Thursday, December 29, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 12/30 & 12/31

This is it. We have come to the end of another year as the Grand Ole Opry finishes up 2022 with shows #211 and #212. And what a year it was. The Opry followed up their record year of new members in 2021 with five more members in 2022. There was the celebration of Barbara Mandrell's 50th year as an Opry member, Jeannie Seely being recognized for appearing on the Opry over 5,000 times, and the Opry's 97th birthday. Sadly, the Opry lost one of its icons as 60-year Opry member Loretta Lynn passed away. While we all look forward to what the Opry has to offer in 2023, there is still one more weekend in 2022. 

Looking at those scheduled for the final Friday Night Opry of 2022, Opry members Connie Smith and Don Schlitz, two Hall of Fame members, are at the head of the list. Frequent and popular guests Darin & Brooke Aldridge are on the schedule, as is comedian Aaron Weber. Rounding out the schedule will Drake Milligan, who will be back for a follow up appearance, Janelle Arthur, The SteelDrivers, and a group that has not been at the Opry is a long time, McBride & The Ride. 

McBride & The Ride originally formed in the late 1980s. During their initial run together, the group released three albums Burnin’ Up The Road, Sacred Ground, and Hurry Sundown, and had hit singles "Love on the Loose, Heart on the Run," “Sacred Ground,” and "Going Out of My Mind," to mention a few. In the spring of 2021, they announced they were reuniting and going back in the studio to record new music, with their first new album in almost 30 years to be released next year. 

Though the band has been on and off over the past 30 years, its members have thrived through their individual careers. Ray Herndon has been Lyle Lovett’s lead guitarist since 1985 and has had songs cut by Kenny Chesney, Aaron Tippin, Lee Greenwood and Linda Davis. Terry McBride has written hits for Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Easton Corbin, and Cody Johnson. Billy Thomas moved to Nashville from Los Angeles in 1987 and immediately started working with Vince Gill along with many other country stars (Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner & Earl Scruggs). He has also been Vince Gill's drummer on the road and in the studio ever since, adding background vocals to his many hits, as well as joining him as a member of The Time Jumpers, one of Nashville’s favorite bands. 

I know many of us will be looking forward to hearing the group once again at the Opry. 

Don Schlitz and Aaron Weber are back on Saturday night, along with Opry members Charlie McCoy, Jeannie Seely and Mandy Barnett. Also appearing will be Sierra Hull & Justin Moses, award winning fiddle player Andy Leftwich, and making his Grand Ole Opry debut, Jason Coleman. 

Jason Coleman is a name many might not recognize, but at the same time, he should be somebody that most would be familiar with. Since 2020 Jason has hosted and performed his own weekly piano concert series, The Jason Coleman Show, broadcast as both an online TV show and a weekly radio show on WSM Radio. With tens of millions of views and tens of thousands of weekly tune-ins, The Jason Coleman Show serves as the connection point between Jason and his passionate ‘piano family’ of fans and followers from across the globe.

You might be wondering where Jason got this talent from. Well, it runs in the family as Jason is the grandson of Country Music Hall of Fame member Floyd Cramer, and in fact, it was Floyd who inspired Jason to take up the piano. Jason has done a wonderful job carrying on his grandfather's legacy. 

(As with the previous week, the weekly lineups have not been posted as of yet)


And now, from 50 years ago, Saturday December 30, 1972: 

7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely
7:30: Tex Ritter (host); Bob Luman; Lonzo and Oscar; Stan Hitchcock
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Bill Carlisle; Ernie Ashworth; Crook Brothers; Roland White and Marty Stuart
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Stringbean; Stoney Cooper and Joe Edwards; Onie Wheeler; Carolee Cooper
9:00: Bill Monroe (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Stu Phillips; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Jim and Jesse; The 4 Guys
10:00: Stu Phillips (host); Bob Luman; Lonzo and Oscar
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Carolee and Stoney Cooper; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Tex Ritter; Stringbean; Ernie Ashworth; Paul Warren
10:45: Bill Monroe (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Justin Tubb; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Jim and Jesse; The 4 Guys

(Bill Anderson, Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely appeared only on the first half of the show, while Justin Tubb appeared only on the second half. Billy Walker and Billy Grammer cancelled both their spots). 


New Year's Eve shows at the Grand Ole Opry generally featured only Opry members. 1983 was no exception. Here is the running order from December 31, 1983, as the Grand Ole Opry closed out another year. 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
The 4 Guys (host): Cottonfields/Mariah
Wilma Lee Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
The 4 Guys: Fanny May

6:45: Rudy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Jean Shepard: Soft Rain
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal

7:00: Shoney's
Grandpa Jones (host) and Ramona Jones: I Wonder Where My Darlin' is Tonight
Jimmy C Newman: (?)
Jim and Jesse: Let Me Whisper
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee
Jack Greene: Midnight Tennessee Woman/I'd Do as Much for You
Grandpa Jones: Four Stone Walls & A Ceiling
Ramona Jones: Bill Cheatham

7:30: Standard Candy
Porter Wagoner (host): Y'all come
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell
Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me on Sundays
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Gray Eagle
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name/Green, Green Grass of Home

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Billy Grammer: (?)/When You & I Were Young Maggie
Connie Smith: You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me/I've Got You & You Got Me
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird/I Saw the Light

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Wreck of the Old 97
Teddy Wilburn: Lovesick Blues
Riders In The Sky: Pecos Bill
Bill Carlisle: Oh, What A Party
Jeannie Seely: He's All I Need
Hank Snow: Born For You

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Jack Greene (host): Happy Tracks
The 4 Guys: Let There Be Peace
Jean Shepard: Deep Water
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore
Wilma Lee Cooper: A Daisy a Day
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/Statue of a Fool

10:00: Little Debbie
Jimmy C Newman (host): Big Mamou
Charlie Louvin and Del Groves: Don't It Seem to Rain a Lot in Our Lives
Cajun Country: Cajun Queen

10:15: Sunbeam
Grandpa Jones (host): Pretty Little Gal A' Waitin'
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Grandpa Jones and George McCormick: Wait a Little Longer, Please Jesus

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Del Wood: Auld Lang Syme/Down Yonder/Cajun Stripper
Roy Acuff: Back in the Country/I'll Fly Away

10:45: Beech- Nut
Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose
Jeanne Pruett: I Oughta Feel Guilty
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Liberty
Roy Drusky: One Day at a Time

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): I've Cried A Mile
Justin Tubb: Pull the Covers Over Me
Connie Smith: The Well of His Mercy
Billy Grammer: The Old Spinning Wheel
Hank Snow: If Jesus Wrote to Us

11:30: Hardee's
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Riders In The Sky: Biscuit Blues
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Jeannie Seely: Healing Hands of Time/You Don't Need Me, but You Will
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name
Porter Wagoner, Roy Acuff and Grand Ole Opry Cast: Auld Lang Syme
Porter Wagoner, Roy Acuff and Grand Ole Opry Cast: I Saw the Light

Jan Howard was scheduled for both shows but canceled, while Stonewall Jackson and Teddy Wilburn only appeared on the early show and Ray Pillow and Justin Tubb on the late show. Also of note was Porter Wagoner hosting the final segment that night, something he very rarely did). 

Well, there you have it for this week and for this year. I thank everyone for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 

Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing and hearing from everyone in 2023. 






Thursday, December 22, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 12/23 & 12/24

Before getting into the Grand Ole Opry lineups for this weekend, I wanted to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone who has taken the time to read and/or comment on the blog over the past year. I have been very fortunate to have made many new acquaintances over the years and I value each and every one of you. While some may not believe in Santa, I do. Thus, after I listen to the Opry on Saturday night, I will be up and on the lookout for Santa. The weather here in Ohio is going to be nasty and I want to make sure he doesn't miss our house. 

Speaking of the Opry, the Christmas weekend shows were something special. I think, if my memory is correct, it was Wilma Lee Cooper who commented that most of the members would be at the Opry that weekend, exchanging cards and gifts. She said it was always a special time and, in many cases, the Opry members would stay around after the shows ended, visiting and catching up. I know when I go back and look at some of the past lineups from Christmas weekend, the number of acts who appeared was amazing. While the shows this weekend probably don't fall into that "special" category, both nights offer solid lineups. 

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Opry member Emmylou Harris is back again. This will make the third appearance in the last month for an Opry member who has been missing a lot since she joined. Wonderful to see. Also listed are Jeannie Seely, Riders In The Sky and Charlie McCoy. 

Jeannie Seely is back on Saturday night, which is Christmas Eve, joined by members Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press and Don Schlitz. 

T. Graham Brown is listed among the non-members for Friday night. Many of us have hoped that T. Graham would be asked at some point to become an Opry member, and it would make for a nice Christmas gift to T. Graham if the invitation took place this weekend. As much as he has appeared on the Opry over the past several decades, it would be well deserved. 

Also, on the schedule are The Cleverlys, who I highly recommend, along with Steve Earle, who will be performing with Emmylou, comedian Henry Cho and Jessica Willis Fisher. As an FYI regarding Jessica, she is the daughter-in-law of former Grand Ole Opry Vice President/General Manager Pete Fisher, and Pete has taken a much more active role in directing her career. 

Looking at Saturday night, Steve Earle returns, along with Erin Enderlin, The McCrary Sisters, T.G. Sheppard and Sirius/XM Willie's Roadhouse morning host Sunny Sweeney. 

(As if this point, the final running order has not been posted). 


Now, from 50 years ago, Saturday December 23, 1972: 

7:00: Roy Drusky (host); Ernie Ashworth; Bill Carlisle; Stu Phillips
7:30: Bill Monroe (host); Billy Grammer; George Morgan; Stoney Cooper
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Grandpa Jones; Stonewall Jackson; Jim Ed Brown; Marty Stuart and Roland White; Crook Brothers; Ramona Jones
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Del Reeves; Charlie Louvin; Stringbean; Ray Pillow
9:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Charlie Walker; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Bobby Bare; The 4 Guys; Del Wood
10:00: Bill Monroe (host); Stu Phillips; Bill Carlisle; Ernie Ashworth
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); George Morgan; Stoney and Carol Lee Cooper
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Jim Ed Brown; Stonewall Jackson; Ray Pillow; Roland White
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Stringbean; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Charlie Walker; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Del Wood; Sam McGee
11:30: Bobby Bare (host); The 4 Guys; Charlie Louvin; Justin Tubb

(Dottie West was scheduled but canceled, while Roy Drusky and Billy Grammer were scheduled only one spot. Del Reeves was scheduled for two spots but cancelled his last one).


