June Opry Highlights

Welcome to the month of June and Summer! June has always been a pretty busy month for the Grand Ole Opry and here are the highlights and important events that have taken place regarding the Opry or its members, during this month.

June 17, 1910: Clyde Julian Foley was born in Blue Lick, Kentucky. Better known as Red, he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1946, replacing Roy Acuff as the host of the Prince Albert portion of the show. He stayed at the Opry until 1954 when he left Nashville and went to Springfield, Missouri as the host of the Ozark Jubilee. When Red came to the Opry, it was specifically to host the Prince Albert portion and as such, he did not appear on any other segments of the Opry.

June 19, 1914: Lester Flatt was born in Overton County, Tennessee. Lester would become famous as a member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, then later teaming up with Earl Scruggs in the highly successful Flatt & Scruggs duo. After a very successful run, Lester and Earl split due to creative differences, with Lester favoring a more traditional bluegrass sound. He then formed the Nashville Grass and continued with that group, and at the Opry, until his death in 1979. While on the Opry, Lester traditionally hosted the Martha White portion of the show.

June 17, 1916: David Akeman, better known as Stringbean, was born in Anniville, Kentucky. Stringbean had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for years, and was famous for his comedy and banjo playing. However, it was his role on Hee Haw that brought Stringbean his greatest fame to a national audience. Stringbean died in November 1973 when he, along with his wife Estelle, were murdered upon returning home from an Opry appearance.

June 28, 1924: George Morgan was born in Waverly, Tennessee. George spent several years in Ohio, specifically the Barberton area before becoming a star on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree. In 1948 he came to Nashville and the Opry, as the replacement for Eddy Arnold, who had recently left the show. George would remain a popular Opry member until his death in 1975. On a historical note, it was George who hosted the final segment of the Friday Night Opry prior to the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House in March 1974. George, who is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, is also the father of current Opry member Lorrie Morgan.

June 19, 1926: DeFord Bailey made his debut on the WSM Barn Dance. DeFord was a member of the Grand Ole Opry until he was fired by Opry founder George D. Hay in 1941. His song, "Pan American Blues" would often be the opening number on the Opry's early broadcasts. After he was fired from the Opry, DeFord remained bitter toward WSM and the Opry for many years, and while he would return a couple of times, he generally declined invitations to come back and perform on the Opry. However on February 23, 1974, he returned to the Opry for the Old-Timer's Night. He was introduced by Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl and received a great ovation. He would return for several more Opry appearances, making his final appearance in April 1982, several months prior to his death.

June 2, 1927: Carl Butler was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with his wife Pearl, Carl had one of the biggest hits in the history of country music, "Don't Let Me Cross Over." Carl and Pearl were members of the Grand Ole Opry for several years in the early 1960's. He passed away in 1992.

June 23, 1929: Valarie June Carter was born in Maces Springs, Virginia. She, along with sisters Anita and Helen, and their mother Maybelle, came to the Opry in 1950. While June was not much of a singer, she was a fine comedian and often teamed with Rod Brasfield and Jimmy Dickens. June left the Opry in the 1960s, but would return on occasion with her famous husband, Johnny Cash. June made one last Opry appearance in July 1999.

June 12, 1936: Dr. Humphrey Bate, founder and leader of the Possum Hunters, died at the age of 61. Following Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Dr. Bate is considered the Opry's 2nd original member. In fact, many historians feel that he may actually have been the first rural performer to have been featured on WSM. Either way, Dr. Bate and the Possum Hunters were an important part of the Opry and his contributions are often overlooked. After Dr. Bate passed away, the Possum Hunter would carry on for several more decades before becoming a victim in the consolidation of the string bands. 

June 13, 1936: Because of the size of the crowds, the Opry moved to the Dixie Tabernacle, located on Fatherland Street in East Nashville. While sounding impressive, the Tabernacle was actually a very primitive facility with wooden benches, sawdust floors and no dressing rooms. It was basically an old barn that had sides which were opened during the summer to keep the air flowing thru. However, it did seat 3,500 and contributed to the growth of the Opry.

June 5, 1937: Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Pee Wee was one of the first professional entertainers to join the show and he helped to bring a more professional look to the Opry as his Golden West Cowboys were one of the sharpest looking groups around. Pee Wee and the Opry's founder, George D. Hay had many disagreements as the founder felt that Pee Wee's group was not country enough. As mentioned, Pee Wee brought a lot of professionalism to the show including being the first act to be introduced with entry and exit music. Pee Wee stayed at the Opry for a number of years before leaving and moving to Louisville, Kentucky to work in television. He had a successful show that aired live in several markets including Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Chicago. Later becoming famous for the "Tennessee Waltz." Pee Wee would continue to make guest appearances on the Opry. His autobiography, "Hell-Bent for Music" is excellent and I highly recommend the book.

June 25, 1940: Republic Pictures released the movie "Grand Ole Opry" which starred Roy Acuff, George D. Hay and Uncle Dave Macon. It was considered a basic movie for the times and while it was no means an academy award winner, it offers a great look at an early Roy Acuff. Copies can still be found online.

June 5, 1943: The Grand Ole Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium, which would become known as "The Mother Church of Country Music." The Opry would stay at the Ryman until March 1974, and since 1999 has made annual winter visits back. Many consider the Opry's years at the Ryman as the golden years of the Opry and the show had tremendous growth while at the Ryman. While many were sad to see the Opry leave in 1974, deteriorating conditions in the building and in downtown Nashville made the move a necessity.

June 6, 1944: D-Day and the day that Grant Turner began working at WSM radio. Grant, who would become known as the "Dean" of Opry announcers, would remain at WSM and the Opry until his death in October 1991. Grant, who is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, also hosted served as an announcer for the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, and did the Opry's warm-up show.

June 17, 1944: The Poe Sisters, Ruth and Nellie, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Their idols were the Delmore Brothers, and George D. Hay would often refer to them as the "female Delmore Brothers." The Poe Sisters performed regionally in the Northeast before coming to Nashville and the Opry. However, their time at the Opry was very short. They originally left the Opry in 1945 when Ruth got married. They were gone for a few months, then came back, however in August 1946 they left again, this time for good.

June 17, 1944: On the same night as the Poe Sisters, Rod Brasfield made his Grand Ole Opry debut after which Rod would join the Opry's cast. After he became an Opry member, Rod would often be featured on the Prince Albert portion of the Opry, teaming up with either Minnie Pearl or June Carter. 

June 11, 1949: Hank Williams made his Grand Ole Opry debut. The performance was one for the ages as Hank was called back for a reported six encores, an Opry record that still stands to this day. The song that inspired the encores was "Lovesick Blues." Jimmy Dickens, who was there that night, would often say that it was the greatest Opry performance he had ever seen.

June 19, 1953: Future Grand Ole Opry member Jean Shepard made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Jean eventually joined the Opry in November 1955, and in 2015 became the only female in the history of the Grand Ole Opry to become a 60 year member of the cast.

June 12, 1954: Ferlin Husky became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Ferlin would stay as an Opry member until December 1964 when he was fired for failing to make the required number of Opry appearances. Like a few of the others who were terminated, Ferlin would not rejoin the cast but would return for guest appearances.

June 1, 1957: As part of the youth movement that was taking place at the Opry, the Everly Brothers became Opry members. The Everly Brothers did not stay long however, as they were destined for bigger and better things. 

June 18, 1957: It was announced that Jimmy Dickens, who had joined the Opry in 1948, was leaving the Grand Ole Opry. According to Jimmy, "WSM would not let me work on a personal appearance tour on the Phillip Morris show and remain on the Opry. I enjoyed my eight year association with WSM and the Opry and I have nothing but good feelings toward everybody at the Opry." Jimmy would return as a member of the Opry in 1975 and would remain an Opry member until his death in January 2015. 

June 13, 1959: Roy Drusky became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Roy came to Nashville and the Opry from Atlanta, Georgia and would remain an Opry member until his death in September 2004. In my opinion, Roy had one of the smoothest voices in country music and was a terrific ballad singer.

June 27, 1959: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn Morgan, better known as Lorrie, was born. And no, she was not named after Loretta Lynn. Does anyone else find it hard to believe that Lorrie is turning 62 this year?

June 14, 1961: Opry member Patsy Cline was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Nashville. It would take Patsy almost eight months to recover from the injuries, which left a scar on her forehead. Because of that scar, Patsy would wear a wig just just about ever time she performed after that accident.

June 29, 1963: Jim Reeves made his final appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jim joined the Opry in 1955, coming to Nashville from the Louisiana Hayride. At the time he left the Opry, Jim felt that he had outgrown the show and was already moving toward a more uptown, contemporary sound.

June 8, 1964: Alton Delmore died at the age of 55 in Huntsville, Alabama. The Delmore Brothers were early members of the Opry, performing on the show in the 1930's. Their influence would carry on for many years and in 2001 they were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 12, 1965: Tex Ritter became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. When Tex joined the cast, he was at the tail end of his great western movie career and many wondered why Tex would want to come to Nashville and be a part of the Opry. Tex surprised everyone, becoming one of the Opry's more popular members and becoming very involved in the Nashville community. For a period of time, he co-hosted the overnight radio program with Ralph Emery on WSM. Tex, who was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1964, was one of the early leaders and founding members of the Country Music Association and his wife was considered one of the Opry's ambassadors. Tex passed away from a heart attack in January 1974.

June 20, 1965: Ira Louvin, the older brother of Charlie Louvin and one half of the duo, the Louvin Brothers, was killed in an automobile accident. One of the greatest duos in country music history, the Louvin Brothers were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

June 4, 1966: Mrs. Grissoms became a sponsor of the Grand Ole Opry. Mrs. Grissoms would generally host the opening segment of the show. 

June 25, 1966: Grand Ole Opry member Willie Nelson made his final appearance as a member of the Opry. Willie joined the Opry in November 1964, but things were not working out well for Willie in Nashville, so he left for his home state of Texas. While in Texas, Willie developed a new look and sound and became one of the biggest acts in the history of country music. While never coming back to the Opry as a member, Willie has made several guest appearances over the years.

June 1, 1967: Stu Phillips became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Stu's 54th year as an Opry member, and along with Hank Snow and Terri Clark, are the only two Opry members to join the cast from Canada. While June 1st is recognized as the date Stu joined, Stu did not make his first appearance as an Opry member until June 17. Stu's last Grand Ole Opry appearance was several years ago when he was recognized for 50 years of Opry membership.

June 6, 1974: Tom T. Hall made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance after the Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the new Grand Ole Opry House. While it was assumed that Tom T., along with Bobby Bare, quit the Opry when the Opry moved in March, Tom T. actually made a couple of more appearances. He would rejoin the Opry in 1980, reportedly at the urging of Ernest Tubb. 

June 28, 1974: Former Beatles member Paul McCarthy is introduced on the stage of the Opry by Roy Acuff. Paul did not perform but was visiting Nashville as part of a vacation with his family.

June 28, 1975: On that same night, Grand Ole Opry member George Morgan made his final Opry appearance. Included on the show that night was his daughter Lorrie, and they performed a duet together, "Smile for Me." Shortly afterwards, George passed away after suffering a heart attack.

June 17, 1978: Marty Robbins drove his new custom-made Panther Deville onto the stage of the Opry. In a moment of good humor, Roy Acuff found a security guard who wrote out a parking ticket to Marty.

June 20, 1980: Boxcar Willie made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Boxcar would later become a member of the Opry, and would sometimes join his idol Roy Acuff on the Opry stage doing the cannonball whistle. 

June 27, 1981: Buck, Sharon and Cheryl, better known as The Whites, made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Several years later, this popular group from Texas would become Opry members.

June 19, 1982: Riders In The Sky became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 39th year as Opry members. They remain the only members of the Opry keeping the sound of western music alive on the Opry stage.

June 26, 1982: Opry member B.J. Thomas, who had joined the cast just a year earlier, made his final Saturday night appearance as an Opry member. B.J., who would make his final Friday night appearance later in August, realized that being an Opry member just wasn't what he thought it would be. While he gave up his Opry membership, he would continue to make an occasional Opry appearance. 

