After a very emotional weekend at the Grand Ole Opry, with numerous tributes to Don Schlitz, the Opry closes out the month of April with a pair of shows this weekend.
The Friday Night Opry has members Dailey & Vincent, T. Graham Brown, The Whites, Charlie McCoy and one of the Opry's newest members, Suzy Bogguss on the schedule.
There are some Opry members that you think will be good members and appear on the Opry, while not on a regular basis, at least now and then. But then, just when you think that they join the list of semi-missing Opry members. (Which is a different list than missing Opry members.) One of those is Chris Young and on Saturday night, he is back on the Opry schedule. This will be his first appearance of 2026, and this comes after making just one appearance last year.
Regardless the reasons, it is nice to see him coming back. Another Opry member scheduled is Bill Anderson. Bill seems to be on the every-other week list, appearing just a couple of times each month. Hopefully, at the age of 88 it is his choice to cut back. After the great career he has had, he deserves the break.
Also on the Saturday schedule are members Rhonda Vincent, Riders In The Sky and Kathy Mattea.
Guesting on Friday night is the wonderful Wendy Moten, along with Kashus Culpepper and Jackie Lee, while on Saturday night John Foster is back for another appearance, along with Will Moseley, who will be making his Opry debut. For those not familiar with Will, he was Season 22 runner-up on American Idol. Since then, he has been pretty busy establishing his country music career.
Friday April 24
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, T. Graham Brown, Kashus Culpepper, Wendy Moten
Intermission
8:20: The Whites, Jackie Lee, Suzy Bogguss, Charlie McCoy
Saturday April 25
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Rhonda Vincent, Riders In The Sky, Will Moseley
Intermission
8:20: Bill Anderson, John Foster, Opry Square Dancers, Kathy Mattea, Chris Young
(line-ups subject to change)
Lately we have seen the return of comedians on the Opry. Seeing several of these on stage, it got me thinking about some of the past Grand Ole Opry comedians: Minnie Pearl, Duke of Paducah, June Carter, Bill Carlisle, Stringbean, Cousin Jody, Mike Snider, Lew Childre, and of course, Archie Campbell, who should have been elected to the Hall of Fame decades ago. Thinking of that group always brings a smile to my face.
And it makes me think of Jerry Clower.
Jerry Clower was the final cast member added to the Grand Ole Opry prior to the move to the new Grand Ole Opry House. He joined the cast on October 27, 1973. He was also the last comedian to join the cast until Henry Cho was added in February 2023, quickly followed by Gary Mule Deer in March.
From the Tennessean, Oct. 29, 1973:
No one at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night whooped or hollered any more than Jerry Clower, the rotund humorist from Zazoo City, Miss., and for good reason. Decked out in a bright yellow suit and surrounded by some of country music's greatest stars, Clower, 46, reached what he called the high point of his varied career, becoming the 64th performing member of the Opry family.
A 275-pound former Mississippi State football lineman, Clower has spent most of his mature life traveling through rural America spinning yarns for the Mississippi Chemical Corp., a manufacturer of fertilizer. A few years ago, almost by chance, some of his stores were recorded and the fallout of the success of that venture set the stage for his induction into the Opry Saturday night.
Clower's moment of moments, however, was not a chic, sophisticated affair. It was, in fact, a brief pause in the pandemonium that is a night at the Opry. Sandwiched between the first and second show the installation ceremony lacked only time. Enough stars-Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Grandpa Jones, Roy Acuff-were present, the Governor of Mississippi paid tribute to his funniest constituent and the audience gave forth with its loudest yahoo of the evening.
Describing himself as the Opry's "heaviest act" Clower had words of thanks for many individuals who he said have helped him along the way but especially for the one who "birthed" him, his mother, and for one who has stood by him for 26 years "without a complaint," his wife. Holding his 3-year-old daughter, Katy, "the one who snuck up on her momma and me," Clower reserved his most serious and solemn thank-you for "all my friends and you people who pay to come see us here."
Jerry Clower was known as one of the country’s top comedians, but he also wrote a number of books. He is not only known for his comedy, but also for his religious influence.
He was born in Liberty, Mississippi, on September 28, 1926. He grew up in Amite County among family and friends who became the source of his funny routines. After he graduated from high school in l944, he joined the navy. Soon after he was discharged, he earned a football scholarship at Southwest Junior College. Later, he won another scholarship to Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.
Jerry majored in agriculture at Mississippi State and received a job with Mississippi Chemical Company where he became the Director of Field Services for his company. While working, he gained popularity when his coworkers heard his Coon Hunt Story and other comedy routines. One of his close friends suggested that Clower record an album with some of his routines. Jerry liked the idea and recorded an album under the Lemon label.