On October 14, 1939, the Grand Ole Opry went on the NBC Red network. The deal was set through William Esty and Company, a major New York advertising agency acting on behalf of a client, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The product to be sold was Prince Albert smoking tobacco and the thirty minutes of the Opry was to be called "The Prince Albert Show."

That first show was broadcast was carried on a regional network of 26 stations. According to George D. Hay, "Representatives from NBC in New York came to Nashville. The Opry House was crowded. Heretofore we had not made any attempt to produce the show, in the accepted sense of the word. We had to be snatched off the air at the end of our thirty minutes, but with that exception the half hour went over pretty well. Before the next week rolled around, we had timed our opening and closing and had no further difficulty in that direction."

Roy Acuff was selected to be the host of that first show, and for future shows. It took a while for it to grow, but by October 1943 it became a Saturday night feature of the full NBC coast-to-coast network, initially with 125 stations, with more being added each week. Without a doubt, it was through the Prince Albert shows that spearheaded the growth of the Opry into a national institution. 

As everyone knows, Roy Acuff was the host until he left the Opry in 1946. Roy was replaced as the host of the Prince Albert show by Red Foley, who was new to the Opry and Nashville. Red was actually hired and approved by the advertising agency to be the host. While Roy came back to the Opry the following year, Red remained the host of the network show, bringing even more recognition and success. In 1954, after hosting the Prince Albert show for eight years, Red left Nashville and the Opry. At that time, the decision was made not to replace Red with another permanent host, but to use some of the Opry's top names on a rotating basis. That format continued until Saturday December 24, 1960, when the Prince Albert Show was broadcast for the final time. 

Here is the lineup from Saturday December 24, 1960, which shows that Hank Snow hosted that final Prince Albert Show

7:30: Pet Milk
Cowboy Copas (host): Down in Nashville Tennessee
Louvin Brothers: (?)
Billy Grammer: Wabash Cannonball
Patsy Cline: Loose Talk
Cowboy Copas: Alabam'
Stonewall Jackson: Little Guy Called Joe
Carlisles: Skin Him Quick
Bobby Lord: Winter Wonderland
Cowboy Copas: The Man Upstairs

8:00: Martha White
Don Gibson (host): Far, Far, Away
Wilburn Brothers: Knoxville Girl
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: This Old House
Grandpa Jones: Rattler's Pup
Don Gibson: Sweet Dreams
Del Wood: Varsity Trot
Margie Bowes: Judge Not
Crook Brothers: Cotton-Eyed Joe
Wilburn Brothers: Which One is To Blame
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me

8:30: Prince Albert
Hank Snow (host): Rockin', Rollin' Ocean
Archie Campbell: Comedy
George Morgan: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Jordanaires: Silver Bells
Chet Atkins: Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
George Morgan: Silent Night
Stringbean: Pretty Polly
Hank Snow: Christmas Roses

9:00: Jefferson Island Salt
Ernest Tubb (host): Mississippi Gal
Ferlin Husky: Wings of a Dove
Skeeter Davis: My Last Date
Cousin Jody: Lady Cop
Ernest Tubb: Half A Mind
Bill Monroe: Sally Joe
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Glaser Brothers: The Same Old Memory
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Take Me Back to Tulsa
Ernest Tubb: Daisey Mae

9:30: Stephens
Marty Robbins (host): Ballad of the Alamo
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Much Too Well
Roy Drusky: I'd Rather Loan You Out
Lonzo and Oscar: A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
Marty Robbins: The Hand You're Holding Now
Jean Shepard: Lonely Little World
Carl Butler: For the First Time
Billy Walker: I Wish You Love
Hawkshaw Hawkins: I Don't Apologize
Marty Robbins: I Can't Quit

10:00: Black Draught
Don Gibson (host): Just One Time
Wilburn Brothers: The Best of All My Heartaches
Del Wood: Ballin' The Jack
Don Gibson: Far, Far Away

10:15: Frosty Morn
Cowboy Copas (host): Filet On Ready
Margie Bowes: I Don't Believe You Love Me Anymore
Grandpa Jones: It Takes a Lot of Living
Cowboy Copas: Midnight in Heaven

10:30: Jamison
Ernest Tubb (host): White Silver Sands
Louvin Brothers: (?)
Billy Grammer: Big, Big Dream
Ernest Tubb: Accidently on Purpose
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy

10:45: De Con
George Morgan (host): I'm In Love Again
Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walking
Patsy Cline: Crazy Dreams
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
George Morgan: White Christmas

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Miller's Cave
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Heartbreak Street
Carl Butler: I'm A Prisoner of Love
Lonzo and Oscar: Pumkin Rasin
Hank Snow: The Changing of the Tide
Stringbean: 20cent Cotton; 90cent Meat
Jordanaires: (?)
Sam and Kirk McGee: You'll Come
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatam
Hank Snow: Walking & Talking

11:30: Phillips & Buttorff
Marty Robbins (host): I Told My Heart
Skeeter Davis: Someone I Would Like to Forget
Cousin Jody: Horses Carry Tales
Marty Robbins: El Paso

11:45: National Life
Hawkshaw Hawkins (host): I'll Get Even
Bill Monroe: Time Changes Everything
Jean Shepard: For The Children's Sake
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Fiddle Tune: Forked Deer

(By the way, for those interested, that first Prince Albert Show, along with all of those shows, are available to listen on the Country Music Hall of Fame Digital Archives Website). 

The following week, December 31st, Prince Albert was no longer an Opry sponsor, with the segment listed as "Sustaining." 

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

Merry Christmas to all!!

Monday, December 19, 2022

Tuesday Night Opry 12/20 & Final Opry Country Christmas Shows

It's Christmas Week and for the Grand Ole Opry, that means a full week of shows. On the schedule is the Tuesday Night Opry and the final two Opry Country Christmas shows, which will be taking place on Wednesday and Thursday nights. 

Let's start off with the Tuesday Night Opry which has Grand Ole Opry members Dailey & Vincent, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith and Riders In The Sky on the schedule. Tom Douglas, who did a series of shows from the Circle Room earlier this year, is also scheduled to perform. Rounding out the schedule are Zach Top, Andy Statman and comedian Aaron Weber. 

Tuesday December 20
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Jeannie Seely, Zach Top, Andy Statman
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Aaron Weber, Tom Douglas, Riders In The Sky

Moving ahead to the two Opry Country Christmas shows this week, Larry Gatlin will be hosting the final two shows, appearing with the Christmas show regulars, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy, Riders In The Sky, and of course, his brothers Steve and Rudy. Jason Crabb and Lorrie Morgan are the special guests on Wednesday night, while John Berry and Ricky Skaggs will help to close out the series on Thursday. 

Wednesday December 21
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Lorrie Morgan
Also Appearing: Gatlin Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy

Thursday December 22
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Ricky Skaggs
Also Appearing: Gatlin Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy

I know that the Christmas shows followed the same basic format, with the core group doing the same songs on each show, but I still enjoyed them, as did those attending. This was the second year for these shows and I am sure they will be back on the schedule again next year. 



Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 12/16 & 12/17

The subject of Grand Ole Opry members appearing on the Opry and how the process works has been brought up a few times. We all know from reading the older editions of the Grand Ole Opry History Picture Books that the Opry management would reach out to the various Opry members who were appearing on a particular Friday or Saturday night and ask if they were going to be in town and available for the following weekend. For the members not appearing, phone calls would be made to see if that particular member was available for the following weekend. In addition, talent agents and management of non-members would be called to see who was going to be in town and available for an Opry appearance if there were not enough members to fill out the lineups. 

After this process was completed, the lineups would be set, based on the number of Opry members available to appear. That number would vary. If 20 Opry members were available on a particular Saturday night, then 20 would be on the schedule. Even if the number was higher, such as 25, 30, or more, all those members would appear on at least one of the Friday or Saturday night shows. If there were any slots unfilled, then the non-members would be called. 

I bring that up because a question was asked of Bill Anderson in his recent monthly newsletter regarding his Opry appearances. Here is the question and Bill's answer: 

Does the Grand Ole Opry management schedule your appearances or is there a mutual discussion as to when you will appear?

At the beginning of each month, the Opry will e-mail a notice to all the members letting us know what nights the following month that Opry shows are scheduled. We are then asked to let the Opry know which of those nights we might be available to perform. The schedulers take it from there.

Of course, times have changed. There are now Opry shows almost every night of the week, and the number of artists on a show is much smaller, as the Opry shows are shorter in length and the artists now sing several songs instead of just one. Also, with the emphasis of having less Opry members on per show, and the scheduling of non-members, including the comedians and artists making their Opry debuts, that reduces the number of Opry members being asked to appear on the dates that they are available. 

I am not sure that answers any questions, but I thought it was good to share. 


After all the excitement last weekend, with the appearances by Carrie Underwood and the induction of Ashley McBryde, the Opry is back to one show each on Friday and Saturday night, both nights with very full and very solid lineups. 

The Friday Night Opry will feature Grand Ole Opry members John Conlee, Charlie McCoy and Ricky Skaggs, while Saturday's show has Bill Anderson, Lorrie Morgan, Bobby Osborne, Connie Smith, and a return appearance by Emmylou Harris. 

There is an interesting booking on the Friday Night Opry as John Driskell Hopkins will be appearing with Balsam Range and Debby Boone. Debby, of course, is the daughter of Pat Boone and the granddaughter of Opry legend Red Foley, while John Driskell Hopkins was one of the founding members of the Zac Brown Band.

Recording Christmas singles has become a tradition for Hopkins; “Snow” is his fourth. Along with his solo work, the singer-musician is a longtime member of the Zac Brown Band, who rallied to support him when he was diagnosed with ALS last year. He publicly shared the news in May and launched Hop on a Cure, his campaign to fund research into the disease and raise awareness. There is no known cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

It should be a special night at the Opry to see these wonderful performers on stage. 

Rounding out the non-members scheduled on Friday night are Jake Hoot, Avery Anna, Crowder, and making a return appearance, The Kentucky Headhunters. 

Guesting on Saturday night will be Gail Davies, who will be appearing with Emmylou, Holly Williams, comedian John Crist and making his Grand Ole Opry debut, Mitch Rossell. 

Friday December 16
7:00: Jake Hoot, John Conlee, John Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range w/Debby Boone, Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:15: Avery Anna, The Kentucky Headhunters, Crowder, Ricky Skaggs

Saturday December 17
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Connie Smith, Mitch Rossell, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press. Lorrie Morgan
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, John Crist, Opry Square Dancers, Holly Williams, Emmylou Harris and Gail Davies

A couple of very nice shows this weekend, with full lineups and a lot of variety. As a reminder, no live show on Circle television this weekend. 


