It's another weekend of shows at the Grand Ole Opry and it looks like it is going to be another good weekend with both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry sold out.
There is some good news regarding the schedule as Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers are scheduled for Friday night and the following Tuesday Night Opry. Larry cancelled out at the Opry a couple of weeks back as he had Covid, which he said he got after he had his second Covid vaccine.
Other names of note include Grand Ole Opry members the Oak Ridge Boys, who will be making their first Opry appearance of 2021, and will be on the televised portion on Saturday night along with Brandy Clark and Steve Earle.
Also on the schedule is Jeannie Seely, who missed last weekend as she was traveling, as are Opry members Terri Clark, joining Jeannie on Friday, and Riders In The Sky, who are scheduled for Saturday.
Suzy Bogguss is on the schedule for Friday night. I personally have thought that Suzy would make a good Opry member. And finally, Brad Upton is scheduled as the designated comedian for both of the weekend nights.
Friday March 26
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Jack Hoot; Ashley Campbell; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
8:00: Suzy Bogguss; Brad Upton; Terri Clark
Saturday March 27
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Riders In The Sky; Maggie Rose; Brad Upton
8:00: Oak Ridge Boys; Brandy Clark; Steve Earle
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It was a special night at the Grand Ole Opry 50 years ago, as it was on Saturday March 27, 1971 that the late Jan Howard became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Some artists sing country songs. Some live them. Jan Howard has done a lot of living and entertained a whole lot of fans between the year in which she was born in West Plains, Missouri and the year she returned to her home state to be inducted into its Country Music Hall of Fame. After spending time in California, Jan moved to Nashville and made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 1959. Her first solo single the next year, “The One You Slip Around With,” was a Top 10 hit, and both Billboard and Cashbox magazines named her their Most Promising Country Vocalist of the year.
Jan lived up to the promise in subsequent years with more than 20 Top 40 singles. She also made a name for herself in live shows alongside good friends Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette, among others.
Among Jan’s biggest solo hits were “Evil on Your Mind,” (named one of country music’s 500 greatest singles by the book “Heartaches by the Number”) “Bad Seed” and “Count Your Blessings, Woman.” Even while she was on the charts as a solo artist, she was also enjoying success as a part of Bill Anderson’s syndicated TV show and tour. Together, the two Opry members topped the charts with “For Loving You,” a month-long No. 1 in 1967.
Meanwhile, Jan was also writing big hits for others in the business including Bill (“Love Is a Sometimes Thing”), Kitty Wells (“It’s All Over But the Crying”) and Connie Smith (“I Never Once Stopped Loving You”).
Jan’s single “My Son,” a song that began as a letter to her son Jimmy in Vietnam, was released just a few weeks before he was killed in action in 1968. Several years later, Jan’s efforts on behalf of the armed forces, mental health, the Veterans Administration, Vietnam veterans, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial earned her the Tennessee Adjutant General’s Distinguished Patriot Medal, its highest civilian honor. And in 2005, the Commander in Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars presented her with the Medal of Merit, which is awarded for “exceptional service rendered to country, community and mankind.”
A regular guest on the Opry for years beforehand, Jan formally joined the cast in 1971. Since then, she’s performed on countless radio and television shows, including everything from The Today Show to Family Feud. In 2002, she made her acting debut in Changing Hearts, alongside Faye Dunaway and fellow Opry member Jeannie Seely.
While her recording and touring career ended, Jan continued performing on the Grand Ole Opry until retiring from performing in 2015. While she stopped performing, Jan was still around and there would be times that she would drop by the Opry for a visit with some of her friends. Personally, I always enjoyed meeting Jan and was sorry to see her retire.
