November Opry Highlights

Hard to believe but November is upon us. Many consider the months of November, December, January and February the "winter" months, as the cold wind from the North starts blowing. And let's not forget that November brings the start of the holiday season. 

November is another busy month at the Opry, so here are the historical and important moments that took place during the month of November in relation to the Grand Ole Opry, or with its members.

November 9, 1895: The man who started it all, George D. Hay was born on this date in Attica, Indiana. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, he came to Nashville and WSM in 1925 and in November of that year started the WSM Barn Dance, later to be named the Grand Ole Opry. As his influence at WSM and the Opry declined as the years went on, he would eventually leave Nashville and move to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he passed away in 1968.

November 11, 1899: Kirk McGee, one of the Opry's original performers, was born in Franklin, Tennessee. Kirk, along with his brother Sam, would perform on the Opry with a variety of performers and often backed up the square dancers. Kirk would remain with the Opry until his death in 1983.

November 28, 1912: Early Grand Ole Opry member Robert Lunn was born in Franklin, Tennessee. He was nicknamed the "Original Talking Blues Man." Robert first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry on March 31, 1934, and he stayed with the Opry until he retired in 1958. What is interesting is that he was known for his "Talking Blues" yet he never recorded the song until 1947. He was very popular and did many early Opry tent shows, often appearing with Roy Acuff.

November 6, 1925: Uncle Dave Macon, Sid Harkreader and Dr. Humphrey Bate performed a show at the Ryman Auditorium that was broadcast on WSM radio. This is considered the first country music concert to have been broadcast on WSM and actually predates the Opry. 

November 9, 1925: George D. Hay began working at WSM radio in Nashville, with the title of "Radio Director." Later in the month, he would put Uncle Jimmy Thompson in front of a WSM microphone on a Saturday night, which was the beginning of the WSM Barn Dance, later renamed the Grand Ole Opry.

November 28, 1925: At 8:00 p.m. and originating from the fifth-floor studio at the National Life and Accident Insurance Company's headquarters in downtown Nashville, George D. Hay stepped up to a microphone and introduced Uncle Jimmy Thompson on WSM radio. This is considered as the birth of the Grand Ole Opry. The first tune played by Uncle Jimmy was "Tennessee Wagoner," after which Uncle Jimmy continued for the next hour. 

November 2, 1926: Former Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Walker was born in Texas. This former disc jockey joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1967 and would remain a member of the Opry until his death in 2008. Each of the occasions that I had the opportunity to speak to Charlie, I always found him friendly and interesting.

November 30, 1931: Teddy Wilburn was born. Teddy, along with his brother Doyle, were longtime members of the Grand Ole Opry. After Doyle's death, Teddy remained as a solo artist on the Opry, until his death in 2003. There are many who make the argument that the Wilburn Brothers deserve a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and I can't say that I disagree with them. 

November 1, 1937: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Anderson was born. Bill became an Opry member in 1961 and is still an active member today. Not only has the Country Music Hall of Fame member have numerous hit records to his credit, but he is also considered one of the great songwriters in the history of country music and this past year he was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  Hard to believe that Bill will be 85 this year and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for just over 61 years. 

November 30, 1940: Minnie Pearl made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Minnie would become one of the most beloved members in the history of the Grand Ole Opry and would be an Opry member for over 50 years.

November 2, 1948: Roy Acuff was defeated in his campaign to become the Governor of Tennessee. While Roy would remain a big supporter of Republican candidates, Roy himself would never run for public office again. Roy's campaign mixed country music and politics. He would usually start off his appearances with music, then get into the political speeches. By then, most of the crowd would begin to filter out. 

November 6, 1948: While official records are many times hard to come by it would appear that this was the date that Jimmy Dickens first became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jimmy was an Opry member until leaving in 1957, however he returned to the cast in 1975. Jimmy then stayed with the Opry until his death in January 2015. Known primarily for his comedy and silly songs, Jimmy was also one of the best ballad singers during his time. 

November 13, 1949: The Grand Ole Opry sponsored its first overseas tour, as a group of Opry performers traveled to England, Germany and the Azores as part of a USO sponsored tour. Among the Opry stars making the trip were Roy Acuff, Rod Brasfield, Jimmy Dickens, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl and Hank Williams.

November 22, 1952: The first Country Music Disc Jockey convention took place in Nashville. Among the activities that took place was the Grand Ole Opry birthday celebration, the first time a formal event was held to recognize the Opry's anniversary. The DJ convention would continue to grow, eventually growing into such events as Country Music Month and Fan Fair. While the DJ meetings would move to February, the Opry still celebrates his birthday/anniversary each fall, now usually taking place the first or second weekend in October.

November 13, 1953: Del Wood became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Del was known for her ragtime piano playing, and her #1 record, "Down Yonder." Del would remain as a member until her death in October 1989.

November 14, 1953: Bill Carlisle joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Bill was an Opry member for just over 49 years, until passing away on March 17, 2003, the same year that he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. At times, Bill, along with his daughter Sheila and son Bill, Jr., would be listed on the Opry program as The Carlisles. 

November 28, 1953: Future Grand Ole Opry member Hank Locklin made his first guest appearance on the show. 

November 19, 1954: After returning to Nashville from the Army, Faron Young made his first Opry appearance on the Friday Night Frolics. Faron would eventually join the Opry, staying until being fired in 1964 for a lack of appearances. 

November 20, 1954: Western singer and television star Gene Autry made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Gene, who was one of the early members elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, was based out west and didn't venture to Nashville very often. He was on the Prince Albert portion that night and of course sang "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer." 

November 21, 1955: Jean Shepard became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jean, who passed away in 2016, was an Opry member for over 60 years, the first female to achieve that accomplishment. Not only was November 21 the date that Jean joined the Opry, but it was also her birthday and wedding anniversary. It should be noted that after Jean joined the Opry in 1955, she never left.

November 3, 1956: The great Stonewall Jackson originally joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. While it is now over 65 years since Stonewall originally joined, it should be noted that Stonewall was fired from the Opry in 1964 for failing to make the required number of annual appearances. He rejoined the cast in 1969. Stonewall's last appearance on the Opry was several years ago when he was recognized upon his 60th anniversary of joining the Opry. Sadly, Stonewall had some serious health problems later in his life and passed away in December 2021. And yes, even with his time away from the Opry, Stonewall made it to 60 years as an Opry member. 

November 10, 1956: The Wilburn Brothers, Teddy and Doyle, became official members of the Grand Ole Opry. Teddy and Doyle, along with other family members, originally came to the Opry in the 1940s, however due to child labor laws, they were sent packing. Thankfully, with the help of Roy Acuff and Webb Pierce, the brothers returned and became one of the most successful brothers acts in the history of country music.

November 9, 1960; Hank Locklin accepted an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Hank had made his first Opry guest appearance on November 28, 1953. Over the years, he would continue to guest until finally becoming an Opry member. Hank would remain an Opry member until his death in March 2009, 6 month short of 50 years as an Opry member. (Hank's first actual appearance as a member would take place on November 12. 

November 3, 1961: The Country Music Association announced the first class of inductees to the new Country Music Hall of Fame. In that first class were Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams. Roy Acuff would join that group the following year to become the first living inductee into the Hall.

November 25, 1961: Former Grand Ole Opry announcer, and WSM air personality, Eddie Stubbs was born in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Before joining WSM, Eddie was a fiddle player with the Johnson Mountain Boys, and then later he was a part of Kitty Wells' band. Eddie retired from WSM in 2020 and has apparently left Nashville behind in his rear-view mirror. 

November 29, 1961: A group of Opry members, which included Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Bill Monroe, Patsy Cline and Grandpa Jones, performed before a sold-out audience at Carnegie Hall in New York.

November 7, 1964: Minnie Pearl performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time before taking a leave of absence from the show. If not for taking the leave, Minnie would have been dismissed from the Opry the following month as part of the Purge of 1964. Minnie was just so busy traveling and doing television shows that she wasn't around Nashville all that often. Minnie would return to the Opry on February 12, 1966.

November 28, 1964: Willie Nelson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Willie was an Opry member for just several years, as Nashville was tough on him and he eventually left Music City, returning to his native Texas and reinventing his career. While at the Opry, Willie would constantly complain about the low pay and having to give up every Saturday night to be there.

November 25, 1965: Leroy Van Dyke was fired/suspended as a member of the Grand Ole Opry for failing to meet the Opry's attendance requirements. Leroy had joined the Opry's cast a few years earlier. While Leroy never returned as an Opry member, he has made many guest appearances on the show. According to people I have spoken to over the years, Leroy still feels that he should be considered an Opry member. 

November 25, 1967: Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed on the Grand Ole Opry together for the first time. Dolly's first Opry appearance since 1959 was the previous month, however on that show, Porter and Dolly did not do a duet. The song they performed that night was "The Last Thing on My Mind." While not an Opry member at the time, Dolly would join the cast in January 1969.

November 23, 1968: Tennessee native, Dinah Shore, made a surprise guest appearance on the Opry. While she was born in Tennessee, Dinah found success during the Big Band period of the 40s and was one of the top vocalists of that decade. 

November 20, 1968: While not specific to the Grand Ole Opry, the first televised Country Music Association Awards show was televised on NBC. While the awards started in 1966, it took several years to find a network interested in airing it. The show was televised from the Ryman Auditorium with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans as the hosts. As a side note, the show was taped and played at a later date as network executives were not sure how the country performers would act on live television. 

November 12, 1971: Construction officially started on the new Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland USA. It was a massive project, taking until March 1974 to complete. While there were initial worries about the Opry leaving downtown and the Ryman Auditorium, the Opry has done just fine in its new home.

November 27, 1971: Grand Ole Opry member Margie Bowes made her final appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry cast. Margie, who came to the Opry in the late 1950s, would return a couple of times for guest appearances but when she left the Opry, she basically moved away from the music business. Margie passed away in October 2020.

November 10, 1973: David Akeman, known professionally as Stringbean, made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Later that night, when he and his wife Estelle returned home, they were ambushed and murdered by two men who were waiting in their home to rob them. The bodies were found the following morning by their neighbor and good friend, Grandpa Jones, who had come to pick up Stringbean for a fishing trip. Nashville, and the Opry, was shaken by the murders, with many Opry members, led by Roy Acuff, calling for the death penalty. Grandpa Jones left Nashville for a number of years, moving to Arkansas and opening his own dinner theater. The killers were quickly caught and convicted. One died in prison and the other is out on parole.

November 24, 1975: One of the Opry's early members, Asher Sizemore, passed away at the age of 69. Asher appeared on the Opry with his son, known as "Little Jimmie." While there is some confusion as to when they started on the Opry, the date appears to be September 24, 1932. They were on the Opry for most of the 1930s, leaving the Opry in 1942. Years after they left the Opry, the pair would continue to perform on various radio stations, primarily in the Midwest.

November 29, 1975: This would appear to be the final date that Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed on the Opry together. While they would both be scheduled to work the show, they would appear on separate segments. The popular duo would not get back together again until the night of Roy Acuff's 50th anniversary as an Opry member in February 1988. 

November 1, 1978: Tanya Tucker made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. According to reports, Tanya was not very well received as she didn't stick to country music during her performance. 

November 18, 1978: Grand Ole Opry member Del Wood was recognized upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Opry's cast. Del, known as the "Queen of the 88's" was one of the few instrumentalists to have recorded a No. 1 record. 

November 5, 1983: Glen Campbell made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He performed a melody of his hits.

November 21, 1985: Reba McEntire officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Reba had actually joined the show earlier when she was asked to join during a taping of the Opry's 60th anniversary show. Since the show was taped for later broadcast, news of her Opry membership was kept under wraps. Reba, whose Opry appearances have become few and far between, has been an Opry member for 37 years. 

November 3, 1990: Minnie Pearl was honored as an Opry member for 50 years. She joined the cast in 1940. As a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, this comedian is considered one of the great stars in the history of the Grand Ole Opry. As part of the celebration, Dwight Yoakam sent 50 dozen roses to Minnie. 

