Grand Ole Opry 2/23 & 2/24

I think we are all very happy with the news that T. Graham Brown has been invited by Vince Gill to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Obviously, in my opinion, this is long overdue and well deserved. T. Graham has been guesting on the Opry for decades and many times, he has expressed his love and appreciation of the show. I am looking forward to his induction and I am very confident that T. Graham will be an outstanding Opry member. Congratulations to T. Graham. 

Now looking at this week's lineups, the Friday Night Opry will feature members Riders In The Sky, Connie Smith and Don Schlitz, while Jeannie Seely, Rhonda Vincent, Bill Anderson and Vince Gill are on the schedule for Saturday. For Vince, this will be his first appearance of 2024 as he has been busy touring with The Eagles. 

Exile is on the schedule for Friday night. Exile has been around for 60 years and they still sound as good as ever. While they have made it known that they would like to become Opry members, I don't see it happening any time soon. 

Joining Exile will be the fantastic Fisk Jubilee Singers, along with Miko Marks, George Birge and a couple of artists who will be making their Opry debuts: Carin Leon and James McMurtry. 

Saturday night will see another Opry debut with Matt Schuster, along with Larry Fleet, Cyndi Thompson and Wendy Moten. 

Friday February 23
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Miko Marks, George Birge, Connie Smith, Exile
Intermission
8:15: Carin Leon, James McMurtry, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Don Schlitz

Saturday February 24
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Matt Schuster, Wendy Moten, Rhonda Vincent
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, Larry Fleet, Opry Square Dancers, Cyndi Thompson, Vince Gill

Carin Leon, who is from Hermosillo, located in the center of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora, León was raised in a family where music was always present. León embarked on his musical journey at the age of 15, taking his first steps by learning to play the guitar and developing skills in singing and songwriting. In 2018, León released his debut album, Desvelada con Banda y Mariachi, which propelled him to quickly dominate the Regional Mexican music scene as a performer, singer and songwriter.

In 2021, he became the first Regional Mexican artist to participate in the Spotify Singles series and teamed up with country music star Walker Hayes for a Spanglish version of “Fancy Like” for Amazon Music Latin’s “La Cultura That Connects Us” campaign. In the same year, his album INÉDITO debuted atop the Apple Music charts, reaching #1 on the Mexican Music chart and #3 on the Latin Music chart. INÉDITO was named one of Billboard's 25 Best Latin Albums of 2021 and León also took part in the “Regional No More—Mexican Music Goes Global” panel as part of Billboard Latin Music Week.

León continued his rapid ascent in 2023, including a Latin Grammy win for Best Norteño Album for Colmillo de Leche and releasing two massive hit singles, with “Primera Cita” and “Según Quién” each charting Top 25 on Spotify and Top 30 on Billboard Global 200. Throughout his young career León has received countless nominations and numerous awards, including an ASCAP Award for the song “Me La Aventé” and a number of Premio Lo Nuestro Awards (“Regional Mexican Breakthrough Artist,” “Best Male Artist” and “Banda Song of the Year”). In addition, León won his first Latin Grammy for “Best Regional Mexican Song” in 2022 for the song “Como lo Hice Yo,” which was released in collaboration with Mexican pop group Matisse. 

James McMurtry is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove, and narrator of Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua). He performs with veteran bandmates Daren Hess, Cornbread and Tim Holt.

He spent his first seven years in Ft. Worth but was raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia and began performing in his teens. In 1987, a friend suggested that he enter the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk songwriter contest; he became one of six winners that year. At the same time, John Mellencamp was starring in a film based on a script by McMurtry's father, which gave McMurtry the opportunity to send a demo tape to Mellencamp. Mellencamp subsequently served as co-producer on McMurtry's debut album, Too Long in the Wasteland (1989). Over the next couple of decades, he has released numerous albums, some of which have been controversial. 

During restrictions on touring and live music imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, he started streaming several live acoustic performances a week on Facebook and YouTube. Currently living in the Austin area, he regularly plays a midnight set at The Continental Club on Wednesday nights after Jon Dee Graham, another Austin roots rock musician.

