Grand Ole Opry 11/21 & 11/22

Earlier this year, I participated in a documentary that was being filmed by the Nashville Tennessean saluting the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. I am very happy to say that the documentary is now finished and has been released. In the documentary, How the Grand Ole Opry lives on after 100 years in Nashville, the Tennessean spent six months interviewing workers, stars and historians about the last 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry. I have posted the link below

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7I_H1uXLd4

Personally, I was honored to have been asked to be a part of this project, and I am very pleased with how it came out. It is roughly 25 minutes in length and if you are so inclined, please feel free to share. 

Now taking a look at the Grand Ole Opry for this weekend, Vince Gill returns for both Friday and Saturday night. Opry members T. Graham Brown, Connie Smith, The Whites and comedian Henry Cho will be joining Vince on Friday night, while John Conlee, Don Schlitz and Riders In The Sky are on the schedule for Saturday. 

Deana Carter will be making an appearance on Friday night. There are some who have thought over the years that Deana Carter would make a good Opry member. I don't disagree. Also scheduled to appear are Jackson Dean and making his Opry debut, Maoli. 

Saturday night's lineup includes singer/songwriter Radney Foster, MacKenzie Carpenter, and a group that Vince was once a part of: Pure Prairie League. 

Friday November 21
7:00: T. Graham Brown, Connie Smith, Maoli, Deana Carter
Intermission
8:20: The Whites, Henry Cho, Jackson Dean, Vince Gill

Saturday November 22
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, John Conlee, Mackenzie Carpenter, Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:20: Radney Foster, Opry Square Dancers, Pure Prairie League, Vince Gill

There is only one mid-week Opry show during the upcoming week and that will be the Tuesday Night Opry. The Opry's newest member, at least for another month, Steve Earle is on the schedule, as are Dailey & Vincent, comedian Gary Mule Deer and Charlie McCoy. Guesting are Jason Crabb, Mae Estes, Marynn Taylor and making his Opry debut, Lian St. John. 

Tuesday November 25
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, MaRynn Taylor, Liam St. John, Jason Crabb
Intermission
8:20: Mae Estes, Gary Mule Deer, Charlie McCoy, Steve Earle


This week the Grand Ole Opry Spotlight shines on Jean Shepard, who joined the Grand Ole Opry on November 21, 1955: 

Ollie Imogene Shepard was born on November 21, 1933. She grew up singing in church and was drawn to the music of Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. As a teenager, she played bass in the Melody Ranch Girls, an all-female band formed in 1948. Hank Thompson discovered her a few years later and with his help, she signed with Capitol Records in 1952, which followed the success of Kitty Wells. She cut four songs at her first session with popular band players Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West, Cliffie Stone and Billy Strange and recorded her first single for the label in 1952, "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz", but it failed to chart. Her next single "A Dear John Letter", a duet with Ferlin Husky in 1953, hit number one on the country charts and was number four on the pop charts. The duo's follow-up, "Forgive Me John", was another crossover hit, peaking in the Top 10 on the country chart and the top 25 on the pop chart.

 She would go on to release 70 singles to the Hot Country Songs chart and a total of 24 studio albums from 1956 to 1981. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and remained a member for the next 61 years. Her first marriage was to fellow singer Hawkshaw Hawkins, but it ended when he, along with Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas, was killed in a plane crash in 1963. In 1968 Jean married musician Benny Birchfield. 

In 1981 she released her final album "Dear John". She continued to perform until her retirement from the stage in 2015. During her long career, she was considered a pioneer "who opened the doors for women in country music". She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011. 

As mentioned, Jean Shepard was born on November 21st. It was also the date that Jean became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. Her first appearance as a member would take place later that week on Saturday November 26. Here is the running order from that night 70 years ago: 

7:30: Federal Fertilizer
Marty Robbins: Maybelline
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark
Minnie Pearl: Comedy
Don and Rita: Lonely Heart
Fiddle Tune: Grey Eagle

7:45: American Ace
George Morgan: Ever So Often
Goldie Hill: Ain't Gonna Wash My Face
Eddie Hill: Smack Dab In The Middle
George Morgan: Jesus, Savior Pilot Me
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

8:00: Martha White
Flatt and Scruggs: Theme Song
Jim Reeves: Looking For A Sucker
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Standing at the End of the World
Flatt and Scruggs: Flint Hill Special
Jean Shepard: Satisfied Mind
Moon Mullican: Mean Mama
Possum Hunters: Bile Them Cabbage Down
Jim Reeves: I've Lived A Lot in My Lifetime
Maybelle Carter: Wildwood Flower
Flatt and Scruggs: Bubbling In My Soul
Hawkshaw Hawkins: Car Hoppin' Mama
Fiddle Tune: Blackeyed Susan