November 15, 1992: The Grand Ole Opry radio program was inducted into the Museum of Broadcast Communication's Hall of Fame.

November 23, 1992: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Acuff passed away in Nashville, just one month after his final appearance on the Opry. His influence at the Opry, and with country music in general, cannot be overstated. Thanks in large part to Acuff-Rose Publishing, Nashville became the home of country music. Roy was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years, and for many years he was the Opry's most popular member. There are many who feel that his death was the first nail in the coffin that had led to the many changes that have taken place at the Opry over the past several decades.

November 28, 1992: Marty Stuart became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Marty's 30th year as an Opry member. Marty joined the Opry's cast the week after Roy Acuff passed away and I thought Marty would be great addition to the Opry. Sadly, Marty seems to have gone in a different direction and he seldom appears on the show. On a happier note, it was announced in 2020 that Marty had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

November 27, 1993: Joe Diffie became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, Joe passed away in 2020 from Covid. He left us much too early. 

November 6, 1993: Grand Ole Opry member David Houston made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. 

November 30, 1993: Just weeks after his final Opry appearance, David Houston passed away at the age of 57. David, who came to Nashville and the Opry from the Louisiana Hayride, had one of the biggest hits in the history of country music with "Almost Persuaded." David had joined the Opry in 1972. In addition to his solo career, David also toured and recorded with Barbara Mandrell. 

November 30, 1995: Martina McBride became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Martina joined during a CBS television special that celebrated the Opry's 70th anniversary. This will be her 27th year as an Opry member. Loretta Lynn, who Martina said was a big influence on her while she was learning the business, did the formal induction. Regarding Martina, I love this story that I have repeated several times: She actually appeared on the Opry as part of the 70th anniversary birthday bash that was televised by TNN. She was the last performer on the televised segment before the cake was to be brought out, along with the cast singing "Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry" which always concluded the televised segment. During her portion, she sang two ballads that ran long, causing the cake and singing to be delayed until the next segment, which was not televised. There were many unhappy viewers at home who missed this Opry tradition, and many unhappy Opry members, who missed the chance to be onstage during the televised segment. Martina was very upset afterwards, believing that her mistake on the timing of her songs, cost her a chance of becoming an Opry member, something she always dreamed of. She apologized to everyone she could fine that night, and dreams do come true as the following month, she became an Opry member.

November 23, 1996: Trace Adkins made his first appearance as a guest on the Opry. 7 years later, in August 2003, he would become an Opry member. Trace has told the story several times that on the night of his first appearance, Grandpa Jones, who was hosting the segment, forgot his name. Not unusual for Grandpa.

November 8, 1997: Johnny Paycheck became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. For Johnny, this came pretty late in his life, and after several years of trying to rebuild his image and career after some series legal issues that included prison. Johnny Russell did a lot of work behind the scenes to help Johnny become a member, convincing Opry management that Johnny had cleaned up his act. Sadly, Johnny became ill a few years after joining the show. On a side note, this was also the night that future Grand Ole Opry member Terri Clark made her Opry debut. 

November 7, 1998: Jimmy Dickens was honored for 50 years of Opry membership. Jimmy, who originally joined the Opry in 1948, was joined that night by Waylon Jennings, Bill Anderson, Carl Smith and Bobby Bare. Nashville also honored Jimmy by proclaiming the day as "Jimmy Dickens" day in the city. 

November 5, 1999: In a stunning move, Opry General Manager Pete Fisher announced a reorganization of the Opry Staff Band, which resulted a several of the band members being dismissed. Included in that list were Buddy Harman, Leon Rhodes, Joe Edwards, Ralph Davis and Ray Johnston. According to Pete Fisher, "After several months of observing what was going on with the staff band, I made a decision to restructure it, not only to achieve efficiency, but also to upgrade the quality so that we're providing the best service we can." Personally, I did not think there was any issue with the quality of the staff band and neither did Vince Gill, who was quoted as saying, "Leon Rhodes can play circles around most guitar players, and Buddy Harman can play circles around most drummers. The sad thing is, younger ain't better." It sure didn't take Pete Fisher long to begin making changes at the Opry. 

November 23, 2000: Dolly Parton and Vince Gill hosted a CBS televised special celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. The special had been taped a week after the Opry's actual 75th celebration in October. 

November 24, 2000: Grand Ole Opry member Johnny Russell made his final appearance on the Friday Night Opry, thus ending his performing career as ill health forced his retirement. Johnny's final Saturday night appearance had taken place the previous week, on Saturday November 18. Johnny passed away several years later after a period of declining health.

November 8, 2002: The Grand Ole Opry was broadcast for the first time on Sirius satellite radio. For many, it was the first time that they were able to listen to an entire Opry show, while for others, it was the first time to enjoy the show without static.

November 23, 2002: Jim & Jesse McReynolds performed on the Opry for the final time. Jim McReynolds, who was in the final stages of an illness that would lead to his death on December 31, sang and played his guitar while sitting. The brothers had been Opry members since 1964, with Jesse still actively performing on the Opry.

November 30, 2002: Tim McGraw made his first guest appearance on the Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, Tim would appear on the Opry stage a few more times.

November 1, 2003: Grand Ole Opry member Holly Dunn made her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Holly made the decision to give up her musical career and moved to New Mexico to pursue her passion as an artist. Sadly, and unlike a few other Opry members who retired from performing, Holly was fired as an Opry member several years later in a move that made absolutely no sense. 

November 17, 2003: Grand Ole Opry member Don Gibson passed away in Nashville. Don was one of the greatest songwriters in the history of country music and in 2001 he had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Don joined the Opry on May 20, 1958 but was fired in December 1964 for failing to meet the required number of Opry appearances. He rejoined the show several years later, but even after coming back, his appearances were few. His last Opry show was on March 16, 1996.

November 24, 2003: Grand Ole Opry member Teddy Wilburn passed away. Teddy had been in declining health and had not performed on the Opry in several years. He, along with his brother Doyle, joined the Opry's cast in the 1950s and were instrumental in the early career of Loretta Lynn. 

November 14, 2005: Following in the footsteps of Porter Wagoner, Trisha Yearwood rang the bell to open the trading day on the New York Stock Exchange in honor of the Opry's 80th anniversary. 

November 14, 2005: The Grand Ole Opry returned to Carnegie Hall in New York for just the 3rd time in its history, this time to promote the Opry's 80th anniversary. The show included performances by Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Ricky Skaggs and Trisha Yearwood.

November 26, 2005: Grand Ole Opry member Jean Shepard was honored upon her 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jean had joined the Opry's cast in November 1955. Sadly, Jean's recognition did not take place during the televised segment that evening. 

November 11, 2006: The Academy of Country Music presented its Pioneer Award to Little Jimmy Dickens during a Grand Ole Opry performance at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. The honor was announced six months prior.

November 18, 2006: Grand Ole Opry member Stonewall Jackson hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree and was honored upon his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, due to Stonewall's lawsuit against Gaylord and the Opry, he did not appear on the Opry to commemorate the occasion. 

November 24, 2006: Longtime Grand Ole Opry Staff Band member Jimmy "Spider" Wilson quit. He had been a member of the Staff Band for over 50 years and reportedly quite due to being kept off the televised portion of the Opry. 

November 2, 2007: Lady A (as they are now called) made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. It would take a while but in 2021, the trio became members of the Grand Ole Opry, in an induction that took place during the Opry's 95th special. 

November 19, 2007: During Charlie Daniel's 11th annual Christmas For Kids benefit at the Ryman Auditorium, Opry member Martina McBride surprised Charlie on stage with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Charlie, who passed away last year, always said that being an Opry member was one of the highest honors he had achieved in his life. 

November 8, 2008: Actor Kevin Costner and his country and western band, Modern West, performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.

November 14, 2009: The Grand Ole Opry streamed part of its show on MySpace. The segment featured Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Jake Owen and Rodney Atkins. This was the first time that the Opry attempted a broadcast like this and despite numerous technical issues, the Opry considered it a success.

November 9, 2010: Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Louvin made his final Opry appearance, in a show that took place at the Ryman Auditorium. Charlie was an Opry member for over 50 years and like Jean Shepard, Charlie always made it a point of telling folks that once he joined the Opry with his brother Ira, he never left. 

November 10, 2012: Charles Esten, star of the ABC-TV series "Nashville" made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Over the decade, Charles has appeared on the Opry over 150 times. He has been the one star of the now cancelled series that continues to appear on the Opry. 

November 21, 2015: Jean Shepard celebrated her 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She appeared in a segment hosted by Bill Anderson, her first Opry appearance in a year. During the show, she announced her retirement and this was Jean's final appearance on the Opry.

November 5, 2016: Grand Ole Opry member Stonewall Jackson was recognized and honored upon his 60th anniversary of when he first joined the Grand Ole Opry. This was also Stonewall's last appearance on the show.

November 15, 2016: During a guest appearance on the Tuesday Night Opry, Carrie Underwood surprised Crystal Gayle during a guest appearance, with an invitation to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Crystal's official induction took place the following January.

November 24, 2016: Former Grand Ole Opry member Holly Dunn passed away in New Mexico from ovarian cancer. Holly joined the Opry's cast in October 1989 and was a member of the Opry until she was fired in the 2000's, after leaving Nashville and moving to New Mexico. In addition to her Opry duties, Holly also was a regular host of the Opry Backstage show.

November 19, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member, and Country Music Hall of Fame member, Mel Tillis passed away in Florida after an extended illness. Mel had joined the Opry in June 2007 after a very successful career as a singer, songwriter and actor.

November 15, 2018: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Clark passed away. The Country Music Hall of Fame member had joined the Opry's cast in 1987 and while he did not appear often, it was always a treat to see Roy on the Opry. 

November 6, 2020: The Friday Night Opry returned after being suspended in March due to the Covid pandemic. 

November 23, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Hal Ketchum passed away after a period of declining health. Hal came to Nashville and the Opry via New York and always did an amazing job when performing on the show. 

November 2, 2021: Mandy Barnett became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Mandy had been surprised late in September with an invitation to join the cast, delivered by Connie Smith. Mandy had been a guest on the Opry hundreds of times and her membership was well deserving and well received. 

There you have it for this month. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. 

Tuesday Night Opry 11/1

Now that we are into the month of November, the Tuesday Night Opry is the only mid-week show as Opry Country Classics has completed its fall run.

Here is the lineup for the Tuesday Night Opry, November 1st: 

7:00: Riders In The Sky, Nate Smith, RaeLynn, The Travelin' McCourys
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely, John Crist, Shane Proffit, Chris Janson

Connie Smith was on the original schedule that was posted and has been replaced by Jeannie Seely. Shane Proffit will be making his Opry debut and it is nice to see Chris Janson back at the Opry. 

Grand Ole Opry 10/28 & 10/29

I want to start out by thanking everyone who has posted the kind and complimentary comments regarding myself. While I may not comment or reply, I do read all of the comments posted and I appreciate all of you who take the time to read and/or post on my blog. 

Now to this weekend at the Grand Ole Opry as the Opry out the month of October with three solid shows on the schedule. This also marks the last week of two Saturday night shows until December 10, when Ashley McBryde will be inducted as the Opry's newest member. 

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Opry members Jeannie Seely, John Conlee, Bobby Osborne and Charlie McCoy are on the schedule. John Conlee returns for both shows on Saturday night, joined by members Mandy Barnett, Don Schlitz, and seldom seen Opry member Clint Black. This will actually be Clint's second and third Opry appearances of 2022 as he appeared on a show earlier this year. 

Sam Williams returns on Friday night, along with Dillon Carmichael, Hannah Ellis and Brandon Heath. Saturday night will feature the Opry debut of Naomi Raine, along with Lukas Nelson and Exile. Nice to see this group back on the Opry as it has been a while. Exile had been scheduled for an appearance on Opry Country Classics a short time back but canceled. 

Michael Martin Murphy was originally posted on the Friday schedule but was not on the final version and in what can be determined as a rarity, there is no comedian on the schedule this weekend. 

