Grand Ole Opry 2/11 & 2/12

It is always an exciting time at the Grand Ole Opry when a new member is added to the cast, and this Saturday night, Lauren Alaina officially is welcomed. Lauren was invited to join back in December by Trisha Yearwood, and it took a couple of months to get her induction scheduled. 

Lauren Alaina is from Rossville, Georgia and she came to the attention of the nation when she was the runner-up in Season 10 of American Idol. 

Her debut studio album, Wildflower, was released on October 11, 2011. Her second album, Road Less Traveled, was released January 27, 2017. Alaina later achieved her first No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart with the album's title track. Her second No. 1 came later that year when she simultaneously topped five Billboard charts with her friend and former classmate Kane Brown on their duet "What Ifs". She was on the twenty-eighth season of Dancing with the Stars and placed fourth with her partner Gleb Savchenko. Alaina's third studio album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World, was released on September 3, 2021. 

Lauren has received multiple nominations for ACM Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Radio Disney Awards and Billboard Music Awards. Awards include 2017 ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year, CMT Breakthrough Video of the Year for her “Road Less Traveled,” and CMT Collaborative Video of the Year for “What Ifs,” the 5x Platinum-selling No. 1 hit with childhood friend Kane Brown.

As her career has progressed, Lauren has been busy, touring with, among others, Alan Jackson, Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton. She also has appeared in several films. 
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Besides the induction of Lauren Alaina as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, there is a lot to offer this weekend as both shows have a majority of Opry members appearing. In fact, the Friday Night Opry has only two non-members appearing: frequent Opry guest Charles Esten and making her Opry debut, Leigh Nash, while Saturday night has Wendy Moten listed as the only non-member performing. 

Looking at the Opry members who are scheduled this weekend, Opry favorite Lorrie Morgan and Riders In The Sky are listed for both nights. On Friday night, two of the Opry's newer members, Mandy Barnett and Rhonda Vincent are on the schedule, and continue to show why they are members and how much they are taking their membership seriously. Joining that group are two 50+ year members of the cast, Jeannie Seely and Bobby Osborne. 

Saturday night, in addition to Lorrie and the Riders, Mark Wills, Connie Smith and The Isaacs are scheduled. Much like Mandy and Rhonda, it is nice to see Mark and The Isaacs also taking their Opry memberships seriously, and what can you say about Connie Smith, another 50+ year member of the Opry. 

Friday February 11
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Mandy Barnett; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Charles Esten
Intermission
8:15: Leigh Nash; Riders In The Sky; Rhonda Vincent; Lorrie Morgan

Saturday February 12: 

Opry Square Dancers
Mark Wills
Connie Smith
The Isaacs
Riders In The Sky
Lorrie Morgan
Wendy Moten
Lauren Alaina

So, who is Leigh Nash? According to the Opry website: 

“The world knows Leigh Nash best as the delightful pixie-esque voice atop massive global hits such as “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes” with Sixpence None The Richer, but she’s worked tirelessly to define her perspective though her songwriting output, showcased on her newest project, “The Tide, Vol. 1,” a six-song collection of duets recorded with people Leigh considers personal superheroes. “What I’ve found to be true with my songwriting is that I seem to serve a story or song better when it’s something that just happened naturally with me, like an encounter or conversation,” she says. “I tried it back with Sixpence, but I’m just now starting to feel a little bit more at home in those songwriter shoes.” Combine those choices of subject matter — honesty with partners in times of strife, recognizing others’ perspectives in periods of trouble, identifying blessings in the everyday — with duet partners featuring voices both iconic and close to home, and The Tide reveals an artist at the peak of her powers.” 

There you have it and as you would expect, Circle TV will be live on Saturday night, featuring Lorrie Morgan, Wendy Moten and the Opry induction of Lauren Alaina. 
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Now from 50 years ago, Saturday February 12, 1972: 

1st show
6:30: Charlie Louvin (host); Bill Carlisle
6:45: Jimmy C Newman (host); Ernie Ashworth
7:00: Tompall (host) and The Glaser Brothers; Stringbean; Willis Brothers
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Wilburn Brothers; Crook Brothers
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Grandpa Jones; Archie Campbell; Connie Smith
8:30: Tex Ritter (host); Stu Phillips; Barbara Mandrell; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Charlie Louvin (host); Willis Brothers; Marion Worth; Bill Carlisle
10:00: Roy Acuff (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Wilburn Brothers
10:15: Tompall (host); and The Glaser Brothers; Stringbean; Jimmy C Newman
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Grandpa Jones; Archie Campbell; Lorene Mann
10:45: Tex Ritter (host); Connie Smith; Crook Brothers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Stu Phillips; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Barbara Mandrell; Don Winters

(Ernie Ashworth was only scheduled for the first show, while Marty Robbins, Bill Anderson, Jan Howard and Marion Worth were only on the late show. Stonewall Jackson and Justin Tubb were scheduled that night but canceled, and as reminder, Barbara Mandrell was not at that point, an Opry member). 
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Looking back at the history of the Grand Ole Opry, it was on February 12, 1966, that Grand Ole Opry member Minnie Pearl returned to the Opry after taking a leave of absence. 

