Grand Ole Opry 11/8 & 11/9

Last Friday night Steven Curtis Chapman became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, while next Saturday night, Opry member Carrie Underwood returns once again. So, what does that make next week? I guess you could call it just a normal Friday and Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry House. 

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, Opry member Terri Clark is on the schedule, joined by members Charlie McCoy, Riders In The Sky, and Jeannie Seely, who missed the Tuesday Night Opry as she was under the weather. 

Guesting will be the legendary group Exile, along with Opry NextStage act Restless Road, Wood Box Heroes and Tanner Usrey. 

Saturday night, Opry member Ashley McBryde is back, joined by Dailey & Vincent, and back to make it a two-show weekend, Riders In The Sky. 

Taylor Austin Dye will be making her Opry debut on Saturday night, joined by Ian Munsick, Drew Parker, and appearing in honor of Veterans Day, which is Monday, Wild Blue Country. 

Friday November 8
7:00: Terri Clark, Restless Road, Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:20: Tanner Usrey, Wood Box Heroes, Exile, Riders In The Sky

Saturday November 9
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Dailey & Vincent, Taylor Austin Dye, Drew Parker, Wild Blue Country
Intermission
8:20: Riders In The Sky, Opry Square Dancers, Ian Munsick, Ashley McBryde

Taylor Austin Dye comes to the Opry from Bonneville, Kentucky and will be appearing ahead of her newest album release Sick of Me. As her career has grown, she has appeared with Tracy Bryd, Steve Earle, Eddie Montgomery, Luke Combs and Keith Urban, among others. After receiving her invite from Opry member Jamey Johnson, Taylor wrote:

"This was truly one of the only times I’ve ever been so surprised and speechless in my life. This is the GREATEST honor I have ever had, and I do not take this invitation lightly. When I visited the Opry for the first time in 2005, it automatically became my dream and my number one goal in my career to be in that circle. Thanks to Jamey, my team, and everyone at the Opry, it’s becoming a reality for this eastern Kentucky girl.  I can’t say thank you enough to every person who has laid their ear to my music and supported me along the way. I know that I am only here because of you. I can’t wait to see you all at the home of country music on November 9th, 2024."

From 50 years ago, Saturday November 9, 1974: 

1st show
6:30: Bob Luman (host): Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
6:45: David Houston (host): Marion Worth, Charlie Walker
7:00: Roy Acuff (host): Connie Smith, Minnie Pearl, Ray Pillow
7:30: Archie Campbell (host): Jean Shepard, Bill Carlisle, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers, Tommy Jones
8:00: Lester Flatt (host): Jimmy C Newman, Jerry Clower, Stu Phillips, Marty Stuart
8:30: Stonewall Jackson (host): Jan Howard, Willis Brothers, Fruit Jar Drinkers

2nd show
9:30: David Houston (host): Jean Shepard, Willis Brothers, Bob Luman
10:00: Charlie Walker (host): Marion Worth, Ray Pillow
10:15: Roy Acuff (host): Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
10:30: Lester Flatt (host): Connie Smith, Kenny Ingram
10:45: Jerry Clower (host): Jan Howard, Crook Brothers, Tennessee Travelers
11:00: Archie Campbell (host): Jimmy C Newman, Bill Carlisle, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee, Tommy Jones
11:30: Stonewall Jackson (host): Stu Phillips, Ronnie Robbins 

(Jeanne Pruett was scheduled for both shows but cancelled due to the death of her brothers. Minnie Pearl appeared only on the first show).

Back in the 1960s, Willie Nelson was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He didn't stay long as he gave up on Nashville and headed back to Texas, where he emerged as a superstar and one of the greatest voices in the history of country music. After Willie left the Opry, he didn't come back often, but one of those nights was 22 years ago, Saturday November 9, 2002.

Here is the running order from that night: 

1st show
6:30: Tennessee Pride
Jim Ed Brown (host): Looking Back To See
Mel McDaniel: Stand Up
Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz
Larry Stephenson Band: Patches/Darlin' Cory
Jim Ed Brown: Fools/Pop A Top

7:00: Gutter Guard/Standard Candy
Vince Gill: Take You Memory With You When You Go/Look At Us
Porter Wagoner & Willie Nelson: Good Hearted Woman
Anthony Smith: If That Ain't Country/John J. Blanchard
Willie Nelson: Mama, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys/On The Road Again/Porter Wagoner Blues
Rodney Crowell & The Cherry Bombs: Ashes By Now/I Can't Live All Like This/Stars On The Water
Porter Wagoner & Willie Nelson: When The Silver Eagle Meets The Great Speckled Bird

8:00: Martha White
John Conlee (host): Common Man
Bill Carlisle: Stay A Little Longer
Jimmy C Newman: Cochon De' Lait
Jack Green: Walking On New Grass/There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Tennessee Wagoner
John Conlee: She's Mine

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
Jim & Jesse: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Craig Morgan: When A Man Can't Get A Woman Off His Mind
Hal Ketchum: Sweet Angel Face/Small Town Saturday Night
Bill Anderson: The Touch Of The Master's Hand

2nd show
9:30: Tootsie's
Porter Wagoner (host): Why Don't You Haul Off & Love Me
Porter Wagoner & Willie Nelson: Good Hearted Woman/On The Road Again
Anthony Smith: If That Ain't Country/John J. Blanchard

10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Shoney's
Vince Gill (host): Take Your Memory With You When You Go
Jan Howard: Ozark Mountain Jubilee
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night/Stand Up
Vince Gill: If You Ever Have Forever In Your Mind

10:30: Online.com/Wildhorse Saloon
Jean Shepard (host) & Jan Howard: Love's Gonna Live Here
Charlie Walker: There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
Larry Stephenson Band: The Sound That Set My Soul On Fire/The Many Hills Of Time
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Snow Flake Reel
Jean Shepard & Jan Howard: Let's All Go Down To The River/I Saw The Light/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Flay Away/Somebody Touched Me

11:00: Coca Cola
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Stu Phillips: The 10th Man
Craig Morgan: When A Man Can't Get A Woman Off His Mind/Almost Home
Bill Anderson: God Bless America Again

11:30: Tootsie's
John Conlee (host): Rockin' With You
Ray Pillow: I Wonder Who's Missing Her Now
Jack Green: Highway To The Sky/This One Belongs To Me
John Conlee: She's Mine

Certainly, a heck of an Opry show that night. 

For those who might not remember, Anthony Smith was singer, songwriter and record producer. As a Nashville recording artist, Smith's debut album, If That Ain't Country, on Mercury Records Nashville, Produced three Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. As a songwriter Smith has had over 250 songs recorded by other Nashville recording artist Such as George Strait, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Faith Hill and more.

Also, on November 9th through the years: 

1895: George D. Hay was born in Attica, Indiana. He came to Nashville and WSM in 1925. In November of that year, he began the WSM Barn Dance, later to be called the Grand Ole Opry. Over time, his influence at the Opry and WSM would fade, and he would leave Nashville, passing away in Virginia Beach in 1968.

1925: Going back to George D. Hay, this was the date he started at WSM radio with the title of Radio Director. 

1960: Hank Locklin accepted an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He had first appeared on the Opry in 1953. Hank's first appearance as a member took place several days later, on November 12, and he would remain an Opry member until his death in March 2009. 

2010: Charlie Louvin made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Charlie had been an Opry member for over 50 years and was one of the few who once they joined, never left. 

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.