Mid-Week Opry Shows

There is a full schedule of Grand Ole Opry shows this coming week, as in addition to the Tuesday and Wednesday night shows, Opry Country Classics is back on the schedule. 

The Tuesday Night Opry will feature members Dailey & Vincent, Mandy Barnett, Don Schlitz, and closing out the show, Lauren Alaina. Frequent Opry guest Charles Esten returns, along with comedian Killer Beaz and making their Opry debut, Shane Smith & The Saints. 

Tuesday March 26
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Neon Union, Mandy Barnett, Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:15: Charles Esten, Killer Beaz, Shane Smith & The Saints, Lauren Alaina

Shane Smith and The Saints is an American red dirt country band from Austin, Texas that formed in 2011 and has released four studio albums. The band consists of songwriter Shane Smith, along with Bennett Brown on fiddle, Dustin Schaefer on guitar, Chase Satterwhite playing bass, and Zach Stover playing drums. They rose to prominence with a broader audience in part due to their appearances on the television series Yellowstone.

The Wednesday Night Opry Dailey & Vincent and Don Schlitz on the schedule, making it a two-show week for those artists. Joining them will be Jeannie Seely and Riders In The Sky. Also on the schedule is Aoife O'Donovan and making their Opry debut, The Price Sisters.

Wednesday March 27
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Aoife O'Donovan, Dailey & Vincent
Intermission
8:15: Amythyst Kiah, The Price Sisters, Chancey Williams, Don Schlitz

The Price Sisters are originally from eastern Ohio, relocating to Tennessee in 2021. As youths, they attended bluegrass festivals and workshops.  By their teenage years, they were each accomplished vocalists and players- Leanna, on fiddle; Lauren, on mandolin- signing up with Rebel Records for their eponymous 2016 EP debut.  With the release of their first LP, 2018’s A Heart Never Knows, they’d each become IBMA-award nominees. Their new album, "Between The Lines" is currently out. On an added note, one of the members of their band is Bobby Osborne, Jr. 

Finally, Opry Country Classics returns on Thursday night, with Larry Gatlin as the host and Opry members Crystal Gayle the Spotlight Artist. 

Thursday March 28
Opry Country Classics
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Crystal Gayle
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Sunny Sweeney, Louise Mandrell, Rhett Akins

March 27th is an important date in the history of the Grand Ole Opry as it was on that night in 1971 that Jan Howard became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. What is interesting is that Jan had been appearing on the Opry for years, both as a solo act, and as the duet partner of Bill Anderson. In fact, she had been such a regular performer that many, including Opry management, thought that she was already an Opry member. On that date they corrected that oversight. 

Here is the running order from that night 53 years ago:

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Billy Walker (host): I Taught Her Everything She Knows
Ray Pillow: Grazin' In Greener Pastures
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
Billy Walker: How Great Thou Art

6:45: Rudy's
Jack Greene (host): There's A Whole Lot About A Woman A Man Don't Know
Jeannie Seely: Please Be My New Love
Jack Greene & Jeannie Seely: Wish I Didn't Have To Miss You
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

7:00: Rudy's
Bill Monroe (host): My Little Georgia Rose
Earl Scruggs Revue: Loraderojosp III Breakdown
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Each Season Changes You
Ernie Ashworth: Jesus Is A Soul Man
James William Monroe: Come With Me Up Happiness Hill
Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard
Earl Scruggs Revue: Foggy Mountain Top
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Legend Of The Dogwood Tree

7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Grandpa Jones: Mountain Dew
Jan Howard: Evil On Your Mind
George Morgan: For The Good Times
Bill Anderson: Always Remember
Crook Brothers; Black Mountain Rag
Grandpa Jones: Fair & Tender Ladies
Bill Anderson & Jan Howard: Someday We'll Be Together

8:00 Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free
Tex Ritter: The Men In My Little Girl's Life
Willis Brothers: Woman's Liberation
Lonzo & Oscar: Crawdad Song

8:30: Stephens
Porter Wagoner (host): The Carroll County Accident
Dolly Parton: Coming For To Carry Me Home
Stringbean: Hot Corn; Cold Corn
Tom T. Hall: Ballad Of Forty Dollars
Porter Wagoner: The Last One To Touch Me
Hank Locklin: She's As Close As I Can Get
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking In My Sleep
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Better Move It On Home

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Bill Anderson (host): You Can Change My World By Changing Your Mind
Willis Brothers: For The Good Times
Jan Howard: Were You There
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Nobody's Darling But Mine
Ray Pillow: Working Man Blues
Bill Andeson: I Love You Drops

10:00: Fender
Bill Monroe (host): Little Joe
Earl Scruggs Revue: Bugle Call Rag
Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie

10:15: Union 76
Billy Walker (host): When A Man Loves A Woman
Grandpa Jones: Dooley
Ernie Ashworth: Jesus Is A Soul Man
Billy Walker: Make The World Go Away

10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Jack Greene: There's A Whole Lot About A Woman That A Man Don't Know
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird

10:45: Beechnut
Porter Wagoner (host): Big Wind
Dolly Parton: Joshua
Stringbean: Lonesome Road Blues
Crook Brothers: Arkansas Traveler
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Better Move It On Home

11:00: Coca Cola
Tex Ritter (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter
Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame
Fruit Jar Drinkers: (?)
Tex Ritter: High Noon
Loretta Lynn: I Wanna Be Free
Sam McGee: San Antonio Rose

11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Devil Woman
Lonzo & Oscar: There's A Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea
Ronnie Robbins: Put Your Hand In The Hand/Today I Started Loving You Again
Marty Robbins: I Walk Alone/Don't Worry/A Heart Full Of Love/Long Gone Lonesome Blues
Marty Robbins & Ronnie Robbins: It Finally Happened

(George Morgan and Tom T Hall only appeared on the first show. They were scheduled on the late show but cancelled. As usual, Marty Robbins was scheduled only for the late show. Interesting that Earl Scruggs was on Bil Monroe's segment on both shows). 

Finally, as an added note of clarification: If you were listening to the Opry on the radio during this period of time, the 7:00 Rudy's segment was actually broadcast on WSM between the two shows. The radio audience at 7:00 heard the Shoney's segment, which was the last segment of the Friday Night Opry. I know, it doesn't make a lot of sense and it would take a few more years until Shoney's moved their sponsorship to the 7:00 Saturday slot and the entire first show would be aired live.