Minnie Pearl had joined the Grand Ole Opry in November 1940. Over time, she became very popular both with Opry audiences and nationally. When the Prince Albert portion of the Opry began to be broadcast on the NBC radio network, Minnie was one of the members featured on a regular basis. 

As Minnie's national audience grew, she began taking time away from the Opry to appear on various network television programs and to make personal appearances. As a result, Minnie failed to make the required 26 appearances per year at the Opry. Originally, she as going to be one of the Opry members to be fired in the "Purge of 64", however instead, she made a request to the Opry management to take a leave of absence. As a result, Minnie was gone from the Opry for 14 months, and returned on February 12, 1966. 

Here is the running order from that night 56 years ago: 

7:30: Luzianne
Bill Monroe (host): Uncle Pen
Billy Grammer: Brown's Ferry Blues
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Bill Monroe: I'll Live in the Past
Margie Bowes: That Completely Destroys My Plans
Billy Grammer: I'm Letting You Go
Minnie Pearl: Giddy Up; Go

8:00: Martha White
Hank Locklin (host): The Girls Get Prettier
Loretta Lynn; Dear Uncle Sam
Stringbean: Crazy Vietnam War
Jim and Jesse: Johnny B Goode
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Loretta Lynn: Happy Birthday
Jim and Jesse: Memphis

8:30: Stephens
Roy Drusky (host): White Lightening Express
Skeeter Davis: I Can't See Me Without You
George Morgan: Roomful of Roses
Tompall and The Glaser Brothers: Teardrops 'Til Dawn
Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose
Del Wood: Roll Out the Barrel
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Tompall and The Glaser Brothers: A Girl Like You
George Morgan: Candy Kisses
Roy Drusky: Anymore

9:00: Pet Milk
Bobby Bare (host): Blowing in the Wind/Worried Man Blues
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Dottie West: No Sign of Living
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Bobby Bare: 500 Miles
Ray Pillow: Common Cold & A Broken Heart
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Dottie West: Baby
Bobby Bare: Just to Satisfy You

9:30: Kellogg's
Hank Snow (host): The Golden Rocket
Osborne Brothers: Up This Hill & Down
Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule
June Carter: Cottonfields
Hank Snow: I've Cried a Mile
June Carter: Everything Ain't Been Said
Hank Snow: (?)

10:00: Schick
Hank Locklin (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Loretta Lynn: Blue Kentucky Girl
Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On
Hank Locklin: From Here to There to You

10:15: Pure
Roy Drusky (host): Alone with You
Margie Bowes: Look Who's Lonely; Look Who's Blue
Jim and Jesse: Dancing Molly
Roy Drusky: Rainbows & Roses

10:30: Harvey's
George Morgan (host): Slipping Around
Del Wood: Night Train to Memphis
George Morgan: A Picture That's New
Del Wood: Four-Leaf Clover

10:45: Newport
Bill Carlisle (host): Rough Stuff
Stringbean: Ol' Man, Can You Play a Banjo
Crook Brothers: Old Joe Clark
Bill Carlisle: What Kinda Deal is This

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Sweet Lies
Bill Monroe: (?)
Skeeter Davis: Under Your Spell Again
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Hank Snow: The Last Ride
Tompall and The Glaser Brothers: Same Old Memories
Sam McGee: The Buck Daner's Charge
Bill Monroe: Wayfaring Stranger

11:30: Lava
Leroy Van Dyke (host): Your Daughter Cried All Night
Dottie West: Before the Ring on You Finger Turns Green
Bobby Bare: Detroit City
Osborne Brothers: Up This Hill & Down
Curly Fox: Skater's Waltz
June Carter and Jan Howard: I'll Pitch My Tent on the Old Campground
Bobby Bare: The Deepening Snow
Leroy Van Dyke: Auctioneer

Once Minnie returned to the Opry; she remained a beloved Opry member until she passed away in 1996 after a period of declining health. While she didn't make a ton of appearances, those she did make were memorable. In her later years, before her stroke, she mostly appeared on the Friday Night Opry, walking over to the Opry House after appearing on Ralph Emery's "Nashville Now." show on TNN. 

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.