Friday October 28
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Hannah Ellis, John Conlee, Sam Williams
Intermission
8:15: Dillon Carmichael, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press, Brandon Heath, Charlie McCoy

Saturday October 29
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Mandy Barnett, John Conlee, Naomi Raine, Don Schlitz
8:00: Lukas Nelson, Exile, Clint Black

2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Mandy Barnett, John Conlee, Clint Black
10:30: Naomi Raine, Lukas Nelson, Exile, Don Schlitz

The second hour of the first show will be televised live on Circle TV and on the various streaming platforms.

And now, from 50 years ago, Saturday October 28, 1972:

1st show
6:30: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Wynn Stewart
6:45: Jimmy C Newman (host); Willis Brothers
7:00: Stu Phillips (host); Justin Tubb; Jeanne Pruett; Eddie Low
7:30: Tompall (host) and The Glaser Brothers; Bill Carlisle; Jack Barlow; Crook Brothers
8:00: Ernest Tubb (host); Johnny Carver; Karen Wheeler; Lee Otis; Wayne Hammond
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Marion Worth; The 4 Guys; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Tex Withers

2nd show
9:30: Tompall (host); and The Glaser Brothers; Willis Brothers; Johnny Carver; Wynn Stewart
10:00: Jimmy C Newman (host); Tennessee Ernie Ford
10:15: Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (host); Karen Wheeler; Eddie Low
10:30: Justin Tubb (host); Bill Carlisle; Jeanne Pruett
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Jack Barlow; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Stu Phillips; Tex Withers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Marion Worth; The 4 Guys

(Tennessee Ernie Ford only appeared on the second show that night, as did Marty Robbins. In a rarely, Tennessee Ernie did not appear on a Martha White sponsored segment, which he normally did when he visited the Opry). 

Johnny Carver was on a lot of Opry shows during this period and it is somewhat surprising that he never became a member of the Opry. 

This was the first time I had seen the name Eddie Low listed on the Opry schedule. I had to do some research as I was not familiar with this singer. From what little I could find; Eddie Low was from New Zealand and was blind.  He developed his musical talent and skills on a wide range of instruments at the Blind Institute in Auckland. During the 1960s Eddie Low was a member of The Quin Tikis, touring through New Zealand.  He starred in the 1966 musical comedy film Don't Let It Get You. In 1970 he was signed to Joe Brown Records and released singles for the label, "Lonely Women Make Good Lovers" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night". It would appear that at the age of 79 he is still alive. 


Yes, for a short amount of time, Slim Whitman was a member of the Grand Ole Opry, as he joined the cast on Saturday October 29, 1955. While some may remember Slim from those late-night commercials promoting his greatest hits album, in his day, Slim was a pretty big star. 

Though he was once known as "America's Favorite Folksinger," Slim Whitman was, for the majority of his career, more famous in Europe than in the United States. Best remembered for his early-'50s hit singles like "Love Song of the Waterfall," "Indian Love Call," and "Singing Hills," Whitman was an excellent yodeler known for singing mellow, romantic, and clean-cut songs.

As a child, Slim Whitman (born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr.) became infatuated with music and learned to yodel listening to Montana Slim and Jimmie Rodgers records. At age 17, he married 15-year-old Geraldine Crist, a preacher's daughter. The newlyweds moved to a 40-acre farm south of Jacksonville, Florida, where Whitman worked as a meat packer. During World War II, Slim served in the U.S. Navy, where he learned to play guitar. Following the war, he returned to the shipyard and also joined a local minor-league baseball team, the Plant City Berries. Whitman remained with the team through 1948, but then began building a singing career at several Tampa radio stations, eventually creating a backup band, the Variety Rhythm Boys.

Slim Whitman got his first big break after Colonel Tom Parker -- who was managing Eddy Arnold at the time -- heard him singing on radio station WFLA. Parker landed a contract with RCA for him by the end of 1948. After reluctantly complying with the label's request to change his first name to "Slim," he released his first single, "I'm Casting My Lasso Towards the Sky" -- eventually to become his theme song. He made his national debut on the Mutual Network's Smokey Mountain Hayride in the summer of 1949, and the following year joined The Louisiana Hayride. 

In the early '50s, he released a cover of Bob Nolan's "Love Song of the Waterfall," which became his breakthrough hit, peaking at number ten on the country charts; the follow-up single, "Indian Love Call," made him a star, peaking at number two on the country charts and crossing over into the pop Top Ten. Both sides of his next single -- "Keep It a Secret"/"My Heart Is Broken in Three" -- were also major hits and he continued to have a string of Top Ten hits into the mid-'50s. In 1955, his title song for the film Rose-Marie became a smash on both sides of the Atlantic; following its success, Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry, and then went to Britain in 1956 as the first country singer to play the London Palladium. Throughout the late '50s and early '60s, he had a string of British hits, including "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Unchain My Heart," and "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen."

Although he was experiencing great success in the U.K., Whitman's career was in neutral in the U.S. After 1954's "Singing Hills," he had only two Top 40 hits in the course of a decade. In 1965, he bounced back into the country Top Ten with "More Than Yesterday." For the next few years, he had a series of minor country hits, including "Rainbows Are Back in Style" (1968), "Happy Street" (1968), and "Tomorrow Never Comes" (1970). Throughout the early '70s, he continued to have minor hits, but in 1974, he retired from active recording.

In 1979, Slim filmed a television commercial to support Suffolk Marketing's release of a collection of his greatest hits. On the strength of the commercials, All My Best sold four million records and became the best-selling television-marketed album in history. After its success, the label released Just for You in 1980, and The Best in 1982. Between 1980 and 1984, Whitman had a small run of minor hits, highlighted by 1980's number 15 hit "When." In the late '80s, he returned to television-marketed albums, releasing Slim Whitman: Best Loved Favorites in 1989 and 20 Precious Memories in 1991. During the '90s, Whitman recorded infrequently but continued to tour successfully, particularly in Europe and Australia. His final release, Twilight on the Trail, appeared in 2010, and he died three years later of heart failure.

Here is the posted program from Saturday October 29, 1955: 

7:00: Federal Fertilizer Co. 
Jordanaires: Theme Song
George Morgan: Ain't Love Grand
Fiddle Tune: Bill Cheatham
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Justin Tubb: Pepper-Hot Baby
Fiddle Tune: Katy Hill

7:45: American Ace
Ray Price: I Can't Go Home Like This
Chuck Reed: Love, Love, Love
Jean Shepard: Why Did You Wait
Ray Price: In The Garden
Fiddle Tune: Sally Goodin

8:00: Martha White
Flatt and Scruggs: Theme Song
Ernest Tubb: You Nearly Lose Your Mind
Hank Snow: Golden Rocket
Flatt and Scruggs: Blackeyed Susie
Slim Whitman: You Have My Heart
Possum Hunters: Sleepy Lou
Ernest Tubb: It's A Lonely World
Carlisles: Lil Liza Jane
Cowboy Copas: Blue Yesterday
Flatt and Scruggs: Some Old Day
Hank Snow: Born To Be Happy
Fiddle Tune: Leather Britches

8:30: Prince Albert
Jimmy Dickens: Sally Boogie
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Wilburn Brothers: Mixed Up Melody
Fiddle Tune: Gray Eagle
Jimmy Dickens: If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
Del Wood: Rocky Mountain Express
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Wilburn Brothers: Temptation Go Away
Chet Atkins: South
Jimmy Dickens: We Could
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Roy Acuff: Just A Friend
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Johnny and Jack: I Get So Lonely
Hawkshaw Hawkins: I Gotta Have You
Jug Band: Thirty Days
Kitty Wells: I'm In Love with You
Roy Acuff: I'm A Pilgrim
Oswald: John Hardy
Riddle: Lost John
Howdy: Liberty

9:30: Jefferson Island Salt
Jordanaires: Theme Song
Jimmy Dickens: Blackeyed Joe
Jim Reeves: I've Lived A Lot in My Lifetime
Red Sovine: A New Love Affair
Lew Childre: Riding on the Elevated Railroad
Chet Atkins: Somebody Stole My Gal
Jimmy Dickens: Take Me As I Am
Jordanaires: Shaking Bridges
Crook Brothers: Mississippi Sawyer
Goldie Hill: Ain't Gonna Wash My Face
Jimmy Dickens: John Henry
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark

10:00: Wall-Rite
George Morgan: Lonesome Record
Bill Monroe: I Used to Be
Justin Tubb: I'm Sorry I Stayed Away
George Morgan: Ever So Often
Fiddle Tune: Gray Eagle

10:15: Dr. Le Gear
Cowboy Copas: Gone and Left Me Blues
Slim Whitman: Song of the Wild
Carlisles: I Was On My Way to the Show
Cowboy Copas: The Man Upstairs
Fiddle Tune: Sleepy Lou

10:30: Hester Battery
Ernest Tubb: Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello
Goldie Hill: Why Don't You Let Me Go
Paul Howard: Maybelline
Ernest Tubb: Somebody Love You
Fiddle Tune: 8th of January

10:45: D Con
Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore
Jimmy Snow: Meanest Thing in the World
Gully Jumpers: Dance All Night
Hank Snow: I'm Moving On
Fiddle Tune: Ragtime Annie

11:00: W. E. Stephens
Jimmy Dickens: A Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Standing at the Edge of My World
Jim Reeves: Yonder Comes A Sucker
Jody and His Cousins: No Help Wanted
Crook Brothers: Lil Liza Jane
Jean Shepard: I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded
Jimmy Dickens: Conscience Set Me Free
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Car-Hoppin Mama
Jim Reeves: Jimbo Jenkins
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

11:30: Delited
Ray Price: I Don't Want It on My Mind
Louvin Brothers: Love Thy Neighbor
Red Sovine: I'm Glad I Found A Place
Sam and Kirk: You Wouldn't Be Satisfied That Way
Lew Childre: Maple on the Hill
Wilburn Brothers: My Heart on My Mind
Ray Price: Sweet Little Blue Eyes
T. Tommy Cutrer: Thank You Lord
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Grey Eagle
Louvin Brothers: Pit Fall
Fiddle Tune: Billy In The Low Ground

There you have it as the Opry closes out the month of October. As always, thank for reading and commenting, and tell your friends and neighbors about the blog. I would appreciate it. 

Take care and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows

A couple of interesting Opry shows this week. Let's start off with the press release regarding the Tuesday Night Opry: 

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate Bass Pro Shops 50th anniversary on the October 25th Tuesday edition of the long running radio show. The Bass Pro Shops 50th Anniversary Celebration will feature performances by not only some of the biggest names in country music but some of the artists who have long represented the love of the outdoors and the lifestyle Bass Pro Shops represents including the legendary John Anderson as well as Opry members Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch, and Rhonda Vincent.

The Bass Pro Shops 50th Anniversary Celebration will be filmed with highlights to air as a Saturday night Opry Live on November 19th on the Opry’s television broadcast home, Circle Network, Circle All Access Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The special Tuesday Night Opry can be heard on opry.com and wsmonline.com, SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse, and the show’s flagship radio home, WSM Radio.

Tuesday October 25
7:00: Connor Smith, Blessing Offor, Henry Cho
7:40: Intermission
7:50: Dierks Bentley, Charles Esten, Gary LeVox, Rhonda Vincent, Clay Self, Dustin Lynch, John Anderson, Chris Janson

As you can see, a very star-studded last hour of the show with a nice group of Opry members. For those interested, Clay Self is a singer-songwriter out of Branson Mo, who has been a proud member of the Bass Pro family for 34 years. This will be his Opry debut. It will also be the Opry debut for Blessing Offor, who recently received a 2022 Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year and has charted on Billboard's Christian Airplay chart. 

Taking a look at the Wednesday Night Opry, Opry members Jeannie Seely, Del McCoury, Don Schlitz, Connie Smith and Gary LeVox are on the schedule. It seems that each Opry shows features an Opry debut and Wednesday night is no exception as Ashley Cooke will be making her debut. She is another of the young, up and coming country artists. 

