Grand Ole Opry 12/5 & 12/6

After all of the excitement from last weekend, it is back to normal at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend. 

Friday December 5
7:00: Riders In The Sky with John Lomax III, John Conlee, Kat Luna, Tyler Braden
Intermission
8:20: Connie Smith, Lily Rose, The Band Camino, Don Schlitz

Saturday December 6
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, T. Graham Brown, Del McCoury Band, Shelly Fairchild, John Carter & Ana Cristina Cash
Intermission
8:20: Elizabeth Nichols, Opry Square Dancers, Eric Paslay, Don Schlitz

It is nice to see Connie back on Friday night after missing last weekend, and it will be the Opry debut for The Band Camino. 

There is also an Opry Country Christmas Show on Sunday night: 

Sunday December 7
Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Carly Pearce
Also Appearing: Gatlin Brothers, John Foster, Mandy Barnett, The Ornaments, Riders In The Sky, Charlie McCoy

Taking a look back, it was on December 6, 1964, that the Grand Ole Opry fired 12 of its members for failing to meet the required number of yearly appearances on the show. 

From the Nashville Tennessean: 
Twelve top country and western stars will not appear on the Grand Ole Opry in 1965 and have been prohibited from using the Opry name in their outside billings, it was learned yesterday. Another entertainer, long-time favorite Minnie Pearl has been given a leave of absence from the show for the coming year but will continue to use the Opry billing in her present contracts," a WSM spokesman said

Others leaving the Opry roster were George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Johnny Wright, Kitty Wells, the Jordanaires, Faron Young, Ferlin Husky, Chet Atkins, Justin Tubb, Stonewall Jackson and Ray Price. It was later found that Chet Atkins was not an actual Opry member, which led to some comments concerning if the Opry management really knew what was going on at the show. At the time, Opry members were required to appear 26 times per year. Many of those fired would later return to the show as members, including George Morgan, Don Gibson, Billy Grammer, Justin Tubb and Stonewall Jackson, while Minnie Pearl would return after her leave of absence. While never rejoining the cast, the remaining ones would appear on the show as guest artists. 

According to WSM officials, the move was in keeping with a long-standing Opry rule that performers must appear 26 shows a year in order to be retained. If they fail to do so they forfeit the right to use the Grand Ole Opry name. 

Bill Williams, WSM public relations director, said the decision to drop the names from the roster was by mutual agreement between WSM and the entertainers themselves. "Nobody is mad at anybody. It's just that periodically we have to take stock," Williams said. "It's just a routine thing." 

Some of the entertainers were dropped because their prior commitments outside the Opry would not allow them to appear on the necessary 26 shows. "These entertainers will be allowed to return anytime they wish," Williams added. "In every case it was an amicable decision." 

Johnny Wright and his wife Kitty Wells said yesterday they were still on "good terms" with WSM. "We had already booked these out-of-town dates when we were told the 26-performance rule would be enforced, "Wright said. "Kitty and I couldn't cancel these performances." Wright said he still plans to be on several WSM-TV shows during the next year but would not appear on the Opry until 1966. He said some of the entertainers plan to continue using the name of the Grand Ole Opry in their billing. 

At least two of the acts involved have been only "honorary members" of the Opry for a long time. Williams said they were sent letters last week to officially notify them that they are no longer on the roster. They were identified as Chet Atkins, world renowned guitarist and The Jordanaires, a singing group. "I haven't received any letter from WSM, "Atkins said yesterday. "Actually, I never signed a contract with the Opry and haven't worked down there in years. If I was sent a letter, it was a mere formality." Atkins is head of the RCA Victor recording studios here and the Jordanaires have been away from the Opry for more than a year, recording with top name stars such as Elvis Presley. Others whose name were dropped could not be reached for comment. 

Williams said extenuating circumstances such as health and financial hardship operated in some individual cases. The pay scale for personal appearances across the country is considerably higher than that of the Opry. The WSM show employes nearly 200 entertainers. Most of the entertainers dropped rocketed to national stardom after appearances on the Opry. 

In a follow up article the following day, Ott Devine, Opry director said, "Personally we will miss these people, but they represent only a small percentage of our roster. We are looking forward to having many of them back in 1966." 

(I wonder what the consequences would be if the today the Opry fired 12 of its members for failing to support the show). 

In another article in the same December 6 edition of the Tennessean it was announced that Willie Nelson had signed an exclusive contract with WSM's Grand Ole Opry. Like those who were dismissed, Willie would end up not making his required Opry appearances and would leave the Opry not too long after joining. 

There you have it for this week, the first weekend in December. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Opry shows this weekend.