After all of the excitement last weekend, things are a little bit quieter at the Grand Ol Opry this weekend. As is the case each weekend in October, there will the Friday Night Opry with one show and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry, which is a two-show night.
Four Grand Ole Opry members are on the schedule for Friday night: Gene Watson, Jeannie Seely, Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz, and coming off his induction last weekend into the Comedy Hall of Fame, Gary Mule Deer. Very frequent Opry guest Charles Esten is back for another visit, along with Danielle Bradbery, Alana Springsteen and making his Opry debut, Canadian singer/songwriter Jade Eagleson.
Jade Eagleson is from Bailieboro, Ont., and is a five-time Canadian Country Music Association award winner and Juno award nominee whose songs have been streamed online more than 305 million times. Now living in Nashville, he said, “The tradition of country music and everything surrounding it has always been a very big thing for me, and obviously at the center of all that is the Opry. My dream since day one was to someday end up there and play there. My wife and I will go catch a show from time to time, and I just look at the stage and it’s hard not to get a bit emotional.”
Gary Mule Deer and Jeannie Seely return on Saturday night, along with two Hall of Fame members of the Opry: Bill Anderson and Ricky Skaggs. Another frequent guest of the Opry, Steve Earle is also on the schedule, along with Drake White and The McCrary Sisters.
Friday October 18
7:00: Jeannie Seely, Jade Eagleson, Danielle Bradbery, Gene Watson
Intermission
8:15: Alana Springsteen, Gary Mule Deer, Charles Esten, Don Schlitz
Saturday October 19
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Drake White, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer
8:00: The McCrary Sisters, Steve Earle, Ricky Skaggs
2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Jeannie Seely, Drake White, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer
10:30: The McCrary Sisters, Steve Earle, Ricky Skaggs
For what it is worth, I received an email today from the Opry offering 20% off tickets for the back-to-back shows on Saturday night. Supposedly, limited ticket quantities are available.
Now going back 50 years ago to Saturday October 19, 1974. That night, the Opry celebrated its 49th anniversary, the first at the new Grand Ole Opry House. Featured on the show that night were Tennessee Ernie Ford and, in a surprise appearance, The Pointer Sisters. The show also featured Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton appearing together for the final time on the Opry until their reunion 14 years later.
1st show
6:00: Vietti
Bill Anderson (host): (?)
Willis Brothers: Bob
4 Guys: It's Too Late To Turn Back Now
Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard
Ernie Ashworth: Mind Your Own Business
Mary Lou Turner: Tomorrow
Bill Anderson: Every Time I Turn The Radio On
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jack Greene (host): I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
Jeannie Seely: He Can Be Mine
Charlie Walker: Odds & Ends
Jerry Clower: Comedy
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
6:45: Rudy's
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Jan Howard: Seeing Is Believing
Jim & Jesse: Love Is A Fading Rose
Jim Ed Brown: Scarlett Ribbons/The 3 Bells/Looking Back To See
7:00: Rudy's
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Dolly Parton: Jolene
Justin Tubb: Loving Arms
Del Wood: There's A Big Wheel
Barbara Lea: Ain't Love Grand
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Please Don't Stop Loving Me
Dolly Parton: I Will Always Love You
Porter Wagoner: Wake Up Jacob
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Dottie West: Country Sunshine
Hank Locklin: Send Me Your Coffee Cup
Crook Brothers & The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
Stu Phillips: Love You All Over Again
Brother Oswald: Columbus Stockade Blues
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird/I Saw The Light
8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): I've Got All The Heartaches I Can Handle
Wilburn Brothers: Little Johnny From Down The Street
Billy Grammer: How Great Thou Art
Osborne Brothers: Fireball Mail
Tennessee Ernie Ford: Tie A Yellow Ribbon/Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
David Houston: Almost Persuaded
George Lindsay: Comedy Joke
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Hank Snow: Hello Love
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
Willis Brothers: Truck Stop
Jerry Clower: A New Bull
Charlie Walker: Odds & Ends
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Mary Lou Turner: All That Keeps Me Going
