Grand Ole Opry 10/8 & 10/9

The countdown to the 5,000th Saturday night Grand Ole Opry show continues, and coming off of the Opry's 96th Birthday Bash last weekend, this week will mark show #4,997. 

Just taking a moment to comment on the birthday weekend shows: I thought both the Friday Night Opry and the two Saturday nights were good. In fact, given what the Opry had to work with both nights, better than expected. T. Graham Brown and Don Schlitz were both outstanding, with Don receiving a standing ovation after each of those appearances. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I think both T. Graham and Don would make great Opry members. 

Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith did their usual fine jobs, and while a little bit of Gary Mule Deer goes a long way, I will admit he is funny and those who were seeing him for the first time really enjoyed his appearance. Opry member Connie Smith had the honor of bringing out the cake on Friday night, while Rhonda Vincent handled the duties on Saturday. You could tell the younger fans knew who Riley Green was and he received a wonderful ovation. 

While none of the shows were sold out, the crowds were wonderful and enthusiastic and gave each performer a fine ovation. Each time I go to the Opry I am amazed that over half the audience is there for the first time. 

I did see some comments regarding Yola. I thought she was very, very good. Just not country and certainly not everyone's cup of tea. She is amazingly talented. While it was nice seeing her on the Opry, her style of music is probably more appropriate for the jam band festivals that my wife attends. You could tell those in the audience who were familiar with her work, and those who were not. I am sure we will see her on the Opry more, as she is this month's Opry Next Stage artist. 

Overall, a good weekend and I look forward as the countdown to 5,000 continues. 

Now looking at the Grand Ole Opry shows for this weekend, and seeing that Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show is scheduled for both Friday and Saturday night. Joining the group both nights will be Opry member Jeannie Seely. Looking at who else is scheduled, the Friday Night Opry will include Opry members Connie Smith and Marty Stuart, while Riders In The Sky, Bobby Osborne and Lorrie Morgan are listed for Saturday night. 

Guesting on Friday night will be veteran country artist Lee Greenwood, along with Alex Hall, Sister Sadie, and making their Opry debut, Kat & Alex. Saturday night's show will include Sam Outlaw, Brook Eden and Lee Roy Parnell. 

Friday October 9
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Alex Hall; Sister Sadie; Kat & Alex; Lee Greenwood
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith; Marty Stuart; Old Crow Medicine Show

Saturday October 10
7:00: Opry Square Dancers; Jeannie Seely; Sam Outlaw; Riders In The Sky; Brooke Eden; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Intermission
8:15: Lee Roy Parnell; Lorrie Morgan; Old Crow Medicine Show

Looks like no live TV this week. 

As mentioned, Friday will be the Opry debut for Kat & Alex. 

Kat & Alex are a husband-and-wife pair who perform with a full-bodied soulful delivery, inventive live instrumentation, and bilingual lyrics. Amassing nearly 20 million streams independently and receiving acclaim from Billboard, CMT, and more, they introduce a scorching signature style in 2021 with new music for Sony Music Nashville.

“We both grew up simultaneously listening to country and Spanish songs, so this is completely natural,” says Alex. “This is who we’ve been for our entire lives. It’s great to be able to share that. There’s no better feeling than when somebody sends us a message like, ‘When I heard you, my two worlds collided’.”

Before their paths finally crossed, Alex worked as a police officer for two years and logged time as a social media influencer for Harley Davidson Corporate in Milwaukee, WI, before he created art around Miami as “Space Cowboy.” Meanwhile, Kat honed her voice and took advantage of any opportunity to perform. She witnessed Alex sing one day, and the two forged an eternal bond after one date. They appeared on American Idol before returning home to focus on writing and recording original music.

“It was a dream,” admits Alex. “One day, I was thinking to myself, ‘How cool would it be if Kat and I went to Nashville and started singing Country songs with Spanish lyrics?’”

In 2020, they signed to The AMG for management and inked a publishing deal with Warner Chappell between numerous sessions with producer Brad Hill [Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne]. Kat & Alex made their official debut with the single “How Many Times” and its accompanying Spanish Version. Right out of the gate, it gathered 7.9 million Spotify streams as they claimed coveted real estate on playlists such as “Hot Country” and “New Boots” in addition to rubbing elbows with Bad Bunny and Camilo on Latin playlists. At the top of 2021, they married and signed to Sony Music Nashville. Now, Kat & Alex kick off their next chapter with the single “Heartbreak Tour.” Airy guitar gives way to a traffic-stopping vocal performance from Kat. Her robust timbre echoes as Alex answers with a gentle twang on the second verse. Their voices entwine on the hook above a skyscraping guitar solo and crashing percussion.

