July Opry Highlights

Welcome to July and the heart of summer. 4th of July. While things are currently fairly quiet at the Grand Ole Opry, there have been notable events that have taken place during the month. Here are the important events, or milestones that have taken place during the month of July at the Opry, or with the Opry's members:

July 15, 1913: Lloyd Estel was born in Adams County, Ohio. Better known as Cowboy Copas, he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1946. He would remain an Opry member until his death in 1963 in the tragic plane crash that took the lives of Hawkshaw Hawkins, Patsy Cline and Randy Hughes. Some may not realize, but in the early 60s, Cowboy Copas was the bigger star of the three. 

July 27, 1925: Former Grand Ole Opry member Annie Lou Dill was born. Along with her husband Danny, they were known as "The Sweethearts of Country Music." Annie Lou and Danny were members of the Opry from the late 1940s through the mid 1950s. They remained a popular duo into the 1960s. However, Annie Lou and Danny divorced, at which point the act became history. Annie passed away in January 1982.

July 24, 1926: The Crook Brothers, led by Herman Crook, made their first appearance on the WSM Barn Dance. Considered one of the Opry's original members, the Crook Brothers would remain a part of the Opry until the death of Herman in June 1988. That adds up to just short of 62 years at the Opry, which puts Herman in a very select group of Opry members. 

July 7, 1927: The late Charlie Louvin was born in Section, Alabama. Charles Loudermilk was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years. Along with his brother Ira, Charlie was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Charlie passed away on January 26, 2011.

July 9, 1929: Grand Ole Opry member Jesse McReynolds was born in Coeburn, Virginia. One of the true legends in bluegrass music, Jim and Jesse joined the Opry in 1964. Following the death of Jim McReynolds on December 31, 2002, Jesse continued as a solo member of the Opry, last performing on the show in March 2020. After 59 years of Opry membership, Jesse McReynolds passed away in June 2023. 

July 7, 1930: Doyle Wilburn was born in Hardy, Arkansas. Along with his brother Teddy, the Wilburn Brothers were long time members of the Opry.

July 14, 1932: The great Del Reeves was born in Sparta, North Carolina. Del joined the Grand Ole Opry in October 1966 and was an Opry member until his death in 2007. Del had one of the great personalities in country music and did a variety of impressions, including those of Roy Acuff, Johnny Cash and Hank Snow. While primarily a country artist, Del did have a couple of chart records on the pop charts. 

July 4, 1934: Over 8,000 people showed up for an all-day Opry sponsored show in West Tennessee. The show featured Opry stars Uncle Dave Macon, Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, the Gully Jumpers and the Crook Brothers. As a result of the success of this show, Opry founder George D. Hay started the Artists Service Bureau, which would become the official booking agency for Opry members. In the future, this organization would cause some issues at the Opry, and eventually would lead to several Opry members, including Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright, leaving the Opry.

July 4, 1937: Ray Pillow was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ray came to the Opry in 1966 and was an Opry member for over 55 yeas. After several years in retirement, Ray passed away in March 2023.

July 19, 1937: The late George Hamilton IV was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. George was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 54 years before passing away in September 2014. George loved the Opry and meeting the fans and is really missed. I can tell you from personal experience that George was one of the nicest people I have ever met. 

July 1, 1939: The Grand Ole Opry moved to the War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Nashville. They would stay at the War Memorial for just a few years as the type of crowd that came to Opry shows was not the ones that the operators of the building wanted to see. The Opry moved to War Memorial from the Dixie Tabernacle, which held more people but was in deplorable condition. Because of the lower capacity, which was listed as 2,200, the Opry decided to charge an admission fee of 25 cents, which did not stop the crowds from coming to the show. War Memorial Auditorium still stands in Nashville and is used. In 2010, when the Grand Ole Opry House was flooded, several Opry shows were relocated there.

July 6, 1940: Jeannie Seely, known as "Miss Country Soul," was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Jeannie first came to the Opry in 1966 as a guest and joined the Opry's cast in September 1967. Since then, Jeannie has appeared on the Opry over 5,000 times, more than any other Opry member in the history of the show. As far as female Opry members, Jeannie is one of the best and most weekends you can find her at the Opry. Over the past several years, she has also hosted a Sunday afternoon show on SiriusXM radio. 

July 15, 1944: Country Music Hall of Fame member Rod Brasfield became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Rod was hired to replace comedian Whitey Ford, the Duke of Paducah, on the Prince Albert portion of the show, which was broadcast on the NBC radio network. Rod was hired after Whitey got into a contract dispute with R.J. Reynolds and their advertising agency, which sponsored the segment. Rod was very successful, often teaming with fellow comedian Minnie Pearl. Rod was not only a great comedian but was also an excellent actor. He was featured in the movie, "A Face In the Crowd" which starred Andy Griffith. Rod remained a member of the Opry until passing away in September 1958.

July 24, 1948: Roy Acuff announced that he was running for Governor of Tennessee. He decided to run after the current Governor made some poor comments regarding country music. As a Republican in Tennessee in 1948, Roy really didn't stand much of a chance, and he lost the election by a wide margin. It was said that his campaign rallies drew large crowds that enjoyed the music and special guests but would leave once the political speeches started.

July 21, 1951: Left Frizzell made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Lefty would later become an Opry member, but he was gone pretty quickly. Lefty would later say that it just didn't work out and that the Opry wasn't the dream that he thought it would be.

July 5, 1952: Ralph Sloan and The Tennessee Travelers became members of the Grand Ole Opry. The group was formed in 1949 and they were originally called the Cedar Hill Square Dancers. Ralph passed away in 1980 after which his brother Melvin Sloan took over the group, changing the name to the Melvin Sloan Dancers. Melvin has since retired himself and the group is now simply called the Opry Square Dancers.

July 9, 1952: Grand Ole Opry members Carl Smith and June Carter were married. The marriage only lasted a few years as Carl expected June to give up her career to become a full-time wife and mother. While the marriage was short, it did produce a daughter, Rebecca Carlene Smith, better known as Carlene Carter. After the marriage ended, June would go on to remarry two more times, with her final marriage being to Johnny Cash, while Carl would have a very successful marriage with Goldie Hill, who did retire from performing after being married to Carl.

July 18, 1954: Grand Ole Opry member Ricky Skaggs was born in Cordell, Kentucky. Ricky joined the Opry cast in May 1982. For many of us, it is hard to believe that Ricky will be 70.

July 2, 1955: According to various reports, Patsy Cline made her first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Continuing to guest on the Opry, Patsy would eventually become an Opry member in 1960, after asking if she could join.

July 7, 1956: Johnny Cash made his first guest appearance on the Opry. For Johnny, it was a dream come true and a couple of weeks later Johnny would become an Opry member. 

July 28, 1956: Just three weeks after making his Grand Ole Opry debut, Johnny Cash became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Johnny would remain an Opry member until 1958, when he left Nashville and moved to California. Even though he gave it up, Johnny was always welcomed as a guest artist whenever he was in Nashville, and he would especially appear if June Carter was around. It was during one such performance in 1965, while under the influence of drugs, that Johnny kicked out the Opry stage lights and was told not to come back. He stayed away for a few years, but by the late 1960s, he was back. Toward the end of his life, Roy Acuff reportedly asked Johnny to once again become an Opry member, but Johnny declined.

July 24, 1957: Grand Ole Opry member Pam Tillis was born in Plant City, Florida.

July 15, 1961: Bill Anderson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 63rd year as an Opry member.  Bill made his first Opry appearance in 1958 and would guest several times before being asked by Opry manager Ott Devine to become a member. Currently the longest active member of the Opry's cast, and over the age of 80, Bill is still active and making regular Opry appearances. He is always well received and sounds as good as ever. An argument can be made that this Hall of Fame member is one of the greatest all-around talents in the history of country music, as he has been successful as a solo artist, duet artist, songwriter, author, game show host and television personality. Upon his 63rd anniversary as a member of the Opry, Bill will become the first member in the history of the Opry to reach that milestone and is now the longest tenured member in the history of the Opry. 

July 18, 1964: Connie Smith made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Connie joined the cast the following year and this will be her 58th year as an Opry member. Not only does Connie sound as good as every but she also has a new album that was released last year. 

July 31, 1964: Jim Reeves, along with Dean Manual, died in a plane crash just outside of Nashville. Jim was just 39. While he was not an Opry member at the time of his death, giving it up a few years earlier, Jim was very successful while an Opry member. However, as the focus of his career changed, he felt that the Opry was no longer for him.

July 31, 1964: The Osborne Brothers are told during the "Friday Night Frolics" they will join the Grand Ole Opry the following weekend. The night is also the final time the "Frolics," a Friday night version of the Opry, are held at Nashville's National Life Building.

July 10, 1965: Roy Acuff was seriously injured in a car accident near Sparta, Tennessee. Roy suffered two pelvic fractures, a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. Also injured in the crash were Shot Jackson and June Stearns. Roy would be out of action for about a month, returning to the Opry in August.

July 31, 1965: Waylon Jennings made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, Waylon would make an occasional appearance on the show. 

July 26, 1966: Opry member Martina McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas.

July 1, 1967: Dave Hooten replaced Johnny "Lonzo" Sullivan as part of Lonzo and Oscar. Johnny had recently passed away and it was agreed before his death that Roland "Oscar" Sullivan would continue with the act. David was generally considered a good replacement for Johnny.

July 8, 1967: Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters (June, Anita and Helen), made their final appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. The group originally joined the Opry in May 1950 and left in order to tour full time with Johnny Cash. As with many other veteran Opry members, Maybelle Carter complained many times to management in regard to the slots they were scheduled on the show. Later, the June Carter and the Carter Sisters would make a couple of guest appearances on the Opry with Johnny Cash. 

July 14, 1967: While performing on the Friday Night Opry, burglars stole $5,000 worth of goods from Hank Snow's office. Taken are watches, cufflinks, diamond earrings, belt buckles and insurance papers, but no money.

July 25, 1970: Tom T. Hall made his Grand Ole Opry debut. He was introduced that night by Opry member Jimmy C Newman. Tom T. would continue to make Opry appearances over the next months and would become an Opry member in January 1971. 

July 24, 1971: Country and Western music legend Patsy Montana made her first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

July 31, 1971: A bomb scare at the Grand Ole Opry delayed the show almost 40 minutes. The call came in around 10:00 and after a quick search, the show resumed. 

July 8, 1972: Barbara Mandrell became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. While some accounts, including the Grand Ole Opry, list her induction date as July 29, this was actually the night that Barbara was announced as a member. Celebrating her 52nd year as an Opry member, Barbara is now retired from performing. When she made the decision to retire, he asked Opry management if she would remain a member of the Opry, of which they agreed. Without knowing it at the time, Barbara started a trend where retired members would retain their Opry membership, reversing a policy where members had to give up their Opry membership if they were no longer active.

July 15, 1972: Tanya Tucker made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. While never becoming an Opry member, Tanya would make occasional appearances on the show. 

July 14, 1973: Tompall, Chuck, and Jim, the Glaser Brothers, made their final appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. The brothers, who often had creative differences, decided to go their separate ways. They would reunite several years later, but then broke up for good. But, at the personal invitation of Hank Snow, the brothers appeared on the Opry one final time, in January 1990 at a show honoring Hank for 40 years of Opry membership. The brothers were awesome that night and you can see the video of the performance on YouTube. That night was the final night that they would appear together.

July 21, 1973: Just over a year after Barbara Mandrell joined the Opry cast, Jeanne Pruett became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Like Barbara, Jeanne is now retired. This will be her 51st year as an Opry member. Jeanne was the last singing member of the cast to join the show before it left the Ryman Auditorium (of course, Jerry Clower joined after Jeanne, but he was known as a comedian). On the night of her induction, Dolly Parton handled the honors. Now retired, Jeanne, who was recently inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, has written an autobiography and has been known to visit the Opry now and then and even come out on stage and wave to the audience. 

