11:30: Ray Stevens Show
Del Reeves (host): Anywhere USA
Stu Phillips: El Tigre
Ray Pillow: Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Coon Creek Girls:  This Heart of Mine/Caught in the Middle
Del Reeves: Hound Dog

The Carter Family, which included June Carter, joined the Grand Ole Opry on May 29, 1950. They left the Opry after their final performance on July 8, 1967. While they were no longer Opry members, June would appear on the Opry as a guest when her husband Johnny Cash appeared on the show, with the majority of these appearances taking place while Johnny was filming his television show in Nashville. Her 1999 appearance had been her first on the Opry in many years. For those watching that night, June looked and sounded a little ragged. While on stage, she performed with her son John Carter Cash and the Cash Family Band, along with Emmylou and Rodney.

June Carter Cash passed away on May 15, 2003. Several days earlier she had open-heart surgery. The following day she went into cardiac arrest and was on life support for several days. When she died, June was survived by her husband, seven children and 13 grandchildren.

There you have it for this week. Thanks as always for reading and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.