Wednesday October 26
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Del McCoury Band, Don Schlitz, Matt Maher
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Jelly Roll, Ashley Cooke, Gary LeVox

Finally, Opry Country Classics takes place on Thursday night, and it is wonderful to see The Whites back on the Opry schedule. The Whites have not appeared on the Opry stage since 2020, prior to Covid, and I had heard that recently they had been working hard to get back. Not sure if Buck White will be with them or not. Hopefully he will be. Regardless, it will be great to hear The Whites back on the show. 

Thursday October 27
Opry Country Classics
Larry Gatlin
The Gatlin Brothers
Ricky Skaggs
The Whites
William Lee Golden & The Goldens
Carlos DeFord Bailey

I know that any true Opry fan, who knows the history of the Opry, will recognize the name DeFord Bailey, and for those who might be wondering, Carlos DeFord Bailey is the grandson of DeFord. 

Born Carlos Deford Bailey in Nashville, TN, Carlos was immensely blessed with talent being the son of "Nashville Blues Legend" Deford Bailey, Jr., and the grandson of world-famous Grand Ole Opry Star, Deford Bailey, Sr. 

Carlos was born into music and started singing at the age of five. The first song he performed was "Sitting On The Dock of The Bay" by the late Otis Redding. Carlos became inspired by The Jackson Five and began to emulate Michael with a microphone.

He competed in talent shows, performed at PTA meetings and community centers. By the time he graduated to junior high school, he was a seasoned performer. He was Lead Male Vocalist for the School Choir and performed at school assemblies and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the start of all football games. 

Carlos stays busy doing charity performances for underprivileged children and makes regular appearances on television & radio in Music City.

A while back. William Lee Golden & The Goldens made an impressive debut on the Opry. So good that they have been invited back and are part of the Thursday night schedule. 

Overall, a very good group of mid-week Opry shows. 

Grand Ole Opry 10/21 & 10/22

The Grand Ole Opry posted last week that tickets for the first quarter of 2023 (January thru April) are now on sale. This follows the pattern of the past several years where the Opry hasn't been putting the entire year's tickets on sale at the same time. 

A couple of items stood out: for the first time since before Covid, the Opry will be returning to the Ryman Auditorium for the month of January. I know a lot of folks, including me, always enjoyed the return of the Opry downtown during the winter months since 1999. While it is for only one month this year, I will take it. It is always special and brings back a lot of memories seeing the show at the Ryman. 

Secondly, the pricing structure for 2023 which includes an increase in ticket prices. The first couple of rows are now called VIP seats and the price is $200 per ticket (taxes and fees not included).  The next price level is $135 per ticket and that includes most of sections 3, 4 and 5. Want to sit in the front row of the balcony? $105 for those seats, which is the same as the seats in the back on the main floor. And if that is too much for you, the lowest price seats in the upper balcony and the wings are $60 per ticket. 

The Opry also offers a VIP Backstage Experience, that includes: 

- Security and golf cart escort to the artist entrance of the Opry House.

- Professional keepsake photo to remember your experience.

- A private tour of the Opry backstage area before show time, learning how each Opry show comes together.

- Spend time in the Family Room just offstage, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Opry before show time.

- Themed dressing room for use while backstage where you can lounge, enjoy your hors d’oeuvres and champagne, all before the curtain goes up.

- Artist visit in dressing room where you’ll get up close to the night’s performer(s) as they welcome you to the Opry house.

- Premium Lounge access to the Circle Room with (2) top-shelf drinks, hors d’oeuvres and more through the end of intermission.

- Watch the big red curtain rise on an Opry performance and watch the first half of the show from the stage.

All that for $500, plus the price of a regular ticket. Total cost: $733.25 and that includes the souvenir mic bottle opener magnet.!!! Want to take a significant other? Double the cost. 

I don't know where it will all end. You would think at some point, the Opry will become out of reach for most fans. It probably already is for a lot of people. I know concert and sporting events have had big price increases over the past several years, with some of the bigger tours becoming more expensive.  But the Opry has always been a family-oriented show and at those prices, it becomes very hard for a family to attend. 

 
I know it has been mentioned in past comments when the price of tickets has come up, that here are a lot of country acts that have been out on the road and charge significantly less than what the Opry is charging. Plus, you get more music from those acts and in many cases, a more enjoyable experience. But the Opry is selling the "Opry Experience," not just the show. There is the historic nature of the Opry House, the Plaza Parties, the Backstage Tours, The Circle Room and the items in the gift shop. They are targeting a different audience than they used to, which is one of the reasons we are seeing more variety in the show and less country acts. 

For us "regular and loyal" Opry fans, this just seems like another kick in the teeth for us as it becomes harder and harder to attend and support the show. 

Now, looking ahead to this weekend, there are some big names on the schedule especially on Saturday night when Opry members Darius Rucker, Lauren Alaina and Dustin Lynch are on the schedule. They will be joined by Bill Anderson, while Jeannie Seely will be on the early show and Connie Smith on the late show Adam Hood will be making his Opry debut and comedian Gary Mule Deer is back. 

The Friday Night Opry will feature members Dailey & Vincent, Connie Smith and Riders In The Sky, who will be joined by Sons of the Pioneers for a nice segment of western and cowboy music. Gary Mule Deer is back as the comedian and Colton Dixon will be making his Opry debut. 

Lacy J. Dalton is on the schedule for Friday. I can't think in my memory the last time she was on the Opry. She had a string of hits in the late 70s and 80s, including “Crazy Blue Eyes,” “Takin’ It Easy,” “Hillbilly Girl with The Blues,” “Black Coffee,” and the CMA-nominated anthem “16th Avenue.” During her career, she has also collaborated with such Country Music Hall of Fame members as Bobby Bare, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, and George Jones.

Closing out the show on Friday will be Jon Pardi, who was on the Friday Night Opry just a couple of weeks ago. Looking at the schedule, with just three artists listed for the last hour, it would appear that Jon will be the one with the extended set again, as he did on his last appearance. I know there are those who believe that Jon could become an Opry member at some point, so we will all be waiting and seeing. 

Friday October 21

7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Lacy J. Dalton, Riders In The Sky, Sons of the Pioneers, Colton Dixon
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Gary Mule Deer, Jon Pardi

Saturday October 22

1st show

7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Adam Hood, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer
8:00: Darius Rucker, Lauren Alaina, Dustin Lynch

2nd show

9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer, Darius Rucker
10:30: Dustin Lynch, Opry Square Dancers, Adam Hood, Lauren Alaina

Saturday October 21, 1972, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 47th anniversary. Here is the running order from that night 50 years ago: 

1st show
6:00: Vietti

Bill Anderson (host: Wild Weekend

Jan Howard: I Don't Know No New York City Song

Roy Drusky: The Last Time I Called Somebody Darling

Justin Tubb: Traveling Singing Man

Del Wood: Snowbird

Bill Anderson and Jan Howard: Dis-Satisfied

Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203

Bill Anderson: Don't She Look Good

6:45: Mrs. Grissoms

Bill Monroe (host): My Old Kentucky & You

Jim Ed Brown: Unbelievable Love

Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me on Sundays

Ernie Ashworth: Love, I Finally Found It

6:45: Rudy's

Porter Wagoner (host): What Ain't To Be Just Might Happen

Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors

Osborne Brothers: Fireball Mail

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: Together Always

7:00: Rudy's

Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball

Loretta Lynn: One's on the Way/Here I Am Again

George Morgan: Making Heartaches

Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres

Stu Phillips: I Hear Your Name

Roy Acuff: Cabin in Gloryland

7:30: Standard Candy
Ernest Tubb (host): Driftwood on the River

Tex Ritter: Coming After Jenny

Wilburn Brothers: Arkansas

Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby

Wayne Hammond: To Get to You

Crook Brothers: Cotton Eyed Joe

Tex Ritter: Fall Away

8:00: Martha White

Lester Flatt (host) and Bill Monroe: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

Tom T. Hall: More About John Henry

Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On

David Houston: Jambalaya

Roland White and Marty Stuart: Ashes of Love

Tom T. Hall: The Year That Clayton Delany Died

Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame

David Houston and Barbara Mandrell: The Perfect Match

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On

Marion Worth: I Fall to Pieces

Barbara Mandrell: Treat Him Right

The 4 Guys: Turn Your Radio On

Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham

Hank Snow: There's A Fool Such As I

2nd show

9:30: Kellogg's

Porter Wagoner (host): What Ain't To Be Just Might Happen

Willis Brothers: I Still Do
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors

Jim Ed Brown: Morning

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton: Burning the Midnight Oil/The Right Combination/Together Always

Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203

Del Wood: Gloryland March

10:00: Fender

Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good

Jan Howard: I Don't Know No New York City Song

Charlie Louvin and Diane McCall: Baby, What's Wrong with Us

Osborne Brothers: You Win Again/Today I Started Loving You Again

10:15: Union 76

Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball

Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt: Will You Be Loving Another Man

Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter

Ernie Ashworth: Mind Your Own Business

Freddie Hart: Easy Lovin'

10:30: Trailblazer

Lester Flatt (host): Backing to Birmingham

Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby

Wilburn Brothers: Arkansas

George Morgan: Making Heartaches

10:45: Beechnut

Ernest Tubb (host0: Say Something Nice to Sara

Wayne Hammond: Red, Red Wine

Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag

Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas

11:00: Coca Cola

Hank Snow (host): I've Been Everywhere

Tom T. Hall: Me & Jesus

Barbara Mandrell: Tonight My Baby's Coming Home

Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill

Stu Phillips: I Hear Your Name

Sam McGee: Under the Double Eagle

Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore

11:30: Elm Hill

Tex Ritter (host): High Noon

Marion Worth: Go on Home

The 4 Guys: Sweet Yesterday

Tex Ritter: Coming After Jenny

For those who are new to the Opry, this was what birthday shows were like back in the day. It was pretty much standard policy that Opry members were expected to appear on this special occasion unless they had a pretty valid reason for not appearing. 

(Thanks to just a 12-minute final segment, the second show ended just before 12:30. Roy Drusky, Hank Locklin, David Houston and Charlie Walker only did the first show. Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely were scheduled for both shows but canceled). 

October 22, 1983, marked the end of an era at the Grand Ole Opry as one of the Opry's originals, Kirk McGee, made his final appearance on the Opry. It was also the final time that the Fruit Jar Drinkers were listed on the Opry schedule.

Kirk, and his brother Sam, first appeared on the WSM Barn Dance in 1926. They performed individually and together, and with various groups including the Fruit Jar Drinkers. Sam passed away in 1975, after which Kirk carried. In total, Kirk was a part of the Opry for 57 years. Over the years, Kirk and Sam would be scheduled in the 11:00 segment on the late show and they would often comment that they disliked being on that late as many of the farmers who listened and enjoyed their music had to get to bed early and missed their performances. 

Kirk died of a heart attack on October 24, 1983, just days after his final show. The following Saturday night, Hal Durham took the stage at the start of the second show and said the following: 

Ladies and Gentlemen; One of the Grand Ole Opry voices you won't be hearing tonight is that of Kirk McGee, who died this week of a heart attack. Mr. McGee, who was 83, had been a member of this musical family almost all of its 58-year history. Together with is late brother Sam, he helped preserve the great traditions of country music. Following Sam's death several years ago, Kirk carried on very capably as a solo act and as a member of the Fruit Jar Drinkers. Tonight, our thoughts are with Kirk's family and the sorrow we feel at his passing is tempered by the gratitude we feel for the many years we were able to share with him. As the Grand Ole Opry continues now, we want to dedicate our show to the memory of Kirk McGee. 