July 5, 1974: Dolly Parton appeared on the Opry for the first time with her own band. Previously, Dolly had been the duet partner of Porter Wagoner and when she appeared on the Opry, she had used Porter's Wagonmasters. 

July 7, 1975: Grand Ole Opry member George Morgan passed away in a Nashville hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was just 51. George joined the Opry in 1948 as the replacement for Eddy Arnold. He left the Opry in 1956 to star on a television show but returned in 1959. George's daughter Lorrie followed in his footsteps as an Opry member.

July 24, 1976: Bobby Lord made his final appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Bobby came to the Opry in 1960 from the Ozark Jubilee. After leaving the Opry, Bobby went into semi-retirement, living in Florida and working in real estate. He later hosted a sportsman show on TNN. Although he gave up his Opry membership, Bobby would continue to make occasional Opry appearances when he was up in the Nashville area. Bobby, who also had his own television show, passed away in 2008.

July 24, 1976: On the same day as Bobby Lord's final appearance as an Opry member, a fire broke out backstage at the Opry House that morning. The fire was discovered at 6:00 a.m. on the lighting dimmer board and was quickly put out. Damage was estimated at nearly a quarter million dollars.

July 31, 1976: Former Grand Ole Opry member Don Williams made his first Saturday night appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, Don didn't stay at the Opry very long and reportedly, there were no hard feelings when he decided to move on. 

July 4, 1980: Future Diamond Rio member Dana Williams made his first Opry appearance as a bass player for Jimmy C Newman.

July 5, 1980: John Conlee made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. You can say it went over pretty well and John would become an Opry member. 

July 2, 1982: Former Grand Ole Opry member DeFord Bailey died in Nashville at the age of 82. DeFord was one of the first members of the WSM Barn Dance but was fired in 1941 by Opry founder George D. Hay. Various reasons were given for the firing, but it would appear that race was the major reason. While he did come back to make guest appearances in the 1940s, DeFord was very bitter about being fired by the Opry and went to great lengths to avoid the opportunity to make guest appearances. However, he did appear a couple of times and in February 1974 he returned for the annual reunion show. He was well received and would make a few more reunion shows before passing away. DeFord is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

July 1, 1983: Gaylord Broadcasting Company purchased the Grand Ole Opry, WSM radio and the entire Opryland complex from American General Corporation. Even though it was called Gaylord Broadcasting, it was actually Edward Gaylord and his wife Thelma who were the actual owners. At the time, Gaylord owned "Hee Haw" and other major media outlets. The price was rumored to have been between $250 and $350 million. The Opry was for sale at the time because of the purchase of National Life and Accident Company and the new owners, American General, had no interest in owning the Opry or Opryland. It was Roy Acuff who convinced Edward Gaylord that the Opryland properties were perfect for him to buy and add to his company. Over time, Gaylord Broadcasting would become Gaylord Entertainment and is now known as Ryman Hospitality.

July 30, 1983: Former Grand Ole Opry members The Glaser Brothers returned for a guest appearance on the Opry. The brothers were having some chart success at the time with "Lovin' Her Was Easier" and had briefly reunited.

July 1, 1984: Grand Ole Opry member Roy Acuff is diagnosed with angina and would take a break from performing. He would not return to the Opry in an active role until December. 

July 6, 1985: Johnny Russell became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Johnny would remain a very popular and loyal member of the Opry until passing away on July 3, 2001, after a period of declining health. One of the most talented performers in country music, Johnny was a singer, songwriter and comedian. After joining the Opry, Johnny would normally appear on the 11:30 segment, telling funny stories and singing serious songs. I was privileged one day to have met Johnny at Opryland and to spend a little bit of time with him.

July 29, 1989: Future Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill made his Opry debut. He had turned down his first opportunity to appear on the show due to a previous family commitment. Happily, they invited him back and he has since gone on to become one of the Opry's best members. 

July 8, 1990: The Grand Ole Opry put on a special performance in Houston, Texas for President George Bush and a number of foreign dignitaries who were attending a summit meeting. Among the artists performing were Charley Pride, The Gatlin Brothers, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Loretta Lynn and Bill Monroe.

July 25, 1990: Grand Ole Opry staff band member Harold Weakley passed away. While primarily the drummer on the staff band, Harold also announced the Goo Goo candy segments and would occasionally step in front of the microphone and sing a song or two. 

July 3, 1993: Alison Krauss became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be her 31st year as an Opry member with Garth Brooks doing the honors. At the time she joined, she was the Opry's youngest member. Alison has won more Grammy Awards than any other female country music, or bluegrass singer. Sadly, we don't see or hear much of Alison on the Opry but when she does appear it is a pleasure. I would say that as an Opry member, she has been a disappointment. 

July 10, 1999: June Carter Cash made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, in what would be her final appearance on the Opry stage. June was an Opry member in the 1950s and was known for singing with her family and for her comic skills.

July 6, 2002: Melvin Sloan, leader of the Melvin Sloan Dancers, retired. Melvin began dancing on the Opry following the death of his brother Ralph Sloan in 1980. After Melvin's retirement, the Opry took over management of the square dancers and they are now called the Opry Square Dancers. Melvin passed away earlier this year. 

July 2, 2004: Grand Ole Opry member Ricky Van Shelton made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. Now retired, Ricky joined the Opry in June 1988. Sadly, he was another one from that era that did not appear on the Opry very often. Last I heard, Ricky was doing well in retirement. From a personal standpoint, Ricky is one of those that I miss seeing. 

July 5, 2008: Ending a long-standing tradition, the start time of Saturday's early Grand Ole Opry show was changed from 6:30 to 7:00, resulting in a two-hour show. This followed the change of the late Saturday show being cut to two hours the previous January. There was no reason given for the change, and no, there was no price reduction on account of the shorter show.

July 15, 2008: Future Grand Ole Opry member Darius Rucker made his first guest appearance on the Opry, singing "Don't Think I Don't Think About It."

July 8, 2011: Jimmy Dickens made a surprise appearance on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry to ask the Oak Ridge Boys if they would like to become the Opry's newest members. Of course, the Oak Ridge Boys said yes, and later this year they will celebrate their 13th year as Opry members. The Oak Ridge Boys had been asked previously if they were interested in becoming Opry members, however they had declined due to their heavy touring schedule. While they are still actively touring, the group has found the time to appear on the Opry and fulfill their membership obligations.

July 16, 2011: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Anderson was honored upon his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Alison Krauss joined the celebration that evening.

July 13, 2012: Grand Ole Opry member Randy Travis made his final scheduled performing appearance on the Opry. Randy would later suffer a serious stroke that would end his performing career. While that was Randy's final singing performance, he and his wife Mary have visited backstage at the Opry a number of times. 

July 16, 2012: Former Grand Ole Opry member Kitty Wells passed away. Kitty was a member of the Opry for years before being fired from the cast as part of the "Purge of 64." While never rejoining the Opry, she would make more than a few appearances since that termination. 

July 3, 2013: Alison Krauss celebrated 20 years of Opry membership. As part of the show that night, she does a duet with Jamey Johnson on "Make the World Go Away."

July 14, 2016: Sonny Osborne performed on the Grand Ole Opry, reuniting The Osborne Brothers for the first time in more than a decade. They join Mac Wiseman and Jesse McReynolds to cover Flatt & Scruggs' "'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered."

July 1, 2017: Montgomery Gentry performed "Where I Come From" on the Grand Ole Opry. It would be the final Opry appearance for Troy Gentry, who would pass away in September as the result of a helicopter crash. Since his passing, Eddie Montgomery has continued on as an Opry member.

July 20, 2018: Frequent Grand Ole Opry guest Charles Esten made his 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Primarily an actor, who gained fame staring on "Nashville," he is one of the few cast members to have continued to appear on the Opry after the cancelation of the show. 

July 19, 2019: Luke Combs was formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. While somewhat of a surprise, so far it has worked out pretty well as Luke has made a number of appearances. Inducting Luke that night were Vince Gill and Joe Diffie. Also lining up on stage for the ceremony were Craig Morgan, Dustin Lynch, Chris Janson, Mark Wills and Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band. Combs' first song as a member: the title track from the album "This One's For You."

July 22, 2019: Sally Williams, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, announced her resignation from Ryman Hospitality. While she was at the company for over 20 years, she had only been in charge of the Opry since 2017, following the resignation of Pete Fisher. Sally left to go to Live Nation and in her current role she is also involved in the management of Old Crow Medicine Show. 

July 6, 2020: Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Daniels passed away, a huge lost for country music. Not only was Charlie a great performer but he was also a fine humanitarian who was involved in a number of charitable causes. 

July 21, 2020: WSM personality and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs announced his retirement. Eddie, who normally announced the Friday Night Opry and the 2nd show on Saturday night, was the 3rd longest Opry announcer in the history of the show. Since his retirement, Eddie has very rarely been seen or heard from. 

July 17, 2021: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Anderson was honored upon his 60th anniversary as a member of the Opry's cast. Bill is one of the very few to have reached that milestone. Vince Gill, among others, celebrated the evening with Bill. 

July 13, 2022: Charlie McCoy was formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It was a long overdue honor for Charlie, who has appeared on the Opry many times. 

July 30, 2022: Grand Ole Opry member Barbara Mandrell was honored with two shows in recognition of her 50th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Among those appearing that evening to honor Barbara, who was in attendance and took the stage to thank those attending, were Carrie Underwood, CeCe Winans, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, Mandy Barnett, Linda Davis, Suzy Bogguss and Janelle Arthur. 

July 21, 2023: Grand Ole Opry member Jeanne Pruett was honored upon her 50th anniversary as member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

July 22, 2023: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Anderson was honored upon his 62nd anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was recognized as the longest-tenured member in the history of the show, passing Herman Crook. 

July 27, 2024: Steven Curtis Chapman was invited by Opry member Ricky Skaggs to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

There you have it for this month. Another busy one at the Opry.

Grand Ole Opry 6/28 & 6/29

A lot of us have been wondering what has happened to Sara Evans. She joined the Grand Ole Opry back in October of last year as part of the Opry's 98th birthday weekend. And that is the last we have seen her at the Opry. It really makes me wonder why she is an Opry member as she has gone over nine months since joining the cast without making an appearance. Obviously, this is not a good start to her Opry membership. Well, guess what? Sara Evans is on the schedule for the Friday Night Opry this weekend. Regardless of the circumstances, I am happy to see Sara back at the Opry. 

Joining Sara on the Friday Night Opry will be Opry members Gene Watson, John Conlee, Riders In The Sky, and someone who should be an Opry member, Kathy Mattea. I have heard that somewhere down the line, back during the peak of her career, that Kathy was a possibility to become an Opry member, however it never happened. I hope it is not too late for her and that someday she will join the cast. 

Also scheduled to appear is the very popular Neal McCoy, along with Kelsey Hart and Feist, both of whom will be making their Opry debuts. 

A couple of very popular Opry members will be appearing on Saturday night as Old Crow Medicine Show and Chris Janson return. They will be joined by Don Schlitz and Jeannie Seely. While not a solo Opry member, Charles Kelly, who is a member of Lady A, will be making an appearance, along with Jon Reep and Denitia, who will be making her Opry debut. 

Friday June 28
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Gene Watson, Feist, Neal McCoy
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee, Kathy Mattea, Kelsey Hart, Sara Evans

Saturday June 29
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Denitia, Jon Reep, Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:15: Charles Kelley, Opry Square Dancers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Chris Janson

Leslie Feist, known as Feist, is a Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter and guitarist, performing both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene. During her career she has released 10 singles and 6 studio albums, the first in 1999. She has also made a number of television and film appearances. She has been nominated for several Grammy Awards and has won a number of Juno Awards, including Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. 