Now from 50 years ago, Saturday December 16, 1972:

7:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Stu Phillips; Bill Carlisle
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Charlie Louvin; Stoney Cooper; Ernie Ashworth; Diane McCall
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Grandpa Jones; Roland White and Marty Stuart; Crook Brothers
8:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Justin Tubb
9:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Bob Luman; Hank Locklin; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; The 4 Guys
10:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Bill Carlisle; Ernie Ashworth
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Charlie Louvin; Stoney Cooper and Carol Lee Cooper; Roger Miller
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Roland White; George Morgan; Grandpa Jones; Marty Stuart
10:45: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jim Ed Brown; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Justin Tubb; Sam McGee
11:30: Hank Locklin (host); Stu Phillips; Bob Luman; The 4 Guys

(Marion Worth and Bobby Bare both were scheduled and cancelled, while George Morgan missed his first spot, thus only appearing on the 2nd half of the show. Wilma Lee Cooper was missing, while Hank Snow was back on the Opry after missing for a few weeks). 


We know that some Saturday nights are better than others, and one of those very good Saturday nights took place the week before Christmas in 1994. Both shows that night featured Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, Ricky Van Shelton, along with Travis Tritt and Rodney Crowell on the first show and Doug Stone on the late show. Here is the running order from Saturday December 17, 1994: 

1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Grandpa Jones (host): Old Blue
Wilma Lee Cooper: There's A Higher Power
Brother Oswald: The End of the World
Grandpa Jones: Gooseberry Pie

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Bill Monroe (host): I'm On My Way to the Old Home
Emmylou Harris: Beneath Still Waters
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Bill Monroe: Bluegrass Breakdown

7:00: Shoney's
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Bill Carlisle: Hand Me Down My Walking Cane
Osborne Brothers: Doin' My Time
Jean Shepard: Wabash Cannonball
Jimmy Dickens: When Your House is Not a Home

7:30: Standard Candy Company
Porter Wagoner (host): Howdy Neighbor Howdy
Travis Tritt: Can I Trust You with My Heart
Joe Diffie: Home
Vince Gill: Old Shep
Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie and Vince Gill: Wabash Cannonball
Joe Diffie: John Deer Green
Travis Tritt: I Walk the Line

8:00: Martha White
Mike Snider (host): Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Ricky Van Shelton: Hole in My Pocket/ White Christmas
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore/The Kind of Love I Can't Forget/Bubbles in My Beeer
Billy Dean: I Miss Billy The Kid/I Still Believe in Christmas
Mike Snider: 'T Was the Night Before Christmas

8:30: Kraft
Hank Snow (host): Silver Rails
The 4 Guys: Big River
Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Band
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Home for Christmas
The Whites: Move It on Over
Hank Snow: The Prisoner's Song

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General/Drs. Cream/Sunbeam/Tennessee Pride
Jimmy Dickens and Jeannie Seely: Jingle Bells
Vince Gill: Christmas is Finally Here
Bill Monroe: Christmas Time's 'A Comin'
Jeannie Seely, Jean Shepard and Jan Howard: Away in the Manger/Silver Bells/Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer/Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Ricky Van Shelton: White Christmas
Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Jingle Bells
Porter Wagoner: Happy Birthday Jesus
Emmylou Harris: Angel Eyes
Ricky Van Shelton: Please Come Home for Christmas
Joe Diffie: Mr. Christmas
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Jimmy Dickens: There's No Place Like Home for Christmas
Jeannie Seely and Grand Ole Opry Cast: Silent Night

10:30: Gruhn Guitar
Mike Snider (host): Shuckin' the Corn
Billy Walker: Adam's Side
Mike Snider: The Fur Coat

10:45: Fairfield Communities
The Whites (host): Poor Folks Pleasure
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
The Whites: Keep on the Sunny Side

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Right or Wrong
Charlie Walker: Smoke, Smoke, Smoke
The 4 Guys: Cottonfields/ Mariah
Doug Stone: On A 747 Tonight/Love Grows Best in Little Houses
Hank Snow: Bluebird Island

11:30: Cates Pickles
Jim Ed Brown (host): Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I Saw the Light/Gone At Last/I'll Fly Away
Jimmy C Newman: Cajuns Dream
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Johnny Russell: Ain't Cha Even Gonna Cry
Jim Ed Brown: Winter Wonderland/We Wish You a Merry Christmas

On the 2nd show, the first three segments basically ran together, although on the program Jimmy Dickens, Bill Monroe, Porter Wagoner and Grandpa Jones were listed as the hosts for the first four segments. And as you would expect, the show ran over that night. 

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. 










Sunday, December 11, 2022

Tuesday Night Opry 12/13 & Opry Country Christmas 12/15

Here is the lineup for the Tuesday Night Opry December 13:

7:00: Riders In The Sky, Hailey Whitters, Charles Esten, Del McCoury Band
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Lindsay Ell, Rhonda Vincent

Opry Country Christmas continues its run of shows with another show on Thursday night December 15. In addition to the regulars, the two special artists for this show will be The Band Trippp and Josh Turner. 

Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Josh Turner
Also Appearing: Gatlin Brothers, Charlie McCoy, Mandy Barnett, Riders In The Sky, The Band Trippp

These Christmas shows have been excellent and if the Nashville area, I highly recommend. 

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 12/9 & 12/10

Currently, there have been 230 members in the history of the Grand Ole Opry. That will change on Saturday night as Ashley McBryde will be formally inducted as the Grand Ole Opry's 231st member, and 71st member of the current cast. 

Ashley McBryde was raised in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. She became involved with music at a young age, while also developing a passion for writing songs. After attending Arkansas State University, she moved to Nashville in 2006/

Between 2006 and 2011, she released a pair of self-released albums. Her 2016 extended play (EP) titled Jalopies & Expensive Guitars drew attention from country artist Eric Church. His support helped her gain a country music recording contract with Warner Music Nashville. In 2017, the label released her debut single "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega". The song was followed by her corresponding studio release Girl Going Nowhere (2018). Both the album and the single received critical acclaim and led to recognition from several music associations. It was followed by 2019's Never Will, which was also met with critical acclaim. Its lead single "One Night Standards" reached the top 20 of the American country songs chart and topped the Canadian country survey. A four-time Grammy Award nominee, Ashley has also received one Country Music Association Award, three Academy of Country Music Awards and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy. 

While not a traditional country singer, Ashley as credited Mary Chapin Carpenter, Charlie Daniels, Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton and Hank Williams as among those who have influenced her music style. Her latest album, Lindeville, was released at the end of September. 

In what was a surprise to many, on October 6, Opry member Garth Brooks surprised Ashley with an invitation to become the Grand Ole Opry's newest member. 

While Ashley McBryde's Opry induction will be taking place on Saturday night, Friday night will also be a big night at the Opry as Opry member Carrie Underwood returns to the Opry stage once again, headlining two shows on Friday night. 

Along with Carrie, Opry members Jeannie Seely, Mandy Barnett, John Conlee and The Isaacs are on the schedule, along with the very popular Sara Evans, and making their Opry debut, CAIN. 

Back to Saturday night, which in addition to Ashley McBryde, will include Grand Ole Opry members Terri Clark, Ricky Skaggs, Gene Watson and Riders In The Sky. The only two non-Opry members scheduled to appear are Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys and making her Opry debut will be Grammy winning soul singer and songwriter, Joss Stone. 

Friday December 9
1st show
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Sara Evans, Mandy Barnett, CAIN
8:00: John Conlee, The Isaacs, Carrie Underwood

2nd show
9:30: Jeannie Seely, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, CAIN
10:30: Mandy Barnett, John Conlee, The Isaacs

Saturday December 10
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Ricky Skaggs, Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys, Gene Watson, Riders In The Sky
8:00: Terri Clark, Joss Stone, Ashley McBryde

2nd show
9:30; Opry Square Dancers, Terri Clark, Ricky Skaggs, Joss Stone, Gene Watson
10:30: Opry Square Dancers, Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys, Riders In The Sky, Ashley McBryde 

I have no word, nor have I heard any rumors as to who will be doing the induction of Ashley and presenting the Opry membership award. I know they like to keep that under wraps. It could be someone unannounced or it could be one of the Opry members already on the schedule. We will all be able to watch it live as Circle TV will be showing the 8:00 hour live. 


As mentioned, Friday night will be the Opry debut for CAIN, which consists of siblings Madison Cain Johnson, Taylor Cain Matz, and Logan Cain. Raised in Alabama, and children of pastors, they started in music at an early age. Their first attempt to crack the music business in Nashville was met with little success. leading to the group taking a break. They continued to live in Nashville and joined the praise team at their local church. This led to the decision to pursue Christian music, which was their true love. 

Since then, their career has taken off with over 150 million music streams and being named by Billboard, BDS, and Mediabase as the Most Played Artist on Christian radio. Their rewards and honors include the American Music Award (Favorite Inspirational Artist) and GMA Dove Award (Best New Artist) nominations along with their K-LOVE Fan Award win and other nominations. They also released their first Christmas EP Wonderful (in 2021) which offers duets with industry legends Steven Curtis Chapman and Mac Powell, the project also made American Songwriter’s “not to miss” top 15 holiday albums for the season. Most recently, CAIN has been touring with Steven Curtis Chapman, Zach Williams and Matthew West among others. 


Now from 50 years ago, Saturday December 9, 1972: 

7:00: Stonewall Jackson (host); Jean Shepard; Bill Carlisle; Del Wood
7:30: Tex Ritter (host); Connie Smith; Stoney Cooper; Harold Weakley
8:00: Roy Acuff (host); Roy Clark; Crook Brothers
8:30: Bill Monroe (host); Charlie Louvin; Stu Phillips; Diane McCall
9:00: George Morgan (host); Jim and Jesse; Charlie Rich; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Willis Brothers; The 4 Guys
10:00: Stonewall Jackson (host); Jean Shepard; Stoney Cooper; Bill Carlisle
10:15: Tex Ritter (host); Connie Smith; Del Wood
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Roy Clark
10:45: Bill Monroe (host); George Morgan; Crook Brothers; Stu Phillips
11:00: Charlie Louvin (host); Jim and Jesse; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); The 4 Guys; Charlie Rich

(Justin Tubb was scheduled for the 11:30 segment but canceled, while Stoney Cooper appeared without Wilma Lee, who was out of town). 

When Jamey Johnson was invited earlier this year to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Bill Anderson mentioned that Jamey had been guesting on the Opry for 17 years. That was correct as Jamey first appeared on the Opry on September 10, 2005. Because that first appearance was so successful, Jamey was invited back for future appearances, one of which took place on December 10, 2005. 

