The Tuesday Night Opry will be special this week as Jesse McReynolds will be celebrating his 90th birthday. Jessie, who has been a Grand Ole Opry member for 55 years, is the Opry's oldest male member, and is second in age to fellow Opry member Jan Howard, who is also 90.
Joining Jesse in the celebration, and what should be a wonderful night, will be fellow Opry members Bill Anderson, Mark Wills and Larry, Steve and Rudy, the Gatlin Brothers.
Tuesday July 9
7:00: Bill Anderson; Craig Campbell
7:30: Carly Pearce; Jesse McReynolds
Intermission
8:15: Carlene Carter; Michael Ray
8:45: Mark Wills; The Gatlin Brothers
Wednesday July 10
7:00: The Gatlin Brothers; Tyler Rich
7:30: Jeannie Seely; Home Free
Intermission
8:15: Tegan Marie; Del McCoury Band
8:45: The Swon Brothers; Sawyer Brown
Not only is the Tuesday show looking good but so is the Wednesday. Sawyer Brown seems to be back in the rotation of guests, which is nice to see. Home Free is back after a great performance last week. And three good Opry members.
Wanted to pass along the news that Jeanne Pruett's husband Eddie Fulton has passed away. I know that he had been in declining health.
ReplyDeleteI was at the Tuesday show. I really enjoyed Bill Anderson, Carlene Carter, Gatlins and especially Jesse McReynolds. They really went all out for him since it was his 90th birthday.
ReplyDeleteI am really a traditionalist, and it's not so much that I had to sit through people I had never heard of like Carly Pearce and Michael Ray that aggravated me, but it's the people that those kinds of acts attract. There was a lady sitting behind me that about blew my eardrums out when Carly Pearce came on...."wooooo, your why i'm here....woooooo!" Fine and dandy, but then when Jesse McReynolds was on, all she did was talk to her man friend. Then when Jesse's time got extended, she actually yelled "come on...that's enough...gosh......" They had Sam Bush, Larry Stephenson and a few others come on and did a thing for Jesse, and then they said they were going to sing Happy Birthday to him....so she starts yelling..."OH MY GOSH! come on!"
Carlene Carter comes out and sang Every Little Thing, Long Black Train and I Fell in Love. The crowd was almost asleep...on I Fell in Love when she has the audience do the repeat of "what you want to do that for," I think I was the only one that did it. Then Michael Ray comes out and ...the shreeks and screams start again. I'm by no means an old man, but I could barely make out what he was singing over the drums and bass and the people screaming.
I have to say, your account reminded me of going to a baseball game. I find that I'm trying to watch the game, and no one else does. They're too busy screaming to the music or background noise.
DeleteSo I guess we have to consider that the problem may not be just the Opry!
Perhaps she had a little too much to drink at the bar before the show. On the other hand, there are a lot of younger people who attend the Opry and think it is a country music concert and not a radio show and don't understand the history. In my own personal experience, I have found that the majority of those attending at the Opry due respect the veterans and legends. Sorry that the lady sitting by you did not.
DeleteDiscouraging to hear of such an experience at the Opry but it doesn't surprise me all that much. Hard to believe it has been six years since I have been to the Opry and so much has changed in that short time. Like Byron, up to that point I never experienced anything like that.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that under my breath I have probably had the same kind of thoughts about some of the new acts but I don't think I could act like that if someone offered to pay me. I do know that I would have probably had to turn around and say "look, I didn't come to see Carley Pearce but out of respect for those who did, I kept quiet, could you show the same respect". Sounds like this might have been someone who might preach tolerance of others but doesn't practice it if you disagree with them or like something they don't.
I will have to listen to that show if it is posted. I have a hard time catching the weeknight shows most of the time. Glad Jesse was able to be there and they recognized his birthday.
Jim
Knightsville, IN
I went back for the Wednesday show, and it was a much better experience. The Gatlins started the show, and Larry did almost the same act, going down in the crowd, dancing with a lady and telling her she couldn't dance, rubbed and kissed a bald guys head, took someones popcorn and then picked out a kid and asked him to google 'larry gatlin and the gatlin brothers.' Then Exile, who wasn't on the schedule until later in the day came on with 3 songs followed by Jeannie Seeley and Del McCoury band. Then things went downhill when Tyler Rich came on and the kids in the crowd started screaming and goofing during all 3 of his songs. Plenty of "lets hear it Grand Ole Opry! and loud drums. Interesting thing is as I looked around during his set, 90% of the people I could see weren't the least bit interested, the other 10% were loud, but just screamed and swayed and pointed. Home Free came on next and were kind of interesting, they lost the younger girls and guys though and most of the regular crowd enjoyed their set. The Swon Brothers did "sister gold hair surprise" and that's all I remember...The crowd was dead during their set. Sawyer Brown finished things off with 4 songs and were very good.
ReplyDeleteI had a very good time, and aside from Tyler Rich and The Swon Brothers, it was probably one of the best Opry shows I have been to in the last 4 or 5 years.
Larry Gatlin always brings a lot of energy to the show and at age 70 he keeps going like the energizer bunny. I know there are some who feel that he goes overboard at times but at the very least, he is having fun.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a better show on Wednesday night.