“Our relationship is everything to this music,” Kat leaves off. “There’s so much love that goes into every single song. This wouldn’t work if we didn’t love each other as much as we do and put God first in all we do.”

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Now from 50 years ago, Saturday October 9, 1971: 

1st show
6:30: Tompall Glaser (host) and The Glaser Brothers
6:45: Bill Monroe (host); Earl Scruggs Revue
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Ray Pillow; Speck Rhodes
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Skeeter Davis; Del Reeves; Willis Brothers; Crook Brothers
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Jimmy C Newman; Stu Phillips; Uncle Josh
8:30: Ernest Tubb (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Leon Boulanger

2nd show
9:30: Tompall Glaser (host) and The Glaser Brothers; Willis Brothers; Skeeter Davis
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); Ray Pillow
10:15: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Uncle Josh
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Jack Greene; Jeanne Seely; Crook Brothers
11:00: Roy Acuff (host); Del Reeves; Bob Luman; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Stu Phillips
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Now going way back 73 years ago, Saturday October 9, 1948:

7:30: American Ace Coffee
Roy Acuff: It's So Hard to Smile
Tommy Magness: Blackberry Blossom
Dot and Smokey: To Be Announced
Jimmy Riddle: Listen to the Mockingbird
Roy Acuff: Waltz of the Wind
Jug Band: Call Old Rattler
Roy Acuff: Take My Hand Precious Lord
Sonny: Red River Valley
Dot and Smokey: To Be Announced
Oswald: Coming from the Ball
Roy Acuff: Will the Circle Be Unbroken

8:00: Purina Show
Ernest Tubb: Long Gone Daddy
Bill Monroe: The Girl With the Blue Velvet Band
Mel and Stan: I've Lost All
Jimmy Dickens: John Henry
Crook Brothers: Billy in the Low Ground
Ernest Tubb: Seaman's Blues
Blue Grass Quartet: He'll Set Your Fields on Fire
Velma: Mother's Old Sunbonnet
Butterball: There'll Be No Tears Tonight
Ernest Tubb: Darling What More Can I Do
Hal Smith: Tennessee Wagoner

8:30: Warren Paint
Cowboy Copas: Believe It Or Not
Lew Childre: Dis Train
Robert Lunn: To Be Announced
Uncle Dave Macon: Hesitation Blues
Possum Hunters: Old Joe
Cowboy Copas: The Hope of a Broken Heart
String Beans: Crazy War
Okey Dokies: To Be Announced
Rusty and Dusty: The Farmer's Daughter
Cowboy Copas: Kentucky Waltz
Red Herron: To Be Announced

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Roy Acuff: Little Moses
Jimmy Riddle: You Call Everybody Darlin'
George Morgan: Please Don't Let Me Love You
Lonzo and Oscar: I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark
Pap and Jug Band: Roly Poly
Lazy Jim Day: Singing the News
Roy Acuff: This World Can't Stand Long
Oswald: Nobody's Business
Tommy Magness: Grey Eagle

9:30: Prince Albert
Red Foley: Tennessee Saturday Night
Red Foley: I Just Can't Keep from Crying
Red Foley: No One Will Ever Know
Bradley Kincaid: Blue Tail Fly
Old Hickory Quartet: Waiting for the Robert E. Lee
Wally Fowler: I Got Faith
Floyd Ethridge: Mississippi Sawyer
Floyd Ethridge: Leather Britches

10:00: Wallrite
To Be Announced
To Be Announced
Bradley Kincaid: The Miner's Song
To Be Announced

10:15: Gaylark
Roy Acuff: The Heart That Was Broken for Me
Oswald: Roll On Buddy, Roll On
Uncle Dave Macon: Rock of Ages
Roy Acuff: Poem
Gang: Precious Memories
Tommy: Bully of the Town

