The "big" news at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend is Dierk's Bentley making his 90th appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. (Actually, would this be his 91st appearance since he made a surprise appearance on the Wednesday Night Opry, performing with Jason Carter?)
The official announcement:
The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate Opry member Dierks Bentley and his new album, Gravel & Gold, on Friday night’s show.
Bentley’s 10th studio album is out now, and the Opry will bring portions of it to life on Friday, March 3 with a one-hour set. The show dubbed “Dierks Bentley & Friends” will feature performances by Bentley, Jordan Davis, Ashley McBryde and more guests. This night will mark Bentley’s historic 90th performance on The Grand Ole Opry stage.
“Dierks Bentley & Friends” will air on March 18 as a Saturday night Opry Live show on Circle Network and Circle All Access social media platforms. Additionally, the Opry show can be heard online at opry.com and wsmonline.com, as well as on air on SiriusXM’s Willie’s Roadhouse and WSM Radio.
Bentley’s Gravel & Gold details perspective and self-awareness from personal to professional levels. Across 14-tracks, this project pulls from the multiple strains of country music Bentley has mastered and cultivated. Gravel & Gold is a story of persistence and devotion to making authentic and lasting music over his 20-year career.
As a point of reference, Dierks made his Opry debut on April 18, 2003, and became an Opry member on October 1, 2005. So, that comes up to 90 appearances in 20 years, an average of 4.5 per year.
Compare that to Carly Pearce, who later in March will be making her 99th appearance at the Opry. Carly made her Opry debut on May 30, 2015, and became a member on August 3, 2021. That averages out to just over 12 appearances per year. Or perhaps our favorite, Carrie Underwood, who is approaching 125 appearances since joining in 2008.
While I am happy that Dierks is back at the Opry, I am sorry that it seemed to have taken a special occasion to get him to appear.
While we know Dierks is scheduled for the Friday Night Opry, also on the schedule are Opry members Mark Willis, and Jamey Johnson, who hopefully is recovered from his recent throat issues. Among the non-members, Maddie & Tae, Jordan Davis and frequent Opry guest Jason Crabb are on the list, along with William Beckman, who is making his Opry debut.
Friday March 3
7:00: Mark Wills, Maddie & Tae, Jason Crabb, William Beckmann, Jamey Johnson, Jordan Davis
Intermission
8:35: Dierks Bentley & Friends
(Yes, the first half of the show is extended, with Dierks getting an entire hour to himself and his friends).
So, who exactly are the friends that will be appearing with Dierks? The only name mentioned as been fellow Opry member Ashley McBryde, who has a duet with Dierks, "Cowboy Boots" on his new album Gravel and Gold. Also named in the announcement was Jordan Davis. As to anyone else, your guess is as good as mine.
Now taking a look at Saturday night's Grand Ole Opry, there is a nice group of Opry members on the schedule, led by the legendary Jeannie Seely, who continues to add to her record setting number of Opry appearances. Jeannie will be joined by John Conlee, Mark Wills, The Isaacs and Riders In The Sky.
Guesting on Saturday will be Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, along with Mae Estes, who will be making her Opry debut.
I would also expect Saturday's show to be dedicated to Melvin Sloan, who passed away earlier this week, with a special performance by the Opry Square Dancers in tribute to Melvin.
Saturday March 4
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Mark Wills, Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee, Henry Cho, Opry Square Dancers, Mae Estes, The Isaacs
As mentioned, William Beckmann and Mae Estes are making their Opry debuts this weekend.
William Beckmann is from the border town of Del Rio, TX, His new album Faded Memories released in 2022, featuring the slow-burn single “Bourbon Whiskey” as well as a mesmerizing cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” and the haunting “In The Dark.” The album has garnered praise from critics including American Songwriter, Billboard, CMT and more, and his current track “Damn This Heart of Mine” is his fourth consecutive single to hit the Top 20 at Texas Regional Radio Chart. He has spent the last year touring with artists including Parker McCollum, Koe Wetzel, Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen.