Kelsy Hart is celebrating the release of his debut album, Life With You, which was recently released on Curb Records. He co-wrote nine of the album’s 15 tracks, including the viral title track, which not only served as his first dance song at his wedding but also stands as his current radio single. “Life With You” immediately resonated with fans, garnered tens of millions of views, and attracted thousands of new followers within days. The title track was released as a single last November, debuting in the Top 10 on Billboard's Country Digital Songs Chart and reached the No. 1 position on Sirius XM The Highway's Top 30 Weekend Countdown. 

As to his Opry debut, Kelsey said “I can’t even put into words how I felt when I got the call that this was gonna happen. In 2012, I watched my first Opry show, and I told myself one day I would stand in that circle. Here we are 12 years later, and it’s actually happening! I can’t wait to mark this one off the bucket list. Hope to see y’all there!

Denitia Grand is one of CMT's 2024 Next Women of Country and has been named an artist to watch by Nashville Scene. She was also named an Artist to Watch by NPR after earning one of five spots in the Black Opry and WXPN’s 2023 residency, was a member of Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Class of 2023, was one of three artists in CMT and mtheory’s 2023 Equal Access cohort, was a 2023 AmericanaFest Showcasing Artist, and had her “I Want To Live” music video premiere on CMT’s Times Square billboard.

From 50 years ago, Saturday June 29, 1974, which featured a guest appearance by future Grand Ole Opry member Roy Clark, along with the Governor of Tennessee Wilfred Dunn. 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host): Little Red Wagon
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Big Midnight Special/Mansion In The Sky
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres

6:45: Rudy's
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Billy Grammer, Jr.: Orange Blossom Special
Billy Grammer: Just A Closer Walk With Thee

7:00: Rudy's
The 4 Guys (host): Down By The Lazy River
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me
Louie Roberts: The End Of The World
The 4 Guys: Country Lullaby
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited Too Long
Louie Roberts: Where Did My True Love Go
The 4 Guys: Fall Away/Let Me Be There

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Back In The Country
Stu Phillips: Catfish John
Roy Clark: John Hardy/I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Crook Brothers & The Tennessee Travelers: Chicken Reel
Stu Phillips: Why Me Lord

8:00: Martha White
Billy Walker (host): I'm Gonna Keep On Loving You
Connie Eaton: Born To Lose
Brian Collins: White Lightening
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Connie Eaton: Let Me Be There
Brian Collins: Sweet Memories
Billy Walker: Charlie's Shoes

8:30: Stephens
Jack Greene (host): You Love Takes Good Care Of Me
Jeannie Seely: Can I Sleep In Your Arms Tonight, Mister
Hugh X Lewis: Behind Closed Doors
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Cacklin Hen
Jack Greene: Sing For The Good Times
Jeannie Seely: I Miss You
Hugh X Lewis: She Thinks I Still Care

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Stu Phillips (host): If You Love Me, Let Me Know
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Connie Eaton: Welcome To My World
Stu Phillips: Catfish John
Willis Brothers: Hillbilly Heaven
Connie Eaton: Let Me Be There
Stu Phillips: Why Me Lord

10:00: Fender
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): There's A Big Wheel
Bill Carlisle: Elvira/Same Old Tale That The Crow Told Me
Stoney Cooper: Black Mountain Rag

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Governor Winfield Dunn, Minnie Pearl & Roy Acuff: Lovesick Blues

10:30: Trailblazer
Billy Grammer (host): Detroit City
Roy Clark: A Pain In My Heart (& Blues On My Mind)
Roy Clark & Minnie Pearl: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Roy Clark: A Sweet Bunch of Daisies/John Hardy

10:45: Beechnut
Jack Greene (host): It's Time To Cross That Bridge
Jeannie Seely: Lucky Ladies
Crook Brothers & The Tennessee Travelers: Ida Red
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything

11:00: Coca Cola
Billy Walker (host): Things/Oh, Lonesome Me
Hugh X Lewis: Behind Closed Doors
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Hugh X Lewis: She Thinks I Still Care
Sam McGee: Under The Double Eagle
Deana Walker: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

11:30: Elm Hill
The 4 Guys (host): Down By The Lazy River
Louie Roberts: Make The World Go Away
The 4 Guys: Turn Your Radio On
Brian Collins: Statue Of A Fool
The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings Of A Dove

To finish it up, let's go back to June 29, 1963, which was the final night that Jim Reeves appeared as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Here is the running order from that night 61 years ago: 

7:30: Kellogg's
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Doin' My Time
Bill Anderson: You Made It Look Easy
Bill Monroe: Goodbye Old Pal
Loretta Lynn: (?)
Wilma Lee Cooper: Philadelphia Lawyer
Del Wood: Georgia Blues
Billy Walker: Storm Of Love
Bill Monroe: Careless Love
Bill Anderson: Still
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Satisfied

8:00: Martha White
Roy Drusky: Anymore
Jim & Jesse: (?)
Johnny Bond: My Darling Cora Lee
June Carter: Comedy
Roy Drusky: You Never Cried, When You Were Mine
Carter Family: (?)
Crook Brothers: Cotton Eyed Joe
Jim & Jesse: (?)
Roy Drusky: Second Hand Rose

8:30: Stephens
Jim Reeves: Little Old You
The Browns: A Scarlet Letter
Bobby Lord: Out Behind The Barn
Archie Campbell: Comedy
Jim Reeves: Guilty
Curly Fox: Carol County Blues
Margie Bowes: Right Or Wrong
Blue Boys: Red River Rock
Jim Reeves: I'm Going To Change Everything

9:00: Jefferson Island Salt
Roy Acuff: Y'all Come
Skeeter Davis: The End Of The World
Cousin Jody: Don't Make Love In A Buggy
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Fire On The Mountain
Roy Acuff: Lonely Mound Of Clay
Jug Band: They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree
June Stearn: Release Me
Brother Oswald: Roll On Buddy, Roll On
Roy Acuff: Drifting Too Far From The Shore
Howdy Forrester & Jimmy Riddle: Jesse Polka

9:30: Pet Milk
Hank Snow: I've Been Everywhere
Glaser Brothers: Tracking Me Down
Marion Worth: Crazy Arms
Lonzo & Oscar: (?)
Hank Snow: The Man Who Robbed The Bank At Santa Fe
Stringbean: Wake Up, Little Betty
Dave Dudley: Six Days On The Road
Glaser Brothers: Sweeter Than The Flowers
Hank Snow: The Wreck Of The Old 97

10:00: Gates Rubber
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Big Midnight Special
Bill Monroe: White House Blues
Loretta Lynn: (?)
Stoney Cooper: Sally Goodin
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Gloryland March

10:15: Luzianne
Jim Reeves: Pride Goes Before A Fall
Jim & Jesse: (?)
Del Wood: Piano Roll Blues
Jim Reeves: Welcome To My World

10:30: Harvey's
Bill Anderson: (?)
Skeeter Davis: I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know
The Browns: The Three Bells
Bill Anderson: (?)

10:45: Ford
Roy Acuff: Sunshine Special
Stringbean: 20 Cent Cotton & 90 Cent Meat
Crook Brothers: Ida Red
Brother Oswald: John Hardy
Roy Acuff: Waltz Of The Wind

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow: Jamaica Farewell
Glaser Brothers: Where No One Stands Alone
Bobby Lord: Cry, Cry Darling
Lonzo & Oscar: (?)
Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore
Sam & Kirk McGee: I Left My Girl On The Mountain
Margie Bowes: Think It Over
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sally Johnson
Glaser Brothers: Stand Beside Me
Hank Snow: Caribbean

11:30: SSS Tonic
Roy Drusky: Anymore
Marion Worth: Tennessee Teardrops
Archie Campbell: Fool's Side Of Town
Cousin Jody: Lady Cop
Roy Drusky: (?)
Curly Fox: 50 Years Ago
Marion Worth: I Can't Stop Loving You
Roy Drusky: Another

Jim Reeves, who was born and raised in Texas, was perhaps the biggest male star to emerge from the Nashville sound. While he was capable of singing hard country, he made his biggest impact as a country crossover artist. 

Jim Reeves started singing at an early age, inspired by Jimmie Rodgers. Jim also loved baseball and spent several years in professional ball. After a failed attempt at a baseball career, (due to an injured ankle), he turned his attention to the music business. During this time, he began singing as an amateur, appearing both as a solo artist and as the frontman for Moon Mullican's band. While trying to establish himself in the music business, he also did radio work that included the Louisiana Hayride. Late in 1952, Hank Williams failed to make an appearance on the show, and Reeves sang in his place. His performance was enthusiastically received, and Abbott Records immediately signed him to a record contract. "Mexican Joe" was Reeves' debut single for Abbott, and it quickly climbed to number one in the spring of 1953, spending nine weeks at the top of the charts. It was followed by another number one hit, "Bimbo," later in 1953, after which he became a member of the Louisiana Hayride.

In 1955 he with RCA. At RCA, he began to develop the distinctively smooth, lush, and pop-oriented style of country that made him a superstar and earned him the nickname Gentleman Jim. Peaking at number four, "Yonder Comes a Sucker" was his first Top Ten hit for RCA in the summer of 1955. It kicked off a remarkable streak of 40 hit singles, most of which charted in the Top Ten. Many of his singles also became pop crossovers.

Throughout the '50s and early '60s, Reeves racked up a number of major hits and country classics, like "Four Walls" (number one for eight weeks, 1957), "Anna Marie" (1958), "Blue Boy" (number two, 1958), "Billy Bayou" (number one for five weeks, 1959), "He'll Have to Go" (number one for 14 weeks, 1960), "Adios Amigo" (number two, 1962), "Welcome to My World" (number two, 1964), and "I Guess I'm Crazy" (number one for seven weeks, 1964). "Four Walls" was the turning point in his career, proving to both Reeves himself and his producer, Chet Atkins, that his main source of success would come from ballads. 

Jim Reeves was at the height of his career when his private plane crashed outside of Nashville on July 31, 1964. Thinking to the future, Jim had recorded a number of songs that were never released while he was living, thus for years after his death, Jim Reeves records would continue to appear on the charts. In 1967 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

Jim joined the Grand Ole Opry on October 22, 1955. By the time he left in 1963, his appearances on the Opry had dropped steadily and he was recording more pop-oriented songs rather than straight country. Like so many others who had joined the Opry during this time period, he felt that the Opry was hampering his success, and he was ready to move on. Once he left, he never came back. 

Finally, there will be a Sunday Night Opry this week, headlined by Opry member Rhonda Vincent. Joining Rhonda will be T. Graham Brown, Mandy Barnett and Charlie McCoy. Comedian Brian Bates, along with RaeLynn, The Time Jumpers and Darryl Worley round out the lineup. The Sunday night shows will continue through the month of July. 

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. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows June 25, 26 & 27

The last week of June will once again feature a full week of Opry shows, beginning with the Tuesday Night Opry. 

There are five Grand Ole Opry members listed for the Tuesday Night Opry, and the list includes Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, Riders In The Sky, John Conlee and Rhonda Vincent. Guesting will be Shenandoah, Dillon Carmichael and Katie Pruitt. 

The Wednesday Night Opry will feature Opry members Del McCoury Band, Jeannie Seely, Don Schlitz and Charlie McCoy. Guesting will be Taylor Hicks, Larry Fleet, and Karly Scott Collins, who will be making her Opry debut. Her invitation to appear was extended by Opry member Keith Urban and comes on the heels of their recent collaboration on her "Write One" EP.

Karley shared the exhilarating news with her fans through a heartfelt video on Instagram, captioning it, "I’m playing at the Grand Ole Opry😭 this is the real definition of a dream come true for me. Everyone I’ve ever looked up to has played on that stage, and I’m so grateful to the Opry for giving me the opportunity to join them and stand in that circle on June 26th. I will not be sleeping until then😅 also getting this call from @keithurban was literally the best surprise ever!!!"

