January Opry Highlights

Happy New Year to Grand Ole Opry fans everywhere!!! I hope everyone had a safe holiday and are looking forward to a great 2023. My hope for everyone is that 2023 will be a year of good health and times for all, including those at the Grand Ole Opry. In keeping with tradition, here are the Opry highlights for the month of January: 

January 29, 1927: George Wilkerson made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Later that same year, he would introduce his string band, The Fruit Jar Drinkers, to the Opry audience. The Fruit Jar Drinkers, in one form or another, would remain a part of the Opry until the late 1980s. 

January 14, 1929: The late Billy Walker was born in Ralls, Texas. Known as the "Tall Texan," Billy joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1960 and continued as a very active member of the Opry until his death in 2006 while returning to Nashville after performing a road date in Alabama. 

January 19, 1933: Grand Ole Opry member Stu Phillips was born. Stu, who is one of a select group of Opry members born in Canada, is now retired and at the age of 90 seems to be doing well. 

January 23, 1937: The Lakeland Sisters, Mary and Ann, made their Grand Ole Opry debut. They would only remain with the Opry for about 18 months, making their final appearance on June 4, 1938.

January 1, 1938: Texas Ruby made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She performed that night with her future husband, Curly Fox. 

January 7, 1939: While there is some debate on this, and it is open to discussion, one source has this date as the first appearance of Brother Oswald performing with Roy Acuff on the Opry. This is also the date that the comedy duo of Jamup & Honey made their debut on the Opry. 

January 14, 1939: The Dixieliners made their final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Consisting of early WSM Barn Dance stars Arthur Smith, along with Sam & Kirk McGee, they made their debut in 1932. While Th Dixieliners would disappear, those who made up the group would continue on. 

January 16, 1943: Ernest Tubb made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Ernest was so well received that he was offered membership and officially would join the Opry the following month. Over time, Ernest would become one of the legendary members of the Opry and would continue as an Opry member until his death.

January 19, 1946: Grand Ole Opry member Dolly Parton, who has been an Opry member for over 50 years, was born Sevier County, Tennessee. Dolly at 77? Hard to believe. In my opinion, and the opinion of others, Dolly is the most beloved living country music artist. And let's not forget that in 2022 she was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

January 7, 1950: The legendary Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger, made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry and was also made an Opry member that night. Yes, they did things a little differently in those days. Originally from Canada, Hank came to the Opry via Dallas, Texas, thanks to the help and recommendation of Ernest Tubb. That night, Ernest introduced Hank by saying, "From up Canada way, here's the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Singing Ranger, Hank Snow." Hank sang "Brand On My Heart," which had been a big hit for him up in Canada, and a regional hit in the Dallas area. Hank felt that his Opry debut did not go over very well and that he received little audience response. In fact, he told his wife Min that he was not going back. However, she convinced Hank that he owed it to Ernest to return. He went back, and when things did not improve in the coming months, the Opry was considering letting him go. However, "I'm Moving On" was released and the rest is history. Hank remained an Opry member for the next 49 years, until his death in December 1999.

January 7, 1950: On the same night that Hank Snow joined the Opry, Tennessee Ernie Ford made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Unlike Hank, Tennessee Ernie was already an established star and appeared on the Prince Albert portion of the show. While he never became a member, Ernie had an open invitation to appear on the Opry anytime he was in Nashville, and he would often take the Opry up on their offer. In later years, he would appear on the Martha White segment, as he was friends with the ownership of the company.

January 9, 1951: Brenda Gail Webb, known professionally as Crystal Gayle, was born. Crystal joined the Opry cast in January 2017, and it has been wonderful to have her as part of the Opry's cast. 

January 1, 1953: Hank Williams was found dead in the backseat of his car in West Virginia. He was being driving to a New Year's Day appearance in Canton, Ohio. Also booked on the show that night were Jimmy Dickens and June Webb, among others. Jimmy ended up not making the trip due to the weather, while the other artists scheduled to appear went ahead and did the show as a tribute to Hank. As a resident of Canton, I can tell you that the auditorium where the show was to take place is still standing and in use today.

January 16, 1953: Opry member Bill Monroe was seriously injured in a head-on car accident on Highway 31 in White House, Tennessee. Bill suffered 19 broken bones in the accident.

