If you enjoy Grand Ole Opry members, this is a good week to be at the Opry as there is a wonderful group of Opry members on the schedule for this weekend.
Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Opry members Mark Wills, Connie Smith, Mike Snider, Charlie McCoy, Bobby Osborne, Don Schlitz and Riders In The Sky are all on the schedule. It is especially nice to see Connie back for the second weekend in a row, while Mike Snider continues his string of recent appearances.
Mark Wills and Riders In The Sky are back on the schedule for Saturday night, joined by Mandy Barnett, John Conlee and Crystal Gayle.
There are very few non-members listed. Tenille Towns and John Morgan, who is making his Opry debut are on the Friday schedule, while Matthew West, The Cleverlys and making her solo Opry debut, Colbie Caillat are scheduled for Saturday night.
Friday May 19
7:00: Mark Wills, Connie Smith, Mike Snider, John Morgan, Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:15: Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press, Tenille Towns, Don Schlitz, Riders In The Sky
Saturday May 20
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Mark Wills, Mandy Barnett, Riders In The Sky, Matthew West
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee, Opry Square Dancers, Colbie Caillat, The Cleverlys, Crystal Gayle
As mentioned, John Morgan will be making his Opry debut on Friday night, while Colbie Caillat will be making her sold Opry debut on Saturday night, as she has appeared on the Opry before as a member of the now-defunct group, Gone West.
John Morgan is from the Great Smoky Mountains region of North Carolina. He grew up immersed in Bluegrass tradition and even toured the festival circuit each summer in a family band, before diving into songwriting, inspired by six-string legends from Tony Rice to John Mayer.
After moving to Nashville, demos led to a writing session with Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy—two incredible songwriters and longtime bandmates of Country superstar Jason Aldean. That session led to the superstar cutting eight songs written by John, including his recent No. 1 “Trouble with A Heartbreak” and the GRAMMY® nominated ACM Single of the Year No. 1 smash hit with Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You,” and Aldean signing John to Night Train Records, his imprint with BBR Music Group. The sought-after songwriter has released a trio of “Sad Boy Country” songs including “Coldest Beer in Town,” “Right In The Middle, "and “Good with Goodbye.” Having just wrapped Aldean’s 2022 Rock N’ Roll Cowboy Tour, John made his first pivot from heartbreak into party starter territory, dropping the anthemic “Friends Like That” and unapologetic “Sorry Not Sorry."
Colbie Caillat is a two-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter who has sold over six million albums and ten million singles worldwide. Her breakthrough hit "Bubbly" remains "one of the best-selling digital tracks in history" and her multi-platinum debut COCO hit #5 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, while her gold-selling sophomore set Breakthrough landed at #1. 2011's All of You yielded the gold “I Do” and platinum “Brighter Than The Sun,” which enjoyed over twenty film and television placements.
In 2014, she released her fourth full-length album, Gypsy Heart, which landed in the Top 20 of Billboard’s Top 200 Chart fueled by the strength of her gold-selling single “Try”. Co-written by legendary producer and singer-songwriter, Babyface, "Try" became one of the biggest performing songs featured as iTunes "Single of The Week." Quickly amassing nearly 40 million YouTube/VEVO views, the single’s inspirational companion video became a global viral sensation and reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Video Chart. At radio, that success continued as the song went Top 10 at Hot AC.
Beyond music, she's an avowed spokesperson and supporter for ASPCA, Save The Music, Farm Sanctuary, and The Humane Society of the United States.
No live TV this weekend as a previously recorded show will be shown.
