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.
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