Mae Estes is from Arkansas and moved to Nashville in 2015. Taking cues from traditional artists like Lee Ann Womack and Keith Whitley, Mae merges the timelessness of classic country music with modern melodies to create her artistry, both as a songwriter and a performer. In 2020, she signed a deal with Plaid Flag Music. “The new music we are writing and recording now is not shockingly different,” Mae says, “but I’m slowly peeling off more layers. These songs offer glimpses into my life and mind, and I hope they bring me and my audience even closer,” while simultaneously making waves in the industry.
It was 45 years ago, Saturday March 4, 1978 that PBS televised the Grand Ole Opry to a nationwide audience for the first time. It was such a success that PBS would televise the Opry on an annual basis for the next three years.
Only the first show was televised in 1978 and here is the running order from that show:
6:00: Vietti
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at A Time
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
George Hamilton IV: Cornbread, Beans & Sweet Potato Pie
Lonzo and Oscar: When The Fields in the Valley Turn Green
Billy Grammer: Birth of the Blues
Willis Brothers: Boots & Saddle
Del Reeves: Folsom Prison Blues/Margaritaville
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jimmy C Newman (host): Diggy Liggy Lo
Jean Shepard: The Things That Might Have Been/It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels/You Win Again/A Deer John Letter
Del Wood: Alabama Jubilee/Down Yonder
Bessyl Duhon: Opryland Special
6:45: Rudy's
Archie Campbell (host0: Make Friends
Skeeter Davis: I'll Fly Away
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Archie Campbell: A.C. in N. Y. Last July
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind's 'A Comin'
Connie Smith: How Great Thou Art
Don Williams: Some Broken Hearts Never Mend/I've Got a Winner In You
Wilburn Brothers: Because He Lives
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me
Porter Wagoner: Cold Hard Facts of Life/Carroll County Accident/Green, Green Grass of Home/'Ol Slewfoot
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Minnie Pearl: Careless Love
The 4 Guys: Cottonfields/Mariah
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Lafayette
Roy Acuff: How Beautiful Heaven Must Be
8:00: Martha White
Bill Monroe (host): My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care
Jan Howard: Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Charlie Louvin: Warm, Warm Woman
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with The Way That We're Doing It Now
Wilma Lee Cooper: Poor Ellen Smith
Bill Monroe: Crying Holy Unto the Lord
8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ronnie Milsap: Stand By My Woman Man/What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down/Daydreams About Night Things/A Legend In My Time
Bill Carlisle: Leave That Liar Alone
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Hank Snow: I've Done at Least One Thing That was Good in My Life
PBS was so pleased with the show, and the fundraising, that the following year both shows were televised. In addition, since PBS is commercial free, the commercials were not aired on television, and during those commercial breaks, backstage segments were shown.
When Loretta Lynn first joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1962, she made numerous appearances. As her career took off, her Opry appearances became fewer and fewer. One of those appearances took place 23 years ago on Saturday March 4, 2000. Here is the running order from that night:
1st show
6:30: Fluffo/Banquet
Ricky Skaggs (host): Little Maggie
Jimmy C Newman: Cajun's Dream
Osborne Brothers: I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Ricky Skaggs: A Voice From on High/Connemara
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Del Reeves: Looking At the World Through A Windshield
The Whites: Pins & Needles
Larry Cordle: Black Diamond Strings/Murder on Music Row
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name/I'll Fly Away/I Saw the Light
7:30: Standard Candy
Jean Shepard (host): Tennessee Waltz
Wilma Lee Cooper: Legend of the Dogwood Tree
Paul Brandt: I'm Moving On
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free/A Half-A-Day Away From You/Coal Miner's Daughter
Jean Shepard: Dear Hearts & Gentle People
8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): Orange Blossom Special
Jan Howard: Take Me As I Am (or Let Me Go)
Doyle Dykes: Wabash Cannonball
The Derailers: You Come to The Right Place
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Bill Anderson: Still