Here is the running order from that show 17 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Cracker Barrel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' At the Foot of the Bed
Connie Smith: The Keys In the Mailbox/Amazing Grace
Ray Scott: You're Gone Either Way/My Kind of Music
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn

7:00: Tootsie's
Mike Snider (host): Daley's Reel/Forked Deer
Jan Howard: White Christmas
Jack Greene: Statue of a Fool
Alicia Nugent: God's Own Floor/Listening to the Rain
Mike Snider: Fire on the Mountain

7:30: Standard Candy
Jean Shepard (host): Snowbird
Stu Phillips: C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya
Mountain Heart: I Remember You/Ride This Train
Jean Shepard: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels

8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Why Don't You Haul Off & Love Me
Jesse McReynolds: Road to Columbus
Mel McDaniel: Stand Up
Jamey Johnson: The Dollar
Opry Square Dance Band: Rachel
Porter Wagoner: Happy Birthday Jesus

8:30: Tennessee Pride
Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks Christmas
Jeannie Seely and Danny Davis: What's Going On in Your World
T. Graham Brown: Wine Into Water/Happy Ever After
Bill Anderson: Him & Me

2nd show
9:30: Cracker Barrel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Mike Snider: Bull at the Wagon/Black Mountain Rag
Ray Scott: You're Fine Either Way/My Kind of Music
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way

10:00: Martha White
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Connie Smith: Singing the Blues/Burning A Hole in My Mind
Mountain Heart: A Road I've Not Been Down/Little Liza Jane
Jim Ed Brown: The Old Lamplighter

10:30: Skaggs Family Christmas
Jean Shepard (host): Slippin' Away
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda/Cajun Stripper
Alicia Nugent: O' Beautiful Star of Bethlehem/Breaking New Ground
Opry Square Dance Band: Whiskey Before Breakfast
Jean Shepard: Waltz of the Angels

11:00: Skaggs Family Christmas
Bill Anderson (host): Walk Out Backwards
Mel McDaniel: Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On/Stand Up
Jamey Johnson: The Dollar/It Was Me
Bill Anderson: My Christmas List Grows Shorter Every Year

11:30: Johnny Walker Tours
Jeannie Seely (host): Winter Wonderland
Jesse McReynolds: Sittin' on Top of the World/Sally Goodin
T. Graham Brown: Wine Into Water/Use The Blues to Make You Feel Better
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Home for Christmas

The month of December always brings some Christmas music to the Opry and that night was no exception. As to Jamey Johnson, he would come back often to the Opry and made it well known that he would like to become a member someday. It took a while, but it did finally happen. 

There you have it for this week. Congratulations again to Ashley McBryde upon her induction as the Opry's newest member and we all look forward to seeing and hearing her often on the Opry. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 





Tuesday, December 6, 2022

December 6, 1964

I originally posted this back in 2016, but I thought it would be nice for some of the newer readers to the blog to post it again on this event that took place 58 years ago: 

On Sunday morning, December 6, 1964, Nashvillians awoke to find spread across the top of their newspapers an eight-column banner headline in bold type usually associated with war or public disaster: "OPRY DROPS 12 TOP STARS."

"Twelve top country and western music stars," the story read, "will not appear on the Grand Ole Opry in 1965 and have been prohibited from using the Opry name in their outside billings, it was learned yesterday. Another entertainer, long-time favorite Minnie Pearl, has been given a leave of absence from the show for the coming year, but will continue to use the Opry billing in her present contracts, a WSM spokesman said."

Dismissed from the Opry roster were George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells, the Jordanaires (background singers on Elvis Presley's records and concert dates), Faron Young, Ferlin Husky, Chet Atkins, Justin Tubb, Stonewall Jackson, and Ray Price. Opry officials, after using the policy only minimally before, had insisted on strict adherence to a rule that said Opry performers had to appear on twenty-six shows in a year to be retained on the roster.

WSM public relations director Bill Williams tried to put a best face on it, insisting, "Nobody is mad at anybody. It's just that periodically we have to take stock. It's just a routine thing." Irving Waugh, somewhat removed from the Opry in his capacity as general manager of the WSM television station, nevertheless thought the announcement was ill advised. He viewed the action as an "antagonism" of the country music community by WSM president Jack DeWitt.

Looking back on it, the "Purge of '64" might have been a monumental public relations goof. Within a day of the release of the original story, Opry manager Ott Devine had to remove Chet Atkins name from the list of the original twelve. His name should not have been included, Devine said, because "Chet has not been officially connected with the Opry for many years." That admission suggested to some that the entire incident reflected adversely on the quality of Opry management.

Money is what really generated the hassle. Faron Young remembered: "When they insisted on the twenty-six-week thing, I put a pen to it and figured it out. I was going to lose $180,000 a year to work the Opry twenty-six weeks out of the year."

Percentages paid by the artists to the WSM Artists' Service Bureau (make that read "booking agency") also were in contention. Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells's husband, explained: "They booked some of our dates, and then some of the dates were booked by our personal managers and booking agents. They were charging us fifteen percent on the dates they booked, and then if they didn't book a date, you still had to pay them five percent of the dates that you booked yourself. Some of the artists stopped paying the five percent, a lot of them. But Kitty and I paid it right up to the very last, and I told Ott Devine: 'Ott, I don't think it's fair for us to pay and some of them not paying it. Unless you get everybody to pay it, then I'm not going to pay it.' They didn't fire anyone. We just quit because we didn't want to pay the five percent."

Quit or fired? It didn't make a difference; the public perception was that their favorites had been summarily dismissed. If anything good came out of the incident, it was a realization in the city, in some quarters, for the first time, that the Grand Ole Opry was really important to Nashville.

On Tuesday December 8, the Nashville Tennessean ran an editorial under the heading: "Opry Has Duty of Protection." It said, "The Opry has been, and continues to be, the nucleus of Nashville's $40 million music industry. There is hardly a successful music enterprise in the city that does not owe its origin and its longevity to the Opry. Thus, it seems the Opry has a responsibility to compel observance of reasonable restrictions for its own protection and for the protection of the rest of the music industry in Nashville."

"Most of the thousands of people who line up at the Opry House every Friday and Saturday night have traveled long distances to see in person the stars they have come to love by radio. It must be a disappointment for these fans to arrive at the Opry on this one big night for them and find that their favorite stars have found a more profitable audience in some other state. Opry Manager Ott Devine says the 11 released stars will be missed. And they will be. But there is a feeling that such a loss would be more keenly felt if the stars had not already been missed too often at the Opry."

With that, the Tennessean put the onus squarely on the artists, perhaps unfairly. But a lesson was learned, expressed best in a bit of old country philosophy: "Don't try to fix what ain't broke."

Bill Anderson later said: "That was a surprise. I'd never signed a contract saying that I would be in twenty-six times a year. I had the same manager as Faron and Ferlin, and I just felt that they made the choice to work the road. Hubert Long was our manager, and I remember him coming to me at that time and saying, 'Do you realize how much money it's costing you to be on the Grand Ole Opry? I could book you out on the road and you're down there making eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents.' I considered leaving, but my father, who knows nothing about show business but a lot about human nature, gave me as good a piece of advice as I've ever gotten. He said, 'Son, look around you.' The Opry was owned by National Life, and he said, 'Maybe the Opry isn't at the very top, but these people haven't gotten to the level they're at by being stupid. They'll turn things around, and you'll be glad you stayed.' I took his word and it's some of the best advice I've got in my life."

Ott Devine eventually relaxed the requirement to twenty weeks per year, and explained the situation in a letter to Earl Scruggs:

"It has not been and never will be possible to stage the Grand Ole Opry as we know it and compete with the road show in talent fees. The talent fees have doubled since 1962 and as you know, each weekend we schedule several times the number of musicians that a road show would carry. The number and cost of firemen, policemen, ushers, ticket takers, etc. we are forced to employ has increased each year."

"It was never our intention to ban for life those persons unable to meet our requirements as to the number of Saturday nights at the Opry House. We were not angry with them then or now. Some felt we were too harsh in not allowing the acts to even guest with us in 1965. Some felt we were not strict enough. In my opinion, all were treated as fairly as possible. We feel that the twenty-week requirement settled upon last year is fair to the artist who wishes to remain a member of the Grand Ole Opry and fair to the audience which travels hundreds of miles to see you here in Nashville. We will continue maintaining and improving the Grand Ole Opry, and hope that you will continue to appreciate its value to you."

Interesting when you look back on this event 52 years later. Of those fired, several would return as Opry members: George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Justin Tubb and Stonewall Jackson. Minnie Pearl did return a year later from her leave of absence. Of those who did return, all but Don Gibson would become Opry "regulars" as far as their appearances. Kitty Wells would never become an Opry member again, although there was a report that later in life, she asked to be reinstated as an Opry member, but was refused. (While not a part of the Purge of 64, Earl Scruggs reportedly made the same request and was also told no). Johnny Wright, the Jordanaires, Ferlin Husky, Faron Young and Ray Price would come back to the Opry, not as members, but by making guest appearances. As to Chet Atkins: no, he was never officially an Opry member, but Chet would come back as an Opry guest.

It can be debated if the Ott Devine and the Opry's management made the right decision in firing the members who were not supporting the show. If nothing else, it had an effect as it forced the Opry's members to actually appear on the show at least twenty weeks of the year or face the consequences. While those eleven were the only ones officially fired, others would leave the show over the next decade, including such artists as Willie Nelson, Bobby Lord, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Bobby Bare, Norma Jean, The Glaser Brothers, Sonny James, Leroy Van Dyke, and two who joined during the 1970s and 1980s, Don Williams and B.J. Thomas. By the mid-1980's, Bud Wendall and Hal Durham had dropped appearance requirements for new members. This policy would continue under Bob Whittaker. In 1999, Pete Fisher became the Opry's general manager, and he has worked at trying to require ten annual appearances by those he has asked to join the cast. At best, the results have been mixed.

The Grand Ole Opry cannot go back to the way it was in the 1960s, when Opry members were expected and required to perform weekly on the show. But I do believe that as an Opry member, there is an obligation to support the show and to be there on a somewhat regular basis. I realize it is tough for some acts and a lot of money can be lost by not being on the road. But each Opry member had a choice when asked. If they were not inclined to support the show, then the invitation could have been declined. And in the case of a few, it should have been.

Update: 
That was what I wrote back in 2016. Since that time, the Opry has basically dropped any attendance requirements, although the Opry would like its members to appear when they can. And it is nice to see that the majority of those who have joined the Opry in the past five or six years are actually appearing and supporting the show. Hopefully that trend will continue. 

