Grand Ole Opry 1/6 & 1/7

It has been a couple of years since the Grand Ole Opry has returned to the Ryman Auditorium for a winter run, however this year, for the month of January, the Opry will take up residence in its most famous former home as the Grand Ole Opry House will be undergoing some work that necessitates the Opry moving out for the month. 

When looking at the Opry schedule for January, it will be noticed that for the last two weekends of the month, there will be no Friday Night Opry. The reason? By the time the decision was made to go back downtown for the month, there were already shows booked for the Ryman on those Friday nights, thus the Opry will just have a one show weekend. 

However, that is a few weeks in the future, so for now, let's focus on the shows this weekend. 

The Friday Night Opry will feature four Opry members, three of whom are in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Vince Gill, Connie Smith and Charlie McCoy lead that list, joined by John Conlee. Vince will make it a two-show weekend as he is back on Saturday night, joined by members Jamey Johnson, Jeannie Seely and Hall of Famer Bill Anderson. 

Comedian Gary Mule Deer will be guesting both nights. For the past two years, Gary Mule made more Opry appearances than any other non-member and it would appear that the trend could continue into 2023. With as many times as he has appeared on the Opry, in some cases more times than the majority of the Opry's members, maybe the next move could be to off him Opry membership. 

2022 saw right around 100 artists making their Opry debuts, and this weekend there will be two more as Morgan Myles will be appearing on Friday night while Worth The Wait will be debuting on Saturday night. In the case of Worth The Wait, they were surprised last December with an invite from Opry member Blake Shelton while they were performing at Ole Red in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. No, Blake wasn't there in person, as he appeared via video. Blake coached the trio on The Voice and their debut album was released this past June. 

Adding to the connection of The Voice, Morgan Myles was a finalist in season 22. 

Rounding out the rest of the lineups, on Friday night Maggie Rose will be appearing as will Rory Feek, while on Saturday night, Opry NextStage artist Restless Road is listed. 

Friday January 6
7:00: Connie Smith, Rory Feek, John Conlee, Maggie Rose
Intermission
8:15: Charlie McCoy, Morgan Myles, Gary Mule Deer, Vince Gill

Saturday January 7
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Restless Road, Worth The Wait, Jamey Johnson
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, Opry Square Dancers, Gary Mule Deer, Vince Gill 

(Opry members highlighted). 

Interesting placement of Gary Mule Deer and Vince Gill both nights. 

Over the past several years, I have highlighted past lineups from shows that took place 50 years ago, Of course, those were the beginning of the final years at the Ryman Auditorium as plans were under way to move the Grand Ole Opry to the new Opry House at Opryland, a move that took place in March 1974. 

For this year, I have decided to move a few years forward, to 1978. By that time, the Opry was settled into the new Grand Ole Opry House and while some artists from the early 70s still made guest appearances on the show, new names were beginning to appear on the Opry lineups, as the new home of the Opry was attracting some new names and country music was moving in a different direction. Even with the new home and new names, the Opry still filled the majority of their lineups with members of the Opry. 

So, going back 45 years, here is the running order from Saturday January 7, 1978: 

1st show
6:00: Vietti
Bill Monroe (host): Panhandle Country
Larry Gatlin: Help Me/The Bitter They Are, The Harder They Fall
Ernie Ashworth: Wichita Woman
Willis Brothers: Boots & Saddle
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
Jan Howard: Evil on Your Mind
Bill Monroe: Thank God for Kentucky

6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at A Time
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Del Reeves: Margaritaville

6:45: Rudy's
Ernest Tubb (host): Sometimes I Do
Skeeter Davis: Silver Threads & Golden Needles
Osborne Brothers: Beneath Still Waters
Ernest Tubb: Half A Mind

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind's A' Comin'
Dottie West: That's All I Wanted to Know
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with the Way That We're Doing it Now
Jim and Jesse: Freight Train
Hank Locklin: Please Help Me, I'm Falling
Ray Pillow: Texas
Porter Wagoner: Mountain Music/On A Highway Headed South

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jean Shepard: Poor Sweet Baby
Charlie Walker: T For Texas
Stonewall Jackson: A Wound Time Can't Erase
Bill Carlisle: Have a Drink on Me
Crook Brothers: Gray Eagle
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

8:00: Martha White
Lester Flatt and The Nashville Grass: I Don't Care; I Don't Care
Bob Luman: A Honky-Tonk Woman's Man
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Charlie Louvin: Let's Put Our World Back Together/A Toast to Mama/Love Has to Die All By Itself/I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow
Nashville Grass: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud, Loud Music
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Billy Grammer: Birth of the Blues

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: Since I Met 'Cha Baby
Lonzo and Oscar: When the Fields in the Valleys Turn Green
The 4 Guys: Freedom Lives in a Country Song
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Hank Snow: Paper Roses

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Ernest Tubb (host): In the Jailhouse Now
Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' on Me
Larry Gatlin w/Dottie West, Jeannie Seely and Jan Howard: Broken Lady
Jan Howard: Better Off Alone
Willis Brothers: Boots & Saddle
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas

10:00: Fender
Bill Monroe (host): Uncle Pen
Wilma Lee Cooper: Where is America Going
Ernie Ashworth: Each Moment Spent with You
Skeeter Davis: I Believe in Music
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Dottie West w/Larry Gatlin and Jan Howard: I'm a Broken Lady
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with the Way That We're Doing It Now
Jim and Jesse: The Voice of My Darling
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

10:30: Trailblazer
Lester Flatt (host): Great Big Woman & A Little Biddy Bottle of Wine
Jean Shepard: If You're Got the Money, I've Got the Time
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Ray Pillow: The Dreams of a Dreamer
Charlie Louvin: Store Up Love
Tater Tate: Katy Hill

10:45: Beech-Nut
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Charlie Walker: T For Texas
Stonewall Jackson: Washed Me Hands in Muddy Water
The 4 Guys: When Will I Be Loved
Crook Brothers: Eighth of January
Porter Wagoner: Mountain Music

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Breakfast with the Blues
Bob Luman: A Satisfied Mind
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Joe Edwards: Old Joe Clark
Billy Grammer: Detroit City
Kirk McGee: While I'm Moving
Hank Snow: Brand On My Heart

11:30: Elm Hill
Jack Greene (host): Walking on New Grass
Jeannie Seely: Who Needs You
Lonzo and Oscar: Family Bible
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Jack Greene: Statue of a Fool

What a night!! Obviously with all that talent, the Opry ran way over by 45 minutes that night. And they did have a cancelation as the Wilburn Brothers were also scheduled to appear that night.


Finally, January 7 is an important date in the history of the Grand Ole Opry as it was on that date in 1950 that the legendary Hank Snow made not only his Opry debut but was also made a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I post this each year, so I hope no one minds: 

For most of his career, prior to 1950, Hank Snow struggled. He made a name for himself in Canada but had trouble establishing a career in the states. He traveled around to various locations, including Wheeling, California, and eventually Dallas, Texas, where he had his greatest success. It was along that journey that he met Ernest Tubb. Hank had been trying to connect with Ernest for some time, as both had a love for the music of Jimmie Rodgers. Prior to that first meeting in Texas, Hank and Ernest had exchanged letters. Upon that initial meeting, Ernest told Hank, "It's all happening in Nashville. Nashville is the home of country music. If you want to advance your career, you should be there. I promise you I'll do my best to get you on the Opry, but there's one problem. The Opry will not sign any new artist unless the artist has a hit record. However, I'm on my way to the West Coast, and I've taken a leave of absence from the Opry for a few months. Maybe they will accept you as a stand-in for me while I'm away."

Nothing happened at that point, but Ernest did try. He talked to Jim Denny, manager of the Opry, and to Jack Stapp, the program director at WSM, and both told Ernest that they couldn't handle a new member at that time. So, Hank continued to stay in the Dallas area, performing at clubs when the opportunity came. But he kept in contact with Ernest, hoping that his dream of going to Nashville and being on the Opry could come true. 

Finally, in late 1949, he got the call from Ernest, who told Hank, "I had a talk with Mr. Denny yesterday, and he told me to bring you in to see him. He thinks he'll be able to place you on the Opry, so come to Nashville right away if at all possible." When Hank got to Nashville, he met with Mr. Denny, who didn't say anything about a tryout and that he wanted Hank to start on the Opry on January 7, 1950. Hank also wrote that he would be paid $75 a week. In getting prepared for his debut on the Opry, Hank moved his family to Nashville. Since Hank did not have a band, Ernest allowed Hank to use his Texas Troubadours for his first appearance on the Opry. 

Here is the posted running order from that night 73 years ago, Saturday January 7, 1950: 

7:30: American Ace Coffee
Roy Acuff (host): It's Alright Now
Hal Smith: Wake Up Susan
Dot & Smokey: Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain
Jimmy Riddle: Steamboat Bill
Roy Acuff: The Day They Laid Mary Away
Uncle Dave Macon & Dorris: Tennessee Farmer
Jug Band: Missouri
Roy Acuff: The Can Only Fill One Grave
Joe Zinkas: Tiger Rag
Dot & Smokey: Sleepy Rio Grande
Rachel & Oswald: Curly Headed Baby

8:00: Purina
Cowboy Copas (host): Crazy Over You
Lew Childre: I Love My Little Rooster
Bill Monroe: Molly and Ten Brooks
Sam, Kirk & Arthur: Black Mountain Rag
Cowboy Copas: One Step More
Bob Eaton: Second Hand Heart
Blue Grass Quartet: He'll Set Your Fields on Fire
Crook Brothers: Billy in The Low Ground
Cowboy Copas: Filipino Baby
Square Dance: Leather Britches

8:30: Royal Flour
Ernest Tubb (host): Biting My Fingernails
Martha White: If I Could Learn To Yodel
Jimmy Dickens: Lonesome Wind Blues
Hank Williams: Dear John
Possum Hunters: Black Berry Blossom
Ernest Tubb: I Love You Because
Jimmy Dickens: Country Boy
Jimmy Self: Picking Them Up & Putting Them Down
Hank Williams: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Breakdown: Old Joe Clark

