Grand Ole Opry 11/29 & 11/30

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope each of you have the opportunity to be able to spend some time with your families and your loved ones. In my case, we are headed down to North Carolina where we will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday with our two daughters, our grandchildren and their families.

A couple of names do stand out for this weekend. First, Vince Gill is scheduled for all four shows this weekend. That is good news. I was thinking with his work with the Eagles and his solo dates that he just didn't have time for the Opry. Thankfully, he will be headlining the shows this weekend.

Secondly, one of my personal favorites, Carson Peters and Iron Mountain are scheduled for both shows on Saturday night. If you haven't seen or heard Carson and his group, you are missing out. I have their CD "Grass Stains" and it has quickly become one of my favorite albums. These guys are just great musicians and Carson is such a talented young man. Hopefully he continues with his career and continues to put out some great music.

Other guests scheduled for this weekend include Dillon Carmichael, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Darin & Brook Aldridge, and Karen Mills on Friday night. Joe Mullins is another great bluegrass artist, and in fact, they are the current IBMA Entertainers of the Year.

Guests scheduled for Saturday night include Steve Earle, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, Chonda Pierce, and Louise Mandrell. Louise, who was on Opry Country Classics during the week of the Opry's birthday bash, has a new album out, singing a host of country classics. Listening to her on the classics show, she hasn't lost anything and it is nice to see her back recording and performing.

As to Opry members, in addition to Vince Gill, Mike Snider and Jeannie Seely are set for all four shows, with Bobby Osborne and Riders In The Sky scheduled for both shows on Friday night.

Friday November 29
1st show
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Darin & Brooke Aldridge; Dillon Carmichael
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Karen Mills; Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
8:30: Vince Gill (host); Keith & Kristyn Getty

2nd show
9:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Darin & Brooke Aldridge; Dillon Carmichael
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Karen Mills; Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
11:00: Vince Gill (host); Keith & Kristyn Getty

Saturday November 30
1st show
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Carson Peters & Iron Mountain; Chonda Pierce
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Louise Mandrell
8:00: Vince Gill (host); Darin & Brooke Aldridge; Tommy Emmanuel; Opry Square Dancers; Steve Earle

2nd show
9:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Carson Peters & Iron Mountain; Chonda Pierce
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Louise Mandrell
10:30: Vince Gill (host); Darin & Brooke Aldridge; Tommy Emmanuel; Opry Square Dancers; Steve Earle
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the weekend of November 27 & 28, 2009:

Friday November 27
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jim Ed Brown: Rhonda Vincent
7:30: Lorrie Morgan (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Jack Greene
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jan Howard; Jimmy C Newman; Matt Kennon
8:30: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Doyle Dykes

Saturday November 28
1st show
7:00: Jimmy C Newman (host); Jimmy Wayne
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; The Whites; Charlie Louvin
8:00: Lorrie Morgan (host); Riders In The Sky; Cherryholmes; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; Brad Paisley

2nd show
9:30: Lorrie Morgan (host); Brad Paisley; Jim Ed Brown
10:00: Mike Snider (host); Charlie Louvin; Jimmy Wayne
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Cherryholmes

Now from 25 years ago, Saturday November 26, 1994

1st show
6:30: Mike Snider (host); Brother Oswald
6:45: Grandpa Jones (host); Bill Carlisle
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Hank Locklin; Charlie Louvin; Jim Ed Brown; Connie Smith
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Martina McBride; Charlie Daniels; Don Gibson
8:00: Bill Anderson (host); Stonewall Jackson; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jan Howard; The Four Guys; Del Reeves

2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Jeanne Pruett; Hank Locklin; Darryl and Don Ellis
10:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Billy Walker
10:15: Mike Snider (host); Roy Drusky
10:30: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites
10:45: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Opry Square Dance Band; The Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Connie Smith; Charlie Walker; The Four Guys
11:30: Johnny Russell (host); Jack Greene; Ronna Reeves

As noted, Don Gibson appeared on the first show. This was Don's first Grand Ole Opry appearance in several years.