One last final note regarding Chet Atkins: Apparently, he was an Opry member after all. Backstage at the Opry House there is the wall that lists every Opry member, in order of joining. There are 230 names on the wall. One of them is Chet Atkins. 

Monday, December 5, 2022

Tuesday Night Opry 12/6 & Opry Country Classics 12/8

Looking at the artists scheduled for the Tuesday Night Opry this week, Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and Rhonda Vincent are listed on the schedule. 

Also listed is comedian Killer Beaz, The Travelin' McCoury's (which is the Del McCoury Band without Del). Kat & Alex, Tenille Arts and Tyler Rich. 


Opry Country Classics returns for another show on Thursday night. In addition to the core group of regulars, the special guests on Thursday will be Opry member Jeannie Seely and Steven Curtis Chapman. 

Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Steven Curtis Chapma
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Riders In The Sky, Charlie McCoy, Jeannie Seely


Saturday, December 3, 2022

December Opry Highlights

How fast has this year gone? It is hard to believe, but we are entering December. The final month of the year and the holiday season. Here we go with the important dates in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, along with their members, that took place in the month of December. 

December 2, 1889: Herman Crook was born. Herman was one of the Opry's original members, joining the show when it was still called the WSM Barn Dance. Herman's first Opry appearance was on July 24, 1926, and he was with the show until his death in June 1988, just short of 62 years. When he passed away, the Crook Brothers were the last of the originals on the Opry, and they never wavered from the traditional string band sound. As Roy Acuff said, "He loved country music, but he wanted it country. He didn't go for any of this rock n' roll type stuff."

December 14, 1899: DeFord Bailey was born. DeFord was another of the Opry's original members, making his first appearance on June 19, 1926. DeFord was there the night Opry founder George D. Hay changed the name of the show from the WSM Barn Dance to the Grand Ole Opry, and he played the first song on the newly named show. DeFord was with the Opry until he was fired in 1941, in a move that left DeFord very bitter. Despite repeated efforts by Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl and Bill Monroe, among others, DeFord stayed away from the Opry until returning on February 23, 1974, when he appeared for the Opry's first reunion show. DeFord would make several more Opry appearances before passing away in 1982. In 2005 he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

December 11, 1914: James Clell "Tex" Summey was born. Known professionally as Cousin Jody, he first came to the Opry with Roy Acuff in 1937, and he later worked with Pee Wee King and Lonzo & Oscar. He also performed as a solo act, until health issues forced him to retire. He passed away in 1975, and it should be noted that he was the first person to play the dobro and steel guitar on the Opry stage and he was the one who brought the original dobro sound with Roy Acuff.

December 19, 1920: Jimmy Dickens was born in Bolt, West Virginia. Jimmy first came to the Opry in 1948. While he left the show for a period of time, Jimmy returned to the Opry in 1975 and remained an Opry member until his death in January 2015. It is pretty safe to say that at the time of his death, Jimmy might have been the most beloved member of the Opry. He was certainly popular and at times, very funny.

December 12, 1925: Dr. Humphrey Bate and his group, soon to be known as the Possum Hunters, appeared for the first time on George D. Hay's Saturday night program. There are many who feel that Dr. Bate was the first performer to play country music on a Nashville radio station.

December 19, 1925: Future Grand Ole Opry member, Uncle Dave Macon, made his first appearance on the WSM Barn Dance. Uncle Dave was considered one of the first professional entertainers to appear on the Barn Dance show. 

December 26, 1925: The WSM Barn Dance was formally listed for the first time on the WSM program schedule that was printed in the Nashville Tennessean. The listing read, "Because of this recent revival in the popularity of the old familiar tunes, WSM has arranged to have an hour or two every Saturday night starting Saturday December 26. Uncle Dave Macon, the oldest banjo picker in Dixie, and who comes from Readyville, Tennessee, and Uncle Jimmy Thompson of Martha, Tennessee, will answer any requests for old-time melodies."

December 5, 1926: While upgrading its signal, WSM radio goes off the air through the end of the year. The signal was upgraded from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts. Because of this, the WSM Barn Dance missed a couple of Saturday night shows. 

December 10, 1927: While there seems to be some confusion as to the exact date, it would appear that his was the date that the WSM Barn Dance became known as the Grand Ole Opry. The Barn Dance came on the air at 8:00. In the hour prior to the start of the Barn Dance program, WSM aired a classical musical show on the NBC radio network called "Music Appreciation Hour." At the conclusion of the Music Hour show that particular night, Barn Dance founder George D. Hay announced, "For the past hour we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera; from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry." While this is the story that was told by George D. Hay, there seem to be no independent verification of this event. In fact, some historians who have looked back at the WSM program schedules, believe that the date was actually December 8, 1928, a year later, as the "Music Appreciation Hour" did not begin on WSM until that year. However, to back up the 1927 claim, others have pointed out that on December 11, 1927, the Nashville Tennessean used the word "Grand Ole Opry" in their editions of the paper. Either way, the new name stuck. Either way, the Opry recognizes this date as the official start of the "Grand Ole Opry." 

December 17, 1927: George W. Wilkerson and his Fruit Jar Drinkers first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. Along with the Crook Brothers, the Fruit Jar Drinkers would continue on the Opry into the 1980s. 

December 29, 1928: Uncle Jimmy Thompson, the first performer on the Grand Ole Opry made his final appearance on the program. It has been written that Uncle Jimmy was not the best person to work with. 

December 13, 1930: Grand Ole Opry member Buck White was born. Along with his daughters Sharon and Cheryl, The Whites have been Opry members since 1984. The Whites had not appeared on the Opry since March 2020; however, they made a return to the show this pass October and Buck was with the girls. 

December 7, 1931: Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Osborne was born in Leslie County, Kentucky. Along with his brother Sonny, Bobby became an Opry member in 1964. At the age of 91 Bobby still appears often on the Opry and, of course, always does "Rocky Top," sounding as good as ever.

December 7, 1940: After making several guest appearances during the month of November, this is the first date that Minnie Pearl is listed in the Opry program as a regular member of the Opry.

December 30, 1944: Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, appearing on the Prince Albert portion of the show that was broadcast on the NBC radio network. Minnie Pearl, who was there that night, remembered that a lady in the balcony was so excited that she fell out of the balcony onto the Ryman stage. And after Roy Acuff heard the electrified fiddles that Bob brought, he made the statement that the Opry would be ruined forever. What is interesting, that while Bob brought electrified fiddles with him, both Pee Wee King and Ernest Tubb had been playing electric instruments on the Opry previous to that night. There is another story from that night, regarding the use of drums and Bob being told to keep his drummer behind the curtain. Much like the electric fiddles, Bob's drummer was not the first to drum on the Opry, as Harold "Sticks" McDonald, a member of Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys, had brought drums to the Opry several years prior. He supposedly used them for a couple of weeks until George D. Hay told Pee Wee to take the drums home and leave them there. While that may be true, within a few years, many of the Opry's acts included drums.

December 8, 1945: Earl Scruggs made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. He was the final member to join what many consider the greatest of Bill's many renditions of the Blue Grass Boys, and what many feel was the greatest bluegrass band ever. That group included Lester Flatt, Chubby Wise and Harold Watts. This group would only stay together until 1948. After leaving Bill's group, Earl would team up with Lester Flatt, before moving on to play a more progressive sound with his sons.

December 30, 1950: Future Grand Ole Opry member, for a very short time, Lefty Frizzell, made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He did his two big hits, "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time," and "I Love You A Thousand Ways." 

December 28, 1956: Grand Ole Opry member George Morgan quit the Opry in order to appear on a competing radio station and the Ozark Jubilee. He would return to the Opry several years later. 

December 7, 1957: One of the Grand Ole Opry's early homes, the Dixie Tabernacle, burnt down as fire destroyed the building which was on the east side of Nashville. While the name of the building sounds impressive, it actually had benches to sit on and sawdust on the floors. 

December 21, 1957: Elvis Presley made a backstage visit to the Grand Ole Opry where he was seen visiting with several Opry members including Hank Snow, Ray Price and Faron Young. While he didn't perform that night, he did go out on stage and wave to the audience.

December 28, 1958: Grand Ole Opry member Joe Diffie was born. Sadly, Joe passed away in 2020 from Covid. He has certainly been missed. 

December 12, 1959: While performing on the Opry, Bill Monroe was served with divorce papers from his wife, Carolyn Brown. She charged that Bill was having an affair with his bass player, Bessie Lee Mauldin. The story goes that Carolyn was waiting for Bill outside the Opry that night and when he came out the Ryman's back door, she really laid into him.

December 24, 1960: The final Prince Albert Grand Ole Opry show was broadcast on the NBC network. The decline of radio and the rise of television led to the decision to end the Opry's broadcasts. Hank Snow was the host for that final broadcast, and I am happy to say that I have a recording of that show.

December 3, 1961: "Doctor" Lew Childre passed away. Lew, who was born in 1901, became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1945. He remained with the Opry through most of the 1950's.

December 6, 1964: The Grand Ole Opry fired 12 of its members for failing to meet the required number of yearly appearances on the show. The Nashville Tennessean wrote, "Twelve top country and western stars will not appear on the Grand Ole Opry in 1965 and have been prohibited from using the Opry name in their outside billings, it was learned yesterday. Another entertainer, long-time favorite Minnie Pearl, has been given a leave of absence from the show for the coming year, but will continue to use the Opry billing in her present contracts," a WSM spokesman said. Those who were dismissed from the Opry were George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells, the Jordanaires, Faron Young, Ferlin Husky, Chet Atkins, Justin Tubb, Stonewall Jackson and Ray Price. It was later found that Chet Atkins was not an actual Opry member, which led to some comments concerning if the Opry's management really knew what was going on at the show. At the time, Opry members were required to appear 26 times per year. Many of those fired would later return to the show as members, including George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Justin Tubb and Stonewall Jackson, while Minnie Pearl would return after her leave of absence. While never rejoining the cast, the remaining ones would appear on the show as guest artists.

December 23, 1967: Jack Greene became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jack started as a member of Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours before going on to a very successful solo career. Jack would remain an Opry member until his death in 2013. During his induction he sang his monster hit "There Goes My Everything." 

December 14, 1973: Lorrie Morgan, age 14, made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Lorrie was brought on stage by her father, Opry member George Morgan. She sang "Paper Roses." A decade later, Lorrie would become an Opry member.

