Grand Ole Opry 9/8 & 9/9

For those who might be wondering, yes, I am the Byron from Canton, Ohio that sent the question to Bill Anderson, that he answered in his September newsletter. Thanks Bill!!

Getting to this weekend's Grand Ole Opry, what stands out is that there are only three Grand Ole Opry members on each show: Mike Snider, Connie Smith and The Isaacs on the Friday Night Opry and Jeannie Seely, John Conlee and Don Schlitz on Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. 

What also stands out, and it is probably just a personal preference with me, is that a non-Opry member is opening the show on Friday night as Wade Hayes will be filling that spot. Also guesting on Friday will be Kaitlin Butts, Jon Langston, Wade Bowen, and making his Opry debut, Jake Kohn. 

Charles Esten will be making another guest appearance on Saturday night, which is also his birthday. Happy Birthday Charles!!! Joining him will be Darryl Worley, Rhett Akins, John Morgan and Jon Reep.

Some famous names and some not so famous names. 

Friday September 8
7:00: Wade Hayes, Kaitlin Butts, Mike Snider, Jon Langston
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Jake Kohn, Wade Bowen, The Isaacs

Saturday September 9
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, John Morgan, John Conlee, Rhett Akins
Intermission
8:15: Darryl Worley, Jon Reep, Opry Square Dancers, Charles Esten, Don Schlitz

As mentioned, Jake Kohn will be making his Opry debut on Friday night. 

Jake Kohn is from Winchester, Virginia, the hometown of the legendary Patsy Cline. While Jake doesn’t come from a musical background, he grew up listening to legends like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash with his father, Erick. At 11-years-old, Jake was gifted a guitar from his great grandmother. He taught himself to play chords from a poster on his wall. With the support of his mom, and encouragement from friends, Jake began appearing on local shows in Virginia. While he has yet to release music on any streaming platforms, he has posted his music on YouTube. 

Some nights at the Grand Ole Opry are better than others as often a surprise guest or two, who are not on the schedule, will appear. One of those nights took place 45 years ago, Saturday September 9, 1978. On that particular night, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, June Carter and The Carter Sisters appeared on the 2nd show that night. 

Here is the running order from both shows: 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Wilma Lee Cooper: Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill
Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walkin'

6:45: Rudy's
Bob Luman (host): The Pay Phone
Del Wood: Keep On The Firing Line/Alabama Jubilee
Bob Luman: Lonely Women Make Good Lovers

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Jan Howard: Will The Circle Be Unbroken/It's A Heartache
Justin Tubb: As Long As There's A Sunday/What's Wrong with The Way That We're Doing It Now
Bill Carlisle: Business Man
Porter Wagoner: Big Wind's A'Comin'/Cold Hard Facts of Life/Carroll County Accident/Green Green Grass of Home

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball/Tennesse Central #9/Sunshine Special
Ray Pillow: Country Music Lovin' Cowboy
Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Sally Goodin
Roy Acuff: How Beautiful Heaven Must Be

8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): Sometimes I Do
Jack Greene: Walking On New Grass/There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: I Met 'Cha, Boy
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
Billy Grammer: Memory Waltz
Ernest Tubb: Walking The Floor Over You

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): Merry-Go-Round of Love
Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin' On Me/Margaritaville
The 4 Guys: Mama Tried/The Fugitive
Marion Worth: For The Good Times
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin' Hen
Hank Snow: Ramblin' Rose

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Bob Luman: A Satisfied Mind
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bury Me Beneath The Willow
Stonewall Jackson: A Wound Time Can't Erase
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong with The Way That We're Doing It Now
Porter Wagoner: Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot/On A Highway Headed South

10:00: Fender
Ernest Tubb (host): Waiting For A Train
Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel
Rusty Adams: Little Rosa

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting In The Air
Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings: There Ain't No Good Chain Gang
Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and June Carter Cash: The Greatest Cowboy of Them All
Waylon Jennings: I've Always Been Crazy
Roy Acuff, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, June Carter Cash, Jan Howard, The Carter Sisters: Will The Circle Be Unbroken

10:30: Trailblazer
Jack Greene: Satisfaction
Jeannie Seely: My Love For You
Bill Carlisle: Worried Man Blues
Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool

10:45: Beechnut
Billy Grammer (host): Detroit City
Stu Phillips: It's A Heartache
Crook Brothers and The Tennessee Travelers: Soldier's Joy
Billy Grammer: East Tennessee Blues

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight
Ray Pillow: She's Doing It To Me Again
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
The 4 Guys: When Will I Be Loved/You Made It Right
Kirk McGee: While I'm Away
Hank Snow: Little Buddy

11:30: Acme
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars In The Juke Box/A Dime At A Time
Marion Worth: Love's Gonna Live Here/New Lips
Ronnie Robbins: Good Hearted Woman/The Last Lie I Told You
Del Reeves: Just A Little Lovin'/There Ain't No Good Chain Gang/Matador/I Walk The Line/I'm Walking/Blueberry Hill/Born To Lose/Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

And of course, Johnny and the group appeared on Roy Acuff's segment. 

(For that last melody of songs by Del Reeves, he impersonated Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Fats Domino/Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis)

The Willis Brothers cancelled for both shows, as Guy had broken a hip, while the Osborne Brothers cancelled also. 

There you have it for this week. As always, I appreciate and thank everyone for reading and commenting on my blog and as always, I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.