The month of June is one of the busiest months at the Grand Ole Opry, particularly next week when the CMA Music Festival is taking place in Nashville. While the actual festival begins next week, the weekend prior is when a lot of the acts are arriving in Nashville and getting set for a busy week. A couple of those artists will be making their way to the Grand Ole Opry this weekend, including a few names that we rarely see at the Opry House.
One of those artists is Opry member Pam Tillis, who is scheduled for the Friday Night Opry. It is very hard for me to believe, but this will be Pam's first Opry appearance of 2023. In the past, Pam has usually been good for close to 10 appearances a year, but over the past several years, those appearances have fallen off. Joining Pam on Friday night will be members Dailey & Vincent, Connie Smith and Mike Snider.
Among the non-members on the Friday schedule are a couple that should really bring the house down: Tanya Tucker and Neal McCoy. For Tanya, her history at the Opry goes back to 1972 when she first appeared as a 13-year-old. While she rarely makes it back, it is always a treat when she does. In addition to the Opry, Tanya will also be doing shows at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday.
Neal McCoy always brings a ball of energy to the Opry. He is certainly the type of performer who brings a smile to everyone's face when he is on stage. Besides Tanya and Neal, comedian Brad Upton and Tyler Booth, who is making his Opry debut, complete the Friday schedule.
Looking at the schedule for Saturday night, Opry members Mandy Barnett, Henry Cho, and Riders In The Sky are on the schedule, along with Jeannie Seely, who will be returning to the Opry after an absence of several weeks as she was recovering from surgery.
Guesting on Saturday will be Opry NextStage artist Restless Road, The Fairfield Four, Hannah Dasher, and someone we haven't seen on the Opry in a while, Mickey Guyton.
Friday June 2
(TBA)
Saturday June 3
(TBA)
(The Opry has been a little inconsistent lately as to posting the "official" lineups).
As mentioned, Tyler Booth will be making his Opry debut on Friday night. Tyler is from Campton, Kentucky. In his teens, influenced by hearing Jamey Johnson's "Hight Cost of Living," Tyler began his country music journey. He has toured or worked in the studio with artists such as Willie Nelson, Brooks & Dunn, Dwight Yoakam, Joe Diffie, and soon to be Opry member Jon Pardi. He is the first artist signed to Sony Music Nashville and Villa 40's joint venture. His most recent release is "Bring on the Neon," which was co-written with Jamey Johnson.
Now from 45 years ago, Saturday June 3, 1978:
1st show
6:30: Ray Pillow (host); Willis Brothers
6:45: Stu Phillips (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Marion Worth
7:00: Wilburn Brothers (host); Skeeter Davis; Duke of Paducah; Don King
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Billy Grammer; Crook Brothers; Tennessee Travelers
8:00: Stonewall Jackson (host); Jan Howard; Johnny Carver; Bill Carlisle
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Fruit Jar Drinkers
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Lonzo and Oscar; Willis Brothers; Marion
10:00: Wilburn Brothers (host); Ray Pillow
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Stu Phillips
10:30: Billy Grammer (host); Skeeter Davis; Don King
10:45: Stonewall Jackson (host); Johnny Carver; Crook Brothers; Tennessee Travelers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jan Howard; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Kirk McGee
11:30: Jack Greene (host); Jeannie Seely; Bill Carlisle; Ronnie Robbins
(Porter Wagoner only appeared on the second show)
One of the non-members who appeared that night was Don King. Don, who was born in 1954, was from Nebraska. He's a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and also played the trumpet. Over the course of his career, he had 15 songs that hit the Billboard charts; however, none reached the Top 10.
His first job in Nashville was at a Quality Inn club in Nashville in 1974, where he was able to make valuable connections. He signed with Con Brio Records and in 1976 his song "Cabin High (In the Blue Ridge Mountains)" placed him on the charts. In 1977 he reached the Top 20 with "I've Got You to Come Home To", after which he released his first album, Dreams 'n Things. His second album, Feelings So Right, (1978) yielded four Top 30 hits. In 1979, the single "Lonely Hotel" reached the Top 40. After two more hits in 1980 he began touring with well-known artists, such as Alabama, Reba McEntire, John Anderson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Conway Twitty, and Tammy Wynette. In 1981, he reached the Top 40 twice, first with his cover of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" and then with "The Closer You Get." That same year he released his third album, Whirlwind.
By the end of 1981, he had launched the Don King Music Group, a recording studio, with his father. In 1985 they built a 24-track studio to record demos. In 1992, they added a video production company. In late 2007, GMV Nashville released two albums on King, and in 2008 they released two more, many including unreleased tracks. Don was inducted into The Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame by The National Traditional Country Music Association in 2015. This distinction honored his years of advancing traditional country music throughout his touring and recording career.
An interesting fact: members of his road band went on to become Sawyer Brown.
Tanya Tucker is on the schedule for Friday night, which will be her first Opry appearance since being named one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. While Tanya has not appeared on the Opry all that often, she has made a few appearances over the years. the first of which took place on Saturday July 15, 1972.
Tanya was just 13 at the time (she would turn 14 in October). "Delta Dawn" had just been released in May and was her first hit, peaking at #6 on the Billboard chart.
Here is the running order from Saturday July 15, 1972, the night Tanya Tucker made her Opry debut:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Billy Walker (host): Things/Oh, Lonesome Me
Bill Carlisle: I'm Movin'
Billy Walker: Gone Our Endless Love
6:45: Rudy's
Tex Ritter (host): Froggy Went A' Courtin'
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I'm Going Home On The Morning Train
Del Wood: Cattle Call
Tex Ritter: Lorena
7:00: Luzianne
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Dottie West: Paper Mansions
Stu Phillips: Crystal Chandeliers
Roy Acuff: Carry Me Back To The Mountains
Dottie West: I'm Only A Woman
Stu Phillips: I'd Rather Be Sorry
Brother Oswald: John Hardy
7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Jan Howard: My Kind of People
The 4 Guys: Turn Your Radio On
Crook Brothers: (?)