December 15, 1973: Grand Ole Opry member Skeeter Davis was suspended by the Opry's management for comments she had made the previous Saturday night while performing on the Opry. As Skeeter said, "Hank Williams got kicked off the Opry for drinkin' too much old wine. Me? I got kicked off for singing about the new wine." What actually happened was that Skeeter was on her way to the Ryman Auditorium for an Opry appearance when she witnessed the arrest of what were known as "Jesus Freaks," which was another name for the young people who were protesting not only in Nashville, but around the country. The arrests enraged Skeeter, and, on the Opry, she expressed her rage by talking about it, singing about it, and weeping about it. When she came off the stage after performing, she faced an angry Opry management. She was told that she was no longer considered an Opry member. Happily, for all, and especially for Skeeter, she was invited back to the Opry 18 months later.

December 29, 1973: Opry member Tex Ritter made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. Tex, who had joined the Opry in 1965, would pass away after suffering a heart attack, the following week.

December 7, 1976: Roy Acuff gave an interview to the Nashville Banner in which he stated that the Ryman Auditorium, the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, should be torn down to keep tourists away from Lower Broadway, which had turned into a very troubled area of town. Thankfully, others had a different opinion and while the building sat empty for many years, it eventually was modernized and has become the premier concert venue in Nashville. 

December 25, 1976: Larry, Steve and Rudy, The Gatlin Brothers, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 46th year as Opry members, and according to my records, the only members to join the cast on Christmas day. In addition to their Opry appearances, Larry Gatlin serves as host of the Opry Country Classics show held in the Spring and Fall. 

December 12, 1978: ABC aired "Merry Christmas From The Grand Ole Opry," a holiday special that featured Crystal Gayle, Chet Atkins, Roy Acuff, Barbara Mandrell and Minnie Pearl.

December 27, 1978: Grand Ole Opry member Bob Luman passed away at the age of 41. Bob joined the Opry in 1965 and was known for his rockabilly sound that was very popular with many of the Opry's younger fans. While some on the Opry felt Bob's music had too much rock in it, he was a popular member of the cast and enjoyed great support. His last Grand Ole Opry appearance was on Saturday December 2, 1978, while Friday December 15 was his final Friday Night Opry appearance.

December 15, 1979: Kelly Foxton made her first Grand Ole Opry appearance as Hank Snow's new duet partner. It was an interesting pairing to say the least. Many feel it was an attempt by Hank to rejuvenate his career that had grown stagnate.  

December 26, 1981: Kelly Foxton made her final Grand Ole Opry appearance as Hank Snow's duet partner. The partnership, which produced several albums, never really succeeded. 

December 8, 1982: Marty Robbins passed away in a Nashville hospital at the age of 57. Probably the Opry's most popular member, he was famous for hosting the 11:30 segment when he was in town and making the last half hour of the Opry his own, often performing well past the traditional midnight sign off time. Just that previous October, Marty had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

December 10, 1982: Longtime Smoky Mountain Boy Jimmy Riddle passed away. Over the years, Jimmy was an integral part of Roy Acuff's sound.

December 24, 1983: Longtime Grand Ole Opry sponsor Kellogg's sponsored the 9:30 segment of the Opry for the final time. The following week, Dollar General would assume the sponsorship. One of the joys of listening to the Kellogg's segment on the Opry was hearing the Willis Brothers singing the Kellogg's theme. 

December 7, 1984: Roy Acuff returned to the Grand Ole Opry, recovering from heart related issues that kept him off the Opry since summer. 

December 20, 1986: Randy Travis became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Randy's 36th year as an Opry member. Randy had a string of hits in the 1980s and 1990s and helped to bring back a more traditional sound to country music. Sadly, Randy has suffered a serious of health setbacks and will probably never perform on the Opry again. However, he has visited the show several times in the past couple of years, and he always receives a great audience response when introduced on stage. Randy is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

December 17, 1993: Herman Harper, the famous and very popular bass singer for the Carol Lee Singers, passed away. Herman had been a member of the Oak Ridge Boys back in the day when they were considered one of the country's top gospel acts. Herman last appeared on the Opry several weeks prior.

December 24, 1994: Vic Willis was scheduled to perform on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. The Willis Brothers, originally known as the Oklahoma Wranglers, came to the Opry in 1946. After leaving in 1949 to tour with Eddy Arnold, they returned in 1957. In addition to Vic, the group included brothers Guy and Skeeter. Skeeter had passed away in 1976, while Guy retired in 1979 due to health issues. Vic continued on, forming the Vic Willis Trio, until he passed away early in 1995 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

December 30, 1994: Grand Ole Gospel Time, which followed the Friday Night Opry and hosted by Reverend Jimmie Snow, Hank's son, was broadcast for the final time. The show was taped on Friday night and broadcast on WSM Sunday mornings. Airing for 23 years, the show would feature a number of Grand Ole Opry performers including Connie Smith, Billy Walker and Roy Acuff, and feature such guests as Johnny Cash and Dennis Weaver.

December 10, 1996: Faron Young passed away in Nashville in what was a tragic end to his life. Faron was a former member of the Grand Ole Opry and was fired as part of the "Purge of 64." While he never rejoined the Opry's cast, Faron would come back and make several guest appearances.

December 19, 1999: Former Grand Ole Opry member Marion Worth passed away at the age of 69. Marion joined the Opry in 1963, and while never a superstar, she was very entertaining and a fan favorite. She left the Opry cast in 1980, when she went into semi-retirement and continued to perform for a time in Las Vegas.

December 20, 1999: The legendary Hank Snow passed away at his Rainbow Ranch in Madison, Tennessee after a period of declining health. Hank joined the Opry in January 1950 and was just weeks shy of 50 years of Opry membership. Hank last appeared on the Opry in September 1996 and is considered one of the all-time Opry greats.

December 16, 2000: Brad Paisley was surprised on stage by Jimmy Dickens and Jeannie Seely, in a segment hosted by Bill Anderson. Jimmy & Jeannie were dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the reason for the surprise visit was the delivery of an invitation for Brad to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Brad tearfully accepted and the following February he would officially join the cast.

December 30, 2000: Grand Ole Opry member Skeeter Davis made her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Skeeter, who had been battling various illnesses, would enter a period of declining health that made it difficult for her to continue performing. Skeeter passed away in December 2004. Additionally, after being notified the previous month that he was being terminated, this was the final night that Jerry Strobel was employed as the Opry House manager. Jerry had worked at the Opry for over 30 years.

December 21, 2001: Josh Turner made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. His debut song was "Long Black Train" after which Josh received a standing ovation. Over the next several years, Josh would make dozens and dozens of guest appearances, until finally becoming a member in October 2008.

December 14, 2002: Toby Keith made his Opry debut. While he has never become an Opry member, he has appeared on the Opry a few times over the years. 

December 31, 2002: Grand Ole Opry member Jim McReynolds, one half of Jim & Jesse, passed away in Gallatin, Tennessee after a long illness. Jim & Jesse, along with the Virginia Boys, became Opry members in March 1964, and are considered one of the greatest acts in bluegrass music history.

January 13, 2003: The Louvin Brothers were honored with a special tribute at the Grand Ole Opry, in conjunction with the release of the album "Livin,' Lovin,' Losin." In 2004, the album won a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. The tribute took place during the televised portion of the show that night and did include Charlie Louvin. 

December 16, 2004: Former Grand Ole Opry member Martha Carson passed away. Martha was a member of the Opry in the 1950s. She left the Opry for a year, taking a leave of absence, however when it came time for her to return, the Opry told her they had no room for her. While she claimed to never have appeared on the Opry again, she did make several guest appearances before her death and also hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree a few times. 

December 30, 2006: The Grand Ole Opry's 2nd Saturday night show concluded at midnight for the final time. The following week, both Saturday Grand Ole Opry shows were cut to 2 hours, with the late show ending at 11:30.

December 29, 2007: Dailey & Vincent made their Grand Ole Opry debut as a duo. Both had appeared on the Opry previously with other performers, Jamie Dailey with Doyle Lawson and Darrin Vincent with Ricky Skaggs. 

December 16, 2011: Grand Ole Opry member Jack Greene made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Jack, who joined the cast in 1967, was in declining health which forced him into retirement. Jack passed away in 2013 from Alzheimer's. Just as he began his Opry membership, he finished with "There Goes My Everything." 

December 13, 2013: Grand Ole Opry member Joe Diffie was honored for 20 years of Opry membership. Joining Joe on the Opry that evening were Opry members Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.

December 14, 2013: Rock legend Peter Frampton made his Grand Ole Opry debut, performing with Ricky Skaggs. They performed two of Peter's big hits, "Show Me The Way" and "Baby, I Love Your Way." It was another special night at the Opry. 

December 20, 2014: Grand Ole Opry member Jimmy Dickens made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. On Christmas Day, Jimmy was admitted to a Nashville hospital and would pass away shortly after the first of the year. Jimmy's final song? "Out Behind the Barn."

December 4, 2015: "American Saturday Night: Live At The Grand Ole Opry" debuts in movie theaters. The picture featured performances by Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, The Band Perry and Brett Eldredge.

December 11, 2015: Grand Ole Opry member Mel Tillis made his final Opry appearance on the Friday Night Opry. Mel, who joined the Opry in 2007, entered a period of declining health after the first of the year, that would ultimately lead to his passing in November 2017.

December 17, 2016: Brad Paisley sang "Out Behind The Barn," then unveiled a wax statue of Little Jimmy Dickens during the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. The figure will go on display when Madame Tussauds opens a Music City location in the spring

December 30, 2016: During a guest appearance on the Friday Night Opry, Marty Stuart, with help from John Carter Cash, surprised Dailey & Vincent with an invitation to become the Opry's newest members. This was also the 100th guest appearance for Dailey & Vincent. Their actual Opry induction would take place the following March.

December 1, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart celebrated his 25th anniversary as member of the Opry. Helping Marty celebrate were Connie Smith, Charlie Worsham, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dallas Frazier, Kenny Lovelace, Marty's mother Hilda, and the Grand Ole Opry Square Dancers.

December 23, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member Ray Pillow made his final appearance on the Opry. Ray, who joined the Opry cast in 1966, apparently has made the decision to retire from performing.

December 31, 2017: Longtime Grand Ole Opry announcer, and WSM personality, Hairl Hensley passed away. Hairl was a WSM and Grand Ole Opry announcer for 35 years, joining the station in 1972. He was a member of the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame.