January 19, 1953: Marty Robbins made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Marty would join the cast shortly afterwards.

January 22, 1953: The Ozark Jubilee premiered on the ABC television network. The show was hosted by former Opry member Red Foley, who left Nashville and moved to Springfield, Missouri to host the show. While he would be missed in Nashville, Red did well on the Ozark Jubilee. 

January 29, 1954: Theron Hale passed away. Theron was one of the early members of the Grand Ole Opry, becoming a regular in 1926. He stayed as an Opry regular into the 1930s, after which he would make occasional appearances with Sam McGee. While he was at the Opry, he would be introduced as "Theron Hale and Daughters," which were Elizabeth and Mamie Ruth.

January 1, 1955: Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs moved to Nashville, where they began appearing on WSM Radio and Television, along with regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. 

January 22, 1955: Porter Wagoner made his first appearance as a guest on the Opry. He would return and in February 1957, Porter would become an Opry member, a membership that he would hold until passing away in the fall of 2007. 

January 4, 1957: Grand Ole Opry member Patty Loveless was born in Pikeville, Kentucky. Patty hasn't been around the Opry much in recent years, but when she is it is always a treat. Patty is now basically retired but hopefully she will have time for an Opry appearance or two. 

January 12, 1957: Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper became members of the Grand Ole Opry. The Coopers, along with daughter Carol Lee, came to the Opry from the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree, where they were very popular. Stoney would remain with the Opry until his death in 1977. Wilma Lee would continue with the Opry as a solo act, and later celebrated 50 years of Opry membership.

January 1, 1960: Although there is some debate as to the exact date, it would appear this is when Billy Walker became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Billy would remain an Opry member until his death in a car accident in 2006. Billy was a very loyal member of the Opry and later in his career, he would often speak up over the reduction of his Opry appearances.

January 9, 1960: Patsy Cline became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. While her time at the Opry was very short, Patsy was very influential to a number of female artists, including Loretta Lynn and Dottie West. In a pretty famous story as to how she became an Opry member, after one of her Opry guest performances, she approached Opry manager Ott Devine and asked if she might one day become a member. Ott responded by saying, "Patsy, if that's all you want, you are on the Opry."

January 28, 1961: Dottie West made her debut as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Over the next several years, Dottie would make several guest appearances, which would eventually lead to an invitation to become an Opry member.

January 9, 1965: Norma Jean became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Much as Dolly Parton would do a few years later, Norma Jean joined the cast as she was performing as part of Porter Wagoner's show. Norma Jean left Porter's show a few years later and would remain a member of the Opry until August 1969. 

January 8, 1966: Grand Ole Opry member Sonny James appeared on the Opry for the final time as an Opry member. Sonny had joined the cast in October 1962. Like others, he just felt it was time to move on and make more money on a Saturday night. 

January 1, 1967: Former Grand Ole Opry member Moon Mullican passed away from a heart attack at his Texas home. He was known as the "King of the Hillbilly Piano Players." He had been a part of the Opry during the early 1950s. 

January 7, 1967: Charley Pride became the first black solo singer to perform on the Opry. He was introduced that night by Ernest Tubb. Charley sang "The Snakes Crawl At Night," and "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love with You." Shortly afterwards, he was asked to become an Opry member, but declined due to his heavy touring schedule. Over the years, he would be asked several more times, until finally in 1993 he accepted the invitation to join. He was the 2nd black artist to become an Opry member, following DeFord Bailey. (Just to clarify, DeFord Bailey was a noted harmonica player and not a solo singer).

January 21, 1967: Over the years, non-country acts have appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and on this date, it was Eddie Albert who appeared. Eddie, of course, not only was a fine actor, but he also starred in the CBS show "Green Acres."

January 4, 1969: Dolly Parton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Dolly's 54th year as an Opry member. Back in the early days when she was with Porter Wagoner, Dolly was a frequent visitor at the Opry. However, as her career expanded, she became like many others as someone who hardly ever appeared on the show. She even commented once that if she was in charge of the Opry, she would fire herself. It was Carl and Pearl Butler, former Opry members, who took a liking to Dolly and helped to bring her to Nashville when she was just 12 years old. While it was a long time ago, Dolly remembered her first night guesting on the Opry: "They used to have this Friday Night Frolics and I went up there one night with the intention of being on it. I kept telling everyone I'll sing just one song. Most of the Opry artists had two spots on the show and I walked up to Jimmy C Newman, who was going to sing his second song next and I told him I wanted to be on. I didn't know why he did it, but Jimmy gave me his spot and I sang a George Jones song." While Dolly didn't know why Jimmy C did it that night, I think she came to realize that was the type of person Jimmy C Newman was. While January 4 is her induction date, the first Saturday in which Dolly appeared on the Opry as a member was actually the following Saturday, January 11. 

