Grand Ole Opry 1/24 & 1/25

The Grand Ole Opry is back for its first full weekend of 2025 at the Grand Ole Opry House as Opry 100 continues on. If you are among those headed to the Opry this weekend, you picked a pretty good weekend to go. 

Grand Ole Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys are scheduled for both nights. It was confirmed earlier this week that their 2024 Farewell Tour would continue thru 2025 with a number of new dates posted. 

Joining the quartet on the Friday Night Opry will be Opry members Trace Adkins, Mandy Barnett, Don Schlitz and Rhonda Vincent. Speaking of Rhonda, this past Saturday night, Rhonda was announced as the first solo female inductee into the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Rhonda and well deserved. 

Along with the Oaks, Saturday night's schedule includes members John Conlee, Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, Ricky Skaggs and Pam Tillis. While nothing has been posted, I am sure Ricky will honor Buck White on Saturday. 

There are only two non-members on the schedule for Friday night: Mickey Guyton and Larkin Poe. Saturday night, Opry NextStage artist Nate Smith is scheduled, along with Ole 60. 

Friday January 24
7:00: Rhonda Vincent, Mandy Barnett, Larkin Poe, Don Schlitz
Intermission 
8:20: Mickey Guyton, Oak Ridge Boys, Trace Adkins

Saturday January 25
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, John Conlee, Pam Tillis Ricky Skaggs
Intermission
8:20: Jeannie Seely, Ole 60, Opry Square Dancers, Nate Smith, Oak Ridge Boys 

Back in October when the Grand Ole Opry revealed plans for its 100th anniversary year, Dan Rogers announced that there would be 100 Opry debuts in 2025. The first two debuts will take place this weekend as Larin Poe will make their Opry debut on Friday night, while Ole 60 would be debuting on Saturday. 

Larkin Poe is an American roots rock band led by sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell. The band originated in north Georgia and is currently based in Nashville. Known for their strong southern harmonies, heavy electric guitar riffs, steel guitar, Larkin Poe often draws comparisons to the style of the Allman Brothers. 

The band's history began with the Lovell Sisters, an acoustic music trio formed in 2005 with their older sister, Jessica Lovell. After releasing independent albums and touring for four years, the Lovell Sisters disbanded in 2010. Later that year, Rebecca and Megan Lovell regrouped as Larkin Poe, taking their band name from their great-great-great-great-grandfather, a cousin of Edgar Allan Poe. They signed a recording contract with RH Music in late 2013 and released their debut studio album, Kin, in 2014. The band gained recognition for their collaboration with producer T Bone Burnett on the New Basement Tapes' album Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes. 

Their musical journey continued with the release of albums like Peach in 2017, Venom & Faith in 2018, and Self Made Man in 2020, which achieved notable success on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. In addition to their original music, Larkin Poe released a covers album titled Kindred Spirits in 2020, showcasing their interpretations of songs by various artists. In 2023, they released Blood Harmony, which won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. 

Ole 60 is from Hawesville, Kentucky. Their debut album "Three Twenty-Four' was released in the fall of 2023 with singles like "Smoke & A Light" and "Insane" topping charts and accumulating over 150 million on demand streams in its first year. They have been featured in top music magazines, and their music videos have garnered millions of views on YouTube, in addition to performing at a number of major music festivals. With a sound that masterfully blends grunge rock and roll, blues, and a touch of southern charm, Ole 60 has toured to sold out shows across the country. 

Taking a look back, it was on Saturday January 25, 1992, that Emmylou Harris became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

The following the Nashville Tennessean, Wednesday January 22, 1992: 

Country vocal great Emmylou Harris will become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry during induction ceremonies Saturday night, Opry officials said yesterday. A champion of traditional country during more than 15 years of hit making, Harris becomes the 70th Opry member. The show's roster also includes veteran stars like Roy Acuff and Loretta Lynn as well as hot newcomers such as Garth Brooks and Patty Loveless. Harris will perform and join the cast during the 7:30 p.m. Saturday Opry segment televised by The Nashville Network. 

"It's going to be great. I think Roy Acuff is doing the induction," Harris said yesterday. "I feel overwhelmed and honored."