December 21, 2018: Grand Ole Opry Staff Band member Jimmy Capps was honored upon his 60th anniversary of performing on the Grand Ole Opry. Jimmy originally came to the Opry as part of the Louvin Brothers group and continued after they left. In honor of Jimmy, the rehearsal room backstage at the Opry House was renamed the "Jimmy Capps Music Room." Jimmy, who passed away in 2020 after a short illness, should receive some future consideration for the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

December 21, 2018: On the same night that Jimmy Capps was honored, Vince Gill surprised long-time and frequent Opry guest Mark Wills with an invitation to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Mark had made many Opry appearances over his career and his membership was well deserved. 

December 6, 2019: The legendary singer Dionne Warwick made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. 

December 12, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Charley Pride passed away from Covid. Charley had been an Opry member for over 25 years and always received a huge ovation each time he appeared. Charley is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

December 4, 2021: 60-year Grand Ole Opry member Stonewall Jackson passed away after a period of declining health. Stonewall's last appearance took place in November 2016 when he was recognized upon his 60th anniversary upon becoming an Opry member. 

December 18, 2021: Lauren Alaina was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Opry member Trisha Yearwood surprised Trisha with the invitation, which finished out a busy year at the Opry. Lauren's actual induction took place early in 2022. 

There you have it for the final month of the year. As usual at the Opry, there was a lot of activity during the month.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 12/2 & 12/3

Another of the Grand Ole Opry members who has yet to appear in 2022 comes off the list this weekend as Emmylou Harris is scheduled for the Friday Night Opry. Emmylou will be appearing with her longtime friend and collaborator Rodney Crowell. 

With the return of Emmylou to the Opry, that just leaves the following "active" members who have yet to appear this year: Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dolly Parton and Travis Tritt. (I will mention that both Ronnie and Travis have stopped touring due to illness, however both were active for the majority of the year). I mentioned it before, but I think the real disappointments on the list are Diamond Rio, Martina and Old Crow. Those three were touring for most of the year and had ample opportunities to appear on the Opry. 

Let's set those folks aside and concentrate on the Opry members who will be on the Opry this weekend. In addition to Emmylou, the Friday Night Opry has Connie Smith, John Conlee and Mandy Barnett on the schedule, while Saturday's Grand Ole Opry lists Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Sharon White and Don Schlitz as scheduled to appear. 

In addition to Rodney Crowell, others who will be guesting on Friday include Logan Mize, Louis York and The War and Treaty. 

There is an interesting pairing schedule for Saturday night as Becky Buller will be appearing with Sharon White and the legendary Fairfield Four. That promises to be a good one. Additionally, Chapel Hart will be making another Opry appearance and I am sure it will be just as memorable as their previous ones. 

Rounding out Saturday night will be Suzy Bogguss, Frank Ray and making his Opry debut, Dalton Dover. 

No live Circle TV this weekend and no comedians on the schedule. 

Friday December 2
7:00: Connie Smith, Logan Mize, John Conlee, Louis York
Intermission
8:15: Mandy Barnett, The War and Treaty, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

Saturday December 3
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, Dalton Dover, Jeannie Seely, Becky Buller Band w/Sharon White and The Fairfield Four
Intermission
8:15: Frank Ray, Suzy Bogguss, Opry Square Dancers, Chapel Hart, Don Schlitz


Now from 50 years ago, Saturday December 2, 1972:

7:00: Billy Walker (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; The 4 Guys
7:30: Wilburn Brothers (host); Stringbean; Jeanne Pruett; Jimmy Capps and Hal Rugg
8:00: Tex Ritter (host); Grandpa Jones; Anne Murray; Crook Brothers
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jim Ed Brown; Karen Wheeler; Brother Oswald; Onie Wheeler
9:00: Del Reeves (host); Stu Phillips; Jamey Ryan; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Charlie Walker (host); Willis Brothers; Gordy Tapp; Carolee Snow; Jimmy Riddle
10:00: Wilburn Brothers (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; The 4 Guys
10:15: Tex Ritter (host); Stringbean; Jeanne Pruett
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Grandpa Jones; Anne Murray
10:45: Del Reeves (host); Stu Phillips; Crook Brothers
11:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Willis Brothers; Cates Sisters; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Tompall (host); and The Glaser Brothers; Jamey Ryan; Charlie Walker

(Justin Tubb and Marion Worth both cancelled, while Billy Walker and Tompall and The Glaser Brothers had only one spot. It was the Grand Ole Opry debut for Anne Murray, while some will remember Jamey Ryan as being married to Charlie Dick). 


Lee Greenwood gave an interview at one time, years ago, where he stated that he had been asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He said that he declined because he was so busy doing road dates and appearing in Las Vegas that he felt it wouldn't be right for him to join the Opry. He added that even though he declined Opry membership, he was told that he had an open invitation to appear on the Opry whenever he wished. One of those nights was on December 3, 1988. 

Here is the running order from that night 34 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time/Looking at the World Through a Windshield
Boxcar Willie: The Wreck of the Old 97
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me

6:45: Rudy's
Jim Ed Brown (host): Mariah
Lorrie Morgan: I Wish That I Could Fall in Love Today
Jim Ed Brown: A Child is Born

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Carroll County Accident
Connie Smith: Walkin' After Midnight
Jimmy C Newman: The Cajun Way
The 4 Guys: What'll You Do About Me
Jimmy Dickens: Me & My Big Loudmouth
Porter Wagoner: Forty Miles From Poplar Bluff
Kathy Koon: Sally Goodin

7:30: Standard Candy
Ricky Skaggs (host): I'm Tired
Jerry Clower: The Coon Hunt
Lee Greenwood: Hearts Aren't Made to Break/You Can't Fall in Love When You're Crying
Ricky Skaggs: Wheel Hoss

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby/Country Sunshine
Roy Drusky: Too Old to Die Young/One Day at a Time
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Grey Eagle
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

8:30: Music Valley Drive
Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore
Jack Greene: Our Time
Jean Shepard: At The Time
Jim and Jesse: A Rider in the Rain
Charlie Louvin: When I Stop Dreaming
Hank Snow: It Kinda Reminds Me of Me

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Border
Wilma Lee Cooper: Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill
Del Reeves: Orange Blossom Special
Billy Walker: Can I Just Call You Up Now & Then
Jimmy Dickens: Sleepin' At the Foot of the Bed
David Houston: My Elusive Dreams
Porter Wagoner: Ole Slewfoot

10:00: Little Debbie
Boxcar Willie (host): Fireball Mail/Train of Love/Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/Wreck of the Old 97/I'm Moving On/Wabash Cannonball/Night Train to Memphis
Lee Greenwood: Dixie Road/It Turns Me Inside Out

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry

10:30: Pet Milk
Jerry Clower (host): Pessimistic Barber
Ray Pillow: Lucky Me
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted

10:45: B.C. Powder
Ricky Skaggs (host): Christmas Time's A Comin'
Jeannie Seely: Why Doesn't He Just Leave Me Alone
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Ragtime Annie
Ricky Skaggs: Country Boy

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Gonna Find Me a Bluebird
Jean Shepard: Many Happy Hangovers to You
Jim and Jesse: I'm Gonna Love You One More Time
Justin Tubb: Blue Eyed Elaine
Jack Greene: I'll Be Home on Christmas Day
Hank Snow: Lord, I Do Believe

11:30: Creamette
Jimmy C Newman (host): Cajun's Dream
The 4 Guys: Turn Around, Look at Me
Charlie Louvin: 'Til the End
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby/Every Time Two Fools Collide
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya

You know, when all was said and done, I'm sorry that Lee declined the invitation to join the Opry. I think he would have made a good member. 


To finish it up for this week, the third in the series of Opry Country Christmas shows will take place on Sunday December 4. Besides the regular Christmas show artists, the Sunday show will feature Scotty McCreery and Louise Mandrell. 

Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Scotty McCreery
Also Appearing: Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Riders In The Sky, Charlie McCoy, Louise Mandrell

With that, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 



J



Monday, November 28, 2022

Tuesday Night Opry 11/29 & Opry Country Christmas 12/1

A very nice Tuesday Night Opry this week that will feature Grand Ole Opry members Vince Gill, Jamey Johnson, Dailey & Vincent and Trace Adkins. While Trace has not made as many Opry appearances as he has in the past, Jamey Johnson has certainly filled the void. Since his Opry induction, Jamey has continued to show why he as a good choice to become a member of the Opry. As he stated one night at the Opry, he was committed to supporting the show and would be appearing regularly. 

Also appearing on Tuesday night will be comedian Gary Mule Deer, who was one of the acts on the televised Opry portion last Saturday night. He will be joined by Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Erin Kinsey, and making his Opry debut, Jack Schneider. 

Tuesday November 29
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Erin Kinsey, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Jamey Johnson
Intermission
8:15: Gary Mule Deer, Jack Schnieder, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins

This past weekend my wife and I attended the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night, and Opry Country Christmas on Sunday evening. On Thursday night, the 2nd in the series of Opry Country Christmas shows will be taking place, again hosted by Larry Gatlin. Also scheduled to appear are the Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy and Riders In The Sky. Those are the artists that will be appearing on each of the eight shows on the schedule. Each show will also feature two additional acts, one of which will be the Spotlight Artist and will close the show. The Spotlight Artist on Thursday night will be Opry member Lauren Alaina, while the additional act will be Rhonda Vincent. 

Opry Country Christmas Thursday December 1
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Lauren Alaina
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy, Rhonda Vincent

For those who were unable to listen on WSM, it was a wonderful show. The Opry stage was decorated with a number of Christmas trees and there was Christmas garland across the various dividers and microphones, with the backdrop featuring Christmas colors. All of the artists were dressed in some sort of holiday attire. In addition to the regulars, Sunday featured Kathy Mattea and Steve Wariner. It was a nice mixture of holiday favorites, both old and new. 

Bill Cody was the announcer and while the set changes were taking place, Bill did offer a lot of Christmas trivia and took the time to talk to a few of the artists. It was a lot of fun, and I would recommend the show to anyone. And yes, Santa did make an appearance and he played a pretty mean guitar!!!




Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Grand Ole Opry 11/25 & 11/26

Thanksgiving weekend is upon us, and it will be a big night Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry, as Marty Stuart will be honored upon his 30th anniversary as member of the Grand Ole Opry, and also the 50th anniversary of his first appearance on the Opry, which took place in September 1972 as a member of Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass. 

The Grammy®-winner first made his appearance on the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 13, just one week after joining legendary Country Music Hall of Famer and Opry member Lester Flatt’s bluegrass band as a mandolin player. Twenty years later, Stuart was inducted into the Opry family on November 28, 1992.

Joining Marty Saturday night will be Grand Ole Opry members Del McCoury, Riders In The Sky, Don Schlitz and Connie Smith, along with comedian Gary Mule Deer, gospel singer Jason Crabb, and making his Opry debut, Jontavious Willis. 

