Grand Ole Opry 7/4 & 7/5

Starting off this week with this nice piece of news from the Grand Ole Opry:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (July 1, 2025) – The Grand Ole Opry today announced a one-night return to its most famous former home, Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, including an unprecedented re-creation of a past Opry show. The July 17 show will feature a collection of performances destined to return fans to the historic night of March 15, 1974, the final night of the Opry’s original Ryman run. Throughout that portion of the show, moments from the 1974 broadcast will be closely recreated for the Ryman and radio audiences. To purchase tickets to this one-night only recreation of the March 15, 1974, Opry show click HERE.

“I am certain this is going to be another unforgettable part of our 100th year,” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “For generations of Opry fans and artists, the Opry’s 1943 – 1974 run at the Ryman was a truly magical part of the Opry’s 100-year history. While we can’t actually turn back time, we’re going to do our best with performances and even commercial reads to transport fans to that historic evening when the Opry said farewell to the Mother Church of Country Music. I grew up listening to my parents talk about having witnessed Opry shows at the Ryman during that era, and for an hour or so on July 17, we’ll all have an experience similar to theirs.” 

The Opry’s longest-serving member ever, Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson, was among those who performed on March 15, 1974, and is scheduled to return to reprise his set from that historic evening. “The last Grand Ole Opry show at the Ryman would have been special under any circumstances,” Anderson recalls, “but it was made extra special for me by the fact that my mom and dad had driven up from Georgia to be in the audience. Twenty years earlier, in 1954, they had brought me to Nashville and to the Ryman to see the Opry for the very first time. None of us could have ever imagined the summer before my senior year in high school that only a few years later I would be performing on that very stage, let alone go on to become the longest serving Opry member in history. That night in 1974 I stood alongside many of my heroes from those earlier days, smiling down at my parents, and saying so long to the only Opry home I had ever known...definitely a moment I will remember for the rest of my life. When the Opry asked me if I'd be part of helping to re-create that last night at the Ryman in 1974...and sing the songs I sang back then...I readily agreed. ‘Just don't ask me to wear the same clothes I wore that night,’”  I quipped. “’Even if I could find them, I'd never be able to get in them!’” 

Among those joining Anderson during the throwback will be Lorrie Morgan, whose father George Morgan was the final artist to perform on the March 15, 1974 Opry show, as well as Mandy Barnett and Chuck Mead. Among those appearing earlier in the night will be CMA award-winning group The Band Perry. 

In celebration, WSM Radio will re-air the historic shows from both the final Ryman show residency and the opening of the Grand Ole Opry House. Fans can relive these legendary moments in their entirety for the first time since they aired live on WSM-AM more than 50 years ago. WSM-AM will air the final Ryman Auditorium show on Thursday, July 17 at 10 a.m. CT and will air the first Grand Ole Opry House show on Friday, July 18 at 10 a.m. CT.

As the Grand Ole Opry continues to celebrate Opry 100, this will truly be a very special night, and in addition, it will be special to once again hear on WSM a reply of that final night at the Ryman Auditorium. 

Now moving on as we are now at the mid-point of 2025, which is also the mid-point of the Grand Ole Opry's 100th Anniversary. I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how things stand, especially regarding appearances, or non-appearances by Grand Ole Opry members. 

Not including the NBC Special, which was not aired on WSM and not an "official" Opry show, these are the active members who thus far have not appeared on the Opry this year: Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Emmylou Harris, Travis Tritt, Alison Krauss, Diamond Rio, Trisha Yearwood, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Chris Young and Luke Combs. (I won't even list the ones who have only appeared once or twice). Some very familiar names are on the list and in fact, the usual names that we see each year are listed. I would have thought with this being a special year, we would have seen a few of these acts. Now, I will say that Trisha, Darius and Chris have upcoming appearances on the schedule, but I would hope that for the others, we will see more of them than just on a network TV special. Hopefully in the fall, specifically during the birthday month in October and the 100th celebration in November, we will see a few of those on the list appear. 

Thankfully we have a number of members who have been appearing on a regular basis. Folks such as Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, John Conlee, Riders In The Sky, Vince Gill, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dailey & Vincent, Mark Wills, Gene Watson, Rhonda Vincent, The Isaacs, Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy, Ashley McBryde, Gary Mule Deer, T. Graham Brown, and especially Don Schlitz, who leads all members in appearances. As usual, the trend is for the older/veteran acts continuing to be the anchors for the shows. 