January 11, 1969: George Jones rejoined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Over the course of his career, George would join and leave the Opry several different times.

January 1, 1971: Tom T. Hall became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. After joining the Opry in 1971, he left in March 1975, and then rejoined in 1980. Sadly, Tom T. passed away in 2021 after a long period of inactivity. 

January 16, 1971: After moving away from Nashville for several years, George Hamilton IV returned to the show. It was his first Opry show in over a year.

January 13, 1973: Ernest Tubb celebrated his 30th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

January 20, 1973: For the first time, Jerry Lee Lewis performed on the Opry. He had always wanted to perform on the show; however, the Opry management was afraid to invite him, fearing what he would do onstage. For this appearance, management asked Jerry Lee not to do any rock and roll. He agreed then broke the promise. Appearing on the 11:30 segment hosted by Charlie Walker, he was on stage for almost 40 minutes and did several numbers that management had asked him not to do. In a nice gesture, he invited Del Wood to appear with him onstage, saying later that on a previous backstage visit, Del was the only Opry member that was nice to him. While Opry management was not pleased with his initial appearance, Jerry Lee did appear on the Opry at least one more time, in August 1995. 

January 27, 1973: Marty Robbins celebrated his 20th anniversary as a member of the Opry.

January 2, 1974: Grand Ole Opry member Tex Ritter passed away after suffering a heart attack. Tex joined the Opry in 1965 and enjoyed being in Nashville and as a part of the Opry. Tex was also involved in the early days of the Country Music Association, and he was just the 5th person to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

January 4, 1975: Hank Snow was honored upon his 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

January 28, 1976: Skeeter Willis, part of the Willis Brothers, passed away at the age of 58. The Willis Brothers first came to the Opry in 1946 and were well known for their western style of music.

January 22, 1977: Grand Ole Opry member Stoney Cooper appeared on the Opry for the final time. Along with his wife Wilma Lee, Stoney had joined the Opry in 1957. Stoney suffered from heart problems and would pass away in March.

January 27, 1979: Sissy Spacek, who played the part of Loretta Lynn in the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" joined Loretta for an appearance on the Opry.

January 30, 1982: Wilma Lee Cooper was recognized upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

January 20, 1984: Future Grand Ole Opry member Mike Snider made his Opry debut. He was a member of the cast of Hee Haw and was well known for his banjo playing and comedy. Recently, Mike has been away from the Opry more often than not, but it is always a treat when Mike appears. 

January 19, 1985: While other females had stepped in on an emergency basis to "MC" a segment of the Grand Ole Opry, Jeannie Seely became the first female to actually host an Opry segment. It had been a long time coming as Jeannie was always expressing her desire to Hal Durham that females should be allowed to host segments on the show. Jeannie opened the door for many others. 

January 11, 1986: Mel McDaniel became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Always popular, Mel would remain an Opry member until his death in 2011.

January 14, 1986: During the Opry's televised 60th anniversary special, Reba McEntire was introduced as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. While this is the date the show was televised, the taping actually took place the previous November, thus the November taping date is considered Reba's actual Opry induction date. This will be Reba's 37th year as an Opry member.

January 14, 1989: Hubert Gregory of the Fruit Jar Drinkers passed away. Hubert's career at the Opry, as with the Fruit Jar Drinkers, dates back to the early days of the Opry. Like many others of that era, Hubert performed with many different groups, including with Sam & Kirk McGee.

January 14, 1969: Keith Whitley, who was recently elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, made his final appearance on the Opry. Keith was never an Opry member, but as Lorrie Morgan confirmed, he as in the process of being invited to become a member, an invitation that was scheduled to be given just weeks later. 

