Grand Ole Opry 3/4 & 3/5

The lineups are posted for this weekend's Opry shows, the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. Overall, some good variety and solid looking shows. 

Appearing both nights will be Grand Ole Opry member Ricky Skaggs. Ricky will be closing out the 1st segment on Friday night, and the final segment on Saturday. Joining Ricky on Friday will be Opry members John Conlee, Riders In The Sky and Craig Morgan. Saturday night, in addition to Ricky, Opry members Jeannie Seely, Bobby Osborne, Gene Watson and Connie Smith are scheduled. It is nice to see Gene back on the Opry as over the past year he has been battling some health issues which has limited his activity. 

Looking at the non-members listed for this weekend, T. Graham Brown is scheduled for Friday night. I know there are many who feel T. Graham would make a great Opry member and I think he would like to be an Opry member someday. At the very least, glad to see him listed on the schedule. 

Also scheduled for Friday night is Everette, who will be making a return appearance, Emily Ann Roberts, who we don't see enough of, and two artists who will be making their Opry debuts, Mike Compton and Jason D. Williams. 

The very popular Sara Evans is listed on the Saturday schedule, along with Tyler Rich and Tom Daug

Friday March 4
7:00: John Conlee, Everette, T. Graham Brown, Ricky Skaggs
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky, Emily Ann Roberts, Mike Compton, Jason D. Williams, Craig Morgan

Saturday March 5
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Tyler Rich, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press, Gene Watson
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Tom Douglas, Sara Evans, Ricky Skaggs

No live show on Circle TV this week. 

So, we have three artists making Opry debuts this week, Mike Compton, Jason D. Williams and Tom Douglas.

Mike Compton is a bluegrass veteran who was a friend of and mentored by Bill Monroe. Mike is most noted as one of the instructors at the annual Monroe Mandolin Camp, where he, along with other experts, teach the basics of mandolin along with the distinctive Bill Monroe style of playing. Mike has also toured and recorded with dozens of artists including Sting, Elvis Costello, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, Gregg Allman, and John Hartford, among many others. 

Jason D. Williams' career started at the age of 17, signing with RCA in 1988 and then Sun Records in 1991, Jason has maintained a constant presence in the music industry for more than 40 years. From Memphis to New York and Boston, Jason has traveled the entire country and most of the world. Jason’s talent has been admired by the greatest piano players and talent in the music business. His ability to cross genres is fascinating and allows him to entertain regardless the age or musical taste.

Tom Douglas is an Academy Award, Golden Globe and GRAMMY-nominated songwriter. After enjoying a 13-year career in commercial real estate, Douglas got his first song recorded by Collin Raye at the age of 41. That song, “Little Rock”, reached #1, earned a nomination for CMA Song of the Year and achieved the Million-Air award from BMI for receiving one million spins on country radio. Since then, Douglas has written numerous number one hits, including: “I Run to You” (Lady A), “Southern Voice” (Tim McGraw) and “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert). The Grammy Award-winning song “The House That Built Me” remained at number one on the Billboard charts for four weeks and earned ACM’s first ever Song of the Decade award. In 2014, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, subsequently receiving a Grammy Nomination for his song “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” recorded by Tim McGraw. Some of Douglas’ recent work includes “Drunk Girl” recorded by Chris Janson, which received the 2018 Music Row Award for Song of The Year. He also penned the song “Dear Hate” recorded by Maren Morris and Vince Gill, earning the Grammy nomination for the 2019 Country Song of the Year. Douglas is currently signed to Sony Music Publishing, and lives in Nashville with his wife, Katie. 
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Now 50 years ago, Saturday March 4, 1972:

1st show
6:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Bill Carlisle; Leroy Van Dyke
6:45: Billy Walker (host); Del Wood; Lonzo and Oscar
7:00: Bill Monroe (host); Connie Smith; Stringbean; Ray Pillow
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jimmy C Newman; George Morgan; Crook Brothers
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Justin Tubb; Willis Brothers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jim and Jesse; Marion Worth; Fruit Jar Drinkers; The 4 Guys

2nd show
9:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Willis Brothers; Lonzo and Oscar; Leroy Van Dyke
10:00: Billy Walker (host); Del Wood; Bill Carlisle
10:15: Bill Monroe (host); Jimmy C Newman; Connie Smith
10:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Stringbean
10:45: Roy Acuff (host); Ray Pillow; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); George Morgan; Justin Tubb; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Jim and Jesse (host); Marion Worth; The 4 Guys; Paul Ott Carruth

(Paul Ott was a Mississippi legend, who was known as a singer/songwriter, outdoorsman and conservationist. He was also considered Mississippi's Goodwill Ambassador. He featured many of his songs on his local television show). 

