It's the final full weekend in October as the Grand Ole Opry will be closing out the last full weekend of Opry 100 birthday shows. There will be two shows each night as Grand Ole Opry member Carrie Underwood is back for both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry.
The shows this weekend will bring Carrie's number of Opry appearances up to 10 for the year, plus the NBC 100th anniversary show in March. Once again, and it should really be no surprise, Carrie sets the example for her contemporaries who can't seem to find their way to the Opry House door.
Joining Carrie on the Friday Night Opry are Opry members T. Graham Brown, Connie Smith and Don Schlitz. Charles Esten continues to add to his list of guest appearances, as he is on the schedule, as is Junior Brown and making his Opry debut, Preston Cooper.
Friday October 24
1st show
7:00: T. Graham Brown, Connie Smith, Preston Cooper, Junior Brown
8:00: Charles Esten, Don Schlitz, Carrie Underwood
2nd show
9:30: T. Graham Brown, Preston Cooper, Connie Smith, Carrie Underwood
10:30: Junior Brown, Charles Esten, Don Schlitz
On Saturday night, one of the highlights each year on the Grand Ole Opry's calendar is the annual Opry Goes Pink show, when the Opry joins together with Susan G. Komen in the fight against breast cancer. This year, it will be Amy Grant flipping the switch at the start of the show that will turn the barn backdrop pink for the night. In recognition of the night, a portion of every ticket sold will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation.
Joining Carrie on the Saturday night shows are members The Whites, Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett and The Isaacs. Guesting, in addition to Amy Grant, is Sophia Scott.
Saturday October 25
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Amy Grant, The Whites, Sophia Scott, Riders In The Sky
8:00: Mandy Barnett, The Isaacs, Carrie Underwood
2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Amy Grant, The Whites, Carrie Underwood
10:30: Riders In The Sky, Sophia Scott, Mandy Barnett, The Isaacs
Overall, the Opry shows in October have been outstanding and this weekend is no exception.
Taking a look back, it was 22 years ago on Saturday October 25, 2003, that Del McCoury became a member of the Grand Ole Opry:
The invitation to Del to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry took place earlier in the month, on October 2. Here is the article from the Tennessean the following day:
Del McCoury, who first performed on the Grand Ole Opry as the guitarist for Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, was asked last night to become the next cast member of the venerable radio show. The surprise invitation came during the International Bluegrass Music Assocation's annual awards show, at which McCoury and his Del McCoury Band won the Entertainer of the Year category for the eighth time in nine years.
As he accepted his award, Opry members and bluegrass stalwarts Sonny Osborne and Ricky Skaggs walked onstage next to McCoury. "We want to know what you might be doing October 25th," Skaggs said. Flummoxed for a moment, McCoury hesitated. Osborne broke in" We'd like to ask you a very important question. How would you like to maybe, on October 25th, become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry?"
A standing ovation precluded any attempt by McCoury to immediately answer the question. Later he managed to say, "I'm so honored to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry."
Since its birth in 1925, the Opry has aired on Nashville station WSM-AM 650. The bluegrass genre's first Opry star was Monroe himself, under who McCoury apprenticed in 1963 and 1964. McCoury's music has grown popular lately beyond the bluegrass world, as his high, keening voice has been heard at in places such as the "jam-band" oriented Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tenn. "We've been trying to take our music to other venues and kind of cross musical lines," McCoury said.
Now here is the running order from Saturday October 25, 2003, the night Del McCoury officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry:
1st show
6:30: Tennessee Pride
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind The Barn
The Whites: Hangin' Around
Osborne Brothers: Rocky Top
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Jimmy Dickens: Mountain Dew
7:00: WSMonline.com/Standard Candy
Emerson Drive: Dreaming About You/Waiting On Me
George Hamilton IV: Truck Driving Man (host)
Rodney Atkins: My Old Man/Honesty
Del McCoury Band: 1952 Vincent White Lightening/Hillcrest Drive
Del McCoury & Patty Loveless: I'm Working On A Building
George Hamilton IV: Abilene
8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Sugarfoot Rag
Jimmy C Newman: Allons Ah Lafayette
Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away
Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night/Stand Up
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Snowflake Reel
Porter Wagoner: Suppertime
8:30: Tootsie's
Mike Snider (host): Shuckin' The Corn
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Connie Smith: Darling, Are You Ever Coming Home
Hal Ketchum: Waiting Redemption/Stay Forever
Mike Snider: If My Nose Was Runnin' Money
2nd show
9:30: Coca Cola
Jimmy Dickens (host): Me & My Big Loud Mouth
The Whites: Making Believe/Swing Down Chariot
Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night/Stand Up
Jimmy Dickens: I'd Rather Sleep In Peace
10:00: Caribbean Cruise
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Comin'
Jan Howard: The One I Slip Around With
Jeannie Seely: When He Leaves You
Emerson Drive: Fall Into Me/Fishing In The Dark
Porter Wagoner: I've Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand
10:30: Dreamworks
Hal Ketchum (host): Without Your Love
Stu Phillips: If Loving You Means Anything
Connie Smith: I'll Come Runnin' To You/You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Whiskey Before Breakfast
Hal Ketchum: It's A 5 O'clock World
11:00: Cingular Wireless
Jean Shepard (host): Gone, Gone, Gone
Billy Walker: Word Games
Jimmy C Newman: Diggy Liggy Lo/Cajun Stripper
Del McCoury Band: I'll Dry My Tears/A Cheap Love Affair
Jean Shepard: Together Again
11:30:
Mike Snider (host): Acorn Hill/Crazy Creek
Rodney Atkins: My Old Man/Honesty
Jack Greene: Walking The Floor Over You/Night Live
Mike Snider: Snuff Dipper
Patty Loveless was a surprise guest that night and did the formal induction of Del as an Opry member.
Over the past couple of decades, Del has been a fine Opry member, making regular appearances on the Opry and has always been well received.
Finally, there is a Sunday Night Opry that will feature Opry members Steven Curtis Chapman, Riders In The Sky and Don Schlitz. Guesting are The Castellows, The Cleverlys, Evan Honer and Austin Snell.
There you have it for this week as the Grand Ole Opry closes out the month of October. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys Carrie Underwood at the Opry this weekend.
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