Finally, the Thursday Night Opry will feature members Dailey & Vincent, along with Eddie Montgomery. Sam Williams, Kelly Lang, Jimmy Fortune, Alex Miller and Brennley Brown are also on the schedule. In the case of Brennley, this will be her Opry debut. 

On Thursday, May 16th, Brennley Brown, the talented country singer who first stole our hearts on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2017, shared some thrilling news with her fans. In a heartfelt video message from none other than the legendary Dolly Parton, Brennley learned that she will be making her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 27th. This announcement is a significant milestone in Brennley’s career, marking her transition from a rising star to a recognized name in the country music world. Dolly Parton’s message was filled with warmth and encouragement, congratulating Brennley on this well-deserved opportunity and expressing her excitement for Brennley’s debut at the Opry.

“There once was a little girl with a song in her heart and dreams so big that people would chuckle, sigh, and give a roll of the eye. When she was 11 years old she picked out a dress that she thought would be perfect for her Opry debut. That dress stayed in the corner of her closet for 12 years and stood as a reminder to never give up. That little girl is me.

I’ve worked incredibly hard and withstood plenty of rejection and defeat that this crazy business has thrown at me, but I never lost sight of the song, dream, and calling that God placed in my heart. I don’t feel worthy of this great honor. But as I step into ‘THE CIRCLE’ I will give God all the glory and honor for allowing this little girl’s dream to come true.

There you have it for the shows this week.

Grand Ole Opry 6/21 & 6/22

Taking a quick look back at last Saturday night, in case anyone missed the news, the Grand Ole Opry presented a surprise birthday cake to Opry member Gary Mule Deer in honor of his upcoming induction into the Comedy Hall of Fame. I checked out the Hall of Fame website and was pretty impressed with the Hall and all that they offer. Congratulations to Gary Mule Deer on his upcoming induction. 

Now looking ahead to this weekend at the Grand Ole Opry, it seems like a "thin" week for Opry members. The Friday Night Opry lists Rides In The Sky, Connie Smith and Don Schlitz on the schedule, while on Saturday night Bill Anderson, Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely and Rhonda Vincent are the members who will be performing. While thin in numbers, there is a lot of talent among those scheduled. 

Filling out the Friday schedule is Jon Wolfe and Michael Ray, along with a couple of Opry NextStage artists: Anne Wilson and Madeline Edwards. Finally, making his Opry debut will be Hubby Jenkins. 

There is another Opry debut on Saturday night as Country Gongbang will be appearing. Joining that group will be Americana artist Jim Lauderdale, Mae Estes and Home Free. 

Friday June 21
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Jon Wolfe, Hubby Jenkins, Anne Wilson
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith, Madeline Edwards, Michael Ray, Don Schlitz

Saturday June 22
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely, Jim Lauderdale, Country Gongbang
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, Mae Estes, Opry Square Dancers, Home Free, Rhonda Vincent

Hubby Jenkins, who is making his Opry debut on Friday night, is a talented multi-instrumentalist, guitar, banjo and bones, who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. He was an integral part of the Grammy award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops from 2010 to 2014. Since 2015 to 2018 he was active in touring and recording member in the Rhiannon Giddens band. Since then, he has pursued a solo career with performances around the world.

Country GongBang is a South Korean bluegrass group that was selected to receive the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2023 International Band Performance Grant. This annual award is given to an especially promising act from outside the United States to help assist with travel expenses and Visa difficulties The group plays a very tasty form of contemporary bluegrass, writing and singing in both English and Korean, which has been well received internationally via YouTube and other online venues.

From 50 years ago, Saturday June 22, 1974

1st show
6:30: Bill Monroe (host): Willis Brothers
6:45: Charlie Walker (host): Ernie Ashworth, Mel Street
7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Bill Carlisle, Minnie Pearl, Justin Tubb
7:30: Ernest Tubb (host): The 4 Guys, Del Wood, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers
8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa Jones, Ray Pillow, Curly Seckler, Paul Warren, Marty Stuart
8:30: Hank Snow (host): Connie Smith, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Louie Roberts

2nd show
9:30: Bill Monroe (host): Willis Brothers, Ernie Ashworth, Mel Street
10:00: Ernest Tubb (host): Charlie Walker, Wayne Hammond
10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Justin Tubb
10:30: Lester Flatt (host): Grandpa Jones, Bill Carlisle, Marty Stuart
10:45: Ray Pillow (host): Del Wood, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers
11:00: Hank Snow (host): Connie Smith, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee
11:30: The 4 Guys (host): Sherry Bryce, Louie Roberts

(Marion Worth was scheduled for both shows but cancelled. Minnie Pearl only appeared on the early show). 

Now going back to Saturday June 22, 1968, to a show that featured Tammy Wynette, Martha Carson and Jimmy Dickens, each of whom was a future or former Grand Ole Opry member. Here is the 2nd show from that night: 

9:30: Kellogg's
Bill Anderson (host): I Got The Fever
The 4 Guys: Walking In The Sunshine
Johnny Darrell: With Pen In Hand
Wilma Burgess: Don't Touch Me
Bill Anderson: No One's Gonna Hurt You Anymore
The 4 Guys: Why Can't We Act Like Little Children
Bill Anderson: Wild Weekend

10:00: Fender
Charlie Walker (host): Truck Driving Man
Lorrane Mann: The Dark End Of The Street
Johnny Carver: I Still Didn't Have The Sense To Go
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon

10:15: Pure
Grandpa Jones (host): Eight More Miles To Louisville
Penny DeHaven: Crazy
Jimmy Dickens: Out Behind The Barn
Grandpa Jones: Any Old Time

10:30: Buckley's
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Border
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Tammy Wynette: D-I-V-O-R-C-E
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass Of Home

10:45: Kent
Roy Drusky (host): White Lightening Express
Rhodes Sisters: I Wanna Live
Crook Brothers: Chicken Reel
Roy Drusky: Strangers

11:00: Coca Cola
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Wilma Lee Cooper: Philadelphia Lawyer
Brother Oswald: We Buried Her Beneath The Willow
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy
Roy Acuff: You Win Again
Wilma Lee Cooper: Pirate King
Sam McGee: I Don't Love Nobody
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird

11:30: Lava
Marty Robbins (host): Tonight Carmen
Martha Carson: Let The Light Shine On Me
Pete Drake: I'm Just A Guitar (Everybody Picks On Me)
The Hardens: Good Old Boy
Don Winters: Jambalaya
Pete Sayers: Busted
Martha Carson: When Morning Comes
Marty Robbins: Begging To You/Don't Worry/Ribbon Of Darkness/They'll Never Ever Take her Love From Me/I Started Loving You Again/El Paso

Martha Carson's Opry career is interesting. Martha first came to the Opry in 1951 from Knoxville, Tennessee, where she was featured on the "Midday Merry-Go-Round." She also at the time had the huge hit "Satisfied," one of the great upbeat gospel songs of all time. From the reports and articles that I have seen, she was very popular and a huge hit at the Opry. 

After joining the Opry, she was on regularly until her first child was born in 1957 and then she took a leave of absence, which included working in New York for a year. According to Martha, "I got a leave of absence from the Opry. I didn't quit and I wasn't fired. When I came back to Nashville, Opry manager Ott Devine said there were no openings. Then, I never did go back. I never even got to be a guest."

She went on with her memory of working the Opry: "It was like a singer's or an entertainer's dream heaven. That was really what it was. Although the old Ryman was hot and uncomfortable, it has such a friendliness to it. Everybody loved everybody. It seemed that had time for one another. It was just an experience like you'd never find anywhere else."

Just my opinion, but what a poor decision by Ott Devine. One of those that is hard to understand. While Martha said in that interview that she never even got to come back as a guest was obviously wrong as for the remainder of her life, she would appear occasionally on the Opry, and also on the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree. I think that the closest voice on the Opry today that you could compare to Martha Carson is Connie Smith, who will occasionally do "Satisfied" on the Opry. 

A bit of trivia for you: The female voice you hear on Bill Carlisle's early recording of "Too Old To Cut The Mustard" is Martha Carson. 

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. If anything, Saturday night looks very interesting. As always, stay safe and take care. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows June 18th, 19th & 20th.

As the Grand Ole Opry rolls through June, there is another week full of shows. 

Taking a look first, at the Tuesday Night Opry, the show will feature a great group of Opry members, including an appearance by one of the newest members, Carly Pearce. Carly will be joined by Bill Anderson, Craig Morgan, Don Schlitz and Jeannie Seely. In fact, the only non-members will be comedian Aaron Weber and American Patchwork Quartet, who will be making their Opry debut. 

Moving now to Wednesday night, Opry member Ashley McBryde returns to the Opry stage, along with members Riders In The Sky. Joining them will be Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Stevens. along with Clay Walker, Tigirlily Gold, RVSHVD and Appalachian Road Show. 

Finally, to close out the week, the Thursday Night Opry has Charlie McCoy, Don Schlitz and Rhonda Vincent on the schedule. Very frequent Opry guest Charles Esten is back, as is comedian Aaron Weber. Shane Profitt, Carter Faith, and a name from the past, Terri Gibbs will out the lineup. 

Tuesday June 18
7:00: Craig Morgan, Jeannie Seely, Don Schlitz, Carly Pearce
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson, American Patchwork Quartet, Aaron Weber. Carly Pearce

Wednesday June 19
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Tigirlily Gold, RVSHVD, Ray Stevens
Intermission
8:15: Clay Walker, Appalachian Road Show, Ashley McBryde

Thursday June 20
7:00: Rhonda Vincent, Shane Profitt, Charlie McCoy, Charles Esten
Intermission
8:15: Terri Gibbs, Aaron Weber, Carter Faith, Don Schlitz

Yes, Carly will be doing two sets on Tuesday night to celebrate the release of her new album hummingbird, which is her fourth studio album. 

Grand Ole Opry 6/14 & 6/15

I think we can all agree that last weekend was a special one at the Grand Ole Opry. Beginning on Friday night with the induction of Lainey Wilson as the newest member of the Opry, with Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks doing the honor. That was followed up on Saturday night with the 40th anniversary of Lorrie Morgan as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Lorrie looked and sounded great as Jeannie Seely was a surprise guest that introduced Lorrie and welcomed her to the "Veterans" club of Opry members. 

While there are no special events taking place at the Opry this weekend, there are two very good shows on the schedule. 

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Marty Stuart returns for another Opry appearance. Joining Marty will be members Connie Smith, The Isaacs, Gary Mule Deer and Riders In The Sky. Wyatt Ellis, who made a very good impression on his last Opry appearance, will be guesting on Friday night, along with Alex Hall and, making their annual June appearance, the ACM Lifting Lives Campers. Always a highlight!!

Gary Mule Deer and The Isaacs return on Saturday night, where they will be joined by Mandy Barnett, Jeannie Seely and John Conlee. Guesting will be Gary Burr, Sam Palladio, formally from "Nashville" and making her Opry debut, Dasha. 

Friday June 14
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Wyatt Ellis, Connie Smith, The Isaacs
Intermission
8:15: Alex Hall, Gary Mule Deer, ACM Lifting Lives Campers, Marty Stuart

Saturday June 15
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Sam Palladio, Gary Burr, Mandy Barnett
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee, Opry Square Dancers, Gary Mule Deer, Dasha, The Isaacs 

As mentioned, singer/songwriter Dasha will be making her Opry debut on Saturday night.  Being called a country/pop sensation, she is set to perform her smash single "Austin" as well as music from her 2024 album What Happens Now? 

“I’ve been thinking about the moment that I might get my chance to step into the Opry circle since I came to Nashville for the first time when I was 13,” Dasha explains. “To be asked to be a small part of country music culture, where so many artists I look up to have stood, is such an honor.” 

