This is it. We have come to the end of another year as the Grand Ole Opry finishes up 2022 with shows #211 and #212. And what a year it was. The Opry followed up their record year of new members in 2021 with five more members in 2022. There was the celebration of Barbara Mandrell's 50th year as an Opry member, Jeannie Seely being recognized for appearing on the Opry over 5,000 times, and the Opry's 97th birthday. Sadly, the Opry lost one of its icons as 60-year Opry member Loretta Lynn passed away. While we all look forward to what the Opry has to offer in 2023, there is still one more weekend in 2022.
Looking at those scheduled for the final Friday Night Opry of 2022, Opry members Connie Smith and Don Schlitz, two Hall of Fame members, are at the head of the list. Frequent and popular guests Darin & Brooke Aldridge are on the schedule, as is comedian Aaron Weber. Rounding out the schedule will Drake Milligan, who will be back for a follow up appearance, Janelle Arthur, The SteelDrivers, and a group that has not been at the Opry is a long time, McBride & The Ride.
McBride & The Ride originally formed in the late 1980s. During their initial run together, the group released three albums Burnin’ Up The Road, Sacred Ground, and Hurry Sundown, and had hit singles "Love on the Loose, Heart on the Run," “Sacred Ground,” and "Going Out of My Mind," to mention a few. In the spring of 2021, they announced they were reuniting and going back in the studio to record new music, with their first new album in almost 30 years to be released next year.
Though the band has been on and off over the past 30 years, its members have thrived through their individual careers. Ray Herndon has been Lyle Lovett’s lead guitarist since 1985 and has had songs cut by Kenny Chesney, Aaron Tippin, Lee Greenwood and Linda Davis. Terry McBride has written hits for Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Easton Corbin, and Cody Johnson. Billy Thomas moved to Nashville from Los Angeles in 1987 and immediately started working with Vince Gill along with many other country stars (Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner & Earl Scruggs). He has also been Vince Gill's drummer on the road and in the studio ever since, adding background vocals to his many hits, as well as joining him as a member of The Time Jumpers, one of Nashville’s favorite bands.
I know many of us will be looking forward to hearing the group once again at the Opry.
Don Schlitz and Aaron Weber are back on Saturday night, along with Opry members Charlie McCoy, Jeannie Seely and Mandy Barnett. Also appearing will be Sierra Hull & Justin Moses, award winning fiddle player Andy Leftwich, and making his Grand Ole Opry debut, Jason Coleman.
Jason Coleman is a name many might not recognize, but at the same time, he should be somebody that most would be familiar with. Since 2020 Jason has hosted and performed his own weekly piano concert series, The Jason Coleman Show, broadcast as both an online TV show and a weekly radio show on WSM Radio. With tens of millions of views and tens of thousands of weekly tune-ins, The Jason Coleman Show serves as the connection point between Jason and his passionate ‘piano family’ of fans and followers from across the globe.
You might be wondering where Jason got this talent from. Well, it runs in the family as Jason is the grandson of Country Music Hall of Fame member Floyd Cramer, and in fact, it was Floyd who inspired Jason to take up the piano. Jason has done a wonderful job carrying on his grandfather's legacy.
(As with the previous week, the weekly lineups have not been posted as of yet)
And now, from 50 years ago, Saturday December 30, 1972:
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely
7:30: Tex Ritter (host); Bob Luman; Lonzo and Oscar; Stan Hitchcock
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Bill Carlisle; Ernie Ashworth; Crook Brothers; Roland White and Marty Stuart
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Stringbean; Stoney Cooper and Joe Edwards; Onie Wheeler; Carolee Cooper
9:00: Bill Monroe (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Stu Phillips; Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Willis Brothers; Jim and Jesse; The 4 Guys
10:00: Stu Phillips (host); Bob Luman; Lonzo and Oscar
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Carolee and Stoney Cooper; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Tex Ritter; Stringbean; Ernie Ashworth; Paul Warren
10:45: Bill Monroe (host); Earl Scruggs Revue; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Justin Tubb; Willis Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Jim and Jesse; The 4 Guys
(Bill Anderson, Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely appeared only on the first half of the show, while Justin Tubb appeared only on the second half. Billy Walker and Billy Grammer cancelled both their spots).
New Year's Eve shows at the Grand Ole Opry generally featured only Opry members. 1983 was no exception. Here is the running order from December 31, 1983, as the Grand Ole Opry closed out another year.
1st show
6:30: Bonanza
The 4 Guys (host): Cottonfields/Mariah
Wilma Lee Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
The 4 Guys: Fanny May
6:45: Rudy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Jean Shepard: Soft Rain
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk of Coal
7:00: Shoney's
Grandpa Jones (host) and Ramona Jones: I Wonder Where My Darlin' is Tonight
Jimmy C Newman: (?)
