Grand Ole Opry 5/5 & 5/6 -Updated With Lineups

So, did I miss anything important over the weekend? 

For those who may have missed the news, Jon Pardi was invited by Alan Jackson (via video), to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

During his performance at Stagecoach Friday night (April 28) in Indo, California, Jon Pardi was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

While on stage, Pardi was surprised when his friend and Emmy-winning famed restaurateur Guy Fieri directed him and the attention of his thousands of fans to a video where Opry member and Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson appeared officially inviting the California native to become a member.

“That mic stand represents the future of country music as well as its incredible history,” Dan Rogers, Opry Executive Producer, told the crowd after he sat the Opry mic stand down in front of a surprised Pardi. “This night will go down in history, too, both because Jon is the first artist invited to join the Opry on this stage and because he’s the first native Californian to get that call. What a great night!”

“I moved to Nashville chasing a dream at 22 years old and now I’m here. I love you guys and I love country music. Thank you, everybody. This is an amazing night. I’ll never forget it,” said an emotional Pardi from stage before later in the night noting, “I always wondered how this might happen if it was going to. I never imagined anything this great. That was incredible.”

“There is no better representation of Northern California than you, man,” said Fieri backstage after the moment.

Rogers added backstage, “For nearly a decade now, Jon Pardi has been adding something great to the show every single time he plays the Opry. For me personally, I’ll never forget the big sounds he brought to the Opry stage during the pandemic and the way he connected with audiences around the world via our livestream even when he was playing to an empty Opry House. I have no doubt there are good times ahead for all of us with Jon as a future Opry member.”

The news of Pardi’s invitation comes on the heels of his third consecutive ACM Album of the Year nomination for Mr. Saturday Night, both as the artist and producer of the project.

When he is inducted, Pardi will become the first native Californian to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. An official induction date will be announced soon.

(From Music Row Magazine)

My opinion, for what it is worth, this is a good choice by the Opry. Jon is one of the hot male singers in country music right now and since arriving in Nashville 20 years ago, his career has steadily grown. As Dan Rogers noted, Jon has been guesting on the Opry for over 10 years, and I can tell you from personal experience of seeing him at the Opry, he brings a lot of excitement and energy to the show. 

As with any new Opry member, the hope is that they will support the show and appear as often as they can. Hopefully, Jon will be one of those. 

So, what do things look like at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend? On the Friday Night Opry, there are four Opry members on the schedule: Jeannie Seely, Dailey & Vincent, Lorrie Morgan and the Opry's (still newest member) Gary Mule Deer. 

Among the non-members performing on Friday night are frequent Opry guests Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Zach Top, Alison Brown and making their Opry debut, Amy Ray Band. 

Amy Ray is better known as a member of the contemporary folk group, Indigo Girls. In addition to being a part of that duo, Amy Ray also has a solo career that has seen her release six albums. Additionally, she founded her own record company, Daemon Records. 

Taking a look at Saturday night, Gary Mule Deer and Lorrie Morgan make it a two-show weekend as both are scheduled for both nights. I am sure others have noticed the renewed interest we have seen from Lorrie in regard to appearing at the Opry. I have definitely noticed her on the schedule a few more times than in the past. 

Also listed are Country Music Hall of Fame members Ricky Skaggs and Charlie McCoy, along with Mandy Barnett. Mandy posted that she was going to bring a couple of special guests with her to the Opry this weekend: Shelby Lynne and Emily West. For those who may not know, the trio has an upcoming show scheduled in Nashville, "A Tribute to Burt Bacharach. That show is scheduled for May 18. 

Not only is Lorrie Morgan making it a two-show weekend, but so is Darin & Brooke Aldridge as they are back on Saturday night. Also guesting will be Dalton Dover, and making her solo Opry debut, Kimberly Perry. 

I say solo Opry debut, as Kimberly has been on the Opry several times as a member of The Band Perry, along with her brothers Neil and Reid. As the lead singer of the group, she has helped to lead the band to racking up sales of over two and a half million albums, thirteen million singles, and over 2 billion combined streams. As a songwriter, she wrote the groundbreaking crossover #1 single “If I Die Young." 

On March 27, the band posted on social media that they were breaking up to pursue "individual creative pursuits." In Kimberly's case, she has signed with RECORDS Nashville and has a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell and Songs & Daughters. She will be releasing her first song as a solo country artist - “If I Die Young Pt. 2” - on May 5, 2023. 

