It will be another big weekend at the Grand Ole Opry as on Saturday night, Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl will be honored as part of the Opry 100 Honors. I know that Roy and Minnie might not mean a lot to the younger generation of fans attending and listening to the Opry, but both Roy and Minnie were part of the foundation of the Opry and their legacy carries on even today.
Saturday promises to be a special night as Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson, Vince Gill, Gary Mule Deer, Connie Smith, Steve Wariner and Patty Loveless are on the schedule. It has been a while since Patty has appeared on the Opry and it is wonderful to see her coming back as part of the Opry's 100th year. Rounding out the schedule is comedian Chonda Pierce, who I am sure will be honoring Minnie with some humor. As with the other Opry 100 Honors shows, there will be a lot of videos and memories shared of Roy and Minnie.
In addition to the two shows on Saturday night, there is also a Friday Night Opry that has a very solid lineup of artists. Opry members Vince Gill, Don Schlitz, Mandy Barnett and Gary Mule Deer are scheduled as is Scotty McCreery. Among the guest artists are The Bacon Brothers, Drake Milligan and Lauren Watkins. The Bacon Brothers have made a couple of appearances on the Opry, but it has been a few years since they have been on. I know most view Kevin as an actor, but he really is a good musician.
Friday October 17
7:00: Mandy Barnett, Drake Milligan, Lauren Watkins, Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:20: The Bacon Brothers, Gary Mule Deer, Scotty McCreery, Vince Gill
Saturday October 18
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Steve Wariner, Connie Smith, Chonda Pierce, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill
2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Steve Wariner, Connie Smith, Chonda Pierce, Bill Anderson, Gary Mule Deer, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill
(Sister Sadie has posted that they will be playing with Patty Loveless)
Rounding out the weekend will be the Sunday Night Opry, which is a special show that will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Grand Ole Opry member Kelsea Ballerini is scheduled, and she will be joined by Riders In The Sky, Charles Kelley of Lady A, Mitchell Tenpenny, Ty Herndon, Kat Lune and Anne Wilson.
Sunday October 19
7:00: Riders In The Sky, Kat Luna, Ty Herndon, Anne Wilson
Intermission
8:20: Charles Kelley, Mitchell Tenpenny, Kelsea Ballerini
While the Grand Ole Opry is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, back in 1975 the Opry was celebrating its 50th. As you would expect, it was a big weekend at the Opry with most of the Opry's members appearing.
Here is the lineup from the Friday Night Opry, October 17:
7:00: Cracker Barrel
Charlie Louvin (host): Skeeter Davis, Jim & Jesse, Stu Phillips, The Promenaders
7:30: Varallo
Lester Flatt (host): Dottie West, Ray Pillow, The 4 Guys
8:00: Odom Sausage/Borax
Del Reeves (host): Bill Carlisle, The Willis Brothers
8:30: Kroger/Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, The Promenaders
9:00: Baltz Bros./Schlitz
David Houston (host): Tammy Wynette, Roy Drusky
9:30: Acme/Beechnut Tobacco
Charlie Walker (host): Barbara Mandrell, Billy Grammer, Jimmy C Newman
10:00: Cee Bee/Schlitz
Archie Campbell (host): Marion Worth, Hank Locklin, Phil Campbell, Tommy Jones
10:30: Rudy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Jeanne Pruett, Wilburn Brothers, Del Wood
Here is the running order from the Grand Ole Opry's 50th birthday celebration which took place on Saturday October 18, 1975:
1st show
6:00: Vietta
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo
Billy Grammer: Family Man
Stu Phillips: Only You Can Hush The Wind
Justin Tubb: Keep Me From Blowing Away
Jimmy Gately: The Angel of The Bar Room
Bill Anderson: Thanks
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jack Greene (host): He Little Thing'd Her Out of My Arms
Jeannie Seely: Taking My Hand
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
The 4 Guys: Hello Walls/Big Bad John/Wings of A Dove
6:45: Rudy's
Del Reeves (host): Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
Barbara Mandrell: I Know My Lord Will Lead Me Home
Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons
Jimmy C Newman: When The Saints Go Marching In
7:00: Shoney's
Ernest Tubb (host): In The Jailhouse Now
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Jim & Jesse: The Magic Little Garden
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
Wilburn Brothers: Country Honey
Wayne Hammond: Release Me
Skeeter Davis: Silver Threads & Golden Needles
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Jean Shepard: I'm A Believer
Minnie Pearl: Carless Love
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
Don Gibson: Oh, Lonesome Me
Crook Brothers & The Tennessee Travelers: Gray Eagle
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie/Down Yonder
Roy Acuff: I Saw The Light
8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): On A Highway Headed South
Dolly Parton: The Seeker
David Houston: Almost Persuaded
Dottie West: Country Sunshine
Wilma Lee & Carol Cooper: Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Say Forever You'll Be Mine
Porter Wagoner: Indian Creek
8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Roy Drusky: Sunrise
Willis Brothers: Cimarron
Marion Worth: For The Good Times
Ray Pillow: Roll On Truckers
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hickory Leaf
Hank Snow: Paper Roses
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Ernest Tubb (host): If You Don't Quit Checking On Me
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Connie Smith: Show Can You Refuse Him Now
Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo
Barbara Mandrell: Johnny B Goode
Stu Phillips: Only You Can Hush The Wind
Bill Carlisle: Same Old Tale That The Crow Told Me
Jim & Jesse: Paradise
10:00: Fender
Bill Anderson (host): Country D.J.