Here is the running order from 39 years ago, Saturday October 22, 1983:

1st show

6:30: Bonanza

Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya

Vic Willis Trio: Shenandoah

Cajun Country: Happy Cajun

6:45: Rudy's

Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry

Osborne Brothers: Little Cabin on the Hill

Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo

7:00: Shoney's

Grandpa Jones (host): Nashville on My Mind

Billy Grammer: The Old Spinning Wheel

Jan Howard: One Every Hour As Often As Needed for Pain

Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips

Ray Pillow: You're One Memory That I'd Like to Make Again/Julie Loved Boston More Than Me

Grandpa Jones: Gone Home

7:30: Standard Candy

Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop-A-Top

Jeannie Seely: When Will I See You Again

Teddy Wilburn: Because He Lives

The Other Brothers: Just Sittin' & Pickin'

Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Sally Goodin

Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

8:00: Martha White

Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball

Roy Drusky: Blues in My Heart

Jeanne Pruett: We Came So Close

Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle

Del Wood: Gloryland March/Down Yonder

Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

8:30: Acme

Hank Snow (host): Ninety Miles an Hour (Down A Dead-End Street

Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down

Johnny Russell: Red Necks, White Socks & Blue Ribbon Beer

Fruit Jar Drinkers: Saturday Night Hop

The 4 Guys: You Make It Right

Hank Snow: Begger To a King

2nd show

9:30: Kellogg's

Grandpa Jones (host): Kitty Klide

The 4 Guys: Shenandoah

Jimmy C Newman: Colinda

Vic Willis Trio: Let It Be Me

Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walkin'

Jan Howard: Tainted Love

Grandpa Jones: My Mother's Manion is Higher Than Mine

10:00: Little Debbie

Charlie Walker (host): My Window Faces South

Billy Grammer: Homestead on the Farm

The Other Brothers: Whatever Happened to the Cowboys

Charlie Walker: San Antonio Rose

10:15: Sunbeam

Osborne Brothers (host): Wreck of the Old 97

Ray Pillow: Too Many Bridges Need Burning

Osborne Brothers: Old Flames

10:30: Martha White

Roy Acuff (host): Just A Friend

Del Wood: Roll Out the Barrel/Cajun Stripper

Onie Wheeler and Charlie Collins: Mother Prays Loud in Her Sleep

10:45: Beech-Nut

Jim Ed Brown (host): Fools

Jeannie Seely: When Your Heart's Been Stepped On

Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Green Back Dollar

Jim Ed Brown: Four Walls

11:00: Coca Cola

Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight

Jeanne Pruett: I Oughta Feel Guilty

Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sugar Tree Stomp

Justin Tubb: Pull the Covers Over Me

Kirk McGee: I Was Sorta Wondering

Hank Snow: So Goes My Heart

11:30: Hardee's

Roy Drusky (host): Mississippi

Bill Carlisle: Business Man

Bill Carlisle Jr. and Sheila Carlisle: Just to Satisfy You

Johnny Russell: Kaw-Liga

Roy Drusky: Wings of a Dove

There you have it for this week and thanks for remembering Kirk McGee. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows

It looks like Jeannie Seely is going to have a busy week as she is scheduled to appear on each of the three mid-week Opry shows. 

Opry member Bill Anderson will join her on Tuesday night, Connie Smith on Wednesday night and Larry Gatlin and his brothers on Thursday night. 

Dusty Slay, who was taken off the schedule during the Opry's birthday weekend is set for Tuesday night, while Gary Mule Deer is the comedian on Wednesday night. 

A couple of veteran artists are scheduled: John Berry on Tuesday and T. Graham Brown on Wednesday, where he will be closing out the show. And the Bellamy Brothers will be the Spotlight Artists on Opry Country Classics. 

Tuesday October 18
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Temecula Road, John Berry, Alana Springsteen
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, Dusty Slay, Sierra Hull, Runaway June

Wednesday October 19
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Brett Kissel, Danielle Bradberry, Brian Kelly
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Gary Mule Deer, Chrissy Met, T. Graham Brown

Thursday October 20
Opry Country Classics
Larry Gatlin
The Gatlin Brothers
The Bellamy Brothers
Julia Cole
Jeannie Seely
Jerrod Niemann

Grand Ole Opry 10/14 & 10/15

Last week I was in Nashville for the Grand Ole Opry's 97th birthday weekend, which actually turned into a full week of shows. Obviously, the big news of the week was the death on Tuesday morning of Loretta Lynn, a 60-year member of the Grand Ole Opry. Two days later, Garth Brooks surprised Ashley McBryde during an appearance on the CBS Morning Show with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

I heard the news regarding Loretta Lynn as I was driving into Nashville on Tuesday morning. Loretta, along with Jean Shepard, are the only female Opry members for 60 years. Loretta's last appearance on the Opry took place Friday January 21, 2017, as she helped to induct her sister, Crystal Gayle, as a new member of the Opry. After that appearance, Loretta's health began a period of decline as she suffered a stroke that ended her performing career. 

Many of us wondered how the Opry would handle Loretta's death, especially since it was also a time of celebration at the Opry with their birthday shows. In the end, I think it was all handled perfectly. On each of the shows that week, Loretta was mentioned and honored, with several of the artists performing Loretta's music. On Saturday night, the shows were dedicated to Loretta and the Circle portion of the show was a tribute to Loretta, with Vince Gill and his fellow performers from that night ending the show with "Go Rest High." 

The other big news was the surprise that Ashley McBryde was going to become the Opry's newest member. As we have seen over the past several years, the pattern has been once a new member has been inducted, another would be announced shortly thereafter. Many of us thought that a younger, contemporary artist might be the next pick, as the previous two new members were veterans Charlie McCoy and Don Schlitz. I know we all have our favorites, and many were happy with the news, while others had a different opinion. Ashley has said in the past that she loves the Opry and hoped that someday she would become an Opry member. Knowing where she is at in her career, I think it happened sooner than she expected. 

Overall, I think it is a good choice. If the past is any clue, she will be a proud supporter of the Opry and we can count on her to follow the trend set recently, of appearing on the show. She brings a different element and sound to the show, one I think those attending will appreciate. Again, I offer my congratulation to Ashley McBryde, and look forward to her induction date. 

As to the rest of the week, I thought all of the shows were great, with a lot of variety both in the artists and the music. The Tuesday Night Opry was close to a sellout as Carly Pearce and Chris Young were the big names. Wednesday's show was not as well attended, and for those who missed it, Jamey Johnson was once again amazing. Opry Country Classics featured Chris Janson as the Spotlight Artist and he did not disappoint. The Friday Night Opry was a sell-out, as was the first show on Saturday. Saturday's late show and the Sunday Night Opry were each just over half full. 

While Saturday night was the highlight of the week, I really enjoyed the Sunday show featuring The Isaacs, Rhonda Vincent and Ricky Skaggs, all of whom shared gospel music with us. 

Listing the Grand Ole Opry members from last week, I saw Jeannie Seely, John Conlee, Charlie McCoy, Carly Pearce, Chris Young, Connie Smith, Jamey Johnson, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Chris Janson, Terri Clark, Bobby Osborne, Craig Morgan, Ricky Skaggs, Bill Anderson, Riders In The Sky, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent, The Isaacs and Don Schlitz. That is almost a third of the Opry's members and probably the most we have seen on a birthday week in recent years. 

Finally, I want to mention Doug Green, (Ranger Doug) of Riders In The Sky. Doug and the group appeared on both shows Saturday night. While that would be expected, we were informed on the 2nd show that Doug had had triple bypass heart surgery just 12 days before!!! Amazing. While he looked a little pale, he sang and played the guitar. After the show, Too Slim did post that Ranger Doug was just a little short of breath. As I said, it is utterly amazing that he was back performing just 12 days after major surgery. 

For those who followed my adventures on Facebook, my thanks. I hoped you enjoyed the pictures and in sharing in some of the moments that I experienced. And for those I met, my thanks as usual.


Now, looking ahead to this week, each year in October, the Opry Goes Pink, and this year that show will take place on Friday night, with Opry member Trisha Yearwood scheduled to throw the switch. 

As the Opry posted on their website: 

Join us for a night of Opry Goes Pink, featuring Grammy Award winning Opry member Trisha Yearwood. Together with Susan G. Komen®, we will once again join in the fight against breast cancer with a night of country music and turn the Opry pink. Performances also include Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys and Mandy Barnett as well as Easton Corbin, and making her Opry debut, Miko Marks. For every ticket sold, $5 will be donated to Susan G. Komen® for the fight against breast cancer. Get tickets now and join as Trisha Yearwood flips the switch and turns the Opry pink.

As the website posted, Grand Ole Opry members Trisha Yearwood, Oak Ridge Boys and Mandy Barnett are scheduled to appear, along with members Dailey & Vincent, Mandy Barnett and Connie Smith. The only two non-Opry members on the schedule are Easton Corbin, and making her Opry debut, Miko Marks. 

Being that it is October, Saturday will once again have two shows with Opry members Lorrie Morgan, Charlie McCoy and Don Schlitz listed on both lineups, while Jeannie Seely will appear on the early show and Riders In The Sky on the late show. Jason Crabb, Drew Parker, Sister Hazel and Brandon Jenner are also on the schedule, with Brandon making his Opry debut. 

Friday October 14
7:00: Trisha Yearwood, Dailey & Vincent, Riders In The Sky, Miko Marks, Easton Corbin
Intermission
Mandy Barnett, Connie Smith, Oak Ridge Boys, Trisha Yearwood

Saturday October 15
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Drew Parker, Brandon Jenner, Sister Hazel
8:00: Lorrie Morgan, Opry Square Dancers, Jason Crabb, Charlie McCoy, Don Schlitz

2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, Drew Parker, Brandon Jenner, Sister Hazel
10:30: Lorrie Morgan, Opry Square Dancers, Jason Crabb, Charlie McCoy, Don Schlitz

Now from 50 years ago, Saturday October 14, 1972:

1st show
6:30: Stonewall Jackson (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper
6:45: Roy Drusky (host); Dottie West
7:00: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Charlie Walker; Justin Tubb
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Loretta Lynn; Willis Brothers; Jean Shepard; Crook Brothers
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Stu Phillips; The 4 Guys
8:30: Tompall (host) and The Glaser Brothers; Bobby Lord; Marion Worth; Bob Luman; Barbara Mandrell; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Stonewall Jackson (host); Willis Brothers; Loretta Lynn; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Dottie West and Jeannie Seely
10:00: Roy Drusky (host); Charlie Walker; Jimmy C Newman; Justin Tubb
10:15: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely and Dottie West
10:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jean Shepard; Stu Phillips
10:45: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Crook Brothers
11:00: Tompall (host); and The Glaser Brothers; Barbara Mandrell; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Kirk McGee
11:30: Del Reeves (host); Marion Worth; The 4 Guys

(Bob Luman and Bobby Lord only appeared on the early show, while Jimmy C Newman and Del Reeves only appeared on the late show. Barbara Mandrell was also on the Opry that night and it was her first Opry appearances since becoming a member in July). 

It has been mentioned before as to the number of "non-country" acts that have appeared at the Opry over the years. One of those nights was on Saturday October 14, 1967, as Perry Como, Phil Harris, Kirby Grant, Snooky Lanson and Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean all were on the Opry that evening. 

Here is the running order from that night 55 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Bill Monroe (host): Dusty Miller
Harold Weakley: Paint A Picture of My World
Cousin Jody: On Top of Old Smokey
Bill Monroe: Blue Moon of Kentucky

6:45: Rudy's
Jim Ed Brown (host): (?)
Margie Bowes: (?)
Del Wood: (?)