Beyond tallying over 10 billion views on TikTok, Dasha has quietly cemented herself as a force to be reckoned with in country music without comparison. “Austin” has vaulted to #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart and staked out a spot in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #28. Meanwhile, she scaled the Billboard Emerging Artists Chart to #2 with What Happens Now? simultaneously peaking at #141 on the Billboard 200. 

Now from 50 years ago, Saturday June 15, 1974: 

1st show
6:30: Willis Brothers (host): Bob Luman
6:45: Wilburn Brothers (host): Jan Howard
7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Loretta Lynn, Del Wood, Kenny Starr
7:30: Bill Anderson (host): The 4 Guys, Lonzo & Oscar, Crook Brothers, Mary Lou Turner
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton, Grandpa Jones, Charlie McCoy
8:30: Roy Drusky (host): Jeanne Pruett, Bill Carlisle, Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson (host): Willis Brothers, Mary Lou Turner
10:00: The 4 Guys (host): Lonzo & Oscar
10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Loretta Lynn
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host): Jan Howard, Bill Carlisle
10:45: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton, Crook Brothers, Stoney Mountain Cloggers
11:00: Wilburn Brothers (host): Del Wood, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee
11:30: Roy Drusky (host): Jeanne Pruett, Ronnie Robbins, Charlie McCoy

(Bob Luman appeared only on the early show). 

Here is the actual running order from that night: 

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host): Give Me 40 Acres
Bob Luman: When You Say Love/Let Me Make The Bright Lights Shine
Willis Brothers: For The Good Times

6:45: Rudy's
Wilburn Brothers (host): Roll, Muddy River
Jan Howard: Love Is Like A Spinning Wheel/Loving Him For The Last Time
Wilburn Brothers: Someone Before Me

7:00: Rudy's
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Loretta Lynn: They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy Anymore
Del Wood: The Entertainer
Kenny Starr: The Highway Of Love
Roy Acuff: Back In The Country
Loretta Lynn: Love Is The Foundation/Coal Miner's Daughter
Del Wood: Beer Barrel Polka

7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Bright Lights & Country Music
The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings Of A Dove
Lonzo & Oscar: Any Old Wind That Blows
Crook Brothers & The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
Mary Lou Turner: All That Keeps Me Going
The 4 Guys: Top Of The World
Bill Anderson: Can I Come Home To You

8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Wake Up Jacob
Dolly Parton: Jolene
Grandpa Jones: Make Me A Pallet Down On The Floor
Charlie McCoy: T. D. Boogie Woogie
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Just Someone I Used To Know
Porter Wagoner: (?)
Grandpa & Ramona Jones: Orange Blossom Special
Dolly Parton: I Will Always Love You

8:30: Stephens
Roy Drusky (host): Alone With You
Jeanne Pruett: Hold To My Unchanging Love/Love Me/You Don't Need To Move A Mountain
Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy
Roy Drusky: A Satisfied Mind
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Weldon Myrick, Sonny Burnette & Hal Rugg: Steel Guitar Rag
Roy Drusky: One Day At A Time

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Bill Anderson (host): I Get The Fever
Willis Brothers: Cimarron
Mary Lou Turner: If You Love Me, Let Me Know
Bill Anderson: Can I Come Home To You
Willis Brothers: Ghost Riders In The Sky
Mary Lou Turner: All The Keeps Me Going
Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar

10:00: Fender
The 4 Guys (host): She's All I Got
Lonzo & Oscar: Charming Betsy
The 4 Guys: Fall Away

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Old Time Sunshine Song
Loretta Lynn: They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy Anymore/One's On The Way

10:30: Trailblazer
Grandpa Jones (host): Old Blue
Jan Howard: Love Is Like A Spinning Wheel
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me
Grandpa Jones: Uncle Eph's Got The Coon

10:45: Beechnut
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Dolly Parton: I Will Always Love You
Crook Brothers & The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: The Last Thing On My Mind

11:00: Coca Cola
Wilburn Brothers (host): It Looks Like The Sun's Gonna Shine
Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Take Me Back To Tulsa
Wilburn Brothers: Knoxville Girl
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Sam McGee: Railroad Blues/Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

11:30: Elm Hill
Roy Drusky (host): Second Hand Rose
Jeanne Pruett: Hold To My Unchanging Love/Love Me/You Don't Need To Move A Mountain/Satin Sheets
Ronnie Robbins: Baby, Let The Music Play
Charlie McCoy: Today I Started Loving You Again/Orange Blossom Special
Roy Drusky: Don't It Make You Want To Go Home

And 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. 

Mid-Week Opry Shows June 11th, 12th & 13th.

Summer is upon us, and CMA Festival Week is finished. It was certainly a busy and news filled week. Looking ahead at the Opry, the month of June will see Opry shows taking place Tuesday-Saturday nights, with Sunday night shows added in the month of July. 

Starting with the Tuesday Night Opry, Grand Ole Opry members Riders In The Sky, Don Schlitz and comedian Gary Mule Deer head up the list. A couple of Opry NextStage artists are on the schedule: Priscilla Block and Travis Denning. Rounding out the list are Drew Baldridge, Sierra Hull and Kim Richey. 

Looking ahead to Wednesday night, Gary Mule Deer is back, joined by T. Graham Brown. Opry NextStage artist 40 Winchester is scheduled to appear, along with very frequent Opry guest Charles Esten. Rounding out Wednesday night is Shelly Fairchild, Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland, Wendy Moten and finally, Canadian singer/songwriter Dallas Smith, who will be making his Opry debut. 

Finally, on Thursday night, Gary Mule Deer returns, along with Crystal Gayle, Rhonda Vincent and Charlie McCoy. George Birge and Paul McDonald are on the schedule, as are a couple of artists who will be making their Opry debuts, Jenny Lewis, who cancelled out on her previous scheduled appearance, and Shawna Thompson, who will be making her solo Opry debut. If that name sounds familiar, it is because she was one of the co-founders of Thompson Square, who appeared on the Opry numerous times. 

That covers the mid-week shows for the coming week. Solid lineups each night. 

Grand Ole Opry 6/7 & 6/8

This promises to be a big weekend at the Grand Ole Opry as on Friday night, Terri Clark will be celebrating her 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Lainey Wilson will be inducted as the Opry's newest member. 

Terri Clark has had a very solid career in country music, both in the United States and her native Canada. During her career, which began in 1995, she has released 13 albums, with her most recent Take Two, released this past year. That album consists of Terri and various duet partners singing her hits. Her albums have accounted for more than twenty singles, including six Number Ones. "If I Were You", "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", "Emotional Girl" and "In My Next Life" all topped the country charts in Canada (the former three were also U.S. Top Ten singles), "Girls Lie Too" reached number one only in the U.S., and "You're Easy on the Eyes" was number one in both countries.

Lainey Wilson is from Louisiana. She moved to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. Lainey released her first album in 2014, Cupit. She followed that with Lone Chief in 2016. Already, she has won a number of awards including seven Country Music Association Awards, including being named Entertainer of the Year in 2023. She has also received a Grammy Award and six Academy of Country Music Awards. And still counting. Her fifth album Whirlwind will be released on August 23, 2024. "Hang Tight Honey" was released as its lead single to country radio on May 20, 2024.

In addition to her solo career, she teamed with Jelly Roll on the hit "Save Me" and won two CMA Awards, along with Hardy for the single "Wait In The Truck." She has also appeared as a cast member on the hit show Yellowstone. 

At age nine, she attended a performance of the Grand Ole Opry and was drawn to the music. "I just remember looking up there, being like, ‘Man, I wanna do that'," she recalled. In describing her own musical style, she characterized it as "bell-bottom country", which Taste of Country called "a cross between easy listening and hard truths." Lainey has been heavily influenced by Dolly Parton, paying tribute to her in the self-composed track "WWDD" (What Would Dolly Do) and also credits Lee Ann Womack as an influence on her career and music.

Both Terri Clark and Lainey Wilson are scheduled for the Friday Night Opry and there will be two shows that night. Joining them will be Opry members Jeannie Seely and Mark Wills. Also, on the schedule is Wynonna, along with Meg McGee. 

Friday June 7

1st show

7:00: Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely, Meg McGee, Terri Clark

8:00: Wynonna, Lainey Wilson

2nd show

9:30: Mark Wills, Jeannie Seely, Meg McGee, Terri Clark

10:30: Wynonna, Lainey Wilson

Terri was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018 and became a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2023. She was just the third member of the Grand Ole Opry to have been born in Canada. The other two? The legendary Singing Ranger Hank Snow and the fine ballad singer Stu Phillips. 

Congratulations to Terri Clark upon her 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Looking at Saturday, there will be a special Opry Country Classics show at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday afternoon. The show will be hosted by Larry Gatlin, and will include his brothers, along with Home Free and Radney Foster. 

Saturday June 8

12:00
Host: Larry Gatlin
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers, Home Free, Radney Foster, Mandy Barnett, Jake Hoot, The Grascals

Finally, the big week at the Grand Ole Opry will conclude on Saturday night when Lorrie Morgan celebrates her 40th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Lorrie Morgan has had a very nice career in country music. She got an early start, appearing on the Opry for the first time on December 14, 1973. She appeared with her father, Opry member and Hall of Famer, George Morgan. That night on the Friday Night Opry, Lorrie sang Paper Roses and remembered that night well: “My little 13-year-old knees were absolutely knocking,” she recalls. “But Dad was standing there right beside me with big tears in his eyes, and those people gave me a standing ovation. I thought, ‘This is what I’m doing the rest of my life.’” As Lorrie said, “This was a dream of my dad’s long before it was my dream. I have all of this because of Dad. We’re very blessed to be a musical family here at the Grand Ole Opry. What more could you ask for?”

While she made her Opry debut at the age of 13, it took a while for her career to get going and it wasn't until 1979 that she charted her first single. She achieved her greatest success between 1988 and 1999, recording for RCA Records and the defunct BNA Records. Her first two RCA albums (Leave the Light On and Something in Red) and her BNA album Watch Me are all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The 1995 compilation Reflections: Greatest Hits is her best-selling album with a double-platinum certification; War Paint, Greater Need, and Shakin' Things Up, also on BNA, are certified gold.

Lorrie has made more than 40 chart entries on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including three number-one singles: "Five Minutes", "What Part of No", and "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", and 11 additional top-10 hits. Morgan has recorded in collaboration with her father, as well as Whitley, Randall, Kershaw, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Tammy Wynette, The Beach Boys, Dolly Parton, Andy Williams, the New World Philharmonic, and Pam Tillis. 

Joining Lorrie will be her good friend, and touring partner, Pam Tillis, along with Josh Turne, T. Graham Brown, John Conlee and Don Schlitz. Exile is the only non-Opry member on the schedule. 

Saturday June 8

7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Pam Tillis, Exile, T. Graham Brown, Lorrie Morgan

Intermission

8:15: John Conlee, Opry Square Dancers, Don Schlitz, Josh Turner

There are some who believe Lorrie has done enough during her career that she would be a worthy Country Music Hall of Fame candidate. I will let the voters decide on that one, but there are others in the Hall with lesser career success. I will say this, Lorrie has delt with a lot of issues during her life, including her marriage and the death of Keith Whitley. But she has carried on and sounds just as good as ever, and in fact, in recent years, has seen a bit of a career revival. 