June 9, 1984: Following in the footsteps of her father, Lorrie Morgan became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Lorrie's 37th year as a member. Lorrie made her Opry debut at the age of 13, singing "Paper Roses." When Lorrie joined the Opry, she was at the beginning stages of her career and actually did not have a hit record to her credit. 

June 18, 1984: Former Grand Ole Opry member Paul Howard passed away at the age of 75 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Paul joined the Opry in 1942 with his group, the Arkansas Cotton Pickers. The group included Grady Martin and Hank Garland and specialized in western music. Paul stayed with the Opry though the 1940's. He did return later for several of the Opry's reunion shows.

June 20, 1986: Whitey Ford, the Duke of Paducah, died at the age of 85. Whitey joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1942 and remained a member of the Opry until 1959, when he left to pursue other career opportunities. Like others who left the cast, Whitey would return for numerous appearances. Along with Minnie Pearl, Whitey was the featured comedian on the Prince Albert shows before he was replaced by Rod Brasfield. After Rod joined, Whitey was shifted to other segments. In 1986, the year he died, Whitey was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 13, 1987: Longtime Smokey Mountain Boy Howdy Forrester appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. 

June 4, 1988: Herman Crook, the last living link to the start of the WSM Barn Dance and the Grand Ole Opry, performed on the Opry for the final time. Herman was a part of the Opry for 62 years, first appearing in 1926. Herman was a harmonica player and was a part of the Crook Brothers, the last true string band to appear on the Opry. Over the years, the Possum Hunters, Gully Jumpers and the Fruit Jar Drinkers would disappear, with members from those groups merged into the others, until only the Crook Brothers were left. Herman passed away the following week on June 10, after which the Crook Brothers name would disappear from the Opry line-ups.

June 10, 1988: Ricky Van Shelton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Now retired, this will be Ricky's 33rd year as a member of the Opry's cast. Since his retirement, Ricky has seldom been heard or seen. 

June 11, 1988: Patty Loveless became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. At one time, Patty was a part of the Wilburn Brother's television show and performed as part of Porter Wagoner's show. Many times she has talked about how much Porter helped and influenced her career. And on the night she joined, it was Porter who inducted her. I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hard to believe that Patty has been an Opry member for 33 years.

June 11, 1988: On the same night that Patty Loveless became an Opry member, future Opry member Holly Dunn made her Opry debut.

June 24, 1989: Garth Brooks made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Garth would become an Opry member the following year and continues to be one of the Opry's most popular members. While his appearances are infrequent, and many times unannounced, each one is special and memorable. 

June 2, 1990: Mike Snider became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 31st year as an Opry member. Mike is a great comedian and also a great banjo player and leads a string band that plays the type of music that the Opry was founded on. In fact, these days Mike is much more serious about the music than the comedy.

June 7, 1991: Alan Jackson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Alan's 30th year as an Opry member. Alan, who is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, rarely visits the Opry, which is sad as he is always well received and seems to always enjoy himself at the Opry. 

June 14, 1991: Future Grand Ole Opry member Clint Black made his Opry debut.

June 15, 1991: Grand Ole Opry legend Minnie Pearl made her last appearance associated with an Opry sponsored show. That night she performed in Joliet, Illinois. Several days later, she suffered a massive stroke that ended her performing days.

June 6, 1992: Grand Ole Opry member Tom T. Hall made his final appearance on the Opry. Tom originally joined the cast in 1971, left in March 1974 when the show moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House, then rejoined the cast in 1980. That decade saw Tom T. make a steady stream of Opry appearances. After he stopped appearing, he told several people that he would not be coming back. Tom T. Hall, who continues to live in the Nashville area, has been retired from performing for several years now. 

June 3, 1994: The Ryman Auditorium reopened for the first time since the building was renovated as Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion was broadcast live from the auditorium. After the Opry left in 1974, the building sat basically empty, with the public being allowed in for self guided tours. After a performance and live album by Emmylou Harris, Gaylord Entertainment saw the value and importance of renovating the building. It is now one of Nashville's great treasures and one of the best decisions that Gaylord ever made.

June 3, 1994: Former Grand Ole Opry member Wally Fowler passed away at the age of 77. Wally came to Nashville in 1948 with his Oak Ridge Quartet and was a part of the Opry until 1950. During the time they were at the Opry, the Oak Ridge Quartet was featured on the Prince Albert portion of the show and Wally would many times host the final Opry segment. Over time, the Oak Ridge Quartet would become the Oak Ridge Boys, and the focus of the group would go from gospel to country. By then, Wally had long left the group. Coming full circle, the Oak Ridge Boys have become Opry members.

June 4, 1994: Former Opry member Zeke Clements died at the age of 82. Zeke came to the Opry in the 1930's as a member of the Bronco Busters, which were led by Texas Ruby. When the Opry began the annual reunion shows in the 1970s, Zeke would return and appear on several of the shows.

June 17, 1994: Sarah Wilson of Sarie and Sallie, who were Opry members from 1934-1939, passed away at the age of 97. And yes, they were really sisters, Edna Wilson and Margaret Waters.

June 23, 1995: Former WSM personality and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs became an Opry announcer. While at the Opry, Eddie would generally announced the Friday Night Opry and the 2nd show on Saturday nights, along with Opry Country Classics on Thursday night. Eddie retired from WSM last summer. 

June 14, 1997: Grand Ole Opry member Barbara Mandrell made her final appearance as a performer on the Opry. Barbara retired from performing and asked Opry management if she could keep her Opry management, which they agreed to. While not knowing it at the time, this started a trend where retired Opry members were allowed to continue to be Opry members.

June 29, 1999: Pete Fisher became the general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, the first person hired specifically for that position. Pete would remain with the Opry until January 2017 when he left to become the head of the Academy of Country Music. Pete left that position last year and recently has returned to Nashville and has opened his own consulting business. Pete's tenure at the Opry was certainly eventful as numerous changes were made to the program. 

June 10, 2000: The Grand Ole Opry introduced a new Opry backdrop. The new state of the art lighting replaced the old red barn that had been used in various forms since the Opry moved to the Opry House in 1974. It was reported at the time that the old backdrop was being donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame, however if it has, it has never been put on display.

June 17, 2000: The Opry begins streaming shows live on the internet, giving those around the world an opportunity to listen to the show live. For many, it was the first chance to hear the show without static interference.

June 9, 2001: Grand Ole Opry member Jeanne Pruett made her final scheduled appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Jeanne made the decision to retire as an active performer. While she is retired, Jeanne has been known to show up at the Opry on occasion and also to come out on stage and wave to the audience.

June 14, 2003: While Trace Adkins was making a guest appearance on the Opry, Jimmy Dickens came out with a ladder, climbed it and asked Trace if he would like to become a member of the Opry's cast. Trace, of course, said yes, and was inducted several months later.

June 21, 2003: Longtime Grand Ole Opry member Roy Drusky made his final appearance on the show. Roy Drusky passed away just over a year later, on September 23, 2004 as a result of lung cancer.

June 12, 2004: Terri Clark became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be her 17th year as an Opry member, and was the third person from Canada to join the cast, following in the footsteps of Hank Snow and Stu Phillips.

June 10, 2005: Carrie Underwood made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She was the recent winner of that year's American Idol. Carrie became an Opry member in May 2008.

June 9, 2007: Mel Tillis became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, being introduced on the Opry's stage by his daughter Pam. While officially becoming a member in 2007, Mel had actually been a part of the Opry before, as a member of Porter Wagoner's Wagonmasters and there is a belief that Mel was actually asked to become an individual member during that same time period, accepted but then backed out. He even made it into one edition of the Opry's History Picture Book as a member. However, it wasn't until 2007 that it became official. Mel remained a popular and loyal member of the Opry until passing away in November 2017.

June 6, 2008: The Four Guys made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, in what would prove to be their final Opry appearance. They had been fired from the Opry in 2000 as all of the original members of the group had moved on or retired. They were introduced that night by Bill Anderson and received a nice response from the audience.

June 28, 2008: This was the final night that the Grand Ole Opry began its Saturday night first show at 6:30. The following week, the show was scheduled for 7:00, where it has been since. The show length was also cut 30 minutes, down to a two hour show.

June 23, 2009: Montgomery Gentry became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Since the death of Troy Gentry, Eddie Montgomery has continued as a solo member of the Opry, and this will be his 12th year as an Opry member. At the time, the duo were brought to the show upon the recommendation of fellow Opry member Charlie Daniels, who had joined the cast the previous year.

June 15, 2013: Patty Loveless was honored upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill was the host for the segment, which finished with "Go Rest High On That Mountain." A great moment and night at the Opry.

June 6, 2014: Long time Grand Ole Opry member Jimmy C Newman made his final Opry appearance. He passed away several weeks later.

June 11, 2015: Grand Ole Opry member, and newly elected Country Music Hall of Fame member, Jim Ed Brown passed away. Jim Ed had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years and had one of the great voices in country music.

June 19, 2015: Garth Brooks made a surprise appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, his first Opry appearance since he inducted Carrie Underwood as an Opry member in 2008, and his first singing appearance on the Opry since 2005. He was joined by his wife Trisha Yearwood.

June 23, 2016: Grand Ole Opry member Ralph Stanley passed away after a period of declining health. Ralph joined the Opry cast in 2000. Along with his brother Carter, Ralph made his mark in bluegrass, performing as The Stanley Brothers. Many believe that The Stanley Brothers deserve consideration for the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 4, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member Stu Phillips was honored for 50 years of Opry membership. Stu joined the Opry on June 1, 1967. As part of this appearance, Stu gave a very emotional tribute to those who had helped him during his career. That evening was Stu's final appearance at the Opry as it appears that he is now enjoying retirement.

June 10, 2018: The Grand Ole Opry went on the road with a special Sunday Night Opry at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Among the acts performing were Opry members Del McCoury, Old Crow Medicine Show, Bobby Bare, Riders In The Sky, and the Opry Square Dancers.

June 11, 2019: Luke Combs was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. John Conlee, Chris Janson and Craig Morgan did the honors. Luke's official induction would take place in July.

June 1, 2020: Grand Ole Opry staff band member Jimmy Capps passed away. Jimmy first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with the Louvin Brothers in December 1958. He became a permanent member of the staff band in 1967. The musicians room at the Opry House is named in his honor. 

As I said, June has been a busy month in the history of the Grand Ole Opry.

Grand Ole Opry 5/28 & 5/29

I am not sure if everyone heard the news but earlier this week Glenn Douglas Tubb, nephew of Ernest Tubb passed away in Nashville. For many years, he was associated with the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, hosting several shows each year in memory of Ernest. 

As a professional songwriter he had his songs recorded by Johnny Cash , Bob Dylan, George Jones & Tammy Wynette and his uncle Ernest Tubb . Glenn was most proud of his songs about his Savior and his walk with the Lord . 

Among the songs written by Glenn were "Skip A Rope", co-written with Jack Moran and nominated for a Grammy in 1969, "Home of the Blues" with Johnny Cash, and he co-wrote the George Jones and Tammy Wynette hit "Two Story House", with Dave Lindsey and Tammy Wynette. He wrote a gospel song for Johnny Cash titled "I Talk To Jesus Every Day" that was later recorded by Bob Dylan and others. He also wrote an unrecorded song that Hank Williams left behind when he died, titled "Heartbroken, Forsaken And Alone." He was also asked to finish writing the last song that Johnny Cash was working on when he died titled, "My Lord Has Gone." 

In his early career, Glenn did not use his last name of Tubb, he recorded under the name of Glenn Douglas for Dot Records and for Decca Records, where he produced an album and several singles. He recorded under the name of Glenn Douglas Tubb, when he recorded for MGM Records and Mercury Records. In the 1950s, he toured with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, George Jones, Marty Robbins and many others. He appeared on The Friday Night Frolicks, which later became the Friday Night Opry, and he also appeared on Red Foley's Ozark Jubilee, one of the first national country music television shows.