8:30: Physicians Mutual
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Ryan Holladay: Going Back to Harlem
Billy Walker: Sing Me A Love Song to Baby
Diamond Rio: That's How Your Love Makes Me Feel Inside/Unbelievable
Williams & Ree: Swinging
2nd show
9:30: Ryman Auditorium
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Jean Shepard: Before The Next Teardrops Fall
Osborne Brothers: Windy City/Rocky Top
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free/A Half-A-Day Away From You/Coal Miner's Daughter
Porter Wagoner: Brewster's Farm
10:00: Lincoln Mercury
Diamond Rio (host): Meet In The Middle
Jimmy C Newman: Allons Ah Lafayette
Diamond Rio: Love A Little Stronger/Unbelievable
10:15: Opryland Hotel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Ricky Skaggs: Rollin In My Sweet Baby's Arms/Blue Ridge Mountain Home
Jimmy Dickens: Raggedy Ann
10:30: Opry Cruise
Jeanne Pruett (host): Temporarily Yours
Larry Cordle: I'm Lonesome Without You/Murder On Music Row
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
10:45: Joggin' In A Jug
The Whites (host): Pins & Needles
The Derailers: You Came To The Right Place
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sail Away Ladies
The Whites: Keep On The Sunny Side
11:00: Coca Cola
Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks
Del Reeves: The Only Girl I Can't Forget
Ryan and Mark Holladay: Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Ryan Holladay: I'm On My Way Back To The Old Home
Paul Brandt: I Will; I Can' I Have; I Do/I'm Moving On
Bill Anderson: The Touch of The Master's Hand
11:30: Ryman Video
Johnny Russell (host): Act Naturally
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Doyle Dykes: The Wabash Cannonball/Amazing Grace
(Skeeter Davis was scheduled for the first show but cancelled).
An interesting note regarding Ryan Holladay who was on both shows that night. It has been written that Ryan, at the age of five, was the youngest performer to have appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. By the time he was 11 as a multi-instrumentalist, he would have had three records already recorded and released. He made appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Nickelodeon, as well as opening for such acts as Roy Clark and Nickel Creek. That night, he appeared on the Opry with his father Mark, In 2005, on the Skaggs Family Records label, he released New Kid in Town. I am not sure what Ryan has been up to lately, but as of 2010, he was still performing.
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.
Thanks as always for so much great stuff. But here's to Carrie and Jamey and others doing the work.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, it annoys me that Dierks has made so few appearances, and it annoyed me that Loretta made so few. It's not like they were or are busy every night the Opry is on, and it isn't as if they need their whole band or something. We need to work on that.
Those PBS telecasts were so wonderful, and the performance of "Lafayette" is on YouTube, with Mr. Acuff yoyoing at Ralph Sloan, who he had cross the stage to the other side. It was a special moment, made all the more special by this week's news about Melvin Sloan.
A question for Byron about Ryan Holladay: Wasn't Little Jimmie Sizemore about 5 when he and his dad did the Opry?
Little Jimmy Sizemore was born on January 29, 1927. From my records, he and his dad joined the Opry on September 24, 1932 (although his biography lists a 1933 date). So that would make him 5 years old. I couldn't find an exact date of birth for Ryan Holiday. It is a safe fact that Little Jimmie was the youngest member in the history of the Grand Ole Opry.
DeleteApparently, Ryan is a member of the band Levon, which is currently touring as the opening act for REO Speedwagon.
One other note: there is a video on YouTube of Ryan on the Opry. He was on a televised segment in 1998 hosted by Mike Snider.
I knew you'd find it!
DeleteByron! You forgot to announce that opry star Mark Wills will hoast the Midnight Jamboree on Saturday evening! His previous appearances were just amazing and I'm looking so forward to this one!
ReplyDeleteByron, Did Mike Snider not appear on the March 4, 2000 show? Wondering if Ryan Holladay appeared in his place or if Mike gave them his spots.
ReplyDeleteWe have all these "Opry debut's", these days. This night in 2000 was the debut of Willams and Ree!
I have a note that Pee Wee King had a heart attack the previous week and was in the hospital unconscious. I suspect Jean Shepard was the one that mentioned that.