Congratulations to Lorrie Morgan upon her 40th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Now from 50 years ago, Saturday June 8, 1974:

1st show

6:30: Ray Pillow (host): Ernie Ashworth

6:45: Jimmy C Newman (host): Arlene Harden

7:00:  Stu Phillips (host): Lonzo & Oscar, Connie Eaton, San Hitchcock

7:30: Roy Acuff (host): Bill Carlisle, Minnie Pearl, Hoyt Axton, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers

8:00: Hank Locklin (host): Grandpa Jones, The 4 Guys, Sue Richards

8:30: Hank Snow (host): Marion Worth, Bobby G Rice, Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show

9:30: Jimmy C Newman (host): Bill Carlisle, Ernie Ashworth, Arlene Harden

10:00: Ray Pillow (host): Stu Phillips, Stan Hitchcock

10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Lonzo & Oscar

10:30: Grandpa Jones (host): Connie Eaton

10:45: The 4 Guys (host): Sue Richards, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers

11:00: Hank Snow (host): Hoyt Axton, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee

11:30: Hank Locklin (host): Marion Worth, Bobby G Rice

While Terri Clark is celebrating her 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Friday night, Terri's induction date was Saturday June 12, 2004. Here is the running order from that night 20 years ago:

1st show

6:30: Tennessee Pride

Jimmy Dickens (host): Take An Old Cold Tater

Jeannie Seely: Anytime/When He Leaves You

Osborne Brothers: Rock Of Ages/Rocky Top

Jimmy Dickens: Mountain Dew

7:00: Tootsie's/Standard Candy

Marty Stuart (host): Rock Island Line

Terri Clark: Girls Lie Too

Mel Tillis: It's A Love Revival/Southern Rains

Mel Tillis & Pam Tillis: Waiting On The Wind

Billy Dean: Billy The Kid

Terri Clark: I Wanna Do It All

Marty Stuart: Hillbilly Rock

8:00: Martha White

Mike Snider (host): (?)

Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz

Billy Walker: Don't Stop In My World

Connie Smith: If It Ain't Love

Hoot Hester & The Opry Square Dance Band w/The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bile Them Cabbage Down

Mike Snider: The Fur Coat/Fire On The Mountain

8:30: Caribbean Cruise

Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good

George Hamilton IV & V: We Will Meet Again

Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Band

Pam Tillis: Deep Down/ Mi Vida Loca

Bill Anderson: Deck Of Cards

2nd show

9:30: Coca Cola

Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' At The Foot Of The Bed

Jim Ed Brown: Looking Back To See/The 3 Bells

Billy Dean: Thank God I'm A Country Boy/Billy The Kid

Jimmy Dickens: I'd Rather Sleep In Peace

10:00: Resort Quest

Pam Tillis (host): Band In The Window

Jean Shepard: Virginia, You Have Taken My Men/Second Fiddle

Mel Tillis: Good Woman Blues/I Got The Hoss; You've Got The Saddle

The Stutterettes: Once A Day/I Fall To Pieces/You Ain't Woman Enough/Stand By Your Man

Pam & Mel Tillis: Detroit City

10:30: Caribbean Cruise

Marty Stuart (host): The Whiskey Ain't Working Anymore

Hank Locklin: Please Help Me I'm Falling

Connie Smith: How Long; How Long/You & You're Sweet Love

Hoot Hester & The Opry Square Dance Band w/The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle

Marty Stuart: In The Pines

11:00: Online.com

Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops

George Hamilton IV & V: We Will Meet Again

Jimmy C Newman: Sugar Bee

Terri Clark: Girls Lie Too/Walking After Midnight

Bill Anderson: Too Country

11:30: Opry Visa Card

Mike Snider (host): Angeline The Baker/Soldier's Joy/Old Molly Hare

Billy Walker: I'm Back On The Mountain Again

Jack Greene: Walkin' On New Grass

Julie Roberts: It Ain't Down Home/Break Down Here

Mike Snider: Fire On The Mountain

Finally, here is the running order from Saturday June 9, 1984, the night 40 years ago that Lorrie Morgan joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. 

1st show

6:30: Mrs. Grissoms

Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo

Connie Smith: Had A Dream (For The Heart)

Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water

6:45: Rudy's

Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars In The Jukebox/A Dime At A Time/Looking At The World Through A Windshield

Jeannie Seely: Your Sweet Lies Just Turned Down My Sheets Again

Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me

7:00: Shoney's

Jim Ed Brown (host): Lyin' In Love With You

Billy Grammer: Homestead On The Farm

Skeeter Davis: Turning Away

Hank Locklin: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On

Jean Shepard: Virginia

Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top

7:30: Standard Candy

Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks

Lorrie Morgan: Candy Kisses/Stand By Your Man

Crook Brothers & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin

Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away

Bill Anderson: Still

8:00: Martha White

Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball

The Whites: Forever You/Swing Down, Sweet Chariot

Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin

Jeanne Pruett: Back-To-Back

Howdy Forrester: Instrumental

Roy Acuff: I Saw The Light

8:30: Acme

Hank Snow (host): Forever & 1
Dottie West: Crazy/I Fall To Pieces/Sweet Dreams

The 4 Guys: Cottonfields/Mariah

Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell

Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving

Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore

2nd show

9:30: Dollar General

Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving

The 4 Guys: How Married Are You Mary Ann

Jeannie Seely: When Your Hearts Been Stepped On

Del Reeves: Good Hearted Woman

Wilma Lee Cooper: A Daisy A Day

Jim Ed Brown: You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma

10:00: Little Debbie

Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops

Jan Howard: Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good

Ray Pillow: Jule Loved Boston More Than Me

Bill Anderson: Southern Fried

10:15: Sunbeam

Billy Walker (host): Cross The Brazos At Waco

Hank Locklin: Danny Boy

Skeeter Davis: Turning Away

Billy Walker: He Sang The Songs About El Paso

10:30: Martha White

Roy Acuff (host): Meeting In The Air

Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle

Roy Thackerson: Eighth Of January

10:45: Beechnut

Roy Drusky (host): Don't It Make You Want To Go Home

Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets

Crook Brothers & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Gray Eagle

Roy Drusky: One Day At A Time

11:00: Coca Cola

Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On

Dottie West: It's High Time/Here Comes My Baby

The Whites: Hangin' Around

Jerry Douglas: Cincinnati Rag

Hank Snow: Born For You

11:30: Quincy's

Stonewall Jackson (host): Why I'm Walkiing

Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard/Oh, What A Party

Lorrie Morgan: What I've Got In Mind/Crazy

Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk Of Coal

Wow. A lot there. Some really nice Opry shows this weekend, and I am looking forward to listening. 

As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. Take care and stay safe.

Tuesday Night Opry 6/4 & Wednesday Night Opry 6/5

It's CMA Festival Week in Nashville and as always, the Grand Ole Opry is a part of all of the festivities. In addition to the upcoming weekend shows, the Opry will be having Opry shows on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with two shows each night.

Looking at the Tuesday Night Opry, Grand Ole Opry member Carrie Underwood continues her tradition of appearing at the Opry during the CMA Fest. She will be joined by Opry members Bill Anderson, Dailey & Vincent, Henry Cho and Lauren Alaina. The only non-members on the schedule are Kip Moore and Russell Dickerson. Each are scheduled for both shows.

Tuesday June 4
1st show
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Bill Anderson, Henry Cho, Kip Moore
8:00: Lauren Alaina, Russell Dickerson, Carrie Underwood

2nd show
9:30: Dailey & Vincent, Bill Anderson, Carrie Underwood, Henry Cho
10:30: Kip Moore, Russell Dickerson, Lauren Alaina

While not Opry members, Jelly Roll and Cody Johnson are scheduled to appear on Wednesday night, along with Alexandra Kay, Warren Zeiders and Struggle Jennings. Opry members Craig Morgan and Rhonda Vincent round out the schedule. As with the Tuesday night show, all the artists are scheduled for both shows. 

Wednesday June 5
1st show
7:00: Rhonda Vincent, Warren Zeiders, Alexandra Kay, Craig Morgan
8:00: Struggle Jennings, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll

2nd show
9:30: Craig Morgan, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll
10:30: Warren Zeiders, Alexandra Kay, Struggle Jennings, Rhonda Vincent

For those who are wondering, Struggle Jennings is the grandson of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. He started out doing "gangsta rap" and is now reportedly back to doing country music. And yes, it is his Opry debut. 

(I was told that the running order for the 1st hour of the 7:00 show each night was subject to change). 

June Opry Highlights

Welcome to the month of June and Summer! June has always been a pretty busy month for the Grand Ole Opry and here are the highlights and important events that have taken place regarding the Opry or its members, during this month.

June 17, 1910: Clyde Julian Foley was born in Blue Lick, Kentucky. Better known as Red, he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1946, replacing Roy Acuff as the host of the Prince Albert portion of the show. He stayed at the Opry until 1954 when he left Nashville and went to Springfield, Missouri as the host of the Ozark Jubilee. When Red came to the Opry, it was specifically to host the Prince Albert portion and as such, he did not appear on any other segments of the Opry.

June 19, 1914: Lester Flatt was born in Overton County, Tennessee. Lester would become famous as a member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, then later teaming up with Earl Scruggs in the highly successful Flatt & Scruggs duo. After a very successful run, Lester and Earl split due to creative differences, with Lester favoring a more traditional bluegrass sound. He then formed the Nashville Grass and continued with that group, and at the Opry, until his death in 1979. While on the Opry, Lester traditionally hosted the Martha White portion of the show. While Bill Monroe is deservedly "The Father of Bluegrass Music," Lester Flatt is probably a close second.  

June 17, 1916: David Akeman, better known as Stringbean, was born in Anniville, Kentucky. Stringbean had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for years and was famous for his comedy and banjo playing. However, it was his role on Hee Haw that brought Stringbean his greatest fame to a national audience. Stringbean died in November 1973 when he, along with his wife Estelle, were murdered upon returning home from an Opry appearance.

June 28, 1924: George Morgan was born in Waverly, Tennessee. George spent several years in Ohio, specifically the Barberton area before becoming a star on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree. In 1948 he came to Nashville and the Opry, as the replacement for Eddy Arnold, who had recently left the show. George would remain a popular Opry member until his death in 1975. On a historical note, it was George who hosted the final segment of the Friday Night Opry prior to the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House in March 1974. George, who is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, is also the father of current Opry member Lorrie Morgan.

June 19, 1926: DeFord Bailey made his debut on the WSM Barn Dance. DeFord was a member of the Grand Ole Opry until he was fired by Opry founder George D. Hay in 1941. His song, "Pan American Blues" would often be the opening number on the Opry's early broadcasts. After he was fired from the Opry, DeFord remained bitter toward WSM and the Opry for many years, and while he would return a couple of times, he generally declined invitations to come back and perform on the Opry. However, on February 23, 1974, he returned to the Opry for the Old-Timer's Night. He was introduced by Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl and received a great ovation. He would return for several more Opry appearances, making his final appearance in April 1982, several months prior to his death.

June 2, 1927: Carl Butler was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with his wife Pearl, Carl had one of the biggest hits in the history of country music, "Don't Let Me Cross Over." Carl and Pearl were members of the Grand Ole Opry for several years in the early 1960's. He passed away in 1992.

June 23, 1929: Valarie June Carter was born in Maces Springs, Virginia. She, along with sisters Anita and Helen, and their mother Maybelle, came to the Opry in 1950. While June was not much of a singer, she was a fine comedian and often teamed with Rod Brasfield and Jimmy Dickens. June left the Opry in the 1960s, but would return on occasion with her famous husband, Johnny Cash. June made one last Opry appearance in July 1999.

June 12, 1936: Dr. Humphrey Bate, founder and leader of the Possum Hunters, died at the age of 61. Following Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Dr. Bate is considered the Opry's 2nd original member. In fact, many historians feel that he may actually have been the first rural performer to have been featured on WSM. Either way, Dr. Bate and the Possum Hunters were an important part of the Opry, and his contributions are often overlooked. After Dr. Bate passed away, the Possum Hunter would carry on for several more decades before becoming a victim in the consolidation of the string bands. 

June 13, 1936: Because of the size of the crowds, the Opry moved to the Dixie Tabernacle, located on Fatherland Street in East Nashville. While sounding impressive, the Tabernacle was actually a very primitive facility with wooden benches, sawdust floors and no dressing rooms. It was basically an old barn that had sides which were opened during the summer to keep the air flowing thru. However, it did seat 3,500 and contributed to the growth of the Opry.