Let me wade into the comments regarding the number of members vs. non-members appearing on each Opry show. 

Like most, I think Grand Ole Opry members should be appearing at the Grand Ole Opry. With up to six shows a given week, there is plenty of opportunity to appear. While I realize that very few shows feature a lineup of only Opry members, it is a bit discouraging to see shows with only a couple appearing. As I mentioned, we should be thankful for the members who do appear. That said, I do appreciate the opportunity to see and hear non-members making guest appearances. I am even fine with a 50/50 mix. And I do enjoy the variety on the various shows. Looking ahead at future schedules, I see a nice group of Opry members listed, as well as some non-members that I am looking forward to hearing. Regardless of who is on the schedule, let's all enjoy what is being presented during the Opry's 100th year. 

Speaking of who is appearing on the Grand Ole Opry, taking a look at this weekend, there are four members on the schedule for the Friday Night Opry: T. Graham Brown, Gary Mule Deer, Riders In The Sky and Rhonda Vincent. Gary Mule Deer returns on Saturday night, along with Bill Anderson, Crystal Gayle, Don Schlitz and Steve Wariner. Five more members will be appearing on the Sunday Night Opry: Mandy Barnett, Charlie McCoy, Connie Smith, Pam Tillis and Rhonda Vincent. If my math is correct, 12 different Opry members will be appearing on the weekend shows. 

As far as non-members, singer/songwriter Tom Douglas will be guesting on Friday night, along with Brittney Spencer, Matt Schuster and Dee White. Saturday night, the very talented Malpass Brothers will be appearing, as will Kylie Frey, and making his Opry debut, JD Shelburne. Finally on Sunday night, those wonderful Cleverlys are back for another appearance, along with Madeline Edwards, and making their Opry debut, Straight No Chaser. 

(For whatever reason, the official running order for the shows this weekend has not been posted as of yet)


JD Shelburne, who is making his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night is a native of Kentucky. During his career, he has shared bills with ZZ Top, Marty Stuart, Craig Morgan, and Steve Wariner among many others, appeared on stage and on record with The Oak Ridge Boys, and performed at over a hundred fairs and festivals across the eastern U.S. He has taken songs to the iTunes Country Top Ten, debuted as the #1 trending artist on CMT.com, and been featured in People, American Songwriter, Country Weekly magazine and more. He has had eight straight videos land on CMT, including two #1’s on the 12-Pack Countdown, “Church Pew Barstool” and “Cars & Trucks.” He has performed at NASCAR, MLB, NBA, and NCAA events, and been featured on CBS, NBC, GAC, FOX, RFD-TV and TNN.

A proud Kentuckian, JD has appeared on the cover of the Kentucky Tourism Visitors Guide and at the Kentucky Derby and earned a four-year display at the Kentucky Hall of Fame & Museum. JD is about to release his seventh album. Raised on the Good Stuff, and now, with his appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, he is fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Straight No Chaser, who is debuting on Sunday night, has emerged as a phenomenon with a massive fanbase and a long list of accomplishments including 2 RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold, over 1 billion streams on Pandora, and over 2 million albums sold worldwide. Straight No Chaser is the real deal, the captivating sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense... and with a sense of humor.

Over the years, artists who were, or had been, members of the Grand Ole Opry, would at some point, be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I think it showed the star power of the Opry and the talent that the show was able to recruit. 

At last count, and if I counted correctly, just over 75 former or current Grand Ole Opry members have been elected to the Hall of Fame. 

I went back 67 years ago, to Saturday July 5, 1958 and highlighted those who would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame, and this was a pretty typical night at the Opry. Roy Acuff, Faron Young, Porter Wagoner, Flatt & Scruggs, Don Gibson, Bill Carlisle, Ray Price, Jordanaires, Chet Atkins and Rod Brasfield were scheduled. With the exception of Rod Brasfield, each made multiple appearances on the show that particular night. 