Jim
Jim, thanks for the question and giving me the motivation to go back and look at the notes from that night. What I have noted is that indeed, Mike Snider did give up his spot on the 1st show for Ryan. Mike and Ryan's dad (Mark), performed with Ryan. It was the same deal for the 2nd show.
DeleteBryon, Cool. We are helping each other. I must have not caught Ryans correct name either time or maybe I was on the road driving from a show and couln't write it down. I did not have it noted that he appeared so I had the lineup off the phone or something. Recall when you could dial the Opry and a recording of Hearlil Hensley would give you the lineup?
DeleteThanks,
Jim
As a transplanted expat living in Valencia, Spain who tunes in every Saturday despite the 6 hour difference, I just want to give a special shout out to William Beckman for singing the traditional Mariachi standard "Volver". That is a classic in Spanish language. Popular in Mexico and Spain. In my 35 years of listening to the Opry, aside from Freddy Fender, I think thats the first time I have heard a whole song in Spanish!!!!!!! SO COOL!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was a good performance.
DeleteJim
This weekend .... Remembering...Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, COwboy Copas, and Randy Hughes ..... 60 years on Monday
ReplyDeleteSorry, I spoke to fast and probably sounded like I was being smart with you. I wasn't. Just thinking that they could mention it at the Opry tonight and a few might recognize Patsy but nobody would know who the other four are.
DeleteThanks for mentioning them.
Jim
Who?
ReplyDeleteJim
We made it. Even though there might be guests, we have a concert with some opening acts, more than I think the end goal is. And we can't even use the real Opry announcers, they are not good enough.
ReplyDeleteBefore anyone says it, I know, all about the money and promotion.
I've decided that the Opry is really cool with having these big names they can throw around, have appear a very few times a year and present a false image of what you see. To be fair, it has been going for two or three decades now. What about honesty about what you really have the odds of seeing if you pay to see the show.
Thanks to the few who are dedicated whether I like their music or not. Think Carrie, she is to be commended for showing up and benefiting the Opry.
Just heard Dierks say "I love this place". Yep, enough to appear an average of 4.5 times a year over 20 years as Byron noted.
Jim
Last night felt like two different shows. The first half felt like the Grand Ole Opry, while the second half felt like a Dierks Bentley concert. It seemed like there was a disconnect between the two.
ReplyDeleteThe special guests? Jordan Davis and Ashley McBryde each contributed to one song. Charlie Worsham was there to play guitar and Dierks introduced several other band members, whose names I did not catch.
While being interviewed between songs, and during the commercial breaks by Storme Warren (who was way over the top), Dierks mentioned a number of Opry members who he said influenced him. Names such as Roy Acuff, Porter Wagoner, Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Dickens, which was nice. He also mentioned that he was going to be appearing once a month at the Station Inn, which I believe would be on Tuesday nights. That brought up the question in my mind, if he was in town to do that appearance, why couldn't he be in town to do the Opry once a month?
The second hour was obviously a made-for-TV event. Not sure how I would have felt if I bought a ticket for last night. I wonder if we are going to see more of that type of show in the future. This is nothing against Dierks. I like him and he was fine last night.
It just wasn't the Opry.
You nailed it Byron.
DeleteI listened for a few minutes, then turned it off.
If you like Dierks then you probably felt like you got your money's worth. And you can tell your friends how when you go to the Opry you get to see a concert by a big name star which really isn't true.......at least not yet. If you are not a big fan of his or understand the Opry and wanted to see a Grand Ole Opry show then I feel sorry for you if you bought a ticket. Even the part that was like the Opry wasn't even like the normal Opry these days. People like Mark Wills were cheated out of what has become a normal third song.
DeleteAnd Byron's point about Dierks doing the Station Inn just pours salt on the wound.
About tonight, maybe she's not available but a fitting tribute to Melvin Sloan would have been to have Mandy Barnett perform and dedicate her set to Melvin Sloan. If I'm thinking correct, he helped her get started.
Jim