1st show
6:30: Charlie Louvin, Willis Brothers
6:45: Billy Grammer, Jeanne Pruett, Charlie Walker
7:00: Billy Walker, Connie Smith, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Lonzo & Oscar
7:30: Bill Anderson, Jim & Jesse, Del Wood, Mary Lou Turner, Crook Brothers, Stoney Mountain Cloggers
8:00: Roy Acuff, Grandpa Jones, Jean Shepard, Justin Tubb,
8:30: Bobby Lord, Jimmy C Newman, Jeannie C Riley, Fruit Jar Drinkers
2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson, Willis Brothers, Charlie Louvin, Del Wood, Mary Lou Turner
10:00: Charlie Walker, Jean Shepard, Lonzo & Oscar
10:15: Roy Acuff, Billy Grammer
10:30: Billy Walker, Grandpa Jones, Connie Smith
10:45: Bobby Lord, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Crook Brothers, Stoney Mountain Cloggers
11:00: Jimmy C Newman, Jeanne Pruett, Jim & Jesse, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins, Justin Tubb, Jeannie C Riley
June 1, 1957 was an important date in the history of the Grand Ole Opry as The Everly Brothers became Opry members. At the time, Don Everly said, "This is gonna be a moment that Phil and I will always remember when we get kinda old and gray."
The Grand Ole Opry invited Don and Phil to join the cast and they made regular appearances on the show. To all in Nashville The Everly Brothers were a country music act who had been lucky enough to crack open the pop market. It was not a case of selling out. Web Pierce and Ray Price cut Bye Bye Love, and they were country all the way.
Here is the lineup from 67 years ago, the night in which the Grand Ole Opry welcomed The Everly Brothers
7:30: Nabisco
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Ladell Sisters: Gonna Find Me A Blue Bird
Oswald: The Girls Don't Pay Me No Mind
Roy Acuff: Drifting Too Far From The Shore
7:45: American Ace
Jordanaires: Theme
Faron Young (host): I'm Gonna Live Some Before I Die
Odie & Jody: Unpucker
Porter Wagoner: Good Morning Neighbor
Faron Young: Shrine Of St. Cecilia
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark
8:00: Martha White
Flatt & Scruggs (host): No Doubt About It
Jim Reeves: Four Walls
Everly Brothers: Bye Bye Love
June & Smokey: Comedy
Flatt & Scruggs: Six White Horses
Justin Tubb: Pepper Hot Baby
Jim Reeves: According To My Heart
Possum Hunters: Billy In The Low Ground
Everly Brothers: I Wonder If I Care As Much
Flatt & Scruggs: Earl's Breakdown
8:30: Prince Albert
Ray Price (host): Crazy Arms
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Merle Travis: Sixteen Tons
Fiddle Tune: Mississippi Sawyer
Ray Price: In The Garden
Chet Atkins: Country Gentleman
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Jimmy Dean: Happy Child
Stringbean: Lonesome Road Blues
Ray Price: I've Got A New Heartache
Fiddle Tune: Katy Hill
9:00: Jefferson Island Salt
Jordanaires: Theme
Jimmy Dickens (host): Happy Heartaches
Bill Monroe: Fallen Star
Del Wood: Rockin 88
T. Texas Tyler: Oklahoma Hills
Louvin Brothers: Don't Laugh
Jimmy Dickens: I Never Had The Blues
Jordanaires: Sugaree
Bill Monroe: Cheyenne
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hollow Poplar
Louvin Brothers: The First One To Love You
Jimmy Dickens: Big Sandy
9:30: Stephens
Lonzo & Oscar: Theme
Hank Snow (host): Music Making Mama
Porter Wagoner: Who Will It Be
Lonzo & Oscar: Charming Betsy
Ladell Sisters: Nighty Nine Ways
Hank Snow: Marriage And Divorce
Maybelle Carter: Gold Watch And Chain
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Porter Wagoner: Uncle Pen
Hank Snow: Rumba Boogie
10:00: Wall-Rite
Roy Acuff (host): Streamlined Cannon Ball
Justin Tubb: You Nearly Lose Your Mind
Stringbean: Fireball Mail
Roy Acuff: If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
Howdy Forrester: Money Musk
10:15: Delited
Ladell Sisters: Theme
Ray Price (host): Wasted Words
Odie & Jody: Georgiana Waltz
Ladell Sisters: Love Letters In The Sand
Ray Price: You Done Me Wrong
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy
10:30: Hester Battery
Jim Reeves (host): I Know That You Know
Flatt & Scruggs: Salty Dog Blues
June Carter: Comedy
Jim Reeves: Waiting For A Train
Fiddle Tune: Turkey In The Straw
10:45: De Con
Faron Young (host): Until I Met You
Louvin Brothers: You're Running Wild
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Faron Young: I'll Be Satisfied With Love
Fiddle Tune: Cacklin Hen
11:00: Coca Cola
Jordanaires: Theme
Hank Snow (host): Honey Moon On A Rocket Ship
Everly Brothers: Bye Bye Love
Del Wood: After Five
Bill Monroe: Sitting Alone In The Moonlight
Lonzo & Oscar: Blondes Blondes Blondes
Hank Snow: Conscience I'm Guilty
Chet Atkins: Martingale
Mother Maybelle: Wildwood Flower
Gully Jumpers: Leather Britches
Everly Brothers: I Wonder If I Care As Much
Hank Snow: Rumba Boogie
11:30: Jamison
Jordanaires: Theme
Jimmy Dickens (host): Cornbread And Buttermilk
T. Texas Tyler: Old Blue
Stonewall Jackson: Stop Your Naggin Hoss
Jimmy Dickens: What About Me
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark
11:45: Sustaining
Porter Wagoner (host): Uncle Pen
Sam & Kirk McGee: I Was Sort Of Wondering
Merle Travis: John Henry
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Fruit Jar Breakdown
Porter Wagoner: What Would You Do
Dee Kilpatrick was the General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry from 1956-1959. At the time, he was quoted as saying, "The Opry didn't have the appeal to the younger audience that you have to have if you're going to keep growing. All I could see were older people and little teeny kids. There weren't any teenagers."
To help solve that problem, he brought into the Opry a group of younger artists that included Stonewall Jackson, Porter Wagoner, Rusty and Doug Kershaw and Don and Phil Everly, who were from Kentucky with an impeccable country music background. Their parents, Ike and Margaret, were country-gospel artists known throughout the South and Midwest. The brothers were learning classic country songs before they were 10. After completing high school, and with their parents retiring, Don and Phil headed to Nashville.
Wesley Rose put them in touch with songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who had just written "Bye Bye Love." The brothers recorded it and it was a smash hit, which led to them coming to the Opry.
But eventually the Brothers became too big for Nashville. It was evident that although their recordings maintained that basic country feel they had to make sure their recordings appealed to the pop masses. Because they were away from Nashville on personal appearances and tours abroad they were dropped from the Grand Ole Opry, and when in 1960 they signed with the newly formed Warner Brothers label they were completely cut off from Nashville and country music. The Everly Brothers would return to Nashville, but not often. In 2001, they were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Next week will be a big week at the Opry House as it will be CMA week. The Opry will be having multiple shows on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday night, along with an Opry Country Classic show at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday afternoon. Terri Clark will be celebrating her 20th year as an Opry member and believe it or not, Lorrie Morgan will be celebrating her 40th year of membership. And don't forget, a new member will be added to the Opry's cast as Lainey Wilson will be inducted on Friday night.
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. Take care and stay safe.