Grand Ole Opry 10/31 & 11/1

Friday night marks the end of the Grand Ole Opry's 100th birthday month. And what a month it was! During the Friday Night Opry on October 3, Garth Brooks made a surprise appearance as he celebrated his 35th year as an Opry member. Then the following weekend, Kathy Mattea was inducted as the Opry's newest member, and not only that, but Kathy surprised her good friend Suzy Bogguss with an invitation to become an Opry member. 

The third weekend of the month saw the Opry honor Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl, with a show that featured the return of Patty Loveless to the Opry stage. Finally, last weekend, the annual Opry Goes Pink show took place with Amy Grant doing the honors of lighting up the Opry backdrop, and Carrie Underwood appearing. 

Other highlights of the month included WSM's 100th anniversary on October 5, Sabrina Carpenter making her Opry debut on October 7, with Connie Smith being honored upon her 60th year as a member of the Opry on October 8.

All in all, it was a spectacular month and there is more to come in November as James Taylor will be making his Opry debut on November 11 and of course, the big night on Friday November 28 when the Opry celebrates its 100th anniversary with two shows that night. Thus far 24 Opry members, along with one future Opry member (Suzy Bogguss) are on the schedule with hopefully a few more to come. It promises to be a long historic night. 

As the Grand Ole Opry finishes up the month of October, the Friday Night Opry has Opry members T. Graham Brown, The Whites, Connie Smith, Gene Watson and Riders In The Sky on the schedule. Taylor Hicks is back for another Opry appearance, as are Breanna Nix, Elizabeth Cook, who it appears has made the most Opry appearances of any non-member, and the Opry debut of Hannah McFarland. 

Friday October 31
7:00: T. Graham Brown, The Whites, Breanna Nix, Connie Smith, Taylor Hicks
Intermission
8:20: Elizabeth Cook, Gene Watson, Hannah McFarland, Riders In The Sky

Hannah McFarland is signed to The CoreRecords/Capital Records and was named to Pandora’s 2025 Artists To Watch-Country list. She released her debut EP Broken Hearts in February 2025 and quickly landed on coveted lists like New Music Friday from NPR’s All Songs Considered. Hailed by Holler. as “one of country music’s quiet geniuses,” She also appeared on Hits Daily Double’s New & Developing Artists round-up, joining the ranks of past honorees like Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton. Regarding her Opry debut, Hannah said “I wrote a bucket list of my biggest dreams as a kid, and leading at No. 1 was playing the Grand Ole Opry,” McFarland says. “I couldn’t be more grateful to have been asked to make my debut. It feels surreal to have something I’ve been praying and working hard for finally happening, and I can’t wait to take in every second I have in the circle.”

Now turning the page to November and taking a look at Saturday night, Opry members Riders In The Sky are back to make it a two-show weekend, joined by John Conlee and Don Schlitz. Louise Mandrell is back for another Opry visit, along with Louis York, Ben Rector, Walker Montgomery and making her Opry debut, Elizabeth Nichols. 

Saturday November 1
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, Walker Montgomery, Elizabeth Nichols, Louis York
Intermission
8:20: John Conlee, Louise Mandrell, Opry Square Dancers, Ben Rector, Don Schlitz

Elizabeth Nichols was surprised by Waylon Wyatt with an invitation to make her Opry debut during a recent sold-out show at The Basement East. The singer/songwriter has only been in Nashville for a short time. In June she released her debut EP Tough Love and has followed that up with several new releases. She continues to write with plans to record new music. 

This week, the Grand Ole Opry spotlight remembers Holly Dunn, who made her last Grand Ole Opry appearance on November 1, 2003. 

Holly Dunn was born on August 22, 1957 in San Antonio, Teas. She sang with bands in high school and college before moving to Nashville after graduating from Abilene Christian University. Known as a singer/songwriter, during the 80s and 90s, she released 10 albums, and she had 19 singles that reached the Hot Country Songs Charts. 

She had her first Top 10 hit in 1986 with "Daddy's Hands," which reached No. 7 on the country charts. With the release of her second album, "Cornerstone," she had three Top 10 hits in succession: "Love Somebody Like Me," "Only When I Love," and "Strangers Again." 

After signing with Warner Bros. Records in 1989, she reached No. 1 with "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me" and in 1990 with "You Really Had Me Going." In 1991, she released her first greatest hits package, Milestones: Greatest Hits. It included the new release "Maybe I Mean Yes", which became controversial due to some listeners with Holly asking that radio stations no longer play the song. 