And now, the running order from 45 years ago, Saturday May 20, 1978:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Charlie Louvin (host): Will You Visit Me On Sunday
Wilma Lee Cooper: Come Walk with Me
Charlie Louvin: Mama's Angels
6:45: Rudy's
Billy Walker (host): Things
Willis Brothers: Ghost Riders In The Sky
Johnny Paycheck: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Billy Walker: A Legend In My Time
7:00: Shoney's
Wilburn Brothers (host): It Looks Like The Sun's Gonna Shine
Hank Locklin: Please Help Me, I'm Falling/Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
Tommy Cash: Rise & Shine/Six White Horses
Lorrie Morgan: You Light Up My Life
Wilburn Brothers: The Light House
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball/Tennessee Central No.9/Sunshine Special
Lonzo and Oscar: Charming Betsy/Rocky Top
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Soldier's Joy
Oswald: Mountain Dew
Roy Acuff: Life's Railway To Heaven
8:00: Martha White
Stonewall Jackson (host): Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
The 4 Guys: Catfish John/Freedom Lives In A Country Song
Stu Phillips: She Thinks I Still Care/Blue Canadian Rockies
Duke of Paducah: Comedy
Stonewall Jackson: The Spirits of St. Louis
8:30: Stephens
Jack Greene (host): The Life of A Rodeo Cowboy
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me
David Houston: Cimarron/Cool Water/Cattle Call
Billy Grammer: Bonaparte's Retreat
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Billy Walker (host): Charlie's Shoes
Johnny Paycheck: Take This Job and Shove It/The IRS
Tommy Cash: The In Crowd/The New Spirit
Willis Brothers: Home on The Range
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
10:00: Fender
Wilburn Brothers (host): It's Another World
Lonzo and Oscar: A Fan of Country Music
Wilma Lee Cooper: Cheated, Too
Wilburn Brothers: Because He Lives
10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Once More
Stonewall Jackson: The Spirits of St. Louis
Roy Acuff: Will The Circle Be Unbroken
10:30: Trailblazer
Billy Grammer (host): Columbus Stockade Blues
Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame
Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On
10:45: Beech-nut
The 4 Guys (host): Higher & Higher
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Duang's Hornpipe
The 4 Guys: Daytime Friends & Nighttime Lovers
11:00: Coca Cola
Jack Greene (host): Your Love Takes Good Care of Me
Jeannie Seely: Mama Never Told Me About Cowboys/Who Needs You
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Old Joe Clark
Jack Greene: Satisfaction
Kirk McGee: Railroad Blues
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
11:30: Acme
David Houston (host): Mountain of Love
Lorrie Morgan: Silver Threads & Golden Needles/For The Good Times
Duke of Paducah: Comedy/Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas
David Houston: The 12th of Never
(Charlie Louvin only appeared on the early show. While not Opry members at the time, Lorrie Morgan and Johnny Paycheck would eventually become Opry members. For Lorrie, this was very early in her career. The night also included a former Opry member, the Duke of Paducah).
That takes care of it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
I don't know if non singers really get just how talented Mark Wills is! I know he isn't everybody's cup of tea, but, if ya happened to catch the classics show tonight, the man can be as stone cold country as anybody on the planet! Of course I love him as he provided the tickets to the recent opry show I attended where I met Byron through a mutual friend, but he really is imo perhaps the best pure singer in Nashville today and maybe, as Vince is getting older and for example not singing as high as he did back when,, he might be the best male vocalist in the opry cast! I'd be very curious as to the thoughts of folks like Jim and nat.
ReplyDeleteI love Mark Wills. So glad he is an Opry member. Have always enjoyed all his music and he is a really nice guy. We first saw him at a music festival in MD in the early 90's and although the last day was rained out but Mark stayed and did an impromptu concert under one of the tents for those diehard music fans (us) who still showed up in the morning rain. On one of the Larry's Diner Cruises we mentioned it to him and he remembered every detail.
ReplyDeleteNot sure Mark is quite up to Vince just yet, BUT, I heard him last night and thought he was absolutely excellent. Mark is underrated in my mind as well.
ReplyDeleteStone cold country is right!
And what's up with NINE acts in the lineup tonight, 7 of them 'Opry members at that ?
ReplyDeleteNow that's how it's supposed to be, at least in my mind !
Well done 'Opry.
Maybe 20 years ago when Mark was on I was okay with it but still wanted to hear people like Jim Ed, Bill or Charlie Walker, Jan, Jean, Connie and all of those favorites. Today when he is on I'm overjoyed. Never had any problems with him, he a great singer, seems to be a great guy and you can tell he appreciates his fans and the artist that came before him. It always seemed like he had a good relationship with the veteran Opry members and respected them.
ReplyDeleteBottom line, I'm thrilled he is a member.
Jim
nat, I'm not saying he's up to Vince's level yet either, Vince is one of the best musicians in the world! But I'd say as he's gotten older as everyone does, it's not always a pitch perfect spot on vocal like it was in the early 90s which is totally fine! Mark at this point is better than he ever was when he had his radio success! Note for note he's vocally perfect. That's what I meant. He and Vince are 2 of my top 5 favorite singers of all time.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that Mark is amazing and also agree that he's better than his early records showed. Actually, I find it really surprising. Not many singers get better as they age.
I honestly don't hear Vince missing anything. But I'm 75 and there's all sorts of things I don't hear! :)
Let me put it this way: I am not a big fan of Carrie Underwood's music. I can name a lot of artists I prefer. But I am thrilled that she takes her Opry membership seriously, unlike some others whose music I like better (hello, Brad Paisley). Mark Wills is a fine entertainer--no beefs with or about him. Like Jim, I may prefer the likes of Ol' Whisper or Marty Stuart's Favorite Person. But he's fine with me and, most importantly, he takes his Opry membership seriously.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is Mike, who often posts here but for some reason has been turned into Anonymous!
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