June 5, 1937: Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Pee Wee was one of the first professional entertainers to join the show and he helped to bring a more professional look to the Opry as his Golden West Cowboys were one of the sharpest looking groups around. Pee Wee and the Opry's founder, George D. Hay had many disagreements as the founder felt that Pee Wee's group was not country enough. As mentioned, Pee Wee brought a lot of professionalism to the show including being the first act to be introduced with entry and exit music. Pee Wee stayed at the Opry for a number of years before leaving and moving to Louisville, Kentucky to work in television. He had a successful show that aired live in several markets including Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Chicago. Later becoming famous for the "Tennessee Waltz." Pee Wee would continue to make guest appearances on the Opry. His autobiography, "Hell-Bent for Music" is excellent, and I highly recommend the book.

June 4, 1938: A couple of acts, The Vagabonds and The Lakeland Sisters, made their final appearances as regulars on the Grand Ole Opry. A lot of the early acts on the Opry would come and go, staying for short periods of time. 

June 25, 1940: Republic Pictures released the movie "Grand Ole Opry" which starred Roy Acuff, George D. Hay and Uncle Dave Macon. It was considered a basic movie for the times and while it was no means an academy award winner, it offers a great look at an early Roy Acuff. Copies can still be found online.

June 5, 1943: The Grand Ole Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium, which would become known as "The Mother Church of Country Music." The Opry would stay at the Ryman until March 1974, and since 1999 has made annual winter visits back. Many consider the Opry's years at the Ryman as the golden years of the Opry and the show had tremendous growth while at the Ryman. While many were sad to see the Opry leave in 1974, deteriorating conditions in the building and in downtown Nashville made the move a necessity.

June 6, 1944: D-Day and the day that Grant Turner began working at WSM radio. Grant, who would become known as the "Dean" of Opry announcers, would remain at WSM and the Opry until his death in October 1991. Grant, who is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, also hosted served as an announcer for the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree and did the Opry's warm-up show.

June 17, 1944: The Poe Sisters, Ruth and Nellie, became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Their idols were the Delmore Brothers, and George D. Hay would often refer to them as the "female Delmore Brothers." The Poe Sisters performed regionally in the Northeast before coming to Nashville and the Opry. However, their time at the Opry was very short. They originally left the Opry in 1945 when Ruth got married. They were gone for a few months, then came back, however in August 1946 they left again this time for good.

June 17, 1944: On the same night as the Poe Sisters, Rod Brasfield made his Grand Ole Opry debut after which Rod would join the Opry's cast. After he became an Opry member, Rod would often be featured on the Prince Albert portion of the Opry, teaming up with either Minnie Pearl or June Carter. While I was too young to have seen Rod, Minnie and others have said that he was a comedy genius. Sadly, this future Hall of Fame member had personal issues and would pass away in the 1950s. 

June 11, 1949: Hank Williams made his Grand Ole Opry debut. The performance was one for the ages as Hank was called back for a reported six encores, an Opry record that still stands to this day. The song that inspired the encores was "Lovesick Blues." Jimmy Dickens, who was there that night, would often say that it was the greatest Opry performance he had ever seen.

June 3, 1950: The Carter Family/Sisters made their first appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. Mother Maybelle, June, Anita and Helen had become Opry members during the previous week. The Carters would stay with the Opry until the late 60s, after which Mother Maybelle and The Sisters became full-time members of the Johnny Cash Road show. 

June 19, 1953: Future Grand Ole Opry member Jean Shepard made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Jean eventually joined the Opry in November 1955, and in 2015 became the first female in the history of the Grand Ole Opry to become a 60-year member of the cast.

June 12, 1954: Ferlin Husky became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Ferlin would stay as an Opry member until December 1964 when he was fired for failing to make the required number of Opry appearances. Like a few of the others who were terminated, Ferlin would not rejoin the cast but would return for guest appearances.

June 1, 1957: As part of the youth movement that was taking place at the Opry, the Everly Brothers became Opry members. The Everly Brothers did not stay long however, as they were destined for bigger and better things. 

June 18, 1957: It was announced that Jimmy Dickens, who had joined the Opry in 1948, was leaving the Grand Ole Opry. According to Jimmy, "WSM would not let me work on a personal appearance tour on the Phillip Morris show and remain on the Opry. I enjoyed my eight-year association with WSM, and the Opry and I have nothing but good feelings toward everybody at the Opry." Jimmy would return as a member of the Opry in 1975 and would remain an Opry member until his death in January 2015. 

June 13, 1959: Roy Drusky became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Roy came to Nashville and the Opry from Atlanta, Georgia and would remain an Opry member until his death in September 2004. In my opinion, Roy had one of the smoothest voices in country music and was a terrific ballad singer.

June 27, 1959: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn Morgan, better known as Lorrie, was born. And no, she was not named after Loretta Lynn. Prior to hitting it big, Lorrie performed often on the Opry, eventually becoming a member in 1984.

June 14, 1961: Opry member Patsy Cline was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Nashville. It would take Patsy almost eight months to recover from the injuries, which left a scar on her forehead. Because of that scar, Patsy would wear a wig just about every time she performed after that accident.

June 29, 1963: Jim Reeves made his final appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jim joined the Opry in 1955, coming to Nashville from the Louisiana Hayride. At the time he left the Opry, Jim felt that he had outgrown the show and was already moving toward a more uptown, contemporary sound.

June 8, 1964: Alton Delmore died at the age of 55 in Huntsville, Alabama. The Delmore Brothers were early members of the Opry, performing on the show in the 1930's. Their influence would carry on for many years and in 2001 they were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 12, 1965: Tex Ritter became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. When Tex joined the cast, he was at the tail end of his great western movie career, and many wondered why Tex would want to come to Nashville and be a part of the Opry. Tex surprised everyone, becoming one of the Opry's more popular members and becoming very involved in the Nashville community. For a period of time, he co-hosted the overnight radio program with Ralph Emery on WSM. Tex, who was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1964, was one of the early leaders and founding members of the Country Music Association and his wife was considered one of the Opry's ambassadors. Tex passed away from a heart attack in January 1974.

June 20, 1965: Ira Louvin, the older brother of Charlie Louvin and one half of the duo, the Louvin Brothers, was killed in an automobile accident. One of the greatest duos in country music history, the Louvin Brothers were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

June 4, 1966: Mrs. Grissoms became a sponsor of the Grand Ole Opry. Mrs. Grissoms would generally host the opening segment of the show. Also on that night, during the National Life Insurance portion of the show, former Opry member DeFord Bailey made a guest appearance. He performed "Fox Chase" and "Love Struck Me Down." Also attending the Opry that night was Alabama Governor George Wallace and his wife. 

June 25, 1966: Grand Ole Opry member Willie Nelson made his final appearance as a member of the Opry. Willie joined the Opry in November 1964, but things were not working out well for Willie in Nashville, so he left for his home state of Texas. While in Texas, Willie developed a new look and sound and became one of the biggest acts in the history of country music. While never coming back to the Opry as a member, Willie has made several guest appearances over the years.

June 1, 1967: Stu Phillips became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Stu's 57th year as an Opry member, and along with Hank Snow and Terri Clark, are the only three Opry members to join the cast from Canada. While June 1st is recognized as the date Stu joined, Stu did not make his first appearance as an Opry member until June 17. Stu's last Grand Ole Opry appearance was several years ago when he was recognized for 50 years of Opry membership. At the age of 91, Stu is retired and still living in the Nashville area. 

June 26, 1969: Former National Life & Accident chairman Edwin Craig passed away from a heart ailment at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Craig was the executive who gave final approval to the debut of the Grand Ole Opry.

June 6, 1974: Tom T. Hall made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance after the Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the new Grand Ole Opry House. While it was assumed that Tom T., along with Bobby Bare, quit the Opry when the Opry moved in March, Tom T. actually made a couple of more appearances. Tom T. would later say that his decision to leave the Opry was kind of stupid. He would rejoin the Opry in 1980, reportedly at the urging of Ernest Tubb. 

June 28, 1974: Former Beatles member Paul McCarthy was introduced on the stage of the Opry by Roy Acuff. Paul did not perform but was visiting Nashville as part of a vacation with his family.

June 28, 1975: On that same night, Grand Ole Opry member George Morgan made his final Opry appearance. Included on the show that night was his daughter Lorrie, and they performed a duet together, "Smile for Me." Shortly afterwards, George passed away after suffering a heart attack.

June 12, 1976: In looking at the lineup and running order of the show that night, it would appear that Minnie Pearl hosted, or as it was called when a female was the headliner, she was the "MC" for the 10:00 Fender segment. She opened the segment that night talking and joking and ended the segment singing "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes." Also scheduled for that segment were the Coopers and Bill Carlisle. 

June 17, 1978: Marty Robbins drove his new custom-made Panther Deville onto the stage of the Opry. In a moment of good humor, Roy Acuff found a security guard who wrote out a parking ticket to Marty. For a few years, the car was on display in the Grand Ole Opry Museum. 

June 20, 1980: Boxcar Willie made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Boxcar would later become a member of the Opry and would sometimes join his idol Roy Acuff on the Opry stage doing the cannonball whistle. 

June 27, 1981: Buck, Sharon and Cheryl, better known as The Whites, made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Several years later, this popular group from Texas would become Opry members, of which they are still to this day. 

June 19, 1982: Riders In The Sky became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be their 42nd year as Opry members. They remain the only members of the Opry keeping the sound of western music alive on the Opry stage and are as popular as ever. On a personal note, the Riders are probably my wife's favorite Opry members and she finally got to meet the guys in March while attending the Opry. 

June 26, 1982: Opry member B.J. Thomas, who had joined the cast just a year earlier, made his final Saturday night appearance as an Opry member. B.J., who would make his final Friday night appearance later in August, realized that being an Opry member just wasn't what he thought it would be. While he gave up his Opry membership, he would continue to make an occasional Opry appearance until his death. 

June 9, 1984: Following in the footsteps of her father, Lorrie Morgan became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Lorrie's 40th year as a member. Lorrie made her Opry debut at the age of 13, singing "Paper Roses." When Lorrie joined the Opry, she was at the beginning stages of her career and actually did not have a hit record to her credit. On the night she joined, Lorrie sang "Candy Kisses" in honor of her dad, the late George Morgan. 

June 18, 1984: Former Grand Ole Opry member Paul Howard passed away at the age of 75 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Paul joined the Opry in 1942 with his group, the Arkansas Cotton Pickers. The group included Grady Martin and Hank Garland and specialized in western music. Paul stayed with the Opry though the 1940's. He did return later for several of the Opry's reunion shows.

June 20, 1986: Whitey Ford, the Duke of Paducah, died at the age of 85. Whitey joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1942 and remained a member of the Opry until 1959, when he left to pursue other career opportunities. Like others who left the cast, Whitey would return for numerous appearances. Along with Minnie Pearl, Whitey was the featured comedian on the Prince Albert shows before he was replaced by Rod Brasfield. After Rod joined, Whitey was shifted to other segments. In 1986, the year he died, Whitey was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 13, 1987: Longtime Smokey Mountain Boy Howdy Forrester appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. 

June 4, 1988: Herman Crook, the last living link to the start of the WSM Barn Dance and the Grand Ole Opry, performed on the Opry for the final time. Herman was a part of the Opry for 62 years, first appearing in 1926. Herman was a harmonica player and was a part of the Crook Brothers, the last true string band to appear on the Opry. Over the years, the Possum Hunters, Gully Jumpers and the Fruit Jar Drinkers would disappear, with members from those groups merged into the others, until only the Crook Brothers were left. Herman passed away the following week on June 10, after which the Crook Brothers name would disappear from the Opry line-ups.