Here is the running order from 50 years ago:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Billy Walker (host): I Taught Her Everything She Knows
Ray Pillow: Grazin' in Greener Grass
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
Billy Walker: How Great Thou Art
6:45: Rudy's
Jack Greene (host): There's a Whole Lot About a Woman a Man Don't Know
Jeannie Seely: Please Be My New Love
Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely: Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
7:00: Luzianne
Bill Monroe (host): My Little Georgia Rose
Earl Scruggs Revue: Loraderojosp III Breakdown
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Each Season Changes You
Ernie Ashworth: Jesus Is a Soul Man
James William Monroe: Come With Me Up Happiness Hill
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Earl Scruggs Revue: Foggy Mountain Top
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Legend of the Dogwood Tree
7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Grandpa Jones: Mountain Dew
Jan Howard: Evil on Your Mind
George Morgan: For the Good Times
Bill Anderson: Always Remember
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Grandpa Jones: Fair & Tender Ladies
Bill Anderson and Jan Howard: Someday We'll Be Together
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free
Tex Ritter: The Men in My Little Girl's Life
Willis Brothers: Women's Liberation
Lonzo and Oscar: Crawdad Song
8:30: Stephens
Porter Wagoner (host): The Carroll County Accident
Dolly Parton: Coming For to Carry Me Home
Stringbean: Hot Corn; Cold Corn
Tom T. Hall: Ballad of 40 Dollars
Porter Wagoner: The Last One to Touch Me
Hank Locklin: She's As Close As I Can Get
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking in My Sleep
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: Better Move It on Home
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Bill Anderson (host): You Can Change My World By Changing Your Mind
Willis Brothers: For the Good Times
Jan Howard: Were You There
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Nobody's Darling But Mine
Ray Pillow: Working Man Blues
Bill Anderson: I Love You Drops
10:00: Fender
Bill Monroe (host): Little Joe
Earl Scruggs Revue: Bugle Call Rag
Bill Carlisle: I'm Movin'
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
10:15: Union 76
Billy Walker (host): When A Man Loves A Woman
Grandpa Jones: Dooley
Ernie Ashworth: Jesus Is A Soul Man
Billy Walker: Make the World Go Away
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Jack Greene: There's a Whole Lot About a Woman a Man Don't Know
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:45: Beechnut
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind
Dolly Parton: Joshua
Stringbean: Lonesome Road Blues
Crook Brothers: Arkansas Traveler
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: Better Move It On Home
11:00: Coca Cola
Tex Ritter (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter
Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Instrumental
Tex Ritter: High Noon
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free
Sam McGee: San Antonio Rose
11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Devil Woman
Lonzo and Oscar: There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
Ronnie Robbins: Put Your Hand in the Hand/Today I Started Loving You Again
Marty Robbins: I Walk Alone/Don't Worry/A Heart Full of Love/Long Gone Lonesome Blues
Marty Robbins and Ronnie Robbins: It Finally Happened
Jan Howard made her Grand Ole Opry debut in October 1959. "I was terrified that night," she recalled. "Ray Price introduced me on the Prince Albert portion of the show, and his exact words were, 'Tear 'em a new one, hon!' And I don't remember another thing that happened. That's how frightened I was."
After her Opry debut, Jan went back to California where she worked as a secretary. At the time, she was married to songwriter Harlan Howard and in June 1960, they moved to Nashville. Jan, thanks to her one hit, "The One You Slip Around With," was offered a recording contract and began guesting on the Opry.
"I was a guest for years," Jan said. "I started guesting there when Ott Devine was the manager and then Bill Anderson and I started working together in '65, and so I was part of the Bill Anderson show on the Opry. In the meantime, Bud Wendell became manager and I saw him at a party one Thursday night and he said, 'Well, I'll see you at the Opry tomorrow night.'" Jan went on to explain to Bud that she was not going to be at the Opry, because she was not a member and was booked elsewhere. At that point, Bud said, "Well, you are going to be there!" Two nights later, March 27, 1971, Jan was made an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.
As Jan told the story, she was made a member on Friday March 27, 1971. However, March 27 was a Saturday night, so I just think there was a little confusion as to the exact date.
Jan Howard passed away on March 28, 2020 at the age of 91. She had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 49 years.
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As we remember Jan Howard, let's take a moment to send positive thoughts and prayers to B.J. Thomas, who yesterday posted that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. B.J. is a former Grand Ole Opry member and even after he gave up his membership he was known to make guest appearances. I saw him several times on the Opry and he was always well received. _________________________________________________________________________
Finally to finish it up, here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, March 30:
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Drew Baldridge; Rhett Akins; Charlie McCoy
8:00: Dusty Slay; Wendy Moten; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
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That covers it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
Sorry about Larry Gatlin getting the virus--I'm glad he's better. That's a reminder that any and all vaccines aren't 100% effective but they're better than having no vaccine, and that we all still need to be careful.
ReplyDeleteSorry about B.J. Thomas. I hope he can fight and beat it.
Jan Howard told one of my all-time favorite country music stories, about being an Opry guest and being in the dressing room--the women's bathroom at the Ryman. Patsy Cline walked in and called her a stuck-up etc. Huh? Patsy said you just come in here without saying anything to anybody. Jan shot back that where she came from, it's up to the hosts to welcome the guest, and nobody had done anything for her, so Patsy could etc., too. And Patsy roared and said, "You're all right. You talked back to The Cline."
The Cline. I love it.
Riders In The Sky have cancelled for Saturday night. Replaced by Gary Burr. Gary is a member of the Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame and has written such hits as "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me," "That's My Job," and What Mattered Most." He is also a former member of Pure Prairie League.
ReplyDeleteMan, royally sucks hearing that about BJ Thomas.... Have always liked his music.
ReplyDeleteGreat show last night. The Oak Ridge Boys were fantastic, as always.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that the current flooding situation in Nashville does not get any worse. Praying and thinking of those in central Tennessee today.