Grand Ole Opry 7/9 & 7/10

The Grand Ole Opry continues to roll through summer with another weekend of shows at the Grand Ole Opry House with one show each night and a return to Circle TV after a weekend off for the 4th of July holiday weekend. 

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Opry members Gene Watson, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson and Craig Morgan are on the schedule. Guesting on Friday night will be Hall of Fame member Charlie  McCoy, along with Rhett Walker and Tenille Townes. Nice to see that the majority of artists appearing on Friday night are Opry members. 

The same cannot be said for Saturday night's Grand Ole Opry as only Jeannie Seely and Bill Anderson are on the schedule with the Circle TV segment listing no Opry members. Those scheduled for the televised hour are Chase Bryant, the Bellamy Brothers with Dennis Quaid, Joe Bonamassa and MercyMe. Dennis Quaid will also be appearing earlier in the show during the non-televised hour, along with the designated comedian this week, Henry Cho.

Friday July 9

7:00: Gene Watson; Rhett Walker; Connie Smith; Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson; Tenille Townes; Craig Morgan

Saturday July 10
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Dennis Quaid; Bill Anderson; Henry Cho
8:00: Chase Bryant; Bellamy Brothers; Joe Bonamassa; MercyMe

As I wrote, that adds up to four Opry members on Friday night, two on Saturday night and no Opry members on the televised segment. 
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From 50 years ago, Saturday July 10, 1971: 

1st show
6:00: Bobby Lord (host); Ray Pillow; Oak Ridge Quartet
6:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Connie Smith; The 4 Guys
6:45: Roy Drusky (host); Bill Carlisle; Cliff Carlisle
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); Dottie West; Charlie Walker; Stringbean
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; George Morgan; Crook Brothers; Justin Tubb
8:00: Roy Acuff (host); Grandpa Jones; Marion Worth; Bob Luman; Charley Pride
8:30: Wilburn Brothers (host); Loretta Lynn; Earl Scruggs Revue; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Stu Phillips

2nd show
9:30: George Hamilton IV (host); The 4 Guys; Connie Smith; Bobby Lord; Bill Carlisle
10:00: Roy Drusky (host); Dottie West; Ray Pillow; Justin Tubb
10:15: Wilburn Brothers (host); Loretta Lynn; Charlie Walker
10:30: Bill Monroe (host); Grandpa Jones; George Morgan
10:45: Roy Acuff (host); Stringbean; Crook Brothers; Charley Pride
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Earl Scruggs Revue; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Marion Worth; Bob Luman; Stu Phillips

Many of the shows from 1971 were pretty thin as the past couple of weeks have shown. However, on this particular Saturday night, a very solid line-up. Nice to see Cliff Carlisle making an appearance and Charley Pride appearing. Charley was not an Opry member at the time. 
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Time to go back to one of the Opry's past shows and this week I went back to July 9, 1955. Here is the running order from that night, 66 years ago: 

7:30: Federal Fertilizer Co. 
Faron Young (host): If You Ain't Loving, You Ain't Living
Fiddle Tune: Wake Up Susan
Eddie Hill: Smack Dab in the Middle
George Morgan: The Biggest Mistake I Ever Made
Fiddle Tune: Buffalo Gal

7:45: American Ace
Faron Young (host): Go Back Fool
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Wilburn Brothers: I Wanna, Wanna, Wanna
Faron Young: God Bless God
Fiddle Tune: Cacklin' Hen

8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): I Know My Baby Loves Me
Ferlin Husky: I'll Baby Sit With You
Flatt and Scruggs: I'll Go Stepping Too
The Carlisles: Bargain Day
Possum Hunters: Bile Them Cabbage Down
Ernest Tubb: Driftwood on the River
Grandpa Jones: Herd of Turtles
Flatt and Scruggs: Earl's Breakdown
Ferlin Husky: Cuz You're So Sweet
Ernest Tubb: Daisy May
Fiddle Tune: Turkey in the Straw