June 10, 1988: Ricky Van Shelton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In May 2006, Ricky announced that he was retiring from country music to spend time with his family and his wife Bettye. For Ricky, this will be his 36th year as an Opry member. 

June 11, 1988: Patty Loveless became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. At one time, Patty was a part of the Wilburn Brother's television show and performed as part of Porter Wagoner's show. Many times, she has talked about how much Porter helped and influenced her career. And on the night, she joined, it was Porter who inducted her. I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hard to believe that Patty has been an Opry member for 36 years. In 2023 Patty was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and after being away from the Opry for a few years, she made a return appearance to the show. 

June 11, 1988: On the same night that Patty Loveless became an Opry member, future Opry member Holly Dunn made her Opry debut.

June 24, 1989: Garth Brooks made his first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Garth would become an Opry member the following year and continues to be one of the Opry's most popular members. While his appearances are infrequent, and many times unannounced, each one is special and memorable. 

June 2, 1990: Mike Snider became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 34th year as an Opry member. Mike is a great comedian and also a great banjo player and leads a string band that plays the type of music that the Opry was founded on. In fact, these days Mike is much more serious about the music than the comedy. In November 2023, Mike was involved in a serious motorcycle accident when he hit a deer while riding near his home. Hopefully he can return to the Opry soon. 

June 7, 1991: Alan Jackson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Alan's 33rd year as an Opry member. Alan, who is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, rarely visits the Opry, which is sad as he is always well received and seems to always enjoy himself at the Opry. Recently Alan has had some serious health issues and I know we all send our best wishes to Alan. 

June 14, 1991: Future Grand Ole Opry member Clint Black made his Opry debut.

June 15, 1991: Grand Ole Opry legend Minnie Pearl made her last appearance associated with an Opry sponsored show. That night she performed in Joliet, Illinois. Several days later, she suffered a massive stroke that ended her performing days.

June 6, 1992: Grand Ole Opry member Tom T. Hall made his final appearance on the Opry. Tom originally joined the cast in 1971, left in March 1974 when the show moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House, then rejoined the cast in 1980. That decade saw Tom T. make a steady stream of Opry appearances. After he stopped appearing, he told several people that he would not be coming back. After leaving the Opry, Tom very rarely appeared in concert, staying close to his farm. Tom T. Hall passed away in 2021. 

June 3, 1994: The Ryman Auditorium reopened for the first time since the building was renovated as Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion was broadcast live from the auditorium. After the Opry left in 1974, the building sat basically empty, with the public being allowed in for self-guided tours. After a performance and live album by Emmylou Harris, Gaylord Entertainment saw the value and importance of renovating the building. It is now one of Nashville's great treasures and one of the best decisions that Gaylord ever made.

June 3, 1994: Former Grand Ole Opry member Wally Fowler passed away at the age of 77. Wally came to Nashville in 1948 with his Oak Ridge Quartet and was a part of the Opry until 1950. During the time they were at the Opry, the Oak Ridge Quartet was featured on the Prince Albert portion of the show and Wally would many times host the final Opry segment. Over time, the Oak Ridge Quartet would become the Oak Ridge Boys, and the focus of the group would go from gospel to country. By then, Wally had long left the group. Coming full circle, the Oak Ridge Boys have become Opry members.

June 4, 1994: Former Opry member Zeke Clements died at the age of 82. Zeke came to the Opry in the 1930's as a member of the Bronco Busters, which were led by Texas Ruby. When the Opry began the annual reunion shows in the 1970s, Zeke would return and appear on several of the shows.

June 17, 1994: Sarah Wilson of Sarie and Sallie, who were Opry members from 1934-1939, passed away at the age of 97. And yes, they were really sisters, Edna Wilson and Margaret Waters.

June 23, 1995: Former WSM personality and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs became an Opry announcer. While at the Opry, Eddie would generally announce the Friday Night Opry and the 2nd show on Saturday nights, along with Opry Country Classics on Thursday night. Apparently, Eddie is now retired, as he left WSM and the Opry and has been living a very quiet life. 

June 14, 1997: Grand Ole Opry member Barbara Mandrell made her final appearance as a performer on the Opry. Barbara retired from performing and asked Opry management if she could keep her Opry management, which they agreed to. While not knowing it at the time, this started a trend where retired Opry members were allowed to continue to be Opry members.

June 19, 1999: Pete Fisher became the general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, the first person hired specifically for that position. Pete would remain with the Opry until January 2017 when he left to become the head of the Academy of Country Music. Pete as left that position and recently has returned to Nashville and has opened his own consulting business. Pete's tenure at the Opry was certainly eventful as numerous changes were made to the program. Also of note, this was the final night that Sam Wellington appeared on the Opry as a member of The 4 Guys. 

June 10, 2000: The Grand Ole Opry introduced a new Opry backdrop. The new state of the art lighting replaced the old red barn that had been used in various forms since the Opry moved to the Opry House in 1974. It was reported at the time that the old backdrop was being donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame, however if it has, it has never been put on display. Among those who performed on the Opry that night were Roy Clark, Alan Jackson and Ronnie Milsap. 

June 17, 2000: The Opry began streaming shows live on the internet, giving those around the world an opportunity to listen to the show live. For many, it was the first chance to hear the show without static interference.

June 9, 2001: Grand Ole Opry member Jeanne Pruett made her final scheduled appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Jeanne made the decision to retire as an active performer. While she is retired, Jeanne has been known to show up at the Opry on occasion and also to come out on stage and wave to the audience. 2023 was a big year for Jeanne as she celebrated her 50th anniversary as an Opry member and she was also inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. 

June 14, 2003: While Trace Adkins was making a guest appearance on the Opry, Jimmy Dickens came out with a ladder, climbed it and asked Trace if he would like to become a member of the Opry's cast. Trace, of course, said yes, and was inducted several months later.

June 21, 2003: Longtime Grand Ole Opry member Roy Drusky made his final appearance on the show. Roy Drusky passed away just over a year later, on September 23, 2004 as a result of lung cancer.

June 12, 2004: Terri Clark became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be her 20th year as an Opry member and was the third person from Canada to join the cast, following in the footsteps of Hank Snow and Stu Phillips.

June 10, 2005: Carrie Underwood made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. She was the recent winner of that year's American Idol. Carrie became an Opry member in May 2008 and remains one of the Opry's most popular members. 

June 10, 2006: Future Grand Ole Opry member Chris Young made his Opry debut. It would take a few years, and several more guest appearances, but Chris would eventually become an Opry member. 

June 9, 2007: Mel Tillis became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, being introduced on the Opry's stage by his daughter Pam. While officially becoming a member in 2007, Mel had actually been a part of the Opry before, as a member of Porter Wagoner's Wagonmasters and there is a belief that Mel was actually asked to become an individual member during that same time period, accepted but then backed out. He even made it into one edition of the Opry's History Picture Book as a member. However, it wasn't until 2007 that it became official. Mel remained a popular and loyal member of the Opry until passing away in November 2017.

June 6, 2008: The Four Guys made a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, in what would prove to be their final Opry appearance. They had been fired from the Opry in 2000 as all of the original members of the group had moved on or retired. They were introduced that night by Bill Anderson and received a nice response from the audience.

June 28, 2008: This was the final night that the Grand Ole Opry began its Saturday night first show at 6:30. The following week, the show was scheduled for 7:00, where it has been since. The show length was also cut 30 minutes, down to a two-hour show.

June 23, 2009: Montgomery Gentry became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Since the death of Troy Gentry, Eddie Montgomery has continued as a solo member of the Opry, and this will be his 15th year as an Opry member. At the time, the duo was brought to the show upon the recommendation of fellow Opry member Charlie Daniels, who had joined the cast the previous year.

June 10, 2011: Fresh off their success on American Idol, Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery made their debuts on the Grand Ole Opry. After a number of successful guest appearances, Lauren joined the cast in 2022, while Scotty became a member this past May. 

June 15, 2013: Patty Loveless was honored upon her 25th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill was the host for the segment, which finished with "Go Rest High on That Mountain." A great moment and night at the Opry.

June 6, 2014: Long time Grand Ole Opry member Jimmy C Newman made his final Opry appearance. He passed away several weeks later. Jimmy was an Opry member for over 50 years and was very popular with his Cajun sound. 

June 11, 2015: Grand Ole Opry member, and newly elected Country Music Hall of Fame member, Jim Ed Brown passed away. Jim Ed had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years and had one of the great voices in country music. That same year, Jim Ed, Bonnie and Maxine, were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

June 19, 2015: Garth Brooks made a surprise appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, his first Opry appearance since he inducted Carrie Underwood as an Opry member in 2008, and his first singing appearance on the Opry since 2005. He was joined by his wife Trisha Yearwood. Happily, for all of us, Garth has been back several times since. 

June 23, 2016: Grand Ole Opry member Ralph Stanley passed away after a period of declining health. Ralph joined the Opry cast in 2000. Along with his brother Carter, Ralph made his mark in bluegrass, performing as The Stanley Brothers. Many believe that The Stanley Brothers deserve consideration for the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 3, 2017: Grand Ole Opry member Stu Phillips was honored for 50 years of Opry membership. Stu joined the Opry on June 1, 1967. As part of this appearance, Stu gave a very emotional tribute to those who had helped him during his career. That evening was Stu's final appearance at the Opry as it appears that he is now enjoying retirement.

June 16, 2017: Future Grand Ole Opry member Ashley McBryde, made her first appearance as a guest on the Friday Night Opry. 

June 10, 2018: The Grand Ole Opry went on the road with a special Sunday Night Opry at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Among the acts performing were Opry members Del McCoury, Old Crow Medicine Show, Bobby Bare, Riders In The Sky, and the Opry Square Dancers.

June 11, 2019: Luke Combs was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. John Conlee, Chris Janson and Craig Morgan did the honors. Luke's official induction would take place in July.

June 1, 2020: Grand Ole Opry staff band member Jimmy Capps passed away. Jimmy first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with the Louvin Brothers in December 1958. He became a permanent member of the staff band in 1967. The musician's room at the Opry House is named in his honor. I would suspect that the next time the musician category is voted upon for the Country Music Hall of Fame, Jimmy will be a strong candidate. 

June 22, 2021: Carly Pearce was asked to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Dolly Parton surprised Carly with the invite, which was well deserved. Carly had made numerous guest appearances on the Opry and had always expressed her desire to someday become a member. Carly would officially join the cast in August. 

June 11, 2022: For the first time in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, two artists were invited on the same night to become members of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill did the honors as he invited both Hall of Fame musician Charlie McCoy and Hall of Fame songwriter Don Schlitz to become Opry members. 

June 19, 2022: Grand Ole Opry members Riders In The Sky were honored upon their 40th anniversary as members of the Grand Ole Opry. 

June 23, 2023: Grand Ole Opry member Jesse McReynolds passed away after a period of declining health. Jesse had been an Opry member for just over 59 years. He joined the cast along with his brother Jim and after Jim's death, Jesse carried on as a solo member.  

June 27, 2023: Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Osborne passed away. Bobby had appeared on the Opry just several weeks prior to his death. Bobby had been an Opry member for over 58 years. Much like Jesse McReynolds, Bobby joined the cast with his brother Sonny, billed as the Osborne Brothers. After Sonny retired, Bobby continued as a solo member of the cast. 

June 7, 2024: Lainey Wilson is scheduled to be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Lainey was invited by Reba McEntire during an appearance on The Voice the previous month. Also, Terri Clark will be celebrating her 20th anniversary as an Opry member. 

June 8, 2024: Grand Ole Opry member Lorrie Morgan will celebrate her 40th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Lorrie first appeared on the Opry at the age of 13, over 50 years ago, when her dad, Opry member and Hall of Fame member George Morgan invited her to sing. Ok, who else, besides me, finds it hard to believe that Lorrie has been around the Opry for over 50 years? 

As I said, June has been a busy month in the history of the Grand Ole Opry.