Jean Shepard: I'm A Believer
Del Reeves: Half A Mind/I'm Moving On/Chug-A-Lug/Hillbilly Heaven
Skeeter Davis: On The Way Home
Hank Locklin: Country Hall of Fame
Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203
10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Cottonfields
Roy Clark & Family: Sweet Bunch of Daisies/A Pain In My Heart; Blues On My Mind/John Henry
Minnie Pearl: I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes
Tammy Wynette: Clap Your Hands
(Presentation by Hal Durham, Hal Davis and Nashville Mayor Richard Fulton)
Roy Acuff & Opry Cast: Presentation of The Grand Ole Opry Birthday Cake
Charlie Louvin: American Trilogy
Billy Grammer: Somewhere My Love
Jimmy C Newman: Alligator Man
10:30: Trailblazer
Porter Wagoner (host): Indian Creek
Dolly Parton: We Used To
The 4 Guys: Down By The Lazy River
Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool
Jeannie Seely & Dottie West: Don't Touch Me
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: Say Forever You'll Be Mine
Dolly Parton: The Seeker
10:45: Beechnut
Archie Campbell (host): Make Friends
Dottie West & Jeannie Seely: Here Comes My Baby
Wilburn Brothers: Country Honey
Susan Raye: He Give Me Something To Forgive Him For
Crook Brothers & The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Black Mountain Rag
11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): I've Been Everywhere
Jeanne Pruett, Dottie West & Jeannie Seely: Satin Sheets
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bill Cheatham
Del Wood: Keep On The Firing Line
Kirk McGee: Freight Train
Hank Snow: There's A Fool Such As I
11:30: Elm Hill
Roy Drusky (host): Sunrise
David Houston & Calvin Crawford: Sweet Molly
Marion Worth: For The Good Times
Ray Pillow: Roll On Truckers
Roy Drusky: I Really Don't Want To Know/I'm Throwing Rice/Four Walls
(Wilma Lee Cooper and Don Gibson appeared only on the early show, while Connie Smith, Tammy Wynette and Archie Campbell only appeared on the late show. This was also Tammy's final appearance on the Opry as an Opry member)
From that night:
The first show ran pretty much on time, and the second show did start at 9:30. However, the show quickly ran off the tracks. With that many artists, there was literally no talking between songs, just basic introductions. By the time of Roy Acuff's segment at the show was already 30 minutes behind and Roy's 15-minute segment turned into a 45 minute one.
Roy Clark himself was on just over 20 minutes, and he brought many family members with him, including a number of uncles and cousins. Minnie Pearl had just been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and she received a long ovation that night.
Once all the dignitaries and local politicians had been recognized and made their speeches, and the birthday cake was brought out, the rest of the show moved along at a more normal pace. In fact, the final hour of the show was finished in 50 minutes.
By the time the second show ended, it ran over by an hour and fifteen minutes. That was followed by Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree, which did not end until 3:15 am. The guests on the Jamboree that night included Moe Bandy, Willie Nelson, Jimmie Skinner, Lois Johnson, Justin Tubb, Brian Collins, Barbara Fairchild, Atlanta James and The Tumbleweeds.
There are some of us who still remember that 50th birthday. To say that the lineup was loaded would be an understatement.
There you have it for this weekend. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
I am very excited about Saturday! I always call myself a Nashville network baby. It was on basically every hour that I was at home and not in school. Some of my most distinctive early memories are the Saturday night televised segments and it seemed like, of course, that the two of them were on every week, even though they may not have been, and I have never seen the respect given to a performer consistently the way that it was to Mr. Roy. I hope there are lots of videos. I thought that he was like a fine wine and just got better the older he got into this day. I still prefer to listen to him from the late 80s early 90s. Ez
ReplyDeleteEZ, Mr. Acuff hosted the first segment they ever showed, and then a few weeks later when then-Vice President George Bush visited. Then he was sick and off the air. I'll never forget that he came out in October 1985 with the birthday cake, with Porter hosting, and said he wasn't well enough to perform. He was back the next week. I doubt that he was miraculously cured. He needed to be out there, and I'm glad he was.
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