8:30: Prince Albert
Cowboy Copas (host): Down in Nashville, Tennessee
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Hank Locklin: You're Heart is an Island
Fiddle Tune: Sally Goodin
Cowboy Copas: From the Manger to the Cross
Moon Mullican: Cherokee Boogie
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Hank Locklin: You're Out of Step
Chet Atkins: Tennessee Polka
Cowboy Copas: The Man Upstairs
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Lonzo and Oscar: Cold Tater Pie
Ray Price: Let Me Talk to You
The Louvin Brothers: Love Thy Neighbor
The Jug Band: Rag-Mop
Bill Monroe: My Georgia Rose
Roy Acuff: Where The Soul of Man Never Dies
Oswald: John Hardy
Lonzo and Oscar: Oh, What a Wind
Roy Acuff: Green Back Dollar

9:30: Jefferson Island Salt
Carl Smith (host): There She Goes
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Pedro Gonzales
Justin Tubb: All Alone
Lew Childre: Hang Out the Front Door Key
Lou Millet: That's How I Need You
Crook Brothers: Bill Cheatem
The Jordanaires: Let's Make A Joyful Noise
Chet Atkins: Seeing Nellie Home
Hawkshaw Hawkins: How Can Anyone So Pretty Be So Doggone Mean
Fiddle Tune: Leather Britches

10:00: Wall-Rite
George Morgan (host): Almost
Bill Monroe: Close By
Eddie Hill: Cause I Have You
George Morgan: I'd Like to Know
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

10:15: Dr. Le Gear
Ray Price (host): If You Don't Somebody Else Will
Goldie Hill: Don't Betray Me
The Carlisles: Davy Crockett
Ray Price: Release Me
Fiddle Tune: Cripple Creek

10:30: Hester Battery
Ernest Tubb (host): It's a Lonely World
Lou Millet: Since The Devil Moved In
Cowboy Copas: Feeling Low
Ernest Tubb: Never Get But One Number Anyway
Fiddle Tune: Durang Hornpipe

10:45: D Con
Ferlin Husky (host): I Feel Better All Over
Rita Robbins: Take A Look At That Moon
Onie Wheeler: She Wiggled and Giggled
Gully Jumpers: Ole Joe
Ferlin Husky: She's Always There

11:00: W. E. Stephens
Carl Smith (host): Loose Talk
Hawkshaw Hawkins: One White Rose
Justin Tubb: Within Your Arms
Lonzo and Oscar: Just One Love For Me
Carl Smith: Kisses Don't Lie
Crook Brothers: Pretty Little Polly
Grandpa Jones: Lonesome Road Blues
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Fair Weather Baby
Carl Smith: I Overlooked An Orchid
Fiddle Tune: Mississippi Sawyer

11:30: Delited
Faron Young (host): Live Fast, Love Hard, and Die Young
The Louvin Brothers: Make Me A Soldier
Wilburn Brothers: Let Me Be the First to Know
Lew Childre: Hog Calling Blues
Faron Young: Forgive Me Dear
Sam and Kirk: I Was Sort of Wondering
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy
The Louvin Brothers: God Bless Her
Faron Young: If That's the Fashion

Lou Millet had two spots on the show that night and some might be familiar with him. 

Lou Millet was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His musical career started a bit later than some people might do in the business, not learning to play the guitar until he was 16 years old. But, after he learned the guitar, he soon formed his own band called "The Melody Ramblers". That band stayed together for about four years and appeared on several radio stations in the area including WLCS and WJBO as well as WLBR in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Lefty Frizzell gave him his first big break and in 1953, he was still associated with Lefty, by fronting the band during one of Lefty's tours. Other folks who helped Lou out included Troy Martin of the Southern Music Company and J. D. Miller of Crowley, Louisiana and Don Lan of Columbia Records.

While with Lefty, Lou's dream was to have his own band someday and to appear as a solo act. In 1955, he did sign with Johnny Vincent’s Ace label in Jackson, Ms, for whom he cut a proto-rockabilly effort, “Just You And Me” He then he went to Hollywood’s Ekko label (which had a branch in Nashville). Finally, he did cut two all-time Rockabilly classics in 1956 for the Republic label, “Shorty The Barber” and “Slip, Slip, Slippin’ In” (original to Eddie Bond’s version), which are still revered today.

Later, he cut two singles on Scenic, one on Go (“Uncle Earl”, in memory of the controversial La. Governor Earl K. Long). A little gospel music on Wagon Wheel records during the 70s. Even a rebel record on Conservative as “Colonel Lou”.

No one seems to know what happened to him afterwards.

There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Next Saturday night will be special at the Grand Ole Opry as Bill Anderson will be celebrating his 60th anniversary as a member of the Opry. That should be a special night.