Glenn was married to Dottie Snow and they often appeared together.  A Celebration of Life will take place at the Texas Troubadour Theater, a place when Glenn performed many times on the Midnite Jamboree, on Saturday June 19. 
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The Grand Ole Opry will close out the month of May with another pair of shows this weekend with the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. What stands out with the shows this weekend is that each night includes a nice collection of Opry members. 

Jeannie Seely, Riders In The Sky, and the Opry's newest member Rhonda Vincent are scheduled for both nights. Joining that group on Friday night will be Mark Wills and Craig Morgan, while Chris Young and Luke Combs are listed for Saturday night. 

Guesting on Friday night will be bluegrass star Sam Bush and Allison Russell, who will be making her Opry debut, while on Saturday night Christian artist Matthew West and Lauren Alaina are listed. 

Friday May 28

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Mark Willis; Riders In The Sky; Rhonda Vincent
8:00: Sam Bush; Allison Russell; Craig Morgan

Saturday May 29
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Riders In The Sky; Matthew West; Rhonda Vincent
8:00: Chris Young; Lauren Alaina; Luke Combs

As mentioned, Allison Russell will be making her Opry debut on Friday night. 

Allison Russell is an artist, activist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of extraordinary power, talent and grace. A founding member of the acclaimed groups Our Native Daughters (with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Amythyst Kiah), and Birds of Chicago (with her husband/musical partner JT Nero), the Montreal native has begun to emerge as a potent force among creative circles worldwide. On her debut solo album Outside Child (Fantasy Records / Concord), Allison unpacks the story of her traumatic childhood in a deeply moving, unforgettable song-cycle of courage, empathy, and love. Outside Child is a powerful and warm statement of hope, resilience and the redemptive power of art – asserted from a place of healing, of motherhood, of partnership – and from a new home made in Nashville. 
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Now from 50 years ago, Saturday May 29, 1971: 

1st show
6:30-George Hamilton IV; Del Wood; Barbara Mandrell
6:45-Hank Locklin (host); Ernie Ashworth
7:00-Roy Acuff (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Tommy Overstreet; Bill Carlisle
7:30-Archie Campbell (host); Willis Brothers; Stu Phillips; Crook Brothers
8:00-Lester Flatt (host); Charlie Walker; Stringbean; Jimmy Dickens
8:30-Hank Snow (host); Dottie West; The 4 Guys; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30-George Hamilton IV (host); Willis Brothers; Ernie Ashworth; Del Wood
10:00-Hank Locklin (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Barbara Mandrell
10:15-Roy Acuff (host); Dottie West
10:30-Lester Flatt (host); Stringbean; Jimmy Dickens
10:45-Archie Campbell (host); Stu Phillips; Crook Brothers
11:00-Hank Snow (host); Louie Roberts; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30-Charlie Walker (host); The 4 Guys; Tommy Overstreet

A couple of quick notes regarding that night: In 1971 neither Barbara Mandrell or Jimmy Dickens were Opry members. Also, there has been a report over the years that Tommy Overstreet had been offered membership to join the Opry but declined. 
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Looking back at a couple of Opry line-ups, it was 22 years ago, Saturday May 29, 1999 that future Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley made his Opry debut. Over the next couple of years, Brad would make numerous Opry appearances, eventually joining the cast on February 17, 2001. 

Here is the running order from the night of Brad's Opry debut: 

1st show
6:30: Opry Book
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Skeeter Davis: I Can Call Jesus Anytime
Jimmy C Newman: Cochon De Lait
Bessyl Duhon: Texas-Cajun

6:45: The Circle Club
Jack Greene (host): Over There
The Whites: San Antonio Rose
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Stay a Little Longer
Jan Howard: My Heart Skips a Beat
Bill Carlisle: Leave That Liar Alone
Joni Harms: Two-Steppin' Texas Blue/Catalog Dreams
Porter Wagoner: When the Saints Go Marching In/I'll Fly Away/Amazing Grace/I Saw the Light/Y'All Come

7:30: Standard Candy
Billy Walker (host): Let's Think About Living
Brad Paisley: Who Needs Pictures/Me Neither
Sherri Austin: Never Been Kissed/Lucky in Love
Billy Walker: Back on the Mountain Again

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): I've Got Way too Much Time on My Hands
Jim and Jesse: Blue Ridge Mountain Sunset
Young Guns: Take this Heart
Holly Dunn: Daddy's Hands
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Bill Anderson: Still

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz
Johnny Russell: Got No Reason Now for Going Home
George Hamilton IV & V: Forever Young
Del Reeves: I Would Like to See You Again

2nd show
9:30: BGVR Development
Porter Wagoner (host): Fireball Mail/Night Train to Memphis
Jeannie Seely: I'm Almost Ready
Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Honey
Sherrie Austin: Put Your Heart into It/Never Been Kissed
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home/Cabin in Gloryland

10:00: Lincoln Mercury
Jim Ed Brown (host): Looking Back to See
Wilma Lee Cooper: A Hero's Death
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells/Pop a Top

10:15: The Circle Club
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed
Brad Paisley: Who Needs Pictures/Sleeping on the Fold Out
Jimmy Dickens: A Death in the Family

10:30: Epiphone
Holly Dunn (host): That's What Your Love Does to Me
Jack Greene: This One Belongs to Me
Holly Dunn: There Goes My Heart Again

10:45: Joggin' in a Jug
Jean Shepard (host): Gone; Gone; Gone
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Fire on the Mountain
Jean Shepard: Secret Love

11:00: Coca Cola
Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks
George Hamilton IV & V: Abilene
Ray Pillow: Cinderella
Joni Harms: Two-Steppin' Texas Blues/Catalog Dreams
Bill Anderson: Deck of Cards

11:30: Opryland Inn
Johnny Russell (host): Folsom Prison Blues
Stu Phillips: Colorado/Only God
Del Reeves: You Comb Her Hair
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down/There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
______________________________________________________________________

To finish it up for this week, let's go back 72 years to Saturday May 28, 1949: 

7:30: American Ace Coffee
Roy Acuff: Mommy Please Stay Home With Me
Tommy Magness: Mulberry Gap
Dot & Smokey: Picture on the Wall
Jimmy Riddle: Rubber Dolly
Roy and Pete: Branded Wherever I Go
Uncle Dave: Tennessee Farmer
Jug Band: A Little Birdie Told Me
Roy Acuff: Thank God
Joe Zinkas: Corina
Dot & Smokey: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Oswald: The Girls I Love Don't Pay Me No Mind

8:00: Purina Show
Cowboy Copas: Tragic Romance
Lonzo and Oscar: My Little Indian Maid
Cowboy Copas: Its Wrong to Love You Like I Do
Lazy Jim Day: Singing the News
Blue Grass Quartet: Remember the Cross
Possum Hunters: Off to Charleston
Cowboy Copas: I Love to Tell the Story
Red Heron: Cluck Old Hen

8:30: Prince Albert
Red Foley: Home in San Antone
Milton Estes: Keep a Talking Baby
Wally Fowler: The Hallelujah Song
Red Foley: No Tears in Heaven
Old Hickory Quartet: Home on the Range
Zeb Turner: To Be Announced
Red Foley: Born to Lose
Minnie Pearl: Gags
Square Dance: Ida Red

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Crook Brothers: Green Back Dollar
Roy Acuff: Wabash Cannonball
Jamup & Honey: Gags
Jimmy Riddle: I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
George Morgan: Please Don't Let Me Love You
Jug Band: Camptown Races
Uncle Dave: Going Back to Dixie
Rachel & Oswald: Little Pal
Roy Acuff: Where the Soul Never Dies
George Morgan: The Gods Were Angry with Me
Tommy Magness: Wake Up Susan

9:30: Warren Paint
Lew Childre: Hang Out the Front Door Key
Ernest Tubb: The First Years Blues
String Beans: Crazy War
Jimmy Dickens: Cold Tater
Robert Lunn: Crawdad Song
Ernest Tubb: I Believe I'm Entitled to You
Mel & Stan: Whispering Now
Jimmy Dickens: Pennies for Papa
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bile Them Cabbage Down
Ernest Tubb: I Hung My Head and Cried

10:00: Wallrite
Bill & Don: Molly & Tenbrooks
Lew & String: Maple on the Hill
Mac Wiseman: Six More Miles
Blue Grass Quartet: Shine Hallelujah Shine
Trio: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

10:15: Gaylark
Roy Acuff: Have You Ever Been Lonely
Uncle Dave: Good Bye My Honey
Roy Acuff: Poem
Roy & Gang: Glory Bound Train
Tommy Magness: Up Jumped the Devil

10:30: Roy Flour
Milton Estes: Wish I Had a Nickle
Jimmy Dickens: John Henry
Jimmy Selph: Beautiful Moon
Milton Estes: Give Me Your Hand

10:45: Dr. Le Gear
Cowboy Copas: Package of Lies Tied in Blue
Robert Lunn: Blue Ridge Blues
Lazy Jim Day: Singing the News
Cowboy Copas: Waltzing with Texas in My Eyes
Red Heron: Fire in the Mountain

11:00
George Morgan: Chime Bells
Lonzo and Oscar: Good Old Mountain Dew
Velma: Chain of Broken Hearts
George Morgan: Will the Angels Let Me Play
Crook Brothers: Chicken Reel

11:15
Ernest Tubb: Our Baby's Back
Butter Ball: Mind Your Own Business
Drake Brothers:  Remember Me
Ernest Tubb: I Hate to See You Go

11:30
Jimmy Dickens: Look What Those Blue Eyes Did to Me
Mel & Stan: The Blue Hills of Virginia
Fruit Jar Drinkers: A Little Bird
Jimmy Dickens: Charming Betsy
Zeb Turner: A Little Bit of Boogie

11:45
Wally Fowler: Lead Me to That Rock
Gully Jumpers: Forked Deer
Bradley Kincaid: Somebody's Waiting for You
Wally Fowler: I Cried and Cried to the Lord
Bradley Kincaid: Blue Tail Fly

As with these older line-ups, a lot of artists and many songs that you really don't hear much of any more. Always great to look back. 

As a final reminder, Grand Ole Opry member Rhonda Vincent will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree from the Texas Troubadour Theater following the Opry. This will be the final broadcast from the Texas Troubadour Theater and the final Midnite Jamboree until July, when the show will originate from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway in downtown Nashville. 

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

Tuesday Night Opry 5/25

 Here is the line-up for this weeks Tuesday Night Opry, May 25: 

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Riders In The Sky; Wade Bowen; Killer Beaz
8:00: Emily Ann Roberts; Steve Wariner; Dailey & Vincent; Lee Greenwood

Nice to see that four of the eight scheduled are Opry members, including Steve Wariner making another Opry appearance, along with Lee Greenwood, who was once asked to become a member of the Opry but turned it down. 

Grand Ole Opry 5/21 & 5/22

I thought I would start off this week with an article from Billboard magazine that highlighted the Grand Ole Opry's decision to go back to full capacity at the Grand Ole Opry House and how it felt at the Opry last weekend: 

It likely won’t have the shelf life of Throwback Thursdays or Taco Tuesdays, but “full-capacity Friday night” had an oddly special ring to it on May 14. Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody uncorked the phrase as the WSM-AM Nashville show had every ticket in the 4,400-seat Opry House available for the first time since March 10, 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced live entertainment off the stage. Some 2,400 tickets were sold, according to Opry vp/executive producer Dan Rogers, as the reboot coincided with an unexpected bonus: Barely 24 hours before the show’s start, the city of Nashville dropped face-mask mandates. The Opry matched the metro policy — signs indicated masks were welcome, but not required — and at least 90% of ticket-buyers dropped the fabric.

“It just felt liberating,” The Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall said after the group closed the two-hour show with “Elvira.” “It felt like maybe, just maybe, we are really on our way here. Maybe we are emerging. I mean, it was just awesome. I knew it would be, but it was even more awesome than I thought it would be. I almost cried out there. I didn’t, but I almost did.”

