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.