10:30: Fletcher-Wilson
Cowboy Copas: Too Many Tear Drops
Lazy Jim Day: Singing the News
Lew and String Beans: Working on a Building
Cowboy Copas: Tragic Romance
Okey Dokies: To Be Announced
Red Herron: To Be Announced

10:45: Royal Flour
Milton Estes: Life Gets Tedious
Mel and Stan: God's River of Blessing
Jimmy Selph: I Got a Hundred and Sixty Acres
Milton Estes: Lay Down Your Soul

11:00: Jefferson Island
George Morgan: Petal from a Faded Rose
Crook Brothers: Dust on the Bible
To Be Announced
George Morgan: Lonely River
Crook Brothers: Ida Red

11:15: Ernest Tubb Songbook
Ernest Tubb: When a Soldier Knocks and Finds Nobody Home
Velma: Warned Me About You
Drake Brothers: Highways Are Happy Ways
Ernest Tubb: I'll Get Along Somehow

11:30: Farmers Wholesale Nursery
Jimmy Dickens: Wedding Bells
Gully Jumpers: To Be Announced
Lonzo and Oscar: To Be Announced
To Be Announced
Jimmy Dickens: Tramp on the Street

11:45: Bob West Guitar
Wally Fowler: One Has My Name, the Other Has My Heart
Robert Lunn: To Be Announced
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Bailey
Wally Fowler: Ten Commandments
Robert Lunn: To Be Announced
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Going Up Town
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Finally, while never becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Buck Owens would occasionally stop by as he did on Saturday October 8, 1988. Buck really didn't come to Nashville often and when it did, it would usually pertain to Hee Haw or other personal business he had. Buck liked to stay in Bakersfield, where he had his radio stations to take care. 

Here is the running order from 33 years ago, and as you would expect, Buck was featured on the TNN televised portion that night: 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
The 4 Guys (host): Turn Your Radio On
Lorrie Morgan: So Wrong (For So Long)
The 4 Guys: Fox on the Run

6:45: Rudy's
Jack Greene (host): I Don't Believe I'll Fall in Love Today
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

7:00: Shoney's
Bill Monroe (host): Why Did You Wander
Jean Shepard: Are You Teasing Me
Ray Pillow: I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried
Vern Gosdin: Set 'Em Up Joe/Chiseled in Stone
Bill Monroe: A Beautiful Life

7:30: Standard Candy
Porter Wagoner (host): I'm Gonna Feed You Now
Dan Seals: Three Time Loser/Everything That Glitters is Not Gold
Buck Owens: Hot Dog/Act Naturally/Together Again/Love's Gonna Live Here/Crying Time/I've Got a Tiger By the Tail/Together Again
Porter Wagoner: Dooley

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Roy Drusky: Too Old to Die Young/One Day at a Time
Riders In The Sky: Tumbling Tumbleweeds/When Payday Rolls Around
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bile Them Cabbage On
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

8:30: Music Valley
Hank Snow (host): Tangled Mind
Charlie Louvin: The Precious Jewel
Patty Loveless: Lonely Side of Love
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Bill Carlisle: Leave that Liar Alone
Hank Snow: Where Romance Calls

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Sugarfoot Rag
The 4 Guys: What'll You Do About Me
Del Reeves: A Dozen Pair of Boots
Dan Seals: Big Wheels in the Moonlight/God Must Be a Cowboy at Heart
Porter Wagoner: Y'All Come

10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe (host): Molly & Tenbrooks/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Around When Its Over
Bill Monroe: The Bluest Man in Town

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Billy Walker: You Gave Me a Mountain

10:30: Pet Milk
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Jan Howard: Where No One Stands Alone
Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo

10:45: B.C. Powder
Jack Greene (host): The Devil's Den
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sail Away Ladies
Jack Greene: If It's Love Your Playing For

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Filipino Rose
Jean Shepard: Someone's Gotta Cry
Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want to Go Home
Justin Tubb: As Long As There's A Sunday
Osborne Brothers: Pathway of Teardrops
Hank Snow: Among My Souvenirs

11:30: Creamettes
Charlie Louvin (host): I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow
Patty Loveless: Lonely Side of Town/Blue Side of Town
Riders In The Sky: Yonder Comes the Santa Fe/Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie
Charlie Louvin: In the Cross

As you can see, Buck only did the first show that night

And 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.