In ideal Opry fashion, the lineup reflected a variety of styles and eras. Lorrie Morgan opened with her chart-topping 1990 single “Five Minutes,” and the rest of the talent parade featured current hitmaker Michael Ray, Western vocal quartet Riders in the Sky, comedian Aaron Weber, Nashville actor Charles Esten and newcomer Brittney Spencer, who sang a new song, “Sober& Skinny,” for the first time in public .Spencer’s appearance was a personal milestone, for she made her Opry debut. While she felt its significance (she conceded that her breathing was more pronounced during “Sober” as she fought off a case of nerves), she was still present enough to recognize a positivity across the audience. “It felt like relief,” she said. “It’s this crazy time for a lot of people. This is their first time hearing live music in 14 or 15 months. I feel like you can just hear everyone taking a big sigh and [having] a] a sense of belonging.”

While most live events were canceled or postponed across the United States once the virus broke out in March 2020, the Opry kept going, in great part because it is a radio show at heart and was able to exist without an audience. Parts of the program also air on the Circle Network, and Opry management made major adjustments to keep it on the air, with a minimal lineup of artists performing to a vacant house. It was livestreamed beginning March14, 2020, a move that Rogers now believes will lead to greater support at an international level.

 Opry executives followed city guidelines closely, opening Opry House seating to 500 socially distanced patrons in October and gradually adding more tickets as Nashville loosened policies. The Oaks appeared two or three times when no fans were present — the last visit, Bonsall indicated, felt “really weird” — but even after scattered seating was introduced, the atmosphere was unavoidably unusual. “You look up in the balcony, and there’s all these people looking down in masks,” he quipped. “It kind of looked like the gallery on Grey’s Anatomy, looking down at a brain transplant.”

Still, after 14 months of caution, the abrupt return to more normal conditions was as much an oddity as the beginning stages of the pandemic. “There was a backstage tour today, and it was the first time in well more than a year that I looked out and saw people in a group together without masks on,” noted Rogers. “It was just as strange as it looked in March of 2020 to see all these people walking around with masks on. I had the opposite experience today when I walked out and thought, ‘Oh my God: faces.’ ”

The backstage area, more than any part of the rebooted Opry experience, remains abnormal. Historically, the volume of acts — combined with their entourages, family members and personal guests, as well as other industry visitors — creates a mild party atmosphere that spills out to the side stages, where fans can see hangers-on. Those areas were barren on May 14, and the typically crowded back hallways were likewise spacious and easily navigated. That will probably remain the case for several months as the Opry respects the most cautious members of the community. “My goal is to bring the area backstage to normal, where it feels congenial and Opry-like, if you will, but to really over the next few weeks still try to limit the number of people,” said Rogers. “That’s just so those who are back here can feel a little more comfortable. Maybe you don’t have your mask on when you’re walking through the family room and maybe you can go get your free popcorn from the green room again.”

Full-capacity Fridays, as well as full-capacity Saturdays and Tuesdays, are returning at an ideal time as the Opry looks forward to several significant milestones. Launched on Nov. 28, 1925, the show celebrated its 95th anniversary during the lockdown. Its 5,000th Saturday concert is set for Oct. 30, and its 100th birthday is less than five years away. After coping successfully with a lethal, invisible threat, management has a refreshed attitude about any upcoming challenges. “It’s not as if I had a lack of confidence before this,” observed Rogers. “But I thought, ‘If this team can get through this’ — and I knew we would be able to — ‘we’ll have so much more confidence, and things will seem so much easier to take on." 

Now for this weekend at the Grand Ole Opry: 

Following in the footsteps of Bill Anderson, who made his first Opry appearance of 2021 on Tuesday night, John Conlee returns to the Opry for the first time in 2021 as he will be the opening artist on this weeks Friday Night Opry. It is wonderful to see John back and I know many have looked forward to the legends returning. 

Joining John on Friday night will be Grand Ole Opry members Vince Gill, Riders In The Sky, and Jeannie Seely. While John and the Riders are just scheduled for Friday, Vince and Jeannie are doing double duty this weekend as they are scheduled for both nights. 

Guesting on Friday night will be Hannah Dasher, Dan Tyminski, comedian Gary Mule Deer and Brandy Clark. Gary Mule Deer is back on Saturday night, joined by Americana artist Jim Lauderdale, frequent Opry guest Carly Pearce, while Charlie Worsham, Leslie Jordan and Brothers Osborne will be joining Vince on the Circle televised segment. 

Friday May 21

7:00: John Conlee; Hannah Dasher; Riders In The Sky; Dan Tyminski
8:00: Jeannie Seely; Gary Mule Deer; Brandy Clark; Vince Gill

Saturday May 22
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Jim Lauderdale; Carly Pearce; Gary Mule Deer
8:00: Vince Gill; Charlie Worsham; Leslie Jordan; Brothers Osborne

I think it is safe to say that both nights are very solid with a good mixture of artists. 

Leslie Jordan, who was on the recently aired ACM awards, is making his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night. 

Leslie Jordan arrived in Hollywood back in 1982 (with $1500 sewn into his clothing by his steel magnolia Mother) was the starting point. After a brief career as a jockey, Jordan has enjoyed the full show-business spectrum; the lean days, the bumps in the road, the acclaim, reaching the pinnacle of television performing with award recognition, the ensuing victory laps, followed by an alarming and unexpected down slope, the dangers of being type cast or stereotyped, the challenges to remain “current” and “relevant” in a rapidly changing world of technological advancement, and the ever present threat of being put “out to pasture” by a youth obsessed culture and industry.

Leslie won an Emmy Award winner in 2006 for “Will & Grace”. He has enjoyed rapturous reviews for his original stage plays (“My Trip down the Pink Carpet”, “Stories I can’t tell Mama”, “Fruit Fly”), and supporting presence in one of Hollywood’s most prestigious, message-minded films of the last decade (“The Help”, 2012).

He’s been singled out with great notices for his off-Broadway musical theatre debut in 2011 (“The Lucky Guy”). His defining role as “Brother Boy” in the cult film sensation “Sordid Lives” evolved into a well received prequel on the Logo Channel. As the celebrated author and star of his own HBO Special (“Pink Carpet”); Leslie Jordan remains consistently sought after as a Guest Star on every imaginable form of episodic, comedic television (TV Land’s “The Ex’es”, Fox’s “Raising Hope”, Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up!”, and ABC’s “The Neighbors”. He enjoyed a star turn in the third season of FX’s instant classic “American Horror Story” opposite Hollywood heavyweights Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson and Francis Conroy.

In 2017 & 2018 Leslie Jordan again sparred with his lovable nemesis “Karen Walker” as a guest actor in the triumphant return of “Will & Grace”. More recently Mr. Jordan scored a lead role playing SID in THE COOL KIDS alongside comedy heavyweights Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence, and David Alan Grier.

When Covid hit, shutting down much of the entertainment industry,  Leslie took to Instagram and his videos caught the attention of Instagram titans such as Janet Jackson, and quickly went viral, escalating his Instagram audience from 70,000+ followers to over 5.4 Million followers. Suddenly a viral sensation, Leslie Jordan quickly also became an international media darling and an unofficial “uplifting face and voice of the pandemic”, appearing on (and in) every imaginable broadcast outlet, from “Anderson Cooper” to “Today”, “OUT/UK”, and beyond.

All of that led to Leslie Jordan debuting on the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. _________________________________________________________________

And now from 50 years ago, Saturday May 22, 1971: 

1st show
6:30: Bobby Lord (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Brian Collins
6:45: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Bill Carlisle
7:00: Stu Phillips (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Barbara Fairchild, Stringbean
7:30: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Willis Brothers; Crook Brothers
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Connie Smith; Archie Campbell; Roland White
8:30: Ernest Tubb (host); The 4 Guys; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Bobby Lord (host); Willis Brothers; Earl Scruggs Revue; Lonzo and Oscar
10:00: Archie Campbell (host); Bill Carlisle
10:15: Stu Phillips (host); Connie Smith; Stringbean
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Brian Collins
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Barbara Fairchild; Crook Brothers
11:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Jimmy Dry; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); The 4 Guys; Don Winters

Among the cancellations that night were Marion Worth and Ernie Ashworth
_______________________________________________________________________

Now for a couple of line-ups to look back on. First, way back to May 22, 1948 and here is the running order from that night 73 years ago: 

7:30-American Ace Coffee
Roy Acuff-We Planted Roses on Our Darling's Grave
Tommy Magness-Cacklin' Hen
Annie Lou and Danny-We're Making Money on the Farm
Jimmy Riddle-Silver Bells
Roy Acuff-Unloved and Unclaimed
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris-Give Me Back the Money I Paid for a Wife
Jug Band-Polly Wolly Doodle
Roy and Gang-The Great Speckled Bird
Sonny Day-Lost Indian
Annie Lou and Danny-Little Green Valley
Oswald-Those Walls of Grey
Roy and Gang-Were You There

8:00-Purina
Eddy Arnold-Texarkana Baby
Bill Monroe-Blue Moon of Kentucky
Bradley Kincaid-Two Little Orphans
Oklahoma Wranglers-Cool Water
Eddy Arnold-Don't That Moon Look Lonesome
Jamup and Honey-Jokes
Zeke Clements-Little Rock Arkansas
Bill Monroe-I'm Working on a Building
Crook Brothers-Black Mountain Rag
Eddy Arnold-I'll Hold You in My Heart

8:30-Warren Paint & Color Co. 
Ernest Tubb-Don't Flirt With Me
Lew Childre-Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet
Paul Howard-Breaking It Off a Little Too Far
String Beans-Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms
Ernest Tubb-Seaman's Blues
Grandpa Jones-Riding on That Train
Robert Lunn-I'm a Man Not a Mouse
Possum Hunters-Take Your Foot Out of the Mud
Ernest Tubb-Daisey Mae

9:00-Royal Crown
Roy Acuff-Sweeter Than the Flowers
Jimmy Riddle-My Little Gal
York Brothers-Look Before You Leap
Texas Ruby-Hold on Little Doggie
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Raven's Gap
Lonzo and Oscar-Cornbread and Lasses
Curly Fox-Deck of Cards
Roy Acuff-Life's Railway to Heaven
Oswald-Weary Lonesome Blues
Tommy Magness-Smoky Mountain Rag

9:30-Prince Albert
Red Foley-Television
Old Hickory Singers-Bicycle Built for Two
Cowboy Copas-Tennessee Waltz
Minnie Pearl-Jokes
Red Foley-I Love to Tell the Story
Cowboy Copas-Signed Sealed and Delivered
Rod Brasfield-Jokes
Wally Fowler-Keep on the Firing Line
Red Foley-Picking Up Pieces of a Broken Heart
Square Dance-Blackberry Blossom

10:00-Wallrite
Bill and Don-Molly and Ten Brooks
Bradley Kincaid-Blue Tail Fly
Bill and Doyle-Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong
Quarter-Remember the Cross
Benny Martin-Down Yonder

10:15-Weather House
Roy Acuff-Not a Word from Home
Uncle Dave Macon and Dorris-When You and I were Young Maggie
Roy Acuff-Poem
Gang-There's a Beautiful House
Jug Band-Lazy Day

10:30-Fletcher Wilson
Texas Ruby-It's Over Forever
Curly Fox-Down Yonder
York Brothers-Bothered by the Blues
Curly and Ruby-Someone More Lonesome Than You

10:45-Martha White
Milton Estes-New Filipino Baby
Lew and String Beans-Foggy Mountain Top
Jimmy Selph-That Old Moon
Milton Estes-I'll Fly Away

11:00-Eddy Arnold Songbook
Eddy Arnold-Teardrops in My Heart
Grandpa Jones-Rosa Lee
Gully Jumpers-Ricketts Hornpipe
Eddy Arnold-You Only Want Me When You Are Lonesome
Eddy Arnold-Molly Darling

11:15-Gaylock Seat Covers
Ernest Tubb-Our Last Goodbye
Dot and Smokey-Golden River
Drake Brothers-My Best to You
Ernest Tubb-Yesterday's Tears