His first album was named Jerry Clower from Yazoo City Talkin’, and it sold over 8,000 copies without being advertised. He received a contract with MCA in l97l, which sent his album to the billboard charts. Soon after, he recorded a second album, From the Mouth of Mississippi. His third album was called Clower Power, and his fourth was Live in Picayune. As a result of these albums, he earned the title of Country Music’s funniest man.
Here is the lineup from October 27, 1973:
1st show
6:30: Osborne Brothers (host): Bill Carlisle
6:45: Willis Brothers (host): Louie Roberts
7:00: Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): Jim & Jesse, Hank Wada
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton, Crook Brothers, Harold Weakley
8:00: Roy Acuff (host): Grandpa Jones, Del Wood, Jerry Clower
8:30: Hank Snow (host): Bobby Bare, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Ray Pillow
2nd show
9:30: Osborne Brothers (host): Willis Brothers, Louie Roberts, Del Wood
10:00: Jim & Jesse (host): Bill Carlisle
10:15: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton
10:30: Roy Acuff (host): Grandpa Jones, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
10:45: Bobby Bare (host): Jerry Clower, Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host): Ray Pillow, Hank Wada, Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host): Mary Lou Turner, Marty Mitchell
That brings us to the night 28 years ago, Saturday April 4, 1998, the night that Jerry Clower made his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Here is the running order from that night:
1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Bill Anderson (host): Family Reunion
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Bill Anderson: Five Little Fingers
6:45: Joggin' In A Jug
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Skeeter Davis: Wait a Little Longer, Please Jesus
Jimmy C Newman; Diggy Liggy Lo
7:00: Shoney's
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Brother Oswald: Never Grow Old
Holly Dunn: Daddy's Hands
Charlie Louvin: When I Stop Dreaming
Del Reeves: Girl on the Billboard
Jimmy Dickens: I Love Lucy Brown
7:30: Standard Candy
Jerry Clower (host): No Dogs in Hotel
Riders In The Sky: How Does He Yodel/Along the Timber Trail
Patty Loveless: To Have You Back Again/You Don't Seem to Miss Me
Jerry Clower: (?)
8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Lost All My Money But A $2 Bill
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
The Whites: Pins & Needles
Vince Gill: When I Call Your Name
Vince Gill and Patty Loveless: Go Rest High on That Mountain
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sugar in the Goard
8:30: Opry Book
Johnny Russell (host): Got No Reason Now for Going Home
The Four Guys: My Special Angel
Jean Shepard: Slippin' Away
Stu Phillips: The Great El Tigre
Jeannie Seely: Speaking of the Devil
Johnny Russell: Making Plans
2nd show
9:30: Opry Book
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Saturday Night
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Legend of the Dogwood Tree
Ray Pillow: Cinderella
Patty Loveless: To Have You Back Again/If My Heart Had Windows/Timer I'm Falling in Love
Christie Lynn: Head on Over to the Twist & Shout
10:00: Opry Book
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Jan Howard: Love's Gonna Live Here
Jimmy Dickens: We Could/Mountain Dew
10:15: Banquet
Jimmy C Newman (host): Bayou Blues
Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya/Cajun Stripper
10:30: Purnell's
Jerry Clower (host): Big Red Goat
Holly Dunn: Daddy's Hands
Jerry Clower: (?)
10:45: Ryman Cruise
Bill Anderson (host): I'm All Right
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Singers: Ida Red
Bill Anderson: 3 A.M.
11:00: Coca Cola
The Four Guys (host): Cottonfields/Mariah
Riders In The Sky: That's Amore
Charlie Walker: Smoke, Smoke, Smoke
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Vince Gill and Patty Loveless: You're My Kind of Woman; You're My Kind of Man
The Four Guys: May You Always
11:30: Turbo Nutrition
Johnny Russell (host): Someday I'll Sober Up
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away/Jesus Walks In/Ashes of Love/Blue Moon of Kentucky/That's All Right
Jeannie Seely: Bubbles in My Beer/Another Bridge to Burn
Johnny Russell: Orange Blossom Special
Jerry Clower passed away on August 24, 1998, following open heart surgery.
Comedy has always been a part of the Grand Ole Opry but for a number of years it seemed like a lost art. Jerry Clower contributed to the legacy of great Opry comedians, and he is one of those unforgettable, yet forgotten members of the Grand Ole Opry.
No comments:
Post a Comment