Later, she joined country music radio station WWWW in Detroit, Michigan, as morning show co-host. It was not her first time behind the radio mike, as she had served as a DJ during her college years. However, the decision forced her to give up touring for a time. Later, she co-hosted Opry Backstage on the Nashville Network in 1999–2002.

In 2003, she retired from her music career to pursue her passion for creating art. Her website is still active and features examples of her artwork. Her final album "Full Circle" featured gospel music. 

Holly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2016 and passed away on November 15, 2016.

Here is the running order from Saturday November 1, 2003, the night Holly Dunn appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time: 

6:30: Tennessee Pride
Porter Wagoner (host): I'm Gonna Act Right
The Whites: Keep On The Sunny Side
Osborne Brothers: My Favorite Memory/Rocky Top
Jean Shepard: A Phone Call Away
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home
Porter Wagoner & Penny DeHaven: Milwaukee, Here I Come

7:00: Rutledge Hill Press/Standard Candy
Sara Evans: (?)
Jimmy Dickens: Me & My Big Loud Mouth/Out Behind The Barn
III Tyme Out: (?)/Rocked On The Deep/A Phone Call Away
Sara Evans: Perfect/On The Back Seat of A Greyhound Bus/
Buddy Jewell: (?)Help Pour Out The Rain/Abilene On Her Mind

8:00: Martha White
Jeannie Seely (host): Pride
Holly Dunn: Daddy's Hands
Pat Boone: Love Letters In The Sand/Under God
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me

8:30: Tootsie's
Bill Anderson (host): Wild Weekend
Jim Ed Brown: The Old Lamplighter
Mandy Barnett: Mansion On The Hill
Brad Paisley: Happy Birthday Bill/Celebrity
Bill Anderson: Still

2nd show
9:30: Coca Cola
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleepin' At The Foot of The Bed
The Whites: Pins & Needles/Keep On The Sunny Side
Mel McDaniel: Louisiana Saturday Night/Stand Up
Jimmy Dickens: What Will I Do Then

10:00: Country Music Hall of Fame
Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving
Osborne Brothers: Fastest Grass Alive/Rocky Top
Sara Evans: Perfect/Suds In The Bucket
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

10:30: Dream Works
Jean Shepard (host): Second Fiddle
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain/Cross The Brazos At Waco
Buddy Jewell: Sweet Southern Comfort/Help Pour Out The Rain
Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away
Opry Square Dance Band & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: (?)

11:00: Cingular Wireless
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
III Tyme Out: (?)/The Moundville Pen
Pat Boone: Love Letters In The Sand/Under Bod
Bill Anderson: Happy Birthday To Me

11:30: Merle Haggard CD
Jeannie Seely (host): Burning That Old Memory
Ray Pillow: I Wonder Who's Missing You Now
Holly Dunn: You Really Had Me Going
Mandy Barnette: No One Will Ever Know/Who Could It Be
Jeannie Seely & Danny Davis: Today I Started Loving You Again

Brad Paisley was a surprise guest that night as it was Bill Anderson's birthday and Brad came out to honor Bill. The legendary Pat Boone was also on the schedule, as were future Opry members Sara Evans and Mandy Barnett. 

Holly Dunn joined the Grand Ole Opry on October 14, 1989, and she was a popular choice, and a popular member of the Opry cast. However, after Holly retired from the music industry and moved to New Mexico, Opry general manager Pete Fisher made the decision to terminate Holly's Opry membership. 

“I had really participated as a younger member,” Holly Dunn told the The 9513.com in February of 2010 in one of their Where Are The Now? segments. “I hosted the TV show and backstage show for two years. I was Bill Anderson’s substitute host when he couldn’t be there. And I did commercials for them and radio for them. I loved the Opry and what it stood and stands for.”

But that love was not reciprocated. No longer living in Nashville, but still willing to keep up with her Opry commitments, Holly Dunn received word that she had been removed as a member.

“I have some amazing memories. I wish there was a way, though — just to make a suggestion to them — to keep a list of folks that were members in the past,” she said. “This whole total expunging you from the list is sort of a little harsh, I think. There are people on that list that I know for a fact might make it once a year if they’re lucky. It’s a little subjective. That’s my only gripe.”

(The quotes are from an article on Saving Country Music, a site that I highly recommend) 

As I wrote, there was really no excuse in firing Holly as there were numerous Opry members who went years between Opry appearances. Yet, they kept, and continue to keep, their Opry membership. There has been some behind the scenes speculation and rumors as to why she was fired, but I will leave it at that. 

That takes care of it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.