11:30
Lonzo and Oscar-Old Mother Nature
Cowboy Copas-Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me
Wally Fowler-I'm on My Way
Lonzo and Oscar-Poppin' Bubble Gum

11:45
Paul Howard-San Antonio Rose
Zeke Clements-Blue Mexico Skies
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Just Because
Robert Lunn-New River Train
Paul Howard-Please Don't Leave

Some forgotten names and some forgotten songs!
________________________________________________________________________

Finally, moving ahead to May 21, 1977. On this particular night former Grand Ole Opry member Don Everly made a guest appearance. Here is that running order from 44 years ago: 

1st show
6:30-Mrs. Grissoms
Justin Tubb (host)-Looking Back to See
Bill Carlisle-Leave That Liar Alone
Justin Tubb-No Relief in Sight

6:45-Rudy's
Stu Phillips (host)-Have a Nice Day
Willis Brothers-Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Wilma Lee Cooper-No One Now
Stu Phillips-To Get to You

7:00-Shoney's
Charlie Walker (host)-Lucille
Skeeter Davis-It's Love That I Feel/It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
Stonewall Jackson-Why I'm Walking/Washed My Hands in Muddy Water
Brian Collins-Statue of a Fool
Charlie Walker-In the Garden

7:30-Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host)-Wabash Cannonball
Lonzo and Oscar-Green Green Grass of Home
Don Everly-Bye, Bye Love/Yesterday Just Passed My Way Again
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers-Gray Eagle
Oswald-Mountain Dew

8:00-Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host)-You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry
Billy Grammer-Kentucky Waltz/(?)/Tennessee Waltz
Melba Montgomery-One of These Days
Tennessee Ernie Ford-Glad Rags/Sixteen Tons/Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Ernest Tubb: Half a Mind

8:30-Stephens
Hank Snow (host)-I Don't Hurt Anymore
Marion Worth-Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed/Mockingbird Hill
Ronnie Robbins-The Door is Always Open
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Cacklin' Hen
Hank Snow-(?)

2nd show
9:30-Kellogg's
Stonewall Jackson (host)-Don't Be Angry
Wilma Lee Cooper-Philadelphia Lawyer
Justin Tubb-No Relief in Sight/Lonesome 7-7203
Willis Brothers-Truck Stop
Wilma Lee Cooper-When My Time Comes to Go
Stonewall Jackson-Waterloo

10:00-Fender
Ernest Tubb (host)-Answer the Phone
Skeeter Davis-It's Love That I Feel
Stu Phillips-Have a Nice Day
Ernest Tubb-Waltz Across Texas

10:15-Union 76
Roy Acuff (host)-Once More
Don Everly-Yesterday Just Passed My Way Again
Roy Acuff-The Great Judgement Morning/I Saw the Light

10:30-Trailblazer
Charlie Walker (host)-Lucille
Lonzo and Oscar-No Relief in Sight
Brian Collins-Statue of a Fool
Charlie Walker-San Antonio Rose

10:45-Beechnut
Billy Grammer (host)-Gotta Travel On
Bill Carlisle-I'm Moving
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers-Lafayette
Billy Grammer-How Great Thou Art

11:00-Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host)-There's a Fool Such as I
Melba Montgomery-Don't Let the Good Times Fools You
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Hickory Leaf
Hank Snow-I'm Still Movin' On
Melba Montgomery-No Charge
Kirk McGee-Victory Rag/Freight Train
Hank Snow-Back in Nova Scotia

11:30-Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host)-Ribbon of Darkness
Marion Worth-The Hands You're Holding Now/Just an Old Love-Turned Memory
Ronnie Robbins-The Door is Always Open/Helen
Marty Robbins-El Paso City/Among My Souvenirs/Walking the Floor over You/Driftwood on the River/El Paso

Don and Phil Everly made their Opry on  May 11, 1957 and joined the cast on June 1. They were part of a youth movement at the Opry in response to the rock n' roll invasion that deeply affected the Opry and country music. Dee Kilpatrick was the Opry's manager at the time, and in addition to the Everly Brothers he added Ferlin Husky and Rusty and Doug Kershaw, along with a slew of younger country acts that included Porter Wagoner, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Stonewall Jackson and the Wilburn Brothers. 

At the time of joining the Opry, Don was 20 and Phil 18. While they are primarily thought of in regards to their rock n' roll hits, they came to the Opry with a country music background. Their parents, Ike and Margaret Everly, were country-gospel artists known throughout the South and Midwest. Ike taught both of his sons basic guitar licks and a number of traditional country songs. As youngsters, they toured in the summer with their parents and when Ike and Margaret retired, Don and Phil came to Nashville looking for a career of their own. 

Wesley Rose put them in touch with Felice and Boudleaux, who had just written "Bye, Bye Love." The brothers recorded the song for Cadence Records and it became a smash hit. The Everly Brothers were on their way and the hit song brought them to the Opry. Hit after hit followed, songs that hit both the country and rock n' roll charts and the Everly Brothers were in demand across the country. Thus, their time at the Opry was very, very short and as soon as they came, they were basically gone. 

Don and Phil Everly were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. 
_______________________________________________________________________

Finally, I know there is a lot of interest in the future of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop Midnite Jamboree, so I wanted to share this Facebook message that was posted earlier this week: 

The Texas Troubadour Theatre on Music Valley Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, has been host to Ernest Tubb's Midnite Jamboree since January of 1995. The distinctive marquee has welcomed Jamboree attendees for over 26 years.

On May, 29th, 2021, we would like to invite everyone to come and attend as Rhonda Vincent hosts our final show from that location on Music Valley Drive.

The beautiful Marquee will be coming down and taken to its new home in Texas. We are working now on a new location for The Texas Troubadour Theatre (new address to be announced at a later date).

As for 'The Midnite Jamboree', it will be moving back to it's original location in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop store number 1, located at 417 Broadway, 37203. Our first live audience MNJ will be held there July, 3, 2021. We are hopeful and excited for the things to come! The music, special moments, and friends made at the Music Valley Drive location will forever hold a special place in the history of the Midnite Jamboree. (the Cowboy Church will continue to meet at the Music Valley Drive theatre).

While it is sad news to see the Midnite Jamboree moving from the comfortable confines of the Texas Troubadour Theater, it is still welcomed news that the Midnite Jamboree will continue on and resuming live shows once again. 

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

Tuesday Night Opry 5/18

Wonderful news in regards to the Tuesday Night Opry this week as Grand Ole Opry legend Bill Anderson returns to the Opry for the first time in 2021. Earlier this year, Bill stated that he would not be returning to the Opry until he was allowed to have his own band with him. With the easing of Covid restrictions, the Opry is now allowing artists to have their own musicians and with that change, Bill is back. 

Joining Bill on Tuesday night will be two more Opry legends: Jeannie Seely and Riders In The Sky. Also scheduled is Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy, veteran comedian Gary Mule Deer, along with Adam Doleac, Maggie Rose and Aaron Lewis. 

Tuesday May 18
7:00: Bill Anderson; Adam Doleac
7:30: Jeannie Seely; Aaron Lewis
8:00: Maggie Rose; Riders In The Sky
8:30: Gary Mule Deer; Charlie McCoy

As a reminder, on Saturday July 17, Bill will be celebrating his 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Grand Ole Opry 5/14 & 5/15

It will be a big week at the Grand Ole Opry as the Opry has announced that beginning with the Friday Night Opry on May 14, the Opry will once again operate at 100% capacity for the first time since March 2020. It is a big step forward as Nashville has fully opened up and has removed all capacity limits on concert venues and the Opry didn't waste anytime. Hopefully it is the right move and everyone continues to be safe. 

Looking at the schedule for this weekend, there are a couple of names on the schedule that stand out. First, Grand Ole Opry member Lorrie Morgan will be making her first Opry appearances in 2021 as she is scheduled for both shows this weekend. Nice to see Lorrie back at the Opry and she is also scheduled for the televised segment on Saturday night. Joining Lorrie on the Circle broadcast will be one of the newest Opry members, Lady A. 

What is interesting is both Lady A and Rhonda Vincent became Opry members earlier this year. For Lady A, this will be their first appearance since becoming members during the 95th anniversary special. On the other hand, Rhonda Vincent, who is also on the schedule for Saturday night, will be making her 8th appearance since joining the cast. Why is it that I am not surprised at Rhonda fully supporting the Opry while Lady A seems not fully committed? I think many of us expected that. 

Besides Lorrie and Lady A, Grand Ole Opry members Riders In The Sky are scheduled for both nights, and they will be joined on Friday night by the Oak Ridge Boys, and as noted above, Rhonda Vincent on Saturday night. 

There are a couple of artists making their Opry debut this weekend as Brittney Spencer is on the schedule for Friday and Ryan Hurd is set for Saturday. Comedian Aaron Weber is listed for both nights, while Michael Ray and Charles Esten round out the line-up on Friday and frequent Opry guest Mandy Barnett is set for Saturday night. 

Friday May 14
7:00: Lorrie Morgan; Michael Ray
7:30: Riders In The Sky; Brittany Spencer
8:00: Aaron Weber; Charles Esten
8:30: Oak Ridge Boys

Saturday May 15
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Riders In The Sky; Mandy Barnett; Rhonda Vincent; Aaron Weber
8:00: Lorrie Morgan; Ryan Hurd; Lady A

One name missing is missing this weekend. Opry regular Jeannie Seely, who has been appearing most every week in 2021 is on the road this weekend. 
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Let's take a look at the two artists making their Opry debuts this weekend: 

Brittney Spencer is a singer-songwriter with a free spirit and a love for molding life, truth and wild imagination into songs. Her love for storytelling drove the Baltimore native to Nashville in 2013 with dreams of singing and writing country music. She’s since toured and performed as a background singer for such artists as Carrie Underwood & Christopher Cross all while establishing herself as a songwriter in Music City.

In late 2020 Spencer began her ascent to stardom with the release of her debut EP which garnered rave reviews from the likes of Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, Billboard and American Songwriter. Morris even went so far as to name check Spencer as an artist to watch during her 2020 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year acceptance speech. Brittney is now part of CMT’s Next Women of Country class of 2021 and was named an Artist to Watch in 2021 by Spotify and Pandora.

Meanwhile, Ryan Hurd has been balancing Arista Nashville recording career with a songwriting portfolio that includes hits by Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Lady A, Diplo and more.

With nearly 400 million career streams, Ryan Hurd has the attention of entertainment tastemakers including Esquire, GQ, Maxim, American Songwriter, Billboard, People, NBC’s “TODAY,” “CBS This Morning” and more. Following the success of his Platinum-certified Top 20 “To A T,” Hurd continues his hit-producing path with “Chasing After You,” his first official duet with wife Maren Morris, which became country radio’s most-added song its impact week in March. Hurd and Morris performed for the first time on national television on the “56th ACM Awards” on CBS.

With the collections Ryan Hurd (April 2017), Panorama (re-issued July 2019), Platonic (September 2019) and EOM (June 2020), Hurd has created a body of work that is vivid, reflective, and laden with lyrics that are cinematic, scene-setting images that transport and deliver a genuine vulnerability capped by irresistible melodies.

In a songwriting room in 2013, Hurd met Maren Morris, his musical muse, now wife and, as of March 2020, mother of their son Hayes Andrew Hurd. They wrote a Tim McGraw song, “Last Turn Home,” that marked her first writing credit for a major artist, and their professional friendship soon blossomed into a romance. Hurd then recorded Panorama handing out 500 copies to ticket holders who came out to see a concert he did with Morris and fellow Nashvillian Ryan Beavers. The show, and the disc, made an impact. He got a manager, a booking agent, and soon picked up his recording deal with Sony Music Nashville. Hurd turned to Eshuis – who’s produced Scotty McCreery and written songs for Cole Swindell and Kid Rock – as his producer.