9:00: Royal Crown
Jimmy Riddle: Limehouse Blues
Roy Acuff (host): Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain
Lonzo & Oscar: Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Dusty Miller
Jamup & Honey: Jokes
Hank Snow: To Be Selected
Jug Band: Shame On You
Roy Acuff: Hold To God's Unchanging Hand
Hank Snow: To Be Selected
Rachel & Oswald: Take Me Back to Tennessee
Hal Smith: Done Gone

9:30: Prince Albert
Red Foley (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Tennessee Ernie: Anticipation Blues
Wally Fowler: You Ain't Got Faith Til You Got Religion
Red Foley: Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Old Hickory Quartet: Oh Miss Hannah
Tennessee Ernie: Cry of the Wild Goose
Rod Brasfield: Jokes
Minnie Pearl: Jokes
Red Foley: Gotta Have My Baby Back
Square Dance: Wake Up Susan

10:00: Wallrite
Bill Monroe (host): Shady Grove
Bill & Mack: I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky
Uncle Dave & Dorris: Over the Mountain
Blue Grass Quartet: Just a Little Talk with Jesus
Bill Monroe: Blue Grass Special

10:15: Warren Paint & Color Co.
Lew Childre: Riding on the Elevated
Hank Williams: Long Gone Daddy
String Beans: Hot Corn, Cold Corn
Hank Williams: Lost Highway
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark

10:30: Darimix
Roy Acuff (host): Pale Horse and His Rider
Jimmy Riddle: To Be Selected
Roy Acuff: Poem
Gang: Waiting for My Call to Glory
Hal: Bill Cheatham

10:45: Dr. Le Gear
Cowboy Copas (host): Road of Broken Hearts
Lonzo & Oscar: Sheepskin Corn
Cowboy Copas: Tennessee Waltz
Lazy Jim Day: Singing the News
Cowboy Copas: Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me

11:00: To Be Selected
Ernest Tubb (host): Give Me a Hundred Reasons
Billy Byrd: Steel Guitar
Jimmy Dickens: Sleeping At the Foot of the Bed
Wally Fowler: Lead Me to That Rock
Ernest Tubb: Unfaithful One
Gully Jumpers: Forked Deer
Jimmy Dickens: My Hearts Bouquet
Wally Fowler: Lead Me Gently Home Father
Ernest Tubb: That Wild and Wicked Look in Your Eyes
Mac McGarr: Katy Hill

11:30: Jefferson Island Salt
Sam, Kirk & Arthur: Listen to the Mockingbird
Hank Snow: To Be Selected
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Sam, Kirk & Arthur: Love Letters in the Sand
Hank Snow: To Be Selected

11:45: Coyne Electric Co.
Hank Williams (host): Mansion on the Hill
Jimmy Self: I Miss You So Much
Fruit Jar Drinkers: My Little Girl
Hank Williams: Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Ravins Gap

In his autobiography, Hank wrote about that night: 

I remember that night so well. I put on my beautiful custom-made gold suit, and I did something that I have done very few times since. I wore my big white Stetson hat. Back then hats were not so important to country singers. Most artists on the Opry didn't wear them. Only a few did, like Ernest Tubb. He was known for his white Stetson. 

Believe me, I say this in all honesty: I said many prayers during the few weeks before my Opry debut that I would be a success. God has His plan worked out for all of us, even a little weakling from Nova Scotia, Canada. 

Ernest introduced me, "From up Canada way, here's the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Singing Ranger, Hank Snow!" My whole body was trembling as I went out on that stage, and I sang the song that had done so much for me in Dallas, "Brand on My Heart." When I finished, I got only mild applause, not anything near what I was getting in Dallas or back in Canada. I felt sort of embarrassed, and I couldn't leave the stage fast enough. 

Hank wrote that when he left the Opry that night with his wife Min, he told her he was never going back to the Opry and that he would go back to Canada, where he was appreciated and known. He wrote that Min set him straight, telling him, "Now you can't expect everything to happen in just one night. People will become more familiar with you as time goes on. You're lucky you've been given this chance." 

Hank wrote that he kept going back and the response was the same. He was actually in danger of being fired from the Opry, but then "I'm Moving On" came along and the rest became history. Hank would become one of the pillars of the Grand Ole Opry, continuing as a member nearly 50 years, settling into hosting the 8:30 and 11:00 segments each week. 

I find it interesting that Hank wrote that he was introduced by Ernest Tubb that night, but based on the program, he was actually on Roy Acuff's segment, nor was his second spot on Ernest's late segment. Hank was very clear about his first night at the Opry, so perhaps Ernest came out and introduced Hank, or a change in the program? Sadly, there really aren't any individuals left living from that night at the Opry who could fill in the blanks. 

One final note from that night: You might have noticed the name of Tennessee Ernie (Ford) listed on the Prince Albert nationally broadcast portion of the Opry hosted by Red Foley. Like Hank Snow, this was Tennessee Ernie's debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Unlike Hank, Ernie Ford was already an established star, thus he was featured on the national broadcast that night. While Tennessee Ernie never became an Opry member, he had an open invitation to appear on the Opry whenever he was in town. 

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.