Said Opry general manager Hal Durham, "Emmylou Harris is one of the premier country singers of our generation. Her voice, her material and her sound are timeless. We're delighted Emmylou will join our family because she has always had a genuine love and respect for the Opry's heritage." 

Harris' new album Emmylou at the Ryman and a related TNN special were based on performances at the Ryman Auditorium, the Opry's home between 1943 and 1974. "It (Opry membership) needed to happen with this special and the album coming out: It seemed like the time was right. When you think of country music, you think of the Opry. I'm happy to be part of it."

Harris brings an impressive list of credentials with her to the Opry: her emotion-filled vocal expertise and classy presentation have won her five Grammy awards, a Country Music Association female vocalist of the year honor and the CMA's 1988 vocal collaboration award for her Trio album with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. She's also president of the Country Music Foundation. 

When Emmylou Harris joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, I expected more from her than what she has given. As was noted in the article, she had a genuine love and respect for the Opry's heritage, and I think she still does. However, the number of appearances she has made since joining have been minimal each year. In fact, in the last 10 years she has made just 20 appearances and has gone several years during the period with none. 

That said, I am happy that Emmylou is a member of the Opry and I have always enjoyed her Opry appearances. I just wish there were more of them. 

Here is the running order from that night 33 years ago when she became an Opry member: 

1st show
6:30: Opry Book
Boxcar Willie (host): Train Melody
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Boxcar Willie: Cowboys & Horses; Hobos & Trains

6:45: Country Music Hall Of Fame
Grandpa Jones (host): Apple Jack
The 4 Guys: Tennessee
Skeeter Davis: The End Of The World

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): You Gotta Have A License
John Conlee: I Don't Remember Loving You
Osborne Brothers: Nearer My God To Thee
Lorrie Morgan: Except For Monday/Autumn's Not That Cold
Porter Wagoner: Wake Up Jacob

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Vince Gill: Take Your Memory With You When You Go/When I Call Your Name
Vince Gill & Emmylou Harris: Drifting To Far From The Shore
Emmylou Harris: Walls Of Time/Blue Kentucky Girl

8:00: Martha White
Bill Monroe (host): Nine Pound Hammer
Jimmy Dickens: John Henry
The Whites: Doing It By The Book
Del Reeves: There She Goes
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham
Bill Monroe & Tom Ewing: Body & Soul

8:30: Opryland
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Jimmy C Newman: Mottland
Riders In The Sky: Blue Shadows On The Train
Jean Shepard: Let's All Go Down To The River/I Saw The Light/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away/Somebody Touched Me
Bill Anderson: Still

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
John Conlee: Friday Night Blues
Emmylou Harris: Guitar Town
Emmylou Harris & Vince Gill: If You Needed Me
Porter Wagoner: Misery Loves Company

10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host): Ol' Rattler
Charlie Louvin: The Precious Jewel
Wilma Lee Cooper: I Dreamed About Mama Last Night
Grandpa & Mark Jones: Arkansas Traveler

10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Once More
George Hamilton IV: I'm Using My Bible For A Road Map/Cabin In Gloryland
Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin

10:30: Pet Milk
Bill Monroe (host): True Life Blues
Roy Drusky: Too Old To Die Young
Boxcar Willie: Hobo Heaven
Bill Monroe: I'm Working On A Building

10:45: BC Powder
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take An Old Cold Tater
Vince Gill & Patty Loveless: When I Call Your Name
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Lafayette
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way

11:00: Coca Cola
Bill Anderson (host): You Can Have Her
Osborne Brothers: Low & Lonely
Jeannie Seely: Go Down Swinging
Stonewall Jackson: Side Steppin' The Blues
Jean Shepard: Slipping Away
Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard
Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar

11:30: Creamette's
Charlie Walker (host): Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
Riders In The Sky: How Does He Yodel
The Whites: Swing Down Chariot
Johnny Russell: No One Will Ever Know
Charlie Walker: Take Me Back To Tulsa

Congratulations to Emmylou Harris as she celebrates another year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

There you have it for this week. It looks to be an exciting week at the Opry House, and I hope everyone gets a chance to listen and enjoy the shows. As always, thanks for reading and commenting.