Performing live has been a natural extension of that progression. Hurd first hit the road in 2017 with Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line, helping to build his fan base and his comfort as a solo artist – rather than a member of the band. He took most of 2018 off the road, but the two shows he did play put him in a more stripped-down setting. He realized that his best form of expression relied less on big-personality entertainment and more on simple relationship with the audience.

In early 2020, Hurd headlined his Platonic Tour, wowing crowds with a sold-out stop in Nashville (Cannery Ballroom), two sold-out nights in Chicago (Joe’s on Weed Street), and a two-night capacity stand in New York City (Gramercy Theatre).
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From 50 years ago, Saturday May 15, 1971:

1st show
6:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard
6:45: Billy Walker (host); Bill Carlisle; Del Wood
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Hank Locklin; Stringbean
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Skeeter Davis; Willis Brothers; Crook Brothers; Tom T. Hall
8:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Charlie Walker; Kenny Price; Jim and Jesse; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Glaser Brothers; Marion Worth; Justin Tubb; The 4 Guys; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson (host); Willis Brothers; Jan Howard; Bill Carlisle
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Del Wood
10:15: Billy Walker (host); Skeeter Davis; Stringbean
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Hank Locklin; Charlie Walker
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Tom T. Hall; Kenny Price; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jim and Jesse; Jimmy C Newman; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Glaser Brothers (host); Marion Worth; The 4 Guys; Justin Tubb
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Taking a look back, it was 39 years ago, Saturday May 15, 1982 that Ricky Skaggs became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I think all of us know how much Ricky has contributed to the Opry over the years and he has brought much to the show. Before Covid, Ricky performed on the Opry on a regular basis and I am sure he will be back for many more appearances as the Opry continues to open up to more performers and more fans. 

Here is the running order from May 15, 1982, the night Ricky Skaggs joined the cast of the Opry: 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jack Greene (host): I Need Somebody Bad Night
Boxcar Willie: Train Melody
Jack Greene: You Are My Treasure

6:45: Rudy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Jeannie Seely: I', Almost Ready
Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo

7:00: Shoney's
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jim and Jesse: Then I'll Stop Going for You
Charlie Louvin: The House on the Hill
Connie Smith: I Just Had You on My Mind
Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl
Archie Campbell: Comedy

7:30: Standard Candy
Ernest Tubb (host): Driving Nails in My Coffin
Jean Shepard: America, Tighten Up Your Belts
Billy Walker: Welcome Back to My Heart
Ricky Skaggs: Cryin' My Heart Out Over You/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Lafayette
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host); Wabash Cannonball
Jimmy C Newman: (?)
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Tennessee Ernie Ford: Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands/Sixteen Tons
Roy Acuff and Tennessee Ernie Ford: I'll Fly Away

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Paper Roses
The 4 Guys: It's High Time to Get Back on My Feet
Roy Drusky: Blues in My Heart
Wilburn Brothers: What You Think if Fair
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sugar Tree Stomp
Hank Snow: I Keep Dreaming of You All the Time

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Ernest Tubb (host): The Women Make a Fool Out of Me
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal
Ernie Ashworth: Memphis Memory
Ricky Skaggs: Cryin' My Heart Out Over You
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Boxcar Willie: Train Melody
Ernest Tubb: Journey's End

10:00: Little Debbie
Billy Walker (host): Welcome Back to My Heart
Ray Pillow: My Love Belongs to You
Vic Willis Trio: Faded Love
Billy Walker: Behind Closed Doors

10:15: Sunbeam
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Jeannie Seely: You Don't Need Me, But You Will
Archie Campbell: Comedy

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Billy Grammer: The Prisoner's Song
Connie Smith: Once A Day/Sing, Sing, Sing

10:45: Beechnut
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Jean Shepard: America, Tighten Up Your Belt
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Arkansas Traveler
Cajun Country: Cajun Stripper

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): From A Jack to A King
Charlie Walker: T For Texas
Justin Tubb: Travelin' Singing Man
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin Hen
Jan Howard: Beneath Still Waters
Kirk McGee: Victory Rag/Freight Train
Hank Snow: I'm Moving On

11:30: Bama
Marty Robbins (host): Ribbon of Darkness
The 4 Guys: Maria, The Dawn is Breaking
Roy Drusky: There'll Never Be Anyone Else But You for Me
Wilburn Brothers: What You Think is Fair
Marty Robbins: Don't Worry/Cool Water/That's All Right/18 Yellow Roses/I Don't Know Why/Devil Woman/Begging to You/Jumper Cable Man/Return to Me/Beyond the Reef/Good Hearted Woman/El Paso

It is safe to say that Marty was in a singing mood that night as he didn't finish until 12:45. Of other note, B.J. Thomas was scheduled for both shows but cancelled, and Tennessee Ernie Ford performed on the first show, on the Martha White segment. As I have written before, Ernie was friends with the owners of Martha White flour and had an open invitation to appear on the Martha White segment of the Opry whenever he was in Nashville. Over the coarse of his career, he would make a few of those appearances. 
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One final thought: I was hoping with the Opry going back to full capacity, we would see more artists on the schedule and maybe a return to the traditional Opry format of a segment host introducing the acts. Not so this week as there are just seven listed for each show, with just three on the televised segment. And speaking of the televised portion of the Opry, from what I have learned, it will continue at least through the spring and summer. I know when Circle originally was showing the Opry, it was taped and edited for a future broadcast. When Covid hit and the Opry went to no audience, Circle started to show the Opry live. Looks like that will continue for now which means Saturday night's show will probably be in these two segments for the foreseeable future.  

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

Tuesday Night Opry 5/11

 Here is a look at the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, May 11: 

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Chuck Mead; Andrew Ripp; Steve Wariner
8:00: Brooke Eden; Keb' Mo'; Old Crow Medicine Show

Old Crow Medicine Show and Keb' Mo' have been working on a joint project which I am sure will be featured on the Tuesday night show. 

For Andrew Ripp, this will be his Opry debut.

Andrew Ripp returns to his fans with Evergreen (featuring Billboard #1 single “Jericho” & latest radio single “Rejoice”) – the anticipated full length album set to follow up to The Heart & The Soul (featuring “God Knows”). 

Based in Nashville, TN, Ripp creates music that pushes the boundaries of genre stereotypes, blending the energetic beats of pop music with a tinge of soul – all underlined by his personal journey of faith. In addition to his breakout single “Jericho” reaching #1 on Billboard Christian Airplay Chart he also co-wrote the Grammy-nominated song, “Rescue Story” for artist Zach Williams. 

As a touring artist, Ripp has opened for Sara Bareilles, Andy Grammer, Jon Foreman, and Plain White T’s, among others. He has performed on TV shows including ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise and Entertainment Tonight and his songs have been featured on American Idol, House of Lies, One Tree Hill, Live to Dance and Vampire Diaries and more. 

Ripp celebrated his 12-year sober anniversary this past January and the arrival of his adopted daughter in November 2018. His newest single, “Rejoice”, inspires relentless pursuit of Joy & Hope no matter what the circumstances say. “I’m gonna sing either way it goes.. there’s a better day coming I know!”. 

Grand Ole Opry 5/7 & 5/8

Looking at the Grand Ole Opry line-up for this week, I notice Steve Wariner is scheduled for Saturday night. Why is that important? Well, it was 25 years ago, Saturday May 11, 1996 that this outstanding guitar picker and singer became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I am hopeful that during the televised segment, which Steve is scheduled to close out, that special mention will be made of Steve's Opry anniversary. 

Another item of note this week is in regards to the number of artists scheduled. While the Friday Night Opry will offer a full show of 8 acts during the two hour show, Saturday's show has 10 artists scheduled, which will be the most acts on the Opry stage since March 2020, well over a year ago. With Bill Anderson writing in his newsletter that artists are allowed to have their band members back at the Opry, I expect we will be seeing more of the missing Opry members, along with more artists scheduled for each show. I think we are all hoping that the Opry will get back to its traditional format of defined segments and hosts relatively soon. 

So looking at this week, Grand Ole Opry member Jeannie Seely is scheduled for both nights. Joining her on Friday night will be Opry member Del McCoury, who will be making his first Opry appearance of 2021, while, as mentioned above, Steve Wariner will be joining Jeannie on Saturday night. 

Hall of Fame songwriter Don Schlitz is back again on Friday night. Don has been outstanding in his recent Opry appearances and it is nice to hear the audience singing along to his classic hit songs. Also guesting on Friday night will be John Berry, Shawn Camp and Lauren Mascitti, Jon Crist, The McCrary Sisters and Dallas Wayne. 

In addition to Steve Wariner, the Circle televised segment will feature Russell Dickerson, Chris Lane, Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser. Guesting on the non-televised portion of the show will be Wendy Moten and Tommy Emmanuel, who will be appearing with Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley. 

Do you know what is missing this week? There is no comedian on the schedule!!

Friday May 7

7:00: Jeannie Seely; John Berry
7:30: Don Schlitz; Shawn Camp and Lauren Mascitti
8:00: Dallas Wayne; John Crist
8:30: The McCrary Sisters; Del McCoury Band

Saturday May 8

7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Wendy Moten; Tommy Emmanual w/Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
8:00: Russell Dickerson; Chris Lane; Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser; Steve Wariner

(Mark Wills was on the original schedule for Friday and Saturday night but has cancelled out)
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Lauren Mascitti is on the schedule for Friday night and I wanted to highlight her as she is from Louisville, Ohio, which is about 10 minutes from my house, and who has been featured in the local media and around Canton. (and no, I have never met Lauren). 

Lauren Mascitti is a country music singer/songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and mandolin player from Louisville, OH. Raised by her grandparents, she has been singing since the age of 7 and writing since she was old enough to make up jingles on her toy tape recorder.

After graduating with her Registered Nurse degree, Lauren moved to Nashville after spending most of her summers there doing songwriter showcases at different venues throughout Nashville. She has had the privilege of writing and/or performing with some of Nashville’s greatest talents, such as ‪Larry Gatlin‬, ‪Pam Tillis‬, Shawn Camp, ‪Matraca Berg‬, Wil Nance, ‪Mo Pitney‬, Pat McLaughlin, Big ‪Al Anderson‬, ‪Delbert McClinton‬, ‪Gary Nicholson‬, Bobby Tomberlin, Bill Whyte, and many more. Since she started singing and recording at the age of 7, Lauren has recorded 9 records, most of which are available on iTunes, CD Baby, and other music download sites. ‬‬‬

Lauren just finished a brand new record in Nashville, produced by her fiancé and Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter and producer, Shawn Camp. Look for Lauren’s newest single and music video to be released later this year.
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Now from 50 years ago, Saturday May 8, 1971: 

1st show
6:30: Osborne Brothers (host); Stringbean
6:45: Stu Phillips (host); Leroy Van Dyke
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); George Morgan; Charlie Walker
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Willis Brothers; Crook Brothers; Connie Smith
8:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Dottie West; Archie Campbell; The 4 Guys; 
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Bobby Bare; Bill Carlisle; Marion Worth; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Osborne Brothers (host); Willis Brothers; Stringbean; Bill Carlisle
10:00: Archie Campbell (host); Lorene Mann; Bobby Bare; Stu Phillips
10:15: Bill Monroe (host); George Morgan
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Connie Smith
10:45: Charlie Walker (host); Dottie West; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Ernie Ashworth; Leroy Van Dyke; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Mario Worth; The 4 Guys

A bit of a rough night at the Opry as Justin Tubb, Jean Shepard and Jimmy C Newman cancelled, while Ernest Tubb only did the first show and Ernie Ashworth the second.
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Finally, looking back 45 years to Saturday May 8, 1976 as this was the night in which George Hamilton IV rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Here is the running order from that night: 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jimmy Dickens (host): May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Del Wood: Keep on the Firing Line
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn

6:45: Rudy's
Willis Brothers (host): Give Me 40 Acres
Justin Tubb: Cold Brown Bottle
Wilma Lee Cooper: Coming Down from God
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop

7:00: Shoney's
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Billy Grammer: That's Life
Lonzo and Oscar: I'm Moving On #2
Jimmy Gately: The Angel of the Bar Room
Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner: That's What Made Me Love You
Bill Anderson: Mama Sang a Song

7:30: Standard Candy
Porter Wagoner (host): On a Highway Headed South
Don Gibson: I Can't Stop Loving You
George Hamilton IV: Early Morning Rain/Abilene
Brother Oswald: Nobody's Business
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Chicken Reel
Porter Wagoner: Cold Hard Facts of Life/The Carroll County Accident/The Last One to Touch Me/Green, Green Grass of Home

8:00: Martha White
Jack Greene (host): Walking on New Grass
Grandpa Jones: Little Pink
Jeannie Seely: Who Needs You
Osborne Brothers: Smokey Mountain Smoke
Hank Locklin: These Arms You Push Away
Stu Phillips: Only You Can Hush the Wind
Grandpa Jones: Dark As a Dungeon
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): Hello Love
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Wilburn Brothers: It's Another World
Jimmy C Newman: Shrimp Boats
The 4 Guys: Turn Around; Look at Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Hank Snow: My Mother

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Jack Greene (host): I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
Willis Brothers: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Jeannie Seely: Mama Never Told Me About Cowboys
Lonzo and Oscar: Divorce #2
Webb Pierce and Carol Channing: Back Street Affair
Webb Pierce, Carol Channing, Jimmy C Newman and Hank Locklin: You Are My Sunshine
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee
Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely: Somebody Touched Me

10:00: Fender
Bill Anderson (host): Thanks/But You Know I Love You/Wild Weekend
Jim and Jesse: Freight Train
Jimmy Dickens: Mountain Dew
Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner: Sometimes

10:15: Union 76
Porter Wagoner (host): On a Highway Headed South
Billy Grammer: That's Life
Wilma Lee Cooper: Give Me the Roses While I Love
Porter Wagoner: Way Down Deep in Love

10:30: Trailblazer
Grandpa Jones (host): Baptism of Jesse Taylor
Don Gibson: Doin' My Time
The 4 Guys: Don't it Make You Want to Go Home
Stu Phillips: Great El Tigrae

10:45: Beechnut
Osborne Brothers (host): Rocky Top
Justin Tubb: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Gray Eagle
Osborne Brothers: Smokey Mountain Smoke

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): The Wreck of the Old 97/One More Ride
George Hamilton IV: Break My Mind
Jimmy C Newman: Shrimp Boat
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham
George Hamilton IV: Country Music in My Soul
Kirk McGee: Blue Night
Hank Snow: She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye

11:30: Elm Hill
Wilburn Brothers (host): It Looks Like the Sun's Gonna Shine
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets/Count Me Out
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Brother Oswald: The End of the World
Wilburn Brothers: Metals for Mothers

Well, that was certainly an interesting night at the Opry as Webb Pierce and Carol Channing stopped in for the 2nd show that night. Webb and Carol had been working on a country album together. Also appearing that night was Opry member Don Gibson. And Hank Snow and the Wilburn Brothers both ended their segments with a song dedicated to mothers as the following day was Mother's Day. 

Now back to George Hamilton, who originally joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry on February 6, 1960. In 1971 he left Nashville and the Opry, moving back to his native North Carolina. By the time he had returned to the Opry, he had cemented his reputation as country music's "International Ambassador," as he traveled the globe becoming the first country music artist to perform in Russia and other Eastern European countries. 

George loved the Grand Ole Opry and as he said, "It's been a real honor to have been associated with the Opry for this period of time," he said in an official biography. "It's been my musical homeplace which I first started visiting as a teenager. Back then, I would regularly catch a Greyhound bus from North Carolina and dream of performing on the Opry."

Once he returned, George remained an Opry member until passing away on September 17, 2014 at the age of 77. Not only was George a great country/folk singer, but he was about the nicest man I ever met. George did so much for country music that I have been somewhat surprised that his name has not come up over the years in regards to the Hall of Fame. He really was an ambassador. 

That covers it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 

Tuesday Night Opry 5/4

 Here is the line-up for the May 4th Tuesday Night Opry: 

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Filmore; Dom Flemons; Lainey Wilson
8:00: Frontmen of Country; Henry Cho; The Isaacs

The Frontmen of Country consists of Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Tim Rushlow, formally of Little Texas, and Richie McDonald of Lonestar. I would say that is a pretty solid group. 

May Opry Highlights

Welcome to the month of May, the month where many of us see spring at the beginning of the month and summer by the end. As usual, May is a busy month at the Grand Ole Opry and here are the important and historical events that have taken place during the month involving the Opry or its members:

May 1, 1894: One of the Opry's original members, Sam McGee was born. Sam first appeared on the WSM Barn Dance in 1926. Over the years, Sam would appear with his brother Kirk, and as part of the Dixieliners and Fruit Jar Drinkers. Sam passed away in August 1975, following a tractor accident on his farm near Nashville.

May 12, 1901: The Duke of Paducah, Benjamin Francis Ford, was born in DeSoto, Missouri. This fine comedian joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1942, and remained a member of the Opry until 1959. Even though he gave up his Opry membership to move on to other opportunities, the Duke would continue to return for guest appearances, especially during the Opry's annual reunion shows. Benjamin Ford passed away in 1986, the same year that he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

May 30, 1909: Lewis Crook, a member of the Crook Brothers, was born, While not an original member of the group, he performed with Herman Crook and the others, primarily backing up the square dancers. After Herman passed away, Lewis continued on at the Opry as part of the newly named Opry Square Dance Band. Lewis, who was a part of the Opry for over 60 years, passed away in 1997.

May 17, 1912: Grand Ole Opry and WSM announcer Grant Turner was born. Grant joined the staff of WSM on D-Day, June 6, 1944. While the Opry has had many legendary announcers over the years, Grant is considered the Opry's best, so much so that he was called "The Dean of the Opry's Announcers." Grant remained an Opry announcer until his death on October 19, 1991, just hours after finishing his work on the Friday Night Opry. Grant, who is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, was with WSM for 47 years.

May 30, 1912: Alcyone Bate Beasley was born. Alcyone was there when it all started in November 1925, performing with her father's group, Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters. After his death in 1936, Alcyone worked to keep the Possum Hunters together, but it was a struggle as the Opry moved to a more professional and modern sound. By the 1960s, the Possum Hunters had been merged with the Crook Brothers. In the 1970s, after over 45 years on the Opry, Alcyone went into semi-retirement, after which she became a fixture at the Opry's annual reunion shows. She passed away in October 1982.

May 9, 1914: The legendary Singing Ranger, Hank Snow was born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Hank joined the Grand Ole Opry in January 1950 and would remain one of the Opry's biggest stars until his death in December 1999, just weeks short of his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. In 1979, Hank was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

May 1, 1926: Uncle Dave Macon joined the cast of the WSM Barn Dance. Uncle Dave was considered the first professional musician to join the cast of the Barn Dance, and he would remain with the show until his death in March 1952. Uncle Dave was a popular Opry member, who always considered himself just a plain old country boy. In 1966, he was one of the early members to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

May 8, 1926: Obed Pickard, the first singing star of the Grand Ole Opry, made his debut on the WSM radio show. Certainly one of the forgotten names in the history of the Opry. 

May 7, 1927: Fiddler Paul Warmack made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, months before he introduces his group The Gully Jumpers to the show. The Gully Jumpers would spend the next several decades as the Opry as part of the rotation of the string bands. 

May 1, 1928: Former Grand Ole Opry member, James Hugh Loden was born. Better known as Sonny James, the Southern Gentleman, he was an Opry member for a few years in the 1960s. A true country legend, Sonny is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

May 26, 1934: Fiddler Theron Hale made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, where he had performed regularly for eight years. As with so many of the Opry's early members, he didn't stay too long. 

May 25, 1936: Grand Ole Opry member Tom T Hall was born. Much like Abe Lincoln. Tom T was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tom T originally joined the Opry on January 1, 1971. He left the Opry in 1974, after the show moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland. In 1980, he returned as an Opry member. At the age of 85, Tom T is now retired and from a recent picture, is looking good. 

May 31, 1938: Donald Lytle was born in Greenfield, Ohio. Early in his career, he decided upon the name Johnny Paycheck and spent the early part of his career as a band member for Ray Price, Porter Wagoner, George Jones and Faron Young. Once he became a star in his own right, Johnny became one of the first to be considered a country "outlaw." He experienced some pretty serious issues in his life and spent some time in prison. However in 1997, thanks to some help from his friend Johnny Russell, he was asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, just a few years after becoming an Opry member, his health declined and his performing career ended. Johnny passed away in February 2003.

May 6, 1939: Obed Pickard and The Pickard Family performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time at Nashville's Dixie Tabernacle.

May 2, 1948: Grand Ole Opry member Larry Gatlin was born. Along with his brothers Steve and Rudy, Larry joined the cast of the Opry on Christmas Day 1976. In recent years, Larry has been performing pretty regularly at the Opry and has become the primary host of Opry Country Classics, which takes place at the Ryman Auditorium during the Spring and Fall months.

May 29, 1950: Mother Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters, which consisted of Anita, Helen and June, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. When the Carters joined the cast, they also brought along Chet Atkins as their guitar player. For Chet, it was a return to the show as he had originally appeared on the show in the 1940s with Red Foley. While the Carter Sisters would come and go, Mother Maybelle remained with the Opry until the late 1960s. Later in her career, and similar to the experience of other veteran Opry members such as Sam and Kirk McGee, she would complain to the Opry's management about her poorly timed spots and a general lack of respect. When she finally did decide to leave the Opry, it was to become a permanent member of Johnny Cash's road show.

May 16, 1953: Jimmy Dean made his Grand Ole Opry debut, introduced that night by Opry member Carl Smith. While never becoming an Opry member, Jimmy would make occasional Opry appearances throughout his career, including on the night that Jimmy Dickens was honored on his 50th anniversary as an Opry member.

May 23, 1953: Singing "Mexican Joe" future Grand Ole Opry member Jim Reeves made his Opry debut.

May 1, 1954: Comedian Andy Griffith made his Grand Ole Opry debut. While he was not a regular on th Opry, he would made a few appearances over the years and was always well received. 

May 21, 1955: While several dates are listed, it would appear that this was the date that Opry member Webb Pierce quit the Opry. He was an Opry member for just three years, but over that time he realized  pretty fast how much money he was losing by not being out on the road on Saturday nights. In addition to his Hall of Fame career, Webb was also involved in the music publishing business. Even though Webb gave up his Opry membership, he would continue to make guest appearances on the show up until he passed away.

May 11, 1957: Don and Phil, the Everly Brothers, made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. They, along with a few others, were brought in as part of a youth movement in an attempt to capture the younger crowd who were not coming to the Opry. They were with the Opry for only a year before moving on. In 2001, they were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

May 18, 1957: Just weeks after the Everly Brothers, Rusty and Doug Kershaw made their Opry debut. While the Everly Brothers left fairly soon after joining, the Kershaw boys would stay around for a few years.

May 28, 1957: The Louvin Brothers formally resign from the Grand Ole Opry to join The Wheeling Jamboree in West Virginia. When they discover they won't receive as much pay as they expected at The Jamboree, they decide several weeks later to return to the Opry. 

May 20, 1958: Don Gibson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. A fantastic songwriter, Don was an Opry member until December 1964, when he was fired from the cast for not making the required number of Opry appearances. Several years later, Don rejoined the Opry after the attendance requirements were lowered. Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, Don remained an Opry member until his death in 2003 after a period of declining health.

May 4, 1959: Grand Ole Opry member Randy Travis was born in Marshville, North Carolina. Randy joined the cast of the Opry in December 1986. Due to some serious health issues, including a stroke, Randy is no longer able to perform, however he does come around and visits the Opry on occasion.

May 1, 1960: The WLS National Barn Dance, one of the Opry's early competitors, came to an end as WLS in Chicago changed formats. The Barn Dance originally started on April 19, 1924, a year prior to the start of the Opry.