March 4, 1978 was an important date in the history of the Grand Ole Opry as for the first time, an entire Grand Ole Opry show was televised on the Public Broadcasting Network. 

Here is the running order from that night 44 years ago: 

1st show
6:00: Vietti
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
George Hamilton IV: Cornbread, Beans & Sweet Potato Pie
Lonzo and Oscar: When the Fields in the Valley Turn Green
Billy Grammer: Birth of the Blues
Willis Brothers: Boots & Saddle
Del Reeves: Folsom Prison Blues/Margaritaville

6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jimmy C Newman (host); Diggy Liggy Lo
Jean Shepard: The Things That Might Have Been/It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels/You Win Again/A Dear John Letter
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee/Down Yonder
Bessyl Duhon: Opryland Special

6:45: Rudy's
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Skeeter Davis: I'll Fly Away
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Archie Campbell: A.C. in N.Y. last July

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind's A'Comin'
Connie Smith: How Great Thou Art
Don Williams: Some Broken Hearts Never Mend/I've Got a Winner in You
Wilburn Brothers: Because He Lives
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me
Porter Wagoner: Cold Hard Facts of Life/Carroll County Accident/Green, Green Grass of Home/Ole Slewfoot

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Minnie Pearl: Careless Love
The 4 Guys: Cottonfields/Mariah
Crook Brothers and Ralph Sloan and The Tennessee Travelers: Lafayette
Roy Acuff: How Beautiful Heaven Must Be

8:00: Martha White
Bill Monroe (host): My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care
Jan Howard: Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Charlie Louvin: Warm, Warm Woman
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with the Way That We're Doing it Now
Wilma Lee Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
Bill Monroe: Crying Holy Unto the Lord

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host); I'm Moving On
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ronnie Milsap: Stand By My Woman Man/What Does on When the Sun Goes Down/Daydreams About Night Things/A Legend in My Time
Bill Carlisle: Leave That Liar Alone
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Hank Snow: I've Done at Least One Good Thing That Was Good in My Life

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Jean Shepard: If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time
George Hamilton IV: Only the Best
Archie Campbell: The Interview
Osborne Brothers: Midnight Flyer
Willis Brothers: Bob
Porter Wagoner: Tennessee Saturday Night/On a Highway Headed South

10:00: Fender
Bill Monroe (host): Mary Jane, Won't You Be Mine
Ronnie Milsap: What a Difference You've Made in My Life/Let My Love Be Your Pillow
Kenny Baker: The Lucky Lady

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Don Williams: Amanda/You're My Best Friend
Billy Grammer: Georgiana Moon
Howdy Forrester: Cotton Eyed Joe

10:30: Trailblazer
Jimmy C Newman (host): Colinda
Skeeter Davis: He Will be There
Del Wood: Just Because
Jimmy C Newman: Big Bayou

10:45: Beechnut
Wilburn Brothers (host): Country Kind of Feelings
Stu Phillips: I'd Rather Be Sorry
Jan Howard: Better Off Alone
Crook Brothers and Ralph Sloan and The Tennessee Travelers: Gray Eagle

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Tangled Mind
Justin Tubb: You'd Never Be Happy with Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin Hen
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Kirk McGee: The Waltz You Saved for Me/Freight Train
Hank Snow: Once More, You're Mine Again

11:30: Elm Hill
Charlie Louvin (host): Let's Put Our World Back Together/A Toast to Mama/Love Has to Die All By Itself/I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow
Jeanne Pruett: Break My Mind/A Poor Man's Woman
Bill Carlisle: Amazing Grace
The 4 Guys: When Will I Be Love
Charlie Louvin: Warm, Warm Woman

(The 1st show ran about 15 minutes over, while the 2nd show ran the same. Del Reeves, Connie Smith, Lonzo and Oscar, Minnie Pearl, Stonewall Jackson and Don Gibson only appeared on the 1st show. One of the highlights from that night was a rare Opry appearance by member Don Williams). 

The PBS televised Opry shows would continue until 1981. 

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.