8:30: Prince Albert
Ferlin Huskey: I'll Baby Sit With You
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Louvin Brothers: I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby
Fiddle Tune: Soldier's Joy
Ferlin Huskey: Sayeth The Lord
Del Wood: Smokey Mountain Polka
Minnie Pearl: Jokes
Louvin Brothers: In The Middle of Nowhere
Chet Atkins: Avalon
Ferlin Huskey: Walking and Humming
Fiddle Tune: Katy Hill

9:00: Royal Crown Cola
Hank Snow: Music Making Mama
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Tennessee Wagoner
Lonzo and Oscar: The Cow Jumped The Moon
Bill Monroe: I Used To Be
Carlisles: Knot Hole
Marty Robbins: Pretty Mama
Hank Snow: I Can See The Love in Your Heart
Lonzo and Oscar: Snow Deer
Carlisles: Lil Liza Jane
Fiddle Tune: Back Up and Push

9:30: Jefferson Island Salt
Jordanaires: Theme Song
Ray Price: I Don't Want You On My Conscience
Slim Whitman: Tell Me
Anita Carter: Mask On My Heart
Cousin Jody: Dear John
Crook Brothers: Girl I Left Behind
Louvin Brothers: Just Rehearsing
Grandpa Jones: Night Train to Memphis
Chet Atkins: Five Foot Two
Jordanaires: Shaking Bridges
Ray Price: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes

10:00: Wall Rite
George Morgan: Almost
Bill Monroe: Close By
Moon Mullican: Cherokee Boogie
George Morgan: The Best Mistake I Ever Made
Fiddle Tune: Buffalo Gal

10:15: Dr. Le Gear
Marty Robbins: That's Alright
Carlisles: I Was On My Way to The Show
Goldie Hill: Why Don't You Leave Me Alone
Marty Robbins: Don't Let Me Hang Around
Fiddle Tune: Devil's Dream

10:30: Hester Battery
Jim Reeves: Looking For A Sucker
R. D. Heardon: To Be Announced
Jean Shepard: Beautiful Lies
Jim Reeves: I'm Hurting Inside
Fiddle Tune: Mississippi Sawyer

10:45: D Con
Hank Snow: Just Keep On Moving
Jimmy Snow: Go Back You Fool
Gully Jumpers: Bully of the Town
Hank Snow: Within This Broken Heart
Fiddle Tune: Bill Cheatham

11:00: W. E. Stephens
Lonzo and Oscar: Theme Song
Ferlin Huskey: I Feel Better All Over
Hawkshaw Hawkins: The Love You Steal
Rod Brasfield: Comedy
Lonzo and Oscar: Who Put That Brick Wall In My Way
Slim Whitman: Indian Love Call
Grandpa Jones: Call Old Rattler
Maybelle Carter: Gold Watch and Chain
Crook Brothers: Arkansas Traveler
Ferlin Huskey: Cuz You're So Sweet
Fiddle Tune: Old Joe Clark

11:30: Delited
Ray Price: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes
Louvin Brothers: When I Stop Dreaming
Eddie Hill: Someday You'll Call My Name
Sam and Kirk: While I'm Away
Cousin Jody: Oh, Wonderful World
Ray Price: Release Me
Dot and Smokey: Contact
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking In My Sleep
Louvin Brothers: Just Rehearsing
Ray Price: I'll Be There
Fiddle Tune: Sleepy Lou

On Saturday November 21, 2015, Jean Shepard became the first female member in the history of the Grand Ole Opry to have celebrated 60 years as a member of the Opry cast. 

Here is the posted lineup from that night: 

1st show
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host): Jesse McReynolds, Andrew Peterson
7:30: Marty Stuart (host): Connie Smith, Mel Tillis
8:00: Bill Anderson (host): Jean Shepard, Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Vince Gill (host): Ashley Campbell, Charles Esten

2nd show
9:30: Jeannie Seely (host): Jesse McReynolds, Andrew Peterson
10:00: Marty Stuart (host): Connie Smith, Mel Tillis
10:30: Bill Anderson (host): Ashley Campbell, Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Vince Gill (host): Charles Esten

Jean Shepard was pretty much retired by then and only appeared on the first show that night. The curtain was closed before Jean was introduced by Bill Anderson and when it opened, Jean was seated. During that segment, she sang "Tennessee Waltz" and "A Dear John Letter" which was a duet with Bill Anderson. During the show, Jean announced that she was officially retired and this would be her final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Less than a year later, on September 25, 2016, Jean Shepard passed away. 

While other Opry members came and went, once Jean joined the cast of the Opry in 1955, she never left. She was proud of that fact, and she made no secret how she felt about those members who did leave and then would return. She was definitely a treasure who was not shy about speaking her mind. For those who have not read her autobiography, I highly recommend the book. 

There you have it for this week. Next weekend the Grand Ole Opry will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a special Friday Night Opry. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.