Finally, from 50 years ago, Saturday November 29, 1969:

1st show
6:30: Willis Brothers (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Cal Smith
6:45: Osborne Brothers (host); Jeanne Pruett; Jack Barlow
7:00: The Four Guys (host); Charlie Walker; Jean Shepard; Stringbean
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Grandpa Jones; Ray Pillow; Crook Brothers
8:00: Tex Ritter (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Lawrence Reynolds; Lonzo and Oscar
8:30: Bill Monroe (host); Stu Phillips; Wilma Burgess; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Tokyo Matsu

2nd show
9:30: Willis Brothers (host); Grandpa Jones; Wilma Lee Cooper; Stringbean
10:00: Osborne Brothers (host); Jeanne Pruett; Cal Smith
10:15: The Four Guys (host); Jack Barlow
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jean Shepard; Lawrence Reynolds
10:45: Ray Pillow (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Crook Brothers
11:00: Tex Ritter (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Bill Monroe (host); Wilma Burgess; Stu Phillips; Tokyo Matsu

A couple of names from that night, beginning with Lawrence Reynolds.

Lawrence Reynolds was born on July 13, 1944 in St. Stephens, Alabama. He had a hit single with "Jesus Is a Soul Man" in 1969, which hit No. 28 on the Billboard charts. "Jesus Is a Soul Man" was co-written by Jack D Cardwell. Lawrence released an album in 1970, also called Jesus Is a Soul Man, which peaked at No. 45 on the U.S. Country Albums chart in 1970. He died of coronary artery disease on August 15, 2000.

The second name from that night is Tokyo Matsu. She was from Tokyo, Japan and was a graduate of Kunitachi School of Music where she studied classical music, but her first love is country music. She had previously been nominated for Fiddle Player of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. At last reports, she is still alive at the age of 74.

To finish it up for this week, it was Saturday November 30, 2002 that Tim McGraw made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Also appearing on the same night was Brad Paisley. Loretta Lynn was also scheduled, however she cancelled and was replaced on the schedule by T. Graham Brown.

1st show
6:30: Tennessee Pride
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Band
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/Statue of a Fool
Jimmy Dickens: Mountain Dew

7:00: Gutter Guard/Standard Candy
Brad Paisley (host): Wrapped Around
Pinmonkey: Bared Wire & Roses/I Drove All Night
Brad Paisley: Jingle Bells/Silent Night/I Wish You'd Stay
Tim McGraw: Don't Take the Girl/Unwound
T. Graham Brown: I Tell It Like It Used to Be/Turn the Wine Into Water/Darlene
Brad Paisley: I'm Gonna Miss Her

8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me
Jeannie Seely: Winter Wonderland
Doyle Dykes: Wabash Cannonball/O Holy Night
Opry Square Dance Band: Cherokee Shuffle
Porter Wagoner: Carroll County Accident

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Bill Anderson (host): Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Billy Walker: You Gave Me a Mountain
Mountain Heart: A Road I've Not Been Down/Real Time
Bill Anderson: Christmas In Your Arms

2nd show
9:30: Tootsie's
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed
Jack Greene: Try a Little Kindness/Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
T. Graham Brown: I Tell It Like It Used to Be/Turn the Wine Into Water
Jimmy Dickens: We Could

10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Osborne Brothers: Lonesome Feeling/Rocky Top
Tim McGraw: Sing Me Home/Don't Take the Girl/Unwound/Everywhere

10:30: WSM online.com/Wildhorse Saloon
Jimmy C Newman (host): Allons Ah Lafayette
Jan Howard: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Doyle Dykes: Wabash Cannonball/O Holy Night
Opry Square Dance Band: Snow Flake Reel

11:00: Coca-Cola
Bill Anderson (host): Liars 1; Believers 0
Charlie Louvin: Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep
Vince Gill: Look at Us
Pinmonkey: Barbed Wire & Roses/I Drove all Night
Bill Anderson: I Lot of Things Different

11:30: Tootsie's
Jeannie Seely (host): Anytime
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away/Charlie's Shoes
Mountain Heart: The Grand Tour/Lee Highway Blues
Jeannie Seely: Today I Started Loving You Again
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A couple of more items. First, here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, November 26

7:00: John Conlee; Emily Ann Roberts
7:30: Striking Matches; Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:15: Jim Lauderdale; Jeff Allen
8:45: Rhonda Vincent; Jason Crabb

As most of you know, Jesse McReynolds missed the Opry last weekend. He wrote on his Facebook page that he had the flu and was staying home to get better.

Finally, thanks for all the comments from the post last week. I thought it would generate some responses and I was pleased to see so many of you chime in. My thanks and I enjoyed reading them all.

There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone. Be Safe and don't eat too much turkey!!