January 20, 1990: Hank Snow celebrated his 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The televised segment on TNN included a reunion of the Glaser Brothers, who were very friendly with Hank. The reunion did not last as the Glaser Brothers never performed together again. Also appearing with Hank that night was future (or former) Opry member Mel Tillis.

January 10, 1991: Clint Black became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. For Clint, this will be his 32nd year as an Opry member. While Clint has never made a whole lot of Opry appearances, it was nice to see him back from a couple for a few shows over the past couple of years. 

January 19, 1991: CBS-TV hosts "The Grand Ole Opry 65th Anniversary Celebration: The New Tradition." The special featured Grand Ole Opry members Roy Acuff, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill and several others.

January 25, 1992: Introduced by Roy Acuff, Emmylou Harris became the Opry's newest member. This will be Emmylou's 31st anniversary as a member of the Opry. Sadly, Emmylou rarely appears on the Opry but when she does it is always a treat. 

January 22, 1994: Hal Ketchum became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Once a pretty regular performer on the show, Hal was forced to retire due to his declining health. Hal Ketchum passed away in November 2021

January 15, 1995: Vic Willis died in a car accident in Nashville. Vic was a long-time member of the Grand Ole Opry, first with his brothers as the Oklahoma Wranglers, later named the Willis Brothers, and later headlining his own group, the Vic Willis Trio. Vic had last appeared on the Friday Night Opry, January 6. 

January 21, 1995: Brother Oswald, longtime member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 83, I believe he was the oldest person to join the cast. Oswald came to the Opry in the 1930s with Roy and helped to define the Acuff sound. Thanks to the efforts of Porter Wagoner and Marty Stuart, among others, he became a member. I was there the night of his induction, and it was quite a surprise as I don't seem to remember it being announced much ahead of time. Oswald passed away in 2002.

January 13, 1996: Having joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry back in November, during the taping of the 70th anniversary special, Martina McBride made her first appearance as an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.

January 3, 1998: Longtime Grand Ole Opry member Grandpa Jones made his final appearance on the Opry. After hosting his segment on the 2nd show, Grandpa suffered the first of what would be series of strokes. He was taken directly to the hospital from the Opry House. His condition would continue to decline, and he passed away the following month.

January 24, 1998: Grand Ole Opry member Justin Tubb passed away from a sudden illness. He was the son of Opry legend Ernest Tubb and had joined the Opry cast in 1955. At the time of joining, he was the Opry's youngest member. Not only was Justin an excellent singer, but he was also a fine songwriter.

January 9, 1999: Grand Ole Opry member Boxcar Willie made his final appearance on the show. In declining health, Boxcar had first appeared on the Opry in 1981. That night, in tribute to Roy Acuff, who brought Boxcar to the Opry, Boxcar sang "Wabash Cannonball" and "The Great Speckled Bird." 

January 15, 1999: The Grand Ole Opry returned to the Ryman Auditorium for the first time since moving to the new Grand Ole Opry House in 1974. There were three shows that weekend and all were sold out. During the 1st show on Saturday night, Ricky Skaggs invited Trisha Yearwood to become the Opry's newest member. The weekend shows, which I attended, was such a success that the Opry made has made it a point of returning to the Ryman each year. 

January 23, 1999: Grand Ole Opry member Brother Oswald made his final Saturday night Grand Ole Opry appearance. His final Opry show would be a month later on the Friday Night Opry. Due to declining health, Oswald was forced to retire from performing.

January 15, 2000: Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Patty Loveless handled the official induction. He had been asked just the prior evening if he would like to join. After he said yes, the Opry wasted no time and inducted Ralph the following night. Ralph Stanley was an Opry member until his death last year. Also appearing on the show that night were Opry members Reba McEntire and Loretta Lynn. 

January 13, 2001: Future Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show made their debut on the Opry stage. Keeping the string band music alive, Old Crow have been wonderful Opry members. 

January 8, 2002: George Jones, BR549's Chuck Mead, Billy Walker and songwriters Dennis Morgan, Shawn Camp and Jack Clement, along with at least 100 other demonstrators, protested at the offices of WSM radio as rumors surfaced that the station was going to change its format from country music to sports. Several weeks later, WSM executives announced that the station would continue the current format of country music, featuring the Grand Ole Opry. Among those at the press conference were Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith and Billy Walker. 