Bill Anderson: Five Little Fingers
Jan Howard: Let Him Have It
The 4 Guys: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home
Bill Anderson: For All The Lonely Women In The World
8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): Say Something Nice To Sara
Stringbean: Ruby
Justin Tubb: Traveling Singing Man
Tanya Tucker: Delta Dawn
Ernest Tubb: Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello
Stringbean: Battle of New Orleans
Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl
8:30: Stephens
Bobby Lord (host): Rainbow Girl
Jeannie C Riley: Good Morning Country, Rain
Johnny Carver: Joy To The World
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Lost Indian
Bobby Lord: You & Me Against The World
Jeannie C Riley: Harper Valley P.T.A.
Bobby Lord: Blue Moon of Kentucky
2nd show
9:30: Billy Walker (host): Charlie's Shoes
The 4 Guys: Cotton Fields/Mariah
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Nobody's Darling But Mine
Del Wood: Gloryland March
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Satisfied
Billy Walker: Cattle Call
10:00: Fender
Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks
Jan Howard: Love Is Like A Spinning Wheel
Bill Anderson and Jan Howard: Dis-Satisfied
10:15: Union 76
Tex Ritter (host): High Noon
Johnny Carver: I Start Thinking About You
Reggie Alley: Bill Bailey
Tex Ritter: Fall Away
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Justin Tubb: Traveling Singing Man
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:45: Beechnut
Ernest Tubb (host): Filipino Baby
Stringbean: Mountain Dew
Crook Brothers: Mississippi Sawyer
Wayne Hammond: Red, Red Wine
11:00: Coca Cola
Stu Phillips (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Tanya Tucker: Delta Dawn
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham
Stu Phillips: For The Good Times
Tanya Tucker: There Goes My Everything
Sam McGee: John Henry
Stu Phillips: Where No One Stands Alone
11:30: Elm Hill
Bobby Lord (host): Wake Me Up Early In The Morning
Bill Carlisle: Rusty Old Halo
Jeannie C Riley: Gonna Give Myself A Party/Roses & Thorns
Bobby Lord: Sweet Imagination
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Jeannie C Riley: Run, Jeannie, Run
Bobby Lord: Hawkeye
(Hank Snow was scheduled to host the 8:30 and 11:00 segments but cancelled).
There you have it for this weekend. Next week is the CMA Music Fest with the Tuesday Night Opry the unofficial opening event of the festival. More on that next week, but for now, thanks to everyone for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
It's interesting that Johnny Carver made a good number of guest appearances on the Opry for a spell.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that Tanya and Neal are returning. He also did a lovely remake of Eddy Arnold's "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," written by John D. Loudermilk. And she remains a marvel.
And I'm glad Pam is back, but she needs to step it up!
Laslie "Les" Leverett
ReplyDelete1927-2023
Sad news to share as retired WSM photographer, and Grand Ole Opry photographer has passed away. My understanding is that there will be a tribute to him tonight on the Friday Night Opry.
How does the Opry create a program if they do not have a lineup until the last minute? Or, is it a case of the website not being kept timely.
ReplyDeleteSad to hear that Les Leverett has passed. So many great Opry moments he preserved. The exhibit at the Acuff house a few years ago was excellent.
Jim
A couple of random thoughts in regard to the Friday Night Opry:
ReplyDeleteIt was really nice to hear Pam Tillis back on the Opry. She sounded really good, and I was surprised that she was the opener. Dailey & Vincent continue to show why they are great Opry members and have won so many awards. Just great bluegrass music.
I thought Mike Snider was a little close to the edge with some of his comedy. He told basically the same jokes and stories that he has for the past decade, but he seems to be embellishing them a bit. I did not care for Brad Upton. Just an observation: it seems that since Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer became Opry members, and the return of Mike Snider, we are seeing less of a few of the comedians that were being booked over the past couple of years. I'm fine with that. Some were funny, others not so.
Connie Smith sounded great. She did two songs including a Martha Carson classic.
Tyler Booth made his Opry debut and was fine. The show closed with Neal McCoy, followed by Tanya Tucker. You got what you expected from Neal. He went a little long on the time, but I don't think anyone complained. He doesn't get to Nashville and the Opry often and I was happy they were able to book him.
For those who may not be aware, Tanya Tucker rode a horse onto the stage of the Opry last night. According to the reports, that was a first. From the pictures, Tanya looked great, and from the radio she sounded good.
Overall, a really nice Friday Night Opry.
I did want to mention one more item. After Pam Tillis was finished with her set, Mike Terry introduced Dan Rogers, who read the tribute to Les Leverett. It was really well done, and you could feel Dan getting a little emotional. Sadly, Dan has been reading more than his share of tributes lately, being with Loretta Lynn last October. From what I understand, Dan writes these himself and, as I wrote, he really has done a fine job in what is a difficult task. Thank you Dan.
This is Mike, back to being anonymous. Dan has a good sense of Opry history, and Les Leverett is one of the most important people in the Opry's history, and in sharing the Opry's history. I'm glad he paid tribute, and that Les had a good, long life. As for Tanya, this month's highlights from Byron included Marty Robbins driving his car on stage and Roy Acuff having him ticketed. As long as Tanya's horse didn't, um, you know ... ok, then!
ReplyDelete