7:00: Luzianne
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Ray Pillow: I Just Want to Be Alone
Duke of Paducah: If You Knew Susie
Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar
Jimmy Gately: She Wants to Be Like You
Bill Carlisle: The Great Snowman
Bill Anderson: Bright Lights & Country Music

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Little Pal
Jean Shepard: Happy Tracks
Lonzo and Oscar: Did You Have to Bring That Up
Kirby Grant: Riding Down the Canyon
The 4 Guys: Walking in the Sunshine
Roy Acuff: Mansion on the Hill
Jean Shepard: I Don't See How I Can Make It

8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): In the Jailhouse Now
Wilburn Brothers: Hurt Her Once for Me
Loretta Lynn: What Kind of a Girl
Grandpa Jones: Ol' Rattler
Ernest Tubb: Another Story; Another Time; Another Place
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Tex Ritter: Just Beyond the Moon
Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn: Sweet Thang

8:30: Stephens
Porter Wagoner (host): You Can't Make a Heel Toe the Mark
Del Reeves: One Dime at a Time
Dolly Parton: Something Fishy
Archie Campbell: The Cockfight
Tompall and The Glaser Brothers: Through the Eyes of Love
Porter Wagoner: Julie
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Buck Trent: Stampede
Porter Wagoner: The Cold Hard Facts of Life

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Roy Acuff (host) and Dizzy Dean: Wabash Cannonball
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
The 4 Guys: Swing Down Chariot
Margie Bowes: That Completely Destroys My Plans
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

10:00: Schick
Ernest Tubb (host): Thanks A Lot
Wilburn Brothers: Goody, Goody, Gum Drop
Loretta Lynn: What Kind of a Girl
Cousin Jody: Mockingbird
Ernest Tubb: Yesterday's Winner is a Loser Today

10:15: Pure
Porter Wagoner (host): I'm Gonna Act Right
Minnie Pearl: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Perry Como and Minnie Pearl: My Melancholy Baby
Snooky Lanson and Minnie Pearl: Anytime/Tennessee Waltz 
Jim Ed Brown: Bottle; Bottle
Dolly Parton: Dumb Blonde
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon

10:30: Buckley's
Tex Ritter (host): High Noon
Phil Harris: Smoke; Smoke; Smoke/That's What I Like About the South
Tompall and The Glaser Brothers: Stand Beside Me

10:45: Newport
Bill Carlisle (host): No Help Wanted
Jean Shepard: Silver Threads & Golden Needles
Crook Brothers: Arkansas Traveler
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long

11:00: Coca Cola
Del Reeves (host): One Dime at a Time
Grandpa Jones: Dear Old Sunny South By the Sea
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Devil's Dream
Del Reeves: Girl on the Billboard
Lonzo and Oscar: Uncle Pen
Charley Pride: I Know One
Sam McGee: Railroad Blues
Del Reeves: Hound Dog/Chug A-Lug

11:30: Lava
Ray Pillow (host): Ride, Ride, Ride
The 4 Guys: This Land is Your Land
Carl Belew: You're Too Much to Lose
Lorene Mann: You Loved Me Too Little
Ray Pillow: Two Minus One Leaves Blue
Kirby Grant and Donna Darlene: We Live In Two Different Worlds
The 4 Guys: Green, Green Grass of Home
Ray Pillow: Thank You, Ma'am

As you would expect, the Opry ran way over that night, ending just past 12:30 am. 

So, let's look at some of the names from that night: 

Dizzy Dean everyone should know. He was the All-Star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and would eventually be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. After his playing days ended, he became a broadcaster, becoming famous as one of the announcers on the "Game of the Week," where he had the tendency to break out and sing "Wabash Cannonball" at some point during the game. More importantly, it was Dizzy who gave Roy the nickname, "King of Country Music." 

Kirby Grant was the star of "Sky King" which aired for a number of years on network television and also appeared in a number of western movies. I can remember as a child watching the show on Saturday at noon. By then, it was in re-runs. Kirby basically retired after the show ended in 1959, and he passed away in a car accident in 1985. Kirby Grant is listed as the recording artist on two Wizard Records singles, #245-A "Loving Time" and 245-B "Letter from Tina," circa 1970.

Donna Darlene was a member of the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree and was at one time married to Doug Kershaw, and then later to "Shot" Jackson. While she had a number of recordings, she was pretty much a regional act in the WWVA listening area. In doing an internet search, I found no information as to her doing any duets with Kirby Grant during her career. 

Snooky Lanson, real name Roy Landman, was a star on the NBC show Your Hit Parade, replacing Frank Sinatra, who had left the show in 1950. Snooky started as a big-band singer and in several television series. After Your Hit Parade ended in 1957, he appeared in a number of nightclubs across the country, along with appearances on local television. He passed away in 1990. 

Phil Harris did it all. He was an actor, comedian, musician and songwriter. More importantly, he was married to the lovely and talented Alice Faye, who was Phil's co-star on a long running television series. Phil was also noted for his voice acting in animated films. As a voice actor, he played Baloo in The Jungle Book (1967), Thomas O'Malley in The Aristocats (1970), Little John in Robin Hood (1973), and Patou in Rock-a-Doodle (1991). As a singer, he recorded a #1 novelty hit record, "The Thing" in 1950. Phil was also a long-time friend of Bing Crosby, who worked with Bing on his annual golf tournament. Most would remember Phil from his numerous appearances on network variety television shows and from his Las Vegas act. 

Perry Como is one of the all-time greats. "Mr. C.", as he was nicknamed, sold millions of records and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show. His weekly television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. In the official RCA Records Billboard magazine memorial, his life was summed up in these few words: "50 years of music and a life well lived. He received five Emmys from 1955 to 1959, and a Christopher Award in 1956. He also shared a Peabody Award with good friend Jackie Gleason in 1956. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987 and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1990. Posthumously, Perry received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. He recorded for RCA Records for 44 years. He recorded 32 albums and released 150 singles including such hits as "It's Impossible," Seattle," and "Catch a Falling Star." 

To finish it up for this week, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 58th birthday on Saturday October 15, 1983. Here is the running order from that night: 

1st show
6:00: Vietti
Jimmy C Newman (host): Diggy Liggy Lo
Riders In The Sky: When It's Roundup Time in Texas
Teddy Wilburn: Lovesick Blues
Vic Willis Trio: Old Flames
Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203
Del Wood: Raggin' The Keys
Cajun Country: Instrumental

6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving
Jan Howard: Love's Gonna Live Here
Jim Ed Brown: Morning

6:45: Rudy's
Bill Monroe (host): Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Jeannie Seely: When Will I See You Again
Bill Monroe: Put My Little Shoes Away

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Y'all Come
Connie Smith: Once A Day
Charlie Louvin and Danny Hinson: High Cost of Living
Billy Grammer: I Was Born in Renfro Valley
Ernie Ashworth: Each Moment Spent with You
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home/On A Highway Headed South/Ol' Slewfoot

7:30: Standard Candy
Grandpa Jones (host): Little Pink
Jack Greene: Midnight Tennessee Woman
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell
George Hamilton IV: Til I Can Gain Control Again
Ray Pillow: Julie Loved Boston More Than Me
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Black Moutain Rag
Grandpa Jones: I Know My Mother's Mansion is Higher Than Mine

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
Brother Oswald: Mountain Dew
Roy Acuff: Cabin in Gloryland

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore
The 4 Guys: Made in the USA
Charlie Walker: My Window Faces the South
Lonzo and Oscar: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Fire on the Mountain
Hank Snow: My Happiness

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Porter Wagoner (host): Y'all Come
The 4 Guys: Sally Was a Good Old Girl
Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Band
Teddy Wilburn: Born to Love Me
Vic Willis Trio: American Trilogy
Jan Howard: I've Got Jesus in My Soul
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Porter Wagoner: On A Highway Headed South

10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe (host): Little Cabin Home on the Hill
Jeannie Seely: Your Sweet Lies Just Turned Down My Sheets Again
Riders In The Sky: Ride with the Wind
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie

10:15: Sunbeam
Grandpa Jones (host): Old Blue
Billy Grammer: Somebody Loves You
Charlie Louvin and Danny Hinson: When I Stop Dreaming
Connie Smith: Louisiana Man

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Roy Acuff and The Grand Ole Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry

10:45: Beech-Nut
Jack Greene (host): Midnight Tennessee Woman
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Ernie Ashworth: The DJ Cried
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Soldier's Joy

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Tangled Mind
Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore Darling
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Run Boy, Run
Billy Walker: You Gave Me a Mountain
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with the Way that We're Doing it Now
Kirk McGee: St. James Infirmary
Hank Snow: Born For You

11:30: Hardee's
Bill Anderson (host): Country DJ
Lonzo and Oscar: I Hear Kentucky Calling Me
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Ronnie Robbins: Mama Tried/My Woman, My Woman, My Wife/El Paso
Bill Anderson and Roy Acuff: I Wonder If God Likes Country Music
Bill Anderson: Southern Fried/Still

(Bill Anderson only appeared on the late show, while Minnie Pearl was scheduled for both shows on Roy Acuff's segment but canceled due to the flu). 

Not many are left from that night 39 years ago. 

Finally, this news broke on Tuesday afternoon: 

Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Chairman/CEO Colin Reed will transition to Exec. Chairman after more than 21 years in his current post. Pres. Mark Fioravanti has been tapped to succeed Reed as CEO Jan. 1 under the title Pres./CEO. “It has been my honor to lead this company for [more than] two decades as we transformed our business into the hospitality and entertainment powerhouse it is today,” says Reed. “With our businesses operating at record or near-record levels of performance and another strong year on the horizon, this is an ideal time for me to transition into a new role.” Reed joined then-Gaylord Entertainment in 2001 and recruited Fioravanti to join the following year. Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Opry Entertainment Group (OEG) division owns Classic Country WSM-AM/Nashville, the Grand Ole Opry and Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, among others.

I know change makes some people nervous but knowing that the new CEO has been with the organization for 20 years, and the fact that Colin will still be with the company, is probably good news for the Opry Entertainment Group. Personally, I like the direction that Colin has taken the organization and I am confident that Ryman Hospitality, along with the Opry, will continue to thrive into the future. 

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. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows

Before I get to the mid-week Opry shows, I wanted to share this information regarding one of the individuals at the Grand Ole Opry that we don't hear about yet is vitally important to putting the show on the air. 

October 5, 2022

The NAMM Oral History Program celebrated a milestone this week: the release of the program’s 5,000th interview. In this special edition, the program features Kevin McGinty, famed audio engineer, and Front of House for the Grand Ole Opry. The Opry presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville, Tennessee. 

 In the interview, McGinty shares stories, wit, and wisdom working in live sound. He covers his early history, which began with mixing live sound in high school, later attending Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University for a degree in Music Business. From there, he worked as front of house at Nashville’s famed Exit/In and installed many audio systems in the city’s clubs and concert halls. In 2003, McGinty joined the Grand Ole Opry as an audio engineer and has never looked back. 

 View the interview here: https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/kevin-mcginty

Since its inception in 2000, the NAMM Oral History Program has sought to preserve the rich history of the industry through first-person accounts from professionals in music products, pro audio, live sound, entertainment technology, artists, and more. 

I encourage everyone to check out the interview and I thank Jeanne O'Keefe of The Lippin Group for sharing this information with me. 

And now, here are the lineups for the upcoming mid-week Grand Ole Opry shows: 

Tuesday October 11
7:00: Rhonda Vincent, Travis Denning, John Conlee, Steven Curtis Chapman
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Byron Kennedy, Carter Faith, Chase Rice

Wednesday October 12
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Emily Ann Roberts, Chase Bryant, The Travelin' McCourys
Intermission
8:15: Ricochet, Mandy Barnett, Charlie Worsham, The Isaacs

Thursday October 13-Opry Country Classic
Larry Gatlin
The Gatlin Brothers
Dailey & Vincent
Louise Mandrell
Craig Campbell
Wade Hayes

For comedian Byron Kennedy, Tuesday will be his Opry debut, while Ricochet on Wednesday night will be making their first Opry appearance in 20 years.

For those who are interested, I will be sharing a few thoughts regarding the birthday week of shows when I post the lineup for next weekend. 

October Opry Highlights

October has traditionally been one of the more active months in the history of the Grand Ole Opry. It is the month in which the Opry traditionally celebrates its anniversary with the Opry's birthday weekend, usually held the 1st weekend of the month. Lots of important and historical events have taken place during October involving the Opry or its members, and here are a few of them:

October 7, 1870: One of the early stars of the Grand Ole Opry, Uncle Dave Macon was born. Uncle Dave usually appeared on the Opry with his son Doris and was known as "The Dixie Dewdrop." After coming to the WSM Barn Dance, Uncle Dave would remain with the Opry until his death in 1952. He was also one of the early inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

October 25, 1912: Sarah Ophelia Colley was born. Known to the world as Minnie Pearl, she first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in November 1940 and was an Opry member for over 50 years. Comedy has become a lost art at the Opry, but during her time Minnie was one of the best. Minnie passed away in March 1996 from complications of an earlier stroke.