January 4, 2003: Hank Williams Jr and Hank Williams III performed together on the Opry in a show that marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Hank Williams. Also appearing in the tribute that night was Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill and The Whites

January 6, 2006: The Friday Night Opry was reduced by 30 minutes making it a 2-hour show.

January 28, 2006: Longtime Grand Ole Opry sponsor Standard Candy, the makers of Goo Goo, sponsored an Opry segment for the final time. Standard Candy became an Opry sponsor in September 1967. Over the years, a number of the Opry's announcers would sing that theme song, "Go get a Goo Goo, it's Good." 

January 11, 2007: Grand Ole Opry member Stonewall Jackson filed an age discrimination lawsuit against Gaylord Entertainment and the management of the Grand Ole Opry. Stonewall made several claims, and specifically named Pete Fisher. As the lawsuit played out, Stonewall refused to perform on the Opry, even though he had been asked. Eventually the lawsuit was settled out of court, with Stonewall privately saying that Gaylord made a settlement. In the first several years after the settlement, Stonewall did see an increase in his Opry appearances. Stonewall was an Opry member for just over 60 years. Sadly, he passed away this past year. 

January 19, 2008: Charlie Daniels became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He said at the time of his induction that becoming an Opry member was always a dream of his. Marty Stuart and Connie Smith formally inducted Charlie into the Opry. In 2015, Charlie became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, Charlie passed away in 2020. 

January 26, 2011: After a long illness, longtime Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Louvin passed away. Along with his brother Ira, Charlie joined the Opry in 1955. After Ira's death, Charlie continued as a solo artist.

January 7, 2012: Charlie Collins performed for the final time on the Grand Ole Opry. While never an Opry member, Charlie spent considerable time at the Opry, first coming to the show as a member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, and then after Roy's death, performing with Brother Oswald and with the Opry Square Dancers.

January 21, 2012: Emmylou Harris celebrated 20 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller helped Emmylou celebrate that night.

January 2, 2015: Longtime Grand Ole Opry legend Jimmy Dickens passed away in Nashville. Jimmy had been hospitalized after becoming suddenly ill on Christmas Day. Jimmy first joined the Opry in 1948 and at the time of his death, was the Opry's last link to the pre-Hank Williams of the Opry. Much loved, Jimmy was noted for his comedy songs, but let's not forget that he was also a great ballad singer.

January 21, 2015: The Grand Ole Opry House is listed as a pending addition to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation would become official a month later. 

January 2, 2016: Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley made a surprise appearance on the Grand Ole Opry to honor Little Jimmy Dickens on the one-year anniversary of Tater's death. Paisley turns in a medley that includes "Country Boy," "Out Behind The Barn," "May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" and "Mountain Dew."

January 9, 2017: Grand Ole Opry Vice President and General Manger Pete Fisher announced that he was resigning his position to move to California and head up the Academy of Country Music. Pete came to the Opry in June 1999 and had been in charge of the Opry for over 17 years. His final Opry show was on January 20.

January 21, 2017: Crystal Gayle became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Crystal has been asked several months previously by Carrie Underwood to join the cast. On the night of her induction, her sister and fellow Opry member Loretta Lynn handed the official induction. This was also the last night in which Loretta appeared on the Opry. 

January 11, 2019: Mark Wills was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Mark, who had been a guest on the Opry hundreds of times, was surprised during a December appearance by Vince Gill, who formally invited Mark to become a member.

January 1, 2020: Ryman Hospitality launched a new TV network, Circle, with 16 original shows including "Opry Live," which was advertised as featuring pre-recorded performances from the Grand Ole Opry. 

January 10, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Joe Diffie made his final appearance on the Opry. Joe, who joined the cast in November 1993, passed away in 2020 from Covid.

January 17, 2020: Gene Watson was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill did the honors of surprising Gene with the invitation, which was long overdue. 

January 24, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Charley Pride made his final appearance on the Opry. He appeared that night on the Friday night show. Charley, who joined the Opry's cast in May 1993 passed away in December 2021, another of those who passed away from Covid. 

January 21, 2021: Lady A was announced as the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Darius Rucker surprised the group with the invite during the taping of the Opry's 95th anniversary television special. Sad to say, their Opry appearances since joining have been very, very few. 

There you have it for this month. Enjoy!!