Here is the running order from 67 years ago, Saturday July 5, 1958: 

7:30: Nabisco
Roy Acuff: Little Moses
Wilburn Brothers: My Baby Ain't My Baby No More
June Webb: Love
Roy Acuff: Precious Memories
Howdy Forrester: Liberty

7:45 Sessions Peanut Butter
Faron Young: Alone With You
Porter Wagoner: Turn It Over In Your Mind
Cousin Jody: Television Set
Faron Young: Place For Girls Like You
Fiddle Tune: Ole Joe Clark

8:00: Martha White
Flatt & Scruggs: Theme
Flatt & Scruggs: We'll Meet Again Sweetheart
Don Gibson: Old Lonesome Me
Carlisles: Lil Liza Jane
Justin Tubb: If You'll Be My Love
Flatt & Scruggs: A Hundred Years From Now
Possum Hunters: Tom and Jerry
Hilo Brown: Stone Wall
Don Gibson: I Can't Stop Loving You
Flatt & Scruggs: Rainbow
Fiddle Tune: Turkey In The Straw

8:30: Prince Albert
Ray Price: It's All Your Fault
Jordanaires: Search Me Lord
Jimmy Newman: I Thought I'd Never Fall In Love
Tommy Jackson: Sally Goodin
Ray Price: Call The Lord And He'll Be There
Chet Atkins: Black Mountain Rag
Jimmy Newman: I Want To Tell All The World
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Ray Price: City Lights
Tommy Jackson: Polk County Breakdown

9:00: Jefferson Island
Ernest Tubb: Mississippi Gal
Bill Monroe: Brand New Shoes
Benny Martin: Nine Pound Hammer
Wilburn Brothers: Let Me Be The First To Know
Ernest Tubb: Seaman's Blues
Fruit Jars: Fire In The Mountain
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Bill Monroe: Sally Joe
Wilburn Brothers: Hey Mr. Bluebird
Ernest Tubb: My Hillbilly Baby

9:30: Stephens
Hank Snow: I Wish I Was The Moon
Cowboy Copas: Won't You Ride
Don Gibson: Blue Blue Day
Lonzo & Oscar: Throw Out The Lifeline Sally
Hank Snow: A Fool Such As I
Crook Brothers: Lost Indian
Ladells: Honey, Be My Little Honeybee
Cowboy Copas: The Man Upstairs
Don Gibson: Heartbreak Avenue
Hank Snow: Golden Rocket

10:00: Standard Brands
Roy Acuff: New River Train
June Webb: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Porter Wagoner: Pay Day
Justin Tubb: I'm A Big Boy Now
Howdy Forrester: Patty On The Turnpike
Roy Acuff: Once More
Jimmy Newman: Cry, Cry Darling
Oswald: John Henry
Roy Acuff: Wreck On The Highway
Jimmy Riddle: Dill Pickle Rag

10:30: Delited
Ernest Tubb: This Troubled Mind Of Mine
Stonewall Jackson: Getting Older
Carlisles: Oh Boy
Ernest Tubb: Answer The Phone
Fiddle Tune: Sugar In The Gourd

10:45: De Con
Faron Young: Every Time I'm Kissing You
Flatt & Scruggs: Big Black Train
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Faron Young: Alone With You
Fiddle Tune: Leather Britches

11:00: Coca Cola
Jordanaires: Theme
Hank Snow: The Gold Rush Is Over
Wilburn Brothers: I'm Setting You Free
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me
Lonzo & Oscar: Flap Your Wings Pretty Jay Bird
Hank Snow: Just A Faded Petal
Del Wood: Ragging The Keys
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Gully Jumpers: Tall Timber Dance
Hank Snow: Rumba Boogie

11:30: Jamison Bedding
Ray Price: Invitation To The Blues
Bill Monroe: Sitting On Top Of The World
Cousin Jody: Horses Carry Tales
Ray Price: Curtain In The Night
Fiddle Tune: Katy Hill

11:45: Midnight
Cowboy Copas: Down In Nashville Tennessee
Sam & Kirk: Roll On Buddy, Roll On
Benny Martin: Ice Cold Love
Fruit Jars: Take Me Back To Tulsa
Cowboy Copas: Gone And Left Me Blues

You could make the argument that several others who were on the schedule that night should be in the Hall of Fame. Certainly, a case can be made for the Wilburn Brothers, Cowboy Copas, along with Jimmy C Newman and Stonewall Jackson. 

There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone is enjoying the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. 

And a Happy July 4th to all!! Stay Safe.