Bill Anderson: Every Time I Turn The Radio On
10:00: Fender
Ernest Tubb (host): Don't Water Down The Bad News
Connie Smith: I Never Knew What That Song Meant Before
Jim Ed Brown: Southern Loving
Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard
Jan Howard: You Don't Know Me
Ernest Tubb: Walking The Floor Over You
10:15: Union 76
Jack Greene (host): It's Time To Cross That Bridge
The Pointer Sisters: Fairytale
Jeannie Seely: He Can Be Mine
Jim & Jesse: Paradise
Dottie West: Country Sunshine
Justin Tubb: Ramblin' Man
10:30: Trailblazer
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Dolly Parton: Love Is Like A Butterfly
Wilburn Brothers: It Looks Like The Sun's Gonna Shine
Hank Locklin: Send Me Your Coffee Cup
Osborne Brothers: Ruby
Barbara Lea: Ain't Love Grand
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Please Don't Stop Loving Me
10:45: Beechnut
Roy Acuff (host): Back In The Country
Billy Grammer: Detroit City
Del Wood: Keep On The Firing Line
Crook Brothers & The Tennessee Travelers: Chicken Reel
11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight
The 4 Guys: It's Too Late To Turn Back Now
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Lost Indian
Barbara Mandrell: Midnight Oil
Sam McGee: Railroad Blues
Hank Snow: I Almost Lost My Mind
11:30: Elm Hill
Charlie Louvin (host): It Almost Felt Like Love
Jeanne Pruett: Welcome To The Sunshine
David Houston: Can't You Feel It
Stu Phillips: There Must Be Another Way To Say Goodbye
Charlie Louvin & Diane McCall: Something To Brag About
Tennessee Ernie Ford and George Lindsay only appeared on the first show, while Connie Smith, Charlie Louvin, Barbara Mandrell and The Pointer Sisters only appeared on the second show. Connie was scheduled for the first show but didn't make it. Marion Worth was scheduled for both shows but cancelled.
What was interesting regarding Porter and Dolly singing together, Dolly was not originally scheduled on either of Porter's segments that night. If You remember, Dolly had left Porter's show and was on her own, while Barbara Lea had joined Porter's roadshow. Obviously, whatever feelings Dolly had toward Porter, all was forgiven, or forgotten, for that one final night.
Finally, as you would guess with that loaded lineup, the show ran way over, with the second show not ending until after 12:30, helped out by the fact that the final 30-minute segment only ran for 15.
Other Opry highlights from October 19 over the years:
1956: Stonewall Jackson was given an audition at the Opry. He passed and was invited back to perform. Stonewall would become an Opry member the following month.
1985: Lonzo & Oscar made their final appearance as members of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to being on the Opry that night, the duo hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. Also of significance, Roy Acuff returned to the Opry. Roy had been missing for several months due to the discovery of a blood clot. Roy was ordered by doctors to rest, but that didn't prevent him from visiting backstage in his dressing room during his recovery.
1991: Legendary WSM and Grand Ole Opry announcer Grant Turner passed away, just hours after announcing the Friday Night Opry. Grant was called "the Dean of Opry announcers", starting at WSM on D-Day 1944. Grant Turner is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Taking one more look back, here is the schedule from October 19, 1985, the final night that Lonzo & Oscar appeared on the Grand Ole Opry:
1st show
6:30: Del Reeves (host): Vic Willis Trio
6:45: The 4 Guys (host): Wilma Lee Cooper
7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Loretta Lynn, Lonzo & Oscar
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host): Billy Walker, Jean Shepard, George Hamilton IV, Crook Brothers
8:00: Grandpa Jones (host): Jeanne Pruett, Jack Greene, Roy Drusky, Connie Smith, Tommy Hunter
8:30: Hank Snow (host): Jimmy C Newman, Charlie Walker, Stonewall Jackson, Bill Carlisle
2nd show
9:30: Del Reeves (host): George Hamilton IV, The 4 Guys, Loretta Lynn
10:00: Jimmy Dickens (host): Jan Howard, Ray Pillow
10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Connie Smith
10:30: Grandpa Jones (host): Jeannie Seely, Lonzo & Oscar
10:45: Jack Greene (host): Jean Shepard, Crook Brothers, Stoney Mountain Cloggers
11:00: Hank Snow (host): Justin Tubb, Stonewall Jackson, Billy Walker, Bill Carlisle
11:30: Jimmy C Newman (host): Charlie Walker, Roy Drusky, Johnny Russell
Rollin "Oscar" Sullivan passed away in 2012 while at last word, David Hooten, the last Lonzo, was still alive.
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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