Friday May 5 
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Jeannie Seely, Zach Top, Alison Brown
Intermission
8:15: Gary Mule Deer, Amy Ray Band, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Lorrie Morgan

Saturday May 6
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Ricky Skaggs, Dalton Dover, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Mandy Barnett w/Shelby Lynn & Emily West
Intermission
8:15: Charlie McCoy, Opry Square Dancers, Gary Mule Deer, Kimberly Perry, Lorrie Morgan

Now from 45 years ago, Saturday May 6, 1978: 

1st show
6:30: Charlie Walker (host); Guy Willis
6:45: Bill Monroe (host); Teddy Wilburn; Stu Phillips
7:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Skeeter Davis; Stonewall Jackson; Bill Carlisle
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Jean Shepeard; Billy Grammer; Crook Brothers; Tennessee Travelers
8:00: Grandpa Jones (host); Tommy Overstreet; Lonzo and Oscar; Del Wood
8:30: Hank Snow (host); George Hamilton IV; Marion Worth; Justin Tubb; Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Bill Monroe (host); Guy Willis; Wilburn Brothers; Stu Phillips; Charlie Walker
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Skeeter Davis; Stonewall Jackson
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Bill Carlisle
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host); Jean Shepard; Del Wood
10:45: Billy Grammer (host); Justin Tubb; Crook Brothers; Tennessee Travelers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Kirk McGee
11:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Tommy Overstreet; Marion Worth

(Guy Willis once again appeared as a solo act, as did Teddy Wilburn, as Doyle was absent. The only non-Opry member that night was Tommy Overstreet. I have had people mention to me over the years that Tommy was either considered to become an Opry member or was actually asked to become a member and turned it down. Either way, during the 70's he appeared on the Opry a number of times.)


Saturday night May 6, 2000, saw a guest appearance on the Opry by Patti Page. Patti made a few appearances over the years and was always well received on the Opry. Also appearing on the Opry that night was the comic duo Williams & Ree, and Lee Ann Womack. 

Here is the running order from that night 23 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Fluffo/Tex-Mex
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Jean Shepard: Dear Hearts & Gentle People
Bill Carlisle: Gone Home
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Jack Greene: Highway to The Sky
Jim Ed Brown: Looking Back to See

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Del Reeves: The Bells of Southern Bell
Pam Tillis: Queen of the Nile/I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Porter Wagoner and Pam Tillis: Before I Met You
Porter Wagoner: I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand
The Wagonmasters: Over the Line

7:30: Standard Candy
Ricky Skaggs (host): Uncle Pen
Patti Page: Brand New Tennessee Waltz/Tennessee Waltz
Lee Ann Womack: Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good/I Hope You Dance
Ricky Skaggs: Daybreak In Dixie/Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

8:00: Martha White
Jimmy C Newman (host): Cajun's Dream
Jan Howard: Take Me As I Am
Billy Walker: Come A Little Bit Closer
Williams & Ree: Comedy
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind The Barn
Wilma Lee Cooper: Sweeter Than The Flowers
Mike Snider: If My Nose Was Runnin' Money
Lee Roy Parnell: On The Road/Hearts Desire
Jimmy Dickens: I'm Just Blue Enough to Do Most Anything

2nd show
9:30: Dream Works Records
Porter Wagoner (host): My Long Journey Home
Jean Shepard: Before The Next Teardrop Falls
Stonewall Jackson: A Wound Time Can't Erase
Lee Ann Womack: Lord, I Hope This Day is Good/I Hope You Dance
Porter Wagoner and The Carol Lee Singers: Rock of Ages

10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Opryland Hotel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Wilma Lee Cooper: Loving You
Patti Page: Brand New Tennessee Waltz/Tennessee Waltz
Pam Tillis: (?)/(?)
Jimmy Dickens: I Leaned Over Backwards For You

10:30: Folex Spot Remover/Joggin' In A Jug
Jimmy C Newman (host): Big Mamou
Jan Howard: He's All I Got
Ricky Skaggs: Pig In A Pen
Stu Phillips: Blue Canadian Rockies
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Tennessee Wagoner
Jimmy C Newman: Allons Ah Lafayette

11:00: Coca Cola
Mike Snider (host): John Henry
The Whites: Blue Letters
Holly Dunn: I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried
Lee Roy Parnell: I'm Your Rock/I'm Holding My Own

11:30: Fan Fair
Johnny Russell (host): Good Hearted Woman
Charlie Walker: Cherokee Maiden
Ray Pillow: Baby, That's Cold
Billy Walker: Jesus Walks In
Williams & Ree: Comedy

Interesting that Ricky Skaggs did not host on the late show and was slotted for only one song. Also, if my memory is correct, Vince Gill introduced Patti Page several times on the Opry and always mentioned that Patti was his mother's favorite singer. 

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.