Gary Mule Deer is also on the schedule for the Friday Night Opry, making it a two-show weekend for him. As far as Opry members on Friday night, Jeannie Seely, Rhonda Vincent, Jamey Johnson and Charlie McCoy are listed. In addition to Gary Mule Deer, other guest artists on the schedule include Steve Earle, Ian Munsick and making their Opry debut, Appalachian Road Show. 

Friday November 25
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Ian Munsick, Charlie McCoy, Steve Earle
Intermission
8:15: Appalachian Road Show, Gary Mule Deer, Rhonda Vincent, Jamey Johnson

Saturday November 26
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Connie Smith, Jason Crabb, Don Schlitz, Riders In The Sky
8:00: Marty Stuart, Jontavious Willis, Gary Mule Deer, Del McCoury Band

(The 8:00 hour will be televised live on Circle TV, along with their various streaming services, and isn't it nice that after all of his Opry appearances, Gary Mule Deer will be getting some TV time this week). 

For Marty, this will be his first Opry appearance in 2022, which is kind of disappointing as I know all of us have expected more from Marty at the Opry. However, in his defense, Marty has been touring pretty heavily and has been working very hard on his Congress of Country Music Museum and the opening of the Ellis Theater, which is part of his project. 

I want to share this recent post from a wonderful site, savingcountrymusic.com. If you are not familiar with this site, or their posts on Facebook and Twitter, I highly recommend you check it out. 

Since first announcing his plans publicly in 2014 to create a country music destination in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music has been a dream of the Country Music Hall of Famer. The original impetus for the project was to make a permanent home for some 20,000 country music artifacts Marty Stuart has amassed over the years.

In the 90s, thousands of pieces of country music history were being cast aside as worthless when modern country music was hitting its commercial peak. Whole wardrobes of Nudie suits were ending up in dumpsters. Mementos from some of country music’s most prominent stars were up for grabs in thrift stores and junk shops. Marty Stuart scoured Nashville and beyond to retrieve as many of these pieces as he could and has since become a resource for the Country Music Hall of Fame and other institutions for displays and memorabilia.

But that’s just the beginning. The Congress of Country Music will house and display all of Marty’s artifacts, but it will also comprise an education center and other facilities, as well as a performance space. Completely renovating the historic Ellis Theater in downtown Philadelphia as part of the project, it will be the very first part of the Congress of Country Music to come alive when Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives officially take the stage on December 8th with Connie Smith opening the show.

The performance will be part of a succession of opening performances to help christen the Ellis and help raise funds for the eventual completion of Marty Stuart’s shrine to country music. Other performers on the calendar include Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gaither Vocal Band, North Mississippi Allstars, Hardy, and others (see calendar).

For years, all we’ve had to see of what Marty Stuart had in store with the Congress of Country Music were architectural renderings. But as the Ellis Theater gets ready to open, we’re finally getting to witness just how much love and effort Marty Stuart and many others have put into bringing the Congress of Country Music to life.

Earlier this month, Marty Stuart christened the new Ellis Theater by giving a Hard Hat performance to a lot of the construction crew responsible for the project. This allowed us a first sneak peak of the Ellis Theater, thanks to Congress of Country Music Board of Directors member Douglas Hudson, who took the photos below.

The Ellis Theater was first opened in 1926 as a silent movie venue by Henry Bell Hutchison. The newly renovated space boasts 500 seats with the balcony and VIP boxes, a starlight ceiling, and a circle in the stage right where the headliners stand, similar to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

The Ellis Theater is just Phase 1 of the Congress of Country Music. Phase 2 will be a new community center and meeting space that will look very similar to a church, with a huge arching-stained glass window and similar treatments inspired by the Mother Church of Country Music, aka the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Phase 3 will be the education building and the archive for all of Marty Stuart’s memorabilia to be displayed, and where lessons, lectures, presentations, and other events will be held.

The Congress of Country Music has been endorsed by the Grammy Museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the Library of Congress, and is expected to draw 28,000 and 49,000 visitors annually to Philadelphia. Private donations are also playing a big part in the financing of the project. In May, Marty Stuart announced the appointment of Dr. Dan Barnard as the Congress of Country Music’s Executive Director. When completed, the project will include some 50,000 square feet in total space.

(I know it was a bit long but I thought well worth the read and thanks again to Saving Country Music. Kyle (aka Trigger) does a fantastic job. 

All in all, it promises to be a very good weekend at the Opry, and my lovely wife (who has not been to the Opry since 2014) and I will be in Nashville this weekend and attending not only on Saturday night, but also the Opry Christmas Show on Sunday. This will be the first of a series of Christmas shows that will take place up until Christmas. Each show will be hosted by Larry Gatlin and will feature the Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Riders In The Sky and Charlie McCoy. Additionally, there will be a couple of special guests, with Kathy Mattea and Steve Wariner appearing this Sunday night. I'll be very interested, and will share, Miss Nellie's observations and thoughts on the Opry, from the perspective of someone who hasn't seen the show live in a few years. 

And now, from 50 years ago, Saturday November 25, 1972: 

1st show
6:30: Tex Ritter (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Stu Phillips (host); Stringbean; Leona Williams
7:00: Roy Drusky (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Grandpa and Ramona Jones; Del Wood
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Willis Brothers; Karen Wheeler
8:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Bobby Lord
8:30: Ernest Tubb (host); The 4 Guys; Marion Worth; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Wayne Hammond; Louie Roberts

2nd show
9:30: Tex Ritter (host); Willis Brothers; Stringbean; Bill Carlisle
10:00: Stu Phillips (host); Del Wood; Leona Williams
10:15: Bobby Lord (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Grandpa and Ramona Jones; Karen Wheeler
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); The 4 Guys; Crook Brothers
11:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Tompall (host); and The Glaser Brothers; Marion Worth; Louie Roberts

(Roy Drusky appeared only on the first show and Tompall, Chuck and Jim Glaser only on the second show). 

In the history of the Grand Ole Opry, only two female members have been Opry members for 60 years. One was Loretta Lynn, and the other was Jean Shepard. 

While Jean joined the Opry on November 21, 1955, her first appearance as an Opry member took place several days later on November 26, 1955. 

Here is the posted lineup and running order from that night 67 years ago: 

7:30: Federal Fertilizer. Co. 
Marty Robbins: Maybelline
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Don and Rita: Lonely Heart
Fiddle Tune: Grey Eagle

7:45: American Ace
George Morgan: Ever So Often
Goldie Hill: Ain't Gonna Wash My Face
Eddie Hill: Smack Dab in the Middle
George Morgan: Jesus, Saviour Pilot Me
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

8:00: Martha White
Flatt and Scruggs: Theme Song
Jim Reeves: Looking For a Sucker
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Standing at the End of the World
Flatt and Scruggs: Flint Hill Special
Jean Shepard: Satisfied Mind
Moon Mullican: Mean Mama
Possum Hunters: Bile Them Cabbage Down
Jim Reeves: I've Lived a Lot in My Lifetime
Maybelle Carter: Wildwood Flower
Flatt and Scruggs: Bubbling in My Soul
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Car-Hoppin' Mama
Fiddle Tune: Blackeyed Susan

8:30: Prince Albert
Ferlin Husky: I'll Baby Sit with You
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Louvin Brothers: I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy
Ferlin Husky: Sayeth The Lord
Del Wood: Smoky Mountain Polka
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Louvin Brothers: In The Middle of Nowhere
Chet Atkins: Avalon
Ferlin Husky: Walking and Humming
Fiddle Tune: Katy Hill

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Hank Snow: Music Making Mama
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Tennessee Wagoner
Lonzo and Oscar: The Cow Jumped the Moon
Bill Monroe: I Used to Be
Carlisles: Knothole
Marty Robbins: Pretty Mama
Hank Snow: I Can See the Love in Your Heart
Lonzo and Oscar: Snow Deer
Carlisles: Lil Liza Jane
Fiddle Tune: Back Up and Push

9:30: Jefferson Island Salt
Jordanaires: Theme Song
Ray Price: I Don't Want You on My Conscience
Slim Whitman: Tell Me
Anita Carter: Mask on My Heart
Cousin Jody: Dear John
Crook Brothers: Girl I Left Behind
Louvin Brothers: Just Rehearsing
Grandpa Jones: Night Train to Memphis
Chet Atkins: Five Foot Two
Jordanaires: Shaking Bridges
Ray Price: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes

10:00: Wall-Rite
George Morgan: Almost
Bill Monroe: Close By
Moon Mullican: Cherokee Boogie
George Morgan: The Best Mistake I Every Made
Fiddle Tune: Buffalo Gal

10:15: Dr. Le Gear
Marty Robbins: That's Alright
Carlisles: I Was on My Way to the Show
Goldie Hill: Why Don't You Leave Me Alone
Marty Robbins: Don't Let Me Hang Around
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

10:30: Hester Battery
Jim Reeves: Looking For a Sucker
R.D. Heardon: To Be Announced
Jean Shepard: Beautiful Lies
Jim Reeves: I'm Hurting Inside
Fiddle Tune: Mississippi Sawyer

10:45: D Con
Hank Snow: Just Keep on Moving
Jimmy Snow: Go Back You Fool
Gully Jumpers: Bully of the Town
Hank Snow: Within This Broken Heart
Fiddle Tune: Bill Cheatam

11:00: W. E. Stephens
Lonzo and Oscar: Theme Song
Ferlin Husky: I Feel Better All Over
Hawkshaw Hawkins: The Love You Steal
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Lonzo and Oscar: Who Put That Brick Wall in My Way
Slim Whitman: Indian Love Call
Grandpa Jones: Call Old Rattler
Maybelle Carter: Gold Watch and Chain
Crook Brothers: Arkansas Traveler
Ferlin Husky: Cuz You're So Sweet
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark

11:30: Delited
Ray Price: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes
Louvin Brothers: When I Stop Dreaming
Eddie Hill: Someday You'll Call My Name
Sam and Kirk: While I'm Away
Cousin Jody: Oh, Wonderful World
Ray Price: Release Me
Dot and Smokey: Contact
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking in My Sleep
Louvin Brothers: Just Rehearsing
Ray Price: I'll Be There
Fiddle Tune: Sleepy Lou

Once Jean Shepard joined the Grand Ole Opry she never left. After being recognized upon her 60th year as an Opry member in 2015, Jean retired from performing. Jean passed away almost one year later, on September 25, 2016.

One more item before signing off: T. Graham Brown will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree this weekend. Taping is at 10:00 at the Troubadour Theater. 

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 as they celebrate Marty Stuart.