Grand Ole Opry 4/10 & 4/11

Starting off with this note regarding WSM and Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody: 

Longtime Ryman Hospitality Properties WSM-AM/Nashville morning host and Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody is on a short medical hiatus for an undisclosed reason until his doctors deem a return to work suitable. The station shared with listeners that Cody is "focusing on his health and well-being as he takes time to rest and recharge." Get well messages can be sent to the Grand Ole Opry House at 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 or via the contact page at WSMRadio.com.

The past year has been difficult for Bill as he has battled some health issues along with a family tragedy with the death of his son. Here is hoping that Bill returns to WSM soon. 

When I looked at the Grand Ole Opry schedule for this weekend, it brought a smile to my face when I saw that The Secret Sisters are back for an appearance on the Friday Night Opry. I can't remember the last time that the Lauren and Lydia Rogers were on the Opry, but I know it has been at least several years. While they have never achieved any great chart success, the sisters have developed a following over the years with some intriguing music. Their latest project, Mine, Men, Medicine is available everywhere. 

In addition to The Secret Sisters, the Friday Night Opry includes Opry members T. Graham Brown, John Conlee and Dailey & Vincent. The wonderful Mickey Guyton is scheduled, as are Suzanne Cox and Brandon Ratcliff, who will be making their Opry debut. 

Suzanne is a member of the legendary Cox Family, who along with her son have been making some wonderful bluegrass infused gospel music. On Friday, in addition to their Opry debut, they will be releasing a new four song EP, which includes Far Side Banks of Jordan, a song that Johnny and June Carter Cash recorded and sang. 

Friday April 3
7:00: T. Graham Brown, Restless Road, The Secret Sisters, Mickey Guyton
Intermission
8:20: John Conlee, Suzanne Cox and Brandon Ratcliff, Lainie Gardner, Dailey & Vincent

Now taking a look at Saturday night, Grand Ole Opry members Rhonda Vincent, Connie Smith, Del McCoury and Riders In The Sky are scheduled. Another legendary artist, Lucinda Williams is also on the schedule, as are The McCrary Sisters, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, and making their Opry debut Philip Lupton and Truett Heintzelman, known collectively as Brisco. 

Saturday April 4
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Rhonda Vincent, Connie Smith, Briscoe, Lucinda Williams
Intermission
8:20: Del McCoury Band, The McCrary Sisters, Opry Square Dancers, Tommy Emmanuel, Riders In The Sky

Saturday April 11, 1987, was the Grand Ole Opry's 14th annual Homecoming Show. The first of these shows took place in 1974 as a way for former Opry members to make a return appearance on the Opry before the show moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House located at Opryland. After that first show, these "reunion" shows became an annual tradition until the early 1990s. As more of the older former Opry members passed away, the reunion shows just sort of faded out. 

Here is the running order from that night 39 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Jack Greene (host): Walking on New Grass
The Four Guys: Way Down Deep
Jack Greene: Yours for the Taking Midnight Tennessee Woman

6:45: Rudy's
Jimmy Dickens (host): Family Reunion
Skeeter Davis: 'T Ain't It Nice
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way

7:00: Shoney's
Bill Anderson (host): Po' Folks
Ray Pillow: Days When You Were Still in Love With Me
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Charlie Louvin: When I Stop Dreaming
Bill Anderson: No Ordinary Memory

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Clyde Moody: The Kind of Love I Can't Forget
Zeke Clements: I'll Have to Live and Learn/Somebody's Been Beatin' My Time/Why Should I Cry/Just A Little Lovin'
Pee Wee King: Bonaparte's Retreat
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

8:00: Martha White
Jim Ed Brown (host): Lyin' In Love with You
Jimmy C Newman: La Cajun Band
Lorrie Morgan: Lone Star State of Mind
Curly Fox: Mockingbird/The Old Gray Mule
Riders In The Sky: Wayward Wind
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

8:30: Music Valley Merchants
Hank Snow (host): I Don't Hurt Anymore
Jeannie Seely: It Should Be Easier Now
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Wilma Lee Cooper: Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Hank Snow: A Faded Petal from a Beautiful Bouquet

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
The Four Guys: Tennessee
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Charlie Walker: Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
Bill Carlisle: White Lightening
Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar

10:00: Little Debbie
Jimmy Dickens (hos): Me & My Big Loud Mouth
Zeke Clements: The House at the End of the Road
Jimmy Dickens: I Leaned Over Backwards for You

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

10:30: Pet Milk
Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya
Jack Greene: All the Time
Jimmy C Newman: Let the Good Times Roll

10:45: Heil-Quaker
Jim Ed Brown (host): Everyday People
Clyde Moody: Somebody Loves You Darling
Crook Brothers and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Gray Eagle
Jim Ed Brown: Morning

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Caribbean
Wilma Lee Cooper: I'm Picking Up the Pieces
Curly Fox: Alabama Jubilee
Lorrie Morgan: Candy Kisses
Hank Snow: I'm Glad I Got to See You Once Again

11:30: B. C. Powder
George Hamilton IV (host): Break My Mind
Riders In The Sky: Riding Down the Canyon
Jeannie Seely: Pride/It Should Be Easier Now
George Hamilton IV: She's a Little Bit Country

Back in the earlier days of the Opry, members came and went. In fact, most were not expected to stay as lifetime members. However, now when an artist becomes an Opry member, they are there for life. Nobody leaves anymore, including those retired. 

As the years have passed, the list of living former Opry members keeps getting smaller. The current list: 

Leroy Van Dyke
Willie Nelson
Norma Jean
Sam Wellington of the Four Guys
Ray Walker of the Jordanaires
Doug Kershaw
Dave Hooten of Lonzo & Oscar

There might be a few other members of the Four Guys who are still living, but toward the end they were cycling through members, thus I can't account for all of them. In fact, I am not even sure the Opry would consider those other members of the group as Opry members at all. 

There you have it.