Matt Schuster, who is making his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night, comes from the heart of small-town Southern Illinois, Schuster's artistry resonates with the warmth of classic rock and the invigorating ambition of modern pop, redefining the sonic landscape of Nashville and beyond. Bold, effortlessly soulful and so undeniably invigorating it can stop you in your tracks, the 2023 Nashville Briefing Artist to Watch calls his style a smooth-yet-electrifying vision of new school “country rock.” His major-label debut track "Tell Me Tennessee” received rave reviews from MusicRow, crowning Schuster with the weekly DISCovery Award and calling his sound “one of the most innovative [they’ve] heard these days.” Meanwhile, his latest release “Last Fall” pushes Schuster further out into no-man’s land, mixing vivid lyrics and poetic imagery with the epic electricity powering his revived country-rock vision. 

Looking back 50 years ago to Saturday February 23, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry presented its first Reunion Show, also known as "Old-Timer's Night." The first show was an opportunity for some of the Opry's former and retired members to come back to the Ryman Auditorium for a final time before the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House. 

From 50 years ago, Saturday February 23, 1974:

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host): Big Daddy
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop/Give Me 40 Acres

6:45: Rudy's
Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose
Jimmy C Newman: Potato Song
Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203
Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home

7:00: Rudy's
Roy Acuff (host): Whoa, Mule, Whoa
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Pee Wee King: Bonaparte's Retreat/Slowpoke
Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart: Tennessee Waltz
Sid Harkreader: Mockingbird Breakdown/How Beautiful Heaven Must Be
DeFord Bailey: Pan American/Fox Chase
Roy Acuff: I Saw The Light

7:30: Standard Candy
Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving
David Houston: I Love You; I Love You; I Love You
Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
Jim Ed Brown: The Old Lamplighter/Scarlet Ribbons/The Three Bells
David Houston: Good Things
Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art

8:00: Martha White
Lester Flatt (host): Salty Dog Blues
Grandpa and Ramona Jones: Heading South with Nashville On My Mind
Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons/Will You Visit Me On Sundays/What Are Those Things
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Shall Not Be Moved
Bill Carlisle: Same Old Tale That The Crow Told Me
Lester Flatt: Is Anybody Going North To Cincinnati
Grandpa Jones: You Don't Love Me Like You Used To
Lester Flatt: Train 45

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I've Been Everywhere
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Charlie Walker: Wanting My Woman Again
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye
Jean Shepard: At The Time
Hank Snow: I'm Moving On

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Clyde Moody: I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome
Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule/Listen To The Mockingbird

10:00: Fender
David Houston (host): Living In A House Full of Love
Charlie Louvin: You're My Wife; She's My Woman
David Houston: Almost Persuaded

10:15: Union 76
Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: I Couldn't Care Less
Jim and Jesse: Paradise
Jimmy C Newman: Cry, Cry Darling

10:30: Trailblazer
Lester Flatt (host): Nine Pound Hammer
Grandpa Jones: Ol' Rattler Left Us Years Ago
Jean Shepard: Slipping Away
Lester Flatt: Homestead On The Farm

10:45: Beechnut
Billy Grammer (host): Detroit City
Jim Ed Brown: Sometimes Sunshine
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Soldier's Joy
Billy Grammer: Just A Closer Walk with Thee

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Hello, Love
Stu Phillips: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/You Win Again/Release Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me
Sam McGee: Farewell Blues/Alabama Jubilee/Just Because
Hank Snow: Paper Roses

11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Devil Woman
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down/Wanting My Woman Again
Justin Tubb: Texas Dance Hall Girl/Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Ronnie Robbins: Broke Down & Alone
Marty Robbins: I'm Wanting To/Don't Worry/Big Boss Man/They'll Never Take Her Love From Me/Love Me/I Couldn't Believe It Was True/Driftwood On The River/I'll Step Aside/El Paso

(Stonewall Jackson was scheduled for both shows but cancelled, while Roy Drusky was scheduled for only the early show. And, on an additional note, it was strange to see Roy Acuff opening the second show. Rarely did he open shows on the Opry). 

The reunion shows became an annual event where each year various former or retired Opry members would come back to make appearances on the Opry. 

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