Jim and Jesse: Let Me Whisper
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee
Jack Greene: Midnight Tennessee Woman/I'd Do as Much for You
Grandpa Jones: Four Stone Walls & A Ceiling
Ramona Jones: Bill Cheatham
7:30: Standard Candy
Porter Wagoner (host): Y'all come
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell
Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me on Sundays
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Gray Eagle
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name/Green, Green Grass of Home
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Billy Grammer: (?)/When You & I Were Young Maggie
Connie Smith: You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me/I've Got You & You Got Me
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird/I Saw the Light
8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Wreck of the Old 97
Teddy Wilburn: Lovesick Blues
Riders In The Sky: Pecos Bill
Bill Carlisle: Oh, What A Party
Jeannie Seely: He's All I Need
Hank Snow: Born For You
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Jack Greene (host): Happy Tracks
The 4 Guys: Let There Be Peace
Jean Shepard: Deep Water
Ray Pillow: Please Don't Leave Me Anymore
Wilma Lee Cooper: A Daisy a Day
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/Statue of a Fool
10:00: Little Debbie
Jimmy C Newman (host): Big Mamou
Charlie Louvin and Del Groves: Don't It Seem to Rain a Lot in Our Lives
Cajun Country: Cajun Queen
10:15: Sunbeam
Grandpa Jones (host): Pretty Little Gal A' Waitin'
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Grandpa Jones and George McCormick: Wait a Little Longer, Please Jesus
10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Del Wood: Auld Lang Syme/Down Yonder/Cajun Stripper
Roy Acuff: Back in the Country/I'll Fly Away
10:45: Beech- Nut
Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose
Jeanne Pruett: I Oughta Feel Guilty
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Liberty
Roy Drusky: One Day at a Time
11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): I've Cried A Mile
Justin Tubb: Pull the Covers Over Me
Connie Smith: The Well of His Mercy
Billy Grammer: The Old Spinning Wheel
Hank Snow: If Jesus Wrote to Us
11:30: Hardee's
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Riders In The Sky: Biscuit Blues
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Jeannie Seely: Healing Hands of Time/You Don't Need Me, but You Will
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name
Porter Wagoner, Roy Acuff and Grand Ole Opry Cast: Auld Lang Syme
Porter Wagoner, Roy Acuff and Grand Ole Opry Cast: I Saw the Light
Jan Howard was scheduled for both shows but canceled, while Stonewall Jackson and Teddy Wilburn only appeared on the early show and Ray Pillow and Justin Tubb on the late show. Also of note was Porter Wagoner hosting the final segment that night, something he very rarely did).
Well, there you have it for this week and for this year. I thank everyone for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing and hearing from everyone in 2023.
I was sure thinking Jason Coleman had appeared on the Opry before. I must be thinking of the Midnite Jamboree when he and a young lady relative of Chet's performed together a few years back.
ReplyDeleteJim
Jim, you might be right as the Opry has posted that it is his "solo" Opry debut, which comes on the 25th anniversary of the death of Floyd Cramer.
DeleteWell, I guess I was right but I don't get credit for it, just dumb luck. Did you hear Mike talk to Jason and say he was on before with his class or something wit school when he graduated high, school. Don't recall that so I can't take credit.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed what he did and that the Opry let it play out that way. Sad, but I don't think much of the audience know who Floyd Cramer was. Sign of the time and my age.
Jim
I believe he just performed at his graduation at the Opry house, but not the Opry show. Curry
DeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone enjoyed both Opry shows as much as I did, the last two to close out another year of Opry shows of which there were tons of them.
Jason Coleman has mastered his grandfather's songs, when I l sat with my eyes closed, I thought I was listening to the original recording of "Last Date" it sounded so outstanding and I enjoyed everyone who came on stage with him to sing as well. I really do miss instrumentals.
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing McBride and the Ride again, they had some pretty darned good songs on the radio. Janelle Arthur was very good, Drake Milligan was really terrific, the Steel Drivers don't get to the Opry stage enough for me, and Darin & Brooke Aldridge are very, very good as well. And Connie Smith, as always fantastic!
Andy Leftwich was just great and to have his former boss right there, is a testament as to how thought of Andy is to have Ricky Skaggs accompany him. Great job Andy, come back and thank you to Ricky Skaggs for helping push Andy to the forefront and to stand in the circle. Marty Stuart shows off all of his Superlatives individually in concert and it started way back when he had his tv show on RFD-TV, maybe sooner than that. I enjoy hearing the musicianship and/or vocals of the "men in back."
Charlie McCoy, Mandy Barnett and Don Schlitz, who closed out both shows (thank you Grand Ole Opry!) with the Opry singers singing Auld Lang Syne, they sure did an outstanding job before Don closed out the last Opry show of 2022. He is just so darned funny and engaging and gets the audience's participation in no time. And how special must his mother feel every time he asks the audience to say hello to her. She had to be some mom, because he's a great son.
Wishing everyone a fantastic New Year and here's to plenty of Opry shows in 2023 and the Opry starts them off in a great way ... back at the Ryman, so exciting!
Thank you Byron for another year of your terrific blog, I am sure it is a lot of work.
CHEERS everyone!!! :-)
(Jeanene)
Maybe it was reported here and I missed it.....I can do that.
ReplyDeleteBecky Issacs was injured in an auto accident back a few days before Christmas. It must have been serious but she is now in rehab. Jeannie Seely just mentioned it on here XM show and suggested sending cards in care of the Opry.
Jim
This is the first time that I can remember that no one did a Hank Williams song on the anniversary of his death. There was only a few minutes that I missed last night ( so I could have missed it). The Ernest Tubb Midnite jamboree was a replay from the 60th anniversary of his death with Jett Williams and Kyle Cantrell. Curry
ReplyDeleteDon Schlitz is what the Opry was always about ! Fringe artists and songwriters getting a chance to be entertainers, and knocking the sox off the audience with their folkacy and authenticity as real people taking part in the struggle to be relevant ----
ReplyDeleteI agree. And even though he does much the same thing for us to hear each week, the audience has not heard it like we have. He is very good with the audience. A great addition to the Opry.
DeleteJim
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ReplyDelete