October 20, 1913: Louis Marshall Jones was born in Henderson County, Kentucky. Like Minnie Pearl, Louis was an Opry member for over 50 years, and was known for his humor along with his banjo playing. He was also nationally known for his work on Hee Haw. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, you might know him better by his stage name: Grandpa Jones.

October 5, 1925: WSM radio went on the air. Edwin Craig was given the honor of starting off that first broadcast, and he did it with a few simple words: "This is WSM. We Shield Millions. The National Life and Accident Company." National Life President C.A Craig dedicated the station to public service. Among the guests that night was George D. Hay, who would later be hired as the program director at WSM, after which he started the WSM Barn Dance.

October 30, 1926: The Binkley Brothers and Theron Hale made their first appearances on the WSM Barn Dance. 

October 11, 1932: Dottie West was born in Smithville, Tennessee. Dottie joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964 and would remain an Opry member until her tragic death in 1991. I find it hard to believe that if Dottie was still alive that she would be 89 years old. Time certainly does fly. After what many considered a huge oversite, Dottie was finally elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018. 

October 27, 1934: The Grand Ole Opry moved from Studio C at the National Life Building, home of WSM, to the Hillsboro Theater. The move was made because of the large number of people who were coming down to the National Life building to watch the show. The Hillsboro Theater was an upgrade for the Opry, as it sat 2,400 and also had dressing rooms for the performers. Because the Opry was now being performed before a live audience, the artists were told to dress for their performances, meaning rural clothes that would reflect the proper image for a country show. That night also was the beginning of Vito Pellettiere as the Opry's stage manager. Vito would hold that position until 1977 and he was responsible for bringing order and organization to the show, including breaking the show into segments with sponsors, and establishing a schedule, with specific times for each act to appear.

October 9, 1937: Roy Acuff made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. He was invited to appear on the program in what was basically an audition. While his initial performance was nothing to write home about, he was invited back and would join the Opry cast the following year.

October 16, 1937: Bradley Kincaid made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. In my opinion, one of the great oversites by the CMA and Country Music Hall of Fame is the lack of election of Bradley to the Hall of Fame. As a reminder, it was Bradley who performed with Grandpa Jones and was the one to give Grandpa his nickname. 

October 14, 1939: The NBC Radio Network began to carry a half hour segment of the Opry, sponsored by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to promote its Prince Albert brand. Roy Acuff was the featured star, with David Stone as the announcer and George D. Hay as the Master of Ceremonies. On that first night, Roy and his group were introduced and played the theme song, "Have A Big Time Tonight." Along with George D. Hay, that first show included Uncle Dave Macon, George Wilkerson and his Fruit Jar Drinkers, DeFord Bailey, Brother Oswald, and the rest of Roy's group. Over time, the Prince Albert segment would become the Opry's most famous segment. Beginning initially on 26 network stations, primarily in the south, the segment would soon expand nationwide across the entire NBC Radio Network.

October 23, 1939: Bill Monroe came to Nashville and auditioned for George D. Hay and the Grand Ole Opry. He sang "Mule Skinner Blues," which was the same song that he sang later when he was welcomed as a new cast member.

October 28, 1939: Bill Monroe became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, performing "Muleskinner Blues." Opry founder George D. Hay was so impressed with Bill and his new bluegrass sound that he told Bill that if he ever wanted to leave the Opry, he would have to fire himself. Thankfully, that never happened, and Bill would remain an Opry member for over 50 years, until his death in September 1996.

October 17, 1953: Carl Butler made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Later, along with his wife Pearl, the Butlers would be Opry members.

October 2, 1954: Elvis Presley made his first and only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He sang Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Reports had said that Elvis received only modest applause from the Opry audience, which was not that unusual. Legend has it that when he was finished and walking off the stage, Opry manager Jim Denny told Elvis that he should go back to driving a truck. While Elvis's truck driving days were over, he never came back to the Opry. Over the years, there has been some doubt if Jim Denny actually made those comments to Elvis. Either way, Elvis never was invited back. One person who was impressed that night was Bill Monroe, especially after seeing the size of the royalty checks he began to receive after Elvis recorded Bill's song.

October 15, 1955: "Grand Ole Opry" began on ABC-TV. The show would run once a month on the network. 

October 22, 1955: Jim Reeves became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Over time, Jim would become one of the Opry's biggest stars, but like so many others, he came to realize the limitations of being an Opry member and would move on. His last Opry appearance was in June 1963.

October 29, 1955: For what would be a very short run, Slim Whitman became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He came and went pretty quickly. Most fans will not remember Slim's time at the Opry, but they will remember those late-night television ads selling his greatest hits album. 

October 19, 1956: Stonewall Jackson was given an audition at the Opry. He passed with flying colors and was invited back to perform on the show, eventually becoming a member on November 3, 1956. Stonewall came to town in his pick-up truck, without a hit record, and stuck it big. Stonewall's time at the Opry was somewhat complicated, as he did leave for a few years and later in life, he sued the Opry and Gaylord Entertainment. 

October 8, 1960: Buck Owens made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, and being based in California, Buck would continue to make occasional Opry appearances throughout his life.

October 15, 1960; While a few different dates have been given over the years, it would appear that Loretta Lynn made her first Opry guest appearance on this date. The Wilburn Brothers were instrumental in getting her that guest spot and she appeared that night on a segment hosted by Ernest Tubb. At the time, Loretta did not have a band, so Leslie Wilburn played base and Lester Wilburn played rhythm guitar. Just like in the move, she sang "I'm A Honky-Tonk Girl." The Opry was impressed, and after numerous guest appearances promoted by the Wilburns, Loretta was asked to become an Opry member, which took place in 1962.

October 21, 1961: After overcoming a serious car accident, Patsy Cline returned to the Opry and performed "Crazy" for the first time. 

October 20, 1962: Leroy Van Dyke became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Like many others, Leroy would only remain with the Opry for a couple of years before being suspended from the show for failing to meet the required number of annual appearances. However, after he left, Leroy would occasionally come back for guest appearances. Leroy, now over the age of 90, is still actively performing with his Solid Gold country show. 

October 27, 1962: One week after Leroy became an Opry member, Sonny James joined the Opry's cast. Like Leroy, Sonny would leave a few years later as he developed a more sophisticated country sound.

October 17, 1964: Willie Nelson made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Willie would join the cast later on but like others of that time period, found that the Opry was really not for him and moved on, in Willie's case, back to Texas.

October 23, 1965: Roy Acuff, Jr. made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. With his father closely watching, Roy Jr. sang "Baby Just Said Goodbye." His recording and performing work showed the promise of a career in country music, however he preferred to work behind the scenes and his public performing soon ended. While that was his debut on the Opry, Roy Jr. would make a few more appearances. 

October 14, 1966: Del Reeves became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Introduced by Opry member Porter Wagoner, it was a very emotional night for Del as his parents were in the audience to witness the event. Del was so overcome with emotion that he was unable to make it though his song, breaking down in tears. Del was a popular member of the Opry's cast and would remain so until his death in January 2007.

October 7, 1967: Dolly Parton made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry while appearing with Porter Wagoner. Dolly and Porter did not do a duet that night, that would happen a month later. Dolly sang "Dumb Blonde" that night. It was Dolly's first Opry appearance since her debut on the Opry in 1959.

October 14, 1967: Dizzy Dean, Perry Como and Phil Harris all made surprise guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry that night. Yes, even back in the 60s, there were appearances on the Opry by artists not considered country. 

October 21, 1967: The Browns: Jim Ed, Maxine and Bonnie, gave their final performance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. While Bonnie and Maxine would retire to raise families, Jim Ed continued on as a solo member of the Opry's cast, until his death in 2015. Even though they retired, the sisters would come back many times to appear with Jim Ed at the Opry, and other venues. The Browns had a big impact on country music, and a string of hits. In 2015, the year Jim Ed passed away, Jim Ed Brown and The Browns were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

October 6, 1968: Former WSM executive Harry Stone passed away at the age of 70. The influence that Harry Stone had on WSM, and the Grand Ole Opry was great, perhaps even more so than the Opry's founder George D. Hay. While the founder wanted to keep the Opry simple and down to earth, featuring local and regional musicians, Harry saw the value on the Opry to WSM and National Life. He began to add professional musicians and singers to the Opry cast, including Pee Wee King, Roy Acuff and Eddy Arnold. There was a lot of conflict between George D. Hay and Harry Stone, and in 1932 it reached its high point as Harry became the general manager at WSM, putting him ahead of Hay in the pecking order at the station. Many should thank Harry for his leadership at the Opry, as many of the decisions he made allowed the show to survive while other barn dance shows failed. Why Harry Stone has never been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame is a mystery to me. 

October 19, 1968: In an interview published in the Nashville Tennessean, WSM President Irving Waugh said that the Opry's days at the Ryman Auditorium were numbered. The article stated, "The initiation of plans for the relocation of the Opry, possibly as the center of a multi-million-dollar hotel and amusement complex, was announced at a breakfast at Municipal Auditorium sponsored by WSM." Irving Waugh said, "Our feeling is that the Grand Ole Opry needs a new, modern facility. It is estimated the center, which would be called Opryland USA, would require between one hundred fifty and two hundred acres of land. The location would not be in the Music Row area." Over time, details would be announced, and the Opry would leave downtown and the Ryman for a rural location that became Opryland USA.

October 16, 1971: Freddie Hart made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. This was also the night of the Opry's 46th birthday celebration. Of course, Freddie sang his classic hit, "Easy Loving." 

October 27, 1973: Comedian and storyteller Jerry Clower became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was the last member to join the Opry while the show was still located at the Ryman Auditorium. When Jerry joined the cast, comedy was still a big part of the show, as Jerry joined fellow comedians Minnie Pearl, Archie Campbell, Grandpa Jones and Lonzo & Oscar as active Opry members. Sadly, those days have passed. 

October 25, 1974: The Pointer Sisters made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. 

October 18, 1975: The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 50th anniversary with a star-studded weekend at the Grand Ole Opry House. Looking back, the 50th is considered one of the biggest shows in the history of the Opry. This was also the final night that Tammy Wynette performed on the Opry as a member.

October 16, 1976: During the Opry's annual birthday celebration, which would have been their 51st. veteran Opry stage manager Vito Pellettieri was honored. In many ways, Vito did more to establish the Opry than any other individual. Among Vito's many contributions to the show was the establishment of an actual schedule for each performer and breaking up the Opry into 15- or 30-minute segments. Vito, who passed away the following year, was with WSM and the Opry for over 40 years. And by the way, Vito never drove or owned a car, taking the bus to the Opry each weekend. (And Hank Snow loved Vito). 

October 6, 1977: The Grand Ole Opry put on a special Grand Ole Opry show at the Boston Gardens. The show featured a full Opry cast and was broadcast on WSM.

October 10, 1977: The Grand Ole Opry presented its 52nd birthday show with a special three-hour Opry for the visiting disc jockeys in town for their annual convention. 

October 3, 1981: Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and the Sons of the Pioneers made a guest appearance on the Opry. While Roy Acuff was listed as the host of the segment, after Roy did his opening number, he turned the segment over to Roy Rogers, who handled it from there. 

October 2, 1982: Grand Ole Opry member Doyle Wilburn made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Doyle would pass away several weeks later from cancer. 

October 9, 1982: George Strait made his Grand Ole Opry debut. There are many who believe that George never appeared on the Opry, but he did. Over the years there have been rumors and stories regarding George and the Opry's management, especially in regard to the lack of future appearances or Opry membership. However, with George based in Texas and really having no Nashville connections, there was no reason to believe that George would ever become an Opry member.