May 5, 1962: Future Grand Ole Opry member Marion Worth made her first guest appearance on the Opry. Marion would join the Opry cast a year later. Marion, who passed away in 1999, was really underrated as a singer and after leaving the Opry, she spent some time performing in Las Vegas.

May 13, 1966: Colonel Sanders made a guest appearance on the Friday Night Opry, where he promised a free chicken dinner to the first 1,000 people who would write to him in care of WSM Radio. There was no further report as to how many took him up on his offer. 

May 13, 1967: Merle Haggard made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Merle came to the Opry a few times, the last being in October 2015, when he made a surprise appearance on the show.

May 8, 1968: Grand Ole Opry founder George D. Hay passed away at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He started the WSM Barn Dance in November 1925, several months after joining WSM as the Radio Director. After he started the show, he would frequently clash with WSM management, particularly Harry and David Stone, over the direction of the show. He wanted to keep the Opry "close to the ground" while the Stone's saw the value of the Opry to National Life and WSM and wanted the show to take a more professional approach. Over the years, Hay would suffer periods of ill health and by the time he retired from WSM, he was primarily an announcer with little creative control regarding the show. On Saturday May 11, the  first Opry show following his death, Grant Turner paid tribute to him, saying, "He called himself the Solemn Old Judge. If he was solemn, it was only in the face of those who thought to change or corrupt the purity of the barn dance ballads he sought to preserve. We, the performers and friends of the Grand Ole Opry, salute the memory of one whose influence is felt on the stage of the Opry tonight-the Solemn Old Judge, George D. Hay."

May 10, 1969: Stonewall Jackson rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Stonewall was another of the ones who were fired in December 1964 for failing to fulfill the Opry's attendance requirements. Stonewall originally joined the cast in November 1956. His last Opry appearance was in November 2016 when he was recognized upon his 60th anniversary as an Opry member. Stonewall continues to battle heath issues but I think all of us would like to see him back on the Opry at least one more time.

May 17, 1969: Tammy Wynette became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, her time as an Opry member would be short and within a few years, she would leave the Opry's cast.

May 16, 1970: In one of those special Opry moments, baseball Hall of Fame member Dizzy Dean made a guest appearance on the Opry. Dizzy was a great fan of country music and was known to belt out his version of the Wabash Cannonball while broadcasting a game. Dizzy and Roy Acuff were friends. 

May 1, 1971: Tex Summey, known professionally as Cousin Jody, made his final appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He originally came to the Opry in 1937 with Roy Acuff and later performed with Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys. Later in his career, he appeared with Lonzo & Oscar, in addition to his solo performances. While not always remember, Cousin Jody was Roy Acuff's original dobro player, replaced by Brother Oswald when he left Roy's group.

May 13, 1972: Eight years after an impromptu debut as a guest of The Wilburn Brothers, Gene Watson performs "Danny Boy" and "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" during his first scheduled appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

May 8, 1976: After an absence of several years, George Hamilton IV rejoined the Opry's cast. George originally joined the Opry in February 1960. He left the show, however, as he moved from Nashville back to North Carolina and was doing a lot of touring. After coming back, George stayed with the Opry until his death in September 2014.

May 22, 1977: In honor of Victoria Day, a national holiday in Canada, the Opry held a special matinee show dedicated to the fans of the Opry from the country up North. By the way, there have been three Grand Ole Opry members that have called Canada home: Hank Snow, Stu Phillips and Terri Clark.

May 11, 1979: Lester Flatt passed away in Nashville at the age of 64. Lester had been in declining health for a number of years. Lester first came to the Opry as a member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, later joining with Earl Scruggs to form Flatt & Scruggs. After splitting with Earl, Lester continued as an Opry member, sticking to traditional bluegrass and traditionally hosting the segment hosted by Martha White.

May 15, 1982: Ricky Skaggs became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 39th year as an Opry member. Ricky always dreamed of becoming an Opry member and he has always taken his Opry membership seriously. As Ricky said, "I don't ever, ever want to get to the point where I don't come and play the Opry, while I feel like I'm too good to play the Opry. Mr. Acuff said that I would do that. He said you'll get so big you'll do like all the rest of them. And I said, you don't know me. You just watch and see, I'm not made that way. I didn't join the Opry for that." After that, whenever Ricky played the Opry, he would always make it a point to find Roy and tell him that he was indeed there. And yes, there have been a few bumps in the road, but overall, Ricky has been good for the Opry.

May 26, 1984: Onie Wheeler, a member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, died of a heart attack while performing on the Grand Ole Gospel radio program that followed the Friday Night Opry.

May 8, 1985: Amid reports the Grand Ole Opry is planning to trim its roster, Porter Wagoner rallies members in a meeting to assure them the Opry is behind them. Attendees include Roy Acuff, Jack Greene, Jan Howard, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely and Billy Walker. While those were not among the names being mentioned, Porter was trying to lead the cast in fighting back on the proposed cuts. 

May 18, 1985: U.S. vice president George Bush made an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. spending some time visiting with Roy Acuff. 

May 3, 1986: Barbara Mandrell returned to the Opry for the first time following her near fatal car accident. While her appearances were fewer as her career progressed, Barbara has always expressed a great love of the Opry and its members.

May 4, 1991: Travis Tritt made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Less than a year later, in February 1992, Travis would become an Opry member.

May 23, 1992: Martina McBride made her Grand Ole Opry debut. 

May 1, 1993: Charley Pride became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.  Charley first appeared as a guest on the Opry in the late 1960s. Over the following years, Charley was asked numerous times if he was interested in becoming a member of the Opry, but he always declined due to his heavy touring schedule and the fact that he seldom came to Nashville. In 1993, he finally felt that the time was right and he joined the cast. Sadly, Charley passed away in 2020 from complications due to Covid. 

May 11, 1996: Steve Wariner became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Steve first came to the Opry as a member of Dottie West's band, before branching out with his own career. This will be Steve's 25th year as a member of the Opry's cast. I have had to the opportunity to meet Steve while at the Opry and found him friendly and delightful to talk to.

May 3, 1997: The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree celebrated it's 50th anniversary with a show that took place on Broadway Avenue in Nashville. It was a wonderful night and star studded as many came out that night to show their support for the Midnight Jamboree.

May 17, 1997: Former Grand Ole Opry member Tammy Wynette made her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Tammy had been a member of the Opry in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when she was married to George Jones.

May 31, 1997: Lee Ann Womack made her first guest appearance on the Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, Lee Ann would make guest appearances on the show.

May 9, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Teddy Wilburn made his final appearance on the Opry. Teddy and his brother Doyle, along with other family members, had first appeared on the Opry in 1940 before being forced to leave the show due to child labor laws. In the 1950s, they returned to the Opry as members, with Teddy and Doyle performing as a duo until Doyle's death from cancer in 1982. Teddy continued as a solo member of the Opry, although over time he would reduce his appearances. Health issues forced Teddy to retire from performing and he passed away in November 2003.

May 15, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Johnny Paycheck made his final appearance on the Opry. Health issues forced Johnny to retire from performing.

May 21, 1999: Little Big Town made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. It was also the first public appearance for Little Big Town who would eventually become members of the Opry. 

May 29, 1999: Future Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley made his Opry debut. Brad came to Nashville and the Opry via the Wheeling Jamboree. After numerous guest appearances, Brad would eventually become an Opry member.

May 5, 2001: Blake Shelton made his debut as a guest artist on the Grand Ole Opry. Over the next decade, Blake would continue to appear once in a while on the Opry, eventually joining the cast in the fall of 2010. Since then, Blake has continued to appear on the Opry once in a while.

May 21, 2006: Grand Ole Opry member Billy Walker, along with his wife Bettie and two members of his band, were killed in a traffic accident on their way back to Nashville after an appearance in Alabama. Billy had joined the Opry in 1960. Such a tragic end to a great career. 

May 19, 2007: Porter Wagoner celebrated his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was joined that night by Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart and Buck Trent. Marty hosted the televised segment and it marked the final time that Porter and Dolly shared the stage together. Dolly sang a very emotional "I Will Always Love You," which she wrote dedicated to Porter and on that night, it brought tears to Porter's eyes. Porter, who was already in declining health, would pass away in October.

May 10, 2008: Carrie Underwood became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be her 13th year as an Opry member. On the night of her induction, Garth Brooks surprised Carrie and the Opry crowd by making a special appearance to induct Carrie. I know I have said it before, but Carrie takes her Opry membership seriously and even with her busy schedule, she has always managed to get in the 10 appearances each year asked of her.

May 26, 2009: Montgomery Gentry is invited by Charlie Daniels to join the Grand Ole Opry. After accepting the offer, the duo sang their hit "One In Every Crowd."

May 30, 2009: Comedian, actor and banjo player Steve Martin made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry, leading an all-star band performing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." If you have never seen or heard Steve play the banjo, he is fantastic and takes it very seriously.

May 1, 2010: The Grand Ole Opry House sustained major damage when the Cumberland River flooded during heavy rains that hit the Nashville area. The Opry House, Acuff Theater, Opry Museum and Opry Mills Mall all were closed due to the damage. The Acuff Theater was torn down, the Museum has never reopened and it took the Mall years to get repaired. In the case of the Opry House, it took until September for the auditorium to be reopened. When it did, it was a star-studded Tuesday Night Opry with Bill Anderson hosting the opening segment. This was fitting as it was Bill that had hosted the final Saturday night segment the night prior to the flood. And even though the Opry House was closed due to the flood, the Opry did not miss one performance as the show relocated to various buildings around Nashville.

May 4, 2010: With the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House underwater, the Opry moved to War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville for the Tuesday Night Opry. The lineup included Chris Young, Marty Stuart, Suzy Bogguss and Jeannie Seely, whose home was also flooded.

2010: In the wake of flooding at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville's Two Rivers Baptist Church hosted the Opry for the first time in history. The lineup that night included Charlie Daniels, Lorrie Morgan, Jeannie Seely and Steve Wariner. While the Opry would eventually settle in at the Ryman Auditorium before returning to the Opry House later that year, the show would move around to various venues in Nashville during that summer. 

May 3, 2011: Alabama made a guest appearance on the Opry, 29 years after they first appeared on the Opry. They were joined on stage that night by Opry member Brad Paisley, and together they sang, "Old Alabama" and "Tennessee River." While never becoming an Opry member, Alabama would return several times to perform on the show.

May 10, 2012: Loretta Lynn brought out actress Zooey Deschanel to duet on "Coal Miner's Daughter" during the Grand Ole Opry. Zooey. For those who are not familiar with Zooey, she is a fine singer and a part of the duo She & Him. 

May 15, 2012: Ricky Skaggs celebrated 30 years as a Grand Ole Opry member. He sings "Me And God" with Josh Turner and "Amen" with Edens Edge. Skaggs also performs with Alison Krauss and The Whites.

May 18, 2013: Retired Grand Ole Opry member Barbara Mandrell made a surprise appearance at the Opry. She did not sing, but came out on stage and waved to the audience.

May 20, 2014: The MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band made its Grand Ole Opry debut, performing "Wagon Wheel" with Ricky Skaggs during a four-song set. The military-themed Opry installment also features Lee Greenwood, John Conlee, Bill Anderson, Josh Turner and Darryl Worley.

May 30, 2015: Carly Pearce made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Since that time, she has appeared on the Opry over 80 times, becoming one of the Opry's more frequent guests. 

May 4, 2018: Grand Ole Opry member Charley Pride was honored at the Opry upon his 25th anniversary as a member of the Opry.

May 11, 2018: Carrie Underwood celebrated her 10th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member, performing "Cry Pretty," "Jesus, Take The Wheel" and "Temporary Home" on the show, where she's greeted by Randy Travis.

May 4, 2019: Randy Travis appeared at the Grand Ole Opry to celebrate his 60th birthday. Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Charles Esten and Josh Turner joined Randy that night. Randy joined songwriter Don Schlitz in singing "Forever And Ever, Amen" which was written by Don.

There you have it for May. Another busy month around the Opry.