October 16, 1982: Grand Ole Opry member Doyle Wilburn passed away in Nashville at the age of 52. The Wilburn Brothers, Teddy and Doyle, first appeared on the Opry with the rest of their siblings in the 1940s, however child labor laws sent them away from Nashville and the Opry. They came back, and in 1953 became Opry members. After Doyle's death, Teddy continued on as a solo member of the cast.

October 17, 1982: Alcyone Bate Beasley died. While the name might not mean a lot to some people, Alcyone was there when it all started in 1925 as a member of Dr. Humphrey Bate's Possum Hunters. Dr. Bate was Alcyone's father. After he died, Alcyone worked to keep the Possum Hunters going, but years later, when the square dance bands were merged, the Possum Hunters name disappeared from the Opry's programs. Even in her final years, Alcyone would always appear on the Opry's annual reunion shows.

October 29, 1982: Alabama traveled up to Nashville and made their first appearance on the Opry. While it was their first appearance, it would not be their last.

October 22, 1983: The Fruit Jar Drinkers made their final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. With the death of Kirk McGee several days later, the group disbanded, however most of the members of the group continued playing on the Opry in other capacities.

October 24, 1983: Grand Ole Opry member, and one of the originals, Kirk McGee passed away. Along with his brother Sam, Kirk made his first Opry appearance in 1926, back when the show was called the WSM Barn Dance. Over the years, he would be a part of the Dixieliners and the Fruit Jar Drinkers, in addition to performing with his brother. His last Opry show had been the previous Saturday night.

October 19, 1985: Lonzo & Oscar made their final appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. Rollin Sullivan, who was Oscar, originally came to the Opry in 1942. Over the years there were three different Lonzo's, starting with Ken Marvin, followed by Rollin's brother Johnny, and finally David Hooten. In addition to being on the Opry that evening, the duo also hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. The night also marked the return of Roy Acuff to the Opry. Roy had been missing for the past 18 weeks following the discovery of a blood clot. At last word, David Hooten was still alive. 

October 3, 1989: Grand Ole Opry member Del Wood passed away in Nashville after suffering a stroke several weeks later. Del, whose real name was Adelaide Hazelwood, came to the Opry in 1953 and was famous for her ragtime piano playing and her No. 1 hit 'Down Yonder." Much like others, with Del's passing the ragtime piano playing has disappeared from the Opry stage.

October 14, 1989: Holly Dunn became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Holly would remain an Opry member until she left the music business and moved to New Mexico to concentrate on her artwork. Holly, who was not happy with her firing from the Opry, passed away from cancer in November 2016. And yes, she was fired.

October 28, 1989: Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, celebrated 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Among those appearing on the televised portion that night to honor Bill, which was hosted by Grant Turner, were Emmylou Harris and Larry Cordle.

October 6, 1990: Garth Brooks became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Garth's 32nd year as an Opry member, an honor that he considers one of the most important in his professional career. While Garth's Opry appearances have been few over the past several decades, he always brings excitement each time he appears on the Opry stage, and I have been told numerous times that Garth helps out the Opry whenever they call. For those of us who were at the Opry's 5000th show last October, seeing Garth was one of the highlights. 

October 4, 1991: Diamond Rio made their first guest appearance on the Opry. 7 years later, in 1998, they would become Opry members.

October 19, 1991: Legendary Grand Ole Opry announcer Grant Turner passed away, just hours after announcing the Friday Night Opry. Grant was the dean of Opry announcers and started at WSM on D-Day in 1944. Over the years, he also hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree and the Opry's warm-up show. Grant is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

October 24, 1991: Gaylord Entertainment Company, owners of WSM and the Grand Ole Opry, listed its stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time. Many have said that this is the event that started the downfall of the Opry as the company went public after years of private ownership, and the focus changed. From that point forward, decisions were made based on the effect on the bottom line of the company.

October 23, 1992: Roy Acuff made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. It was a Friday night show and Roy, in declining health, hosted his segment while sitting in a director's chair. He was scheduled for the following Saturday night; however, he took a nap that afternoon and his family decided not to wake him. Days later he entered the hospital for what would be the final time.

October 2, 1995: Grand Ole Opry member Porter Wagoner rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to mark the 70th year of the Grand Ole Opry. 

October 14, 1996: Bob Whittaker, Vice President and General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry was named President of the Grand Ole Opry Group of Gaylord Entertainment Company. He replaced Hal Durham, who was retiring. Bob would remain in that position until retiring in 1998.

October 31, 1997: Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with son Bobby Wright as they celebrate their 60th anniversary. Kitty sang "Makin' Believe" and does one verse of "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."

October 15, 2000: The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 75th birthday with four shows that weekend, including two on Saturday night that featured a majority of the Opry's members including Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and Alison Krauss. On a personal note, we attended the shows that weekend and they were probably the best and had the strongest line-ups of any Opry show that I have attended.

October 25, 2000: CBS-TV taped "Grand Ole Opry 75th--Celebration" at the Grand Ole Opry House, featuring Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Trisha Yearwood, Loretta Lynn, Porter Wagoner, as well as several other members of the Opry's cast. 

October 17, 2002: Grand Ole Opry member Brother Oswald passed away. Beecher Ray Kirby first came to the Opry with Roy Acuff on January 1, 1939. After Roy's death in 1992, Brother Oswald was asked to become an Opry member, a well-deserved honor in recognition of over 50 years already appearing on the Opry. Usually during his segment Oswald would perform his dobro with Charlie Collins on guitar. Beecher "Pete" Kirby is another of those who have been overlooked for the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

October 4, 2003: The Grand Ole Opry was televised on Great American Country (GAC) for the first time, moving over after spending several years on Country Music Television (CMT).

October 25, 2003: Del McCoury became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Del's 19th year as an Opry member. Del, who usually appears on the weeknight shows, was formally inducted by Patty Loveless.

October 1, 2005: Dierks Bentley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. For Dierks, this will be year number 17 of Opry membership. Dierks, who is a former employee of The Nashville Network, made his Opry debut in April 2003. On the night of his induction, it was Porter Wagoner doing the honors.

October 15, 2005: The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 80th birthday. Garth Brooks marked the occasion by coming out of retirement and joining Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner and Bill Anderson on stage. For Garth, it was his first Opry appearance in five years. Also, on board that night was Garth's friend Steve Wariner.

October 9, 2007: Grand Ole Opry member Porter Wagoner made his final appearance during that night's Tuesday Night Opry. Porter was in declining health and would pass away several months later. Porter was an Opry member for just over 50 years and was one of the faces of the Opry. 

October 20, 2007: XM Satellite Radio began airing the Grand Ole Opry. The first broadcast features Carrie Underwood, Ronnie Milsap and Travis Tritt. 15 years later, the Opry is still replayed weekly on satellite radio. 

October 27, 2007: Josh Turner became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Josh's 15th year as a member of the Opry's cast. Josh had made numerous guest appearances on the Opry, performing his hit "Long Black Train." It was during one of those appearances that Roy Clark surprised Josh with an invitation to join the cast.

October 28, 2007: Grand Ole Opry legend Porter Wagoner passed away in Nashville at the age of 80. One of the most popular members in the history of the Opry, Porter had just celebrated his 50th anniversary as a member of the Opry several months before. Not only was he a great solo artist, but he made some great duets with Dolly Parton. Porter died as a result of lung cancer.

October 10, 2008: Longtime Grand Ole Opry member Ernie Ashworth made his final appearance on that evenings Friday Night Opry. Ernie, who passed away in March 2009, was an Opry member for over 40 years, joining the cast in March 1964.

October 11, 2008: Marshall Barnes passed away. To some of the more recent readers, the name may not mean much, but Marshall was a part of the Opry for many years, first with Cowboy Copas, and later with Grandpa Jones, Roy Acuff and Bill Carlisle. Marshall was a great bass singer who also played the fiddle and guitar.

October 25, 2008: Craig Morgan became a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Inducted by John Conlee, Craig will be celebrating 14 years as a member.

October 22, 2010: Blake Shelton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Blake's 12th year as an Opry member. Sadly, Blake has been very busy and seldom makes his way to the Opry.

October 4, 2011: Randy Travis was honored upon his 25th year in the music business with a special show on the Tuesday Night Opry. He performed "Diggin' Up Bones" with John Anderson. Joining in the celebration were Carrie Underwood, Connie Smith, Gene Watson, Joe Stampley and Josh Turner.

October 8, 2011: During the Opry's 86th birthday celebration, Rascal Flatts were inducted as the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Among those on hand that night to welcome the group to the cast was Opry member Vince Gill. Last year, Rascal Flatts announced that they would no longer be performing as a group, however since that time, several of the members have appeared on the Opry in support of their own individual projects.

October 2, 2012: Darius Rucker was invited by Brad Paisley, who was sitting in the audience, to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The formal induction would take place two weeks later. 

October 16, 2012: Darius Rucker became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was surprised during a guest appearance by an audience member, who happened to be Brad Paisley, to come and join the cast. This will be his 10th year as an Opry member.

October 23, 2012: On what would have been the 100th birthday of Minnie Pearl, the Grand Ole Opry honored her memory with a special tribute show. Among those appearing that night was Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Pam Tillis and her dad, Mel.

October 3, 2014: During a guest appearance on the Friday Night Opry, Little Big Town was surprised when Reba McEntire walked out on stage during their performance to ask the group if they wished to become the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Of course, they said yes, and on October 17th, they were formally inducted. This will be their 8th year as Opry members.

October 17, 2015: Country music Hall of Fame member Merle Haggard made a surprise appearance on that night's Grand Ole Opry. Introduced by Connie Smith, it would be Merle's final appearance on the Opry. Of course, one of the songs he sang was his classic "Okie From Muskogee." 

October 24, 2015: Grand Ole Opry member Jan Howard made her last singing appearance on the Opry. Jan joined the Opry in March 1971 and continued as a member until her death in 2020. 

October 29, 2016: Luke Combs made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. While Luke did not make many future guest appearances, in 2019 he was invited to become an Opry member.

October 17, 2017: Chris Young became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Chris' 5th year as an Opry member and it is always nice to see Chris appearing on the Opry. 

October 28, 2017: Newly inducted Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Since then, Don has been back to the Opry many, many times. 

October 11, 2019: Garth Brooks introduced former President Jimmy Carter to the sold-out audience at the Friday Night Opry. Jimmy, along with his wife Roslyn, was in Nashville as part of Habitat for Humanity. Also appearing that night was Emmylou Harris, Bill Anderson, Dierks Bentley and Margo Price. 

October 12, 2019: Dolly Parton was honored upon her 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. While the actual induction date was in January, it took until the October date for everything to be planned out. Dolly made her Opry debut in 1959, and then returned in 1967 as a part of Porter Wagoner's outfit. The show was filmed that night as part of an NBC special that aired on a later date. 

October 3, 2020: For the 1st time since March, live audiences returned to the Grand Ole Opry House as the Opry celebrated its 95th birthday before an audience of 500. Opry members Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Terri Clark and Dierks Bentley were featured. As part of the 95th Opry birthday, Dierks celebrated 15 years as an Opry member. And yes, I was one of the 500 in the audience that night and it was great to be back at the Opry. 

October 22, 2020: Former Grand Ole Opry member Margie Bowes passed away after a period of declining health. Margie joined the Opry in 1958 and was a member of the cast until leaving the show in November 1971. After she left as a member, Margie would occasionally make an appearance, usually on one of the reunion shows. 

October 24, 2021: Grand Ole Opry member Sonny Osborne passed away after a period of declining health. The Osborne Brothers, Sonny along with his brother Bobby, joined the Opry in 1964. Sonny had retired several decades ago, and since his retirement, Bobby has continued on. Sonny became well known for his question-and-answer column in Bluegrass Unlimited, which he continued right up until his death. 

Tuesday October 4, 2022: Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Loretta Lynn passed away after a period of declining health. Loretta was a 60-year member of the Grand Ole Opry, second only to Jean Shepard among female Opry members. 

Thursday October 6, 2022: Ashley McBryde was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Opry member Garth Brooks made the surprise announcement live from the Grand Ole Opry House on the CBS morning show. 

There you have the highlights for this month.