Grand Ole Opry 10/23 & 10/24

Thoughts on John Anderson: I never saw John Anderson in concert, but I saw him several times on the Grand Ole Opry. He certainly had one of the unique voices in country music and deserved his election to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024. While he did appear on the Opry a few times throughout his career, he never became an Opry member. Personally, I think he would have been a good one, but I do not know if there was any interest on his part, or on the part of Opry management. In the end, he could have been another one who slipped between the cracks. 

It's hard to fathom that on Sunday night he was at the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony and appeared in good health and spirits, then seeing the news on Wednesday that he had passed away. 71 is way too young and while he will be missed, we will always have the wonderful memories and music that he made over the course of his career. And let's not forget that when he worked in construction in the early 1970s, he helped to put the roof on the new Grand Ole Opry House. 

Last Saturday night, Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill celebrated his 35th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. No, I was not there on Saturday night, but I did listen to the entire show on the radio. It was wonderful and I have no complaints with the artists who were on, which included Ricky Skaggs, Amy Grant, Charlie Worsham, Patty Loveless, the Square Dancers and Vince. Wendy Moten was on the original schedule but cancelled due to illness, while Keb' Mo' made a surprise appearance. 

What surprised me was the limited number of acts scheduled. We saw the same thing on the Saturday night of the birthday weekend. Over the years, we have seen the number of acts on a typical Opry show shrink in numbers, until landing on what is now the standard seven or eight acts. Thankfully, on Saturday night, as on the birthday weekend, Vince was closing the show and he was able to stretch himself out to almost 30 minutes. With the quality of acts appearing, I don't think there were any complaints, nor should there be. 

I have written before that I know it is hard to book an Opry show, especially now that the show is running almost every day of the week. I think that also explains why we have seen the recent upsurge in new Opry members, especially the veteran acts who are more likely to be available for an Opry show, along with the high number of acts making their Opry debuts. But even with that, some of the lineups are running a bit thin. 

Again, just to be clear, I thought the birthday weekend shows, along with Saturday night, were both excellent shows. My concern is just the limited number of acts on the schedule.

Speaking of Vince Gill, and moving ahead to this weekend, Vince is back on the schedule for both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry shows. Joining Vince on Friday night are Opry members T. Graham Brown and Riders In The Sky Also scheduled is John Berry and The Castellows. Rounding it out are two artists making their Opry debuts: Mat Kearney and Branden Walter. 

Saturday night was originally a two-show night on the schedule, but last week it was changed to just one show. Joining Vince on Saturday night are members Riders In The Sky (back for a 2nd night), Old Crow Medicine Show, Charlie McCoy and Dailey & Vincent. Very frequent Opry guest Charles Esten is scheduled, as is Greylan James, who is making his Opry debut. 

Finally, the Sunday Night Opry continues through the month of October and this weekend Gene Watson, The Whites and Dailey & Vincent head up the lineup. 

Guesting is the incredible songwriter, Jimmy Webb. I have seen Jimmy in concert, and he puts on a wonderful show, For those not familiar, has written “Up, Up and Away,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “Highwayman,” “All I Know,” “Didn’t We” and “MacArthur Park.” Rounding out the Sunday lineup are The Cleverlys, Matt Schuster and Lennon Stella. 

(I am still waiting on the final running order for the shows this weekend)

Monday October 24, 1983, was a sad day in the history of the Grand Ole Opry as one of the Opry's earliest members, Kirk McGee passed away. 

From the Nashville Tennessean October 25, 1983: 

Grand Ole Opry member Kirk McGee, one of the show's mainstays of traditional country music, died late yesterday afternoon of a heart attack at his home in Franklin. 

David Kirkland McGee was born near Franklin Nov. 4, 1899, and lived his entire life in and around the Williamson County community. In addition to his lifetime of performing, McGee sold real estate and farmed there. The 83-year-old singer/guitarist delighted audiences on the Opry with his fluid playing style, sentimental parlor songs, and humorous ditties from 1926 to this past Saturday night, the date of his last performance. 

In his long career, McGee played with such famed country entertainers as Hall of Fame member Uncle Dave Macon, The Fruit Jar Drinkers and Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. His most successful musical pairing, however, was always with his brother Sam McGee, who died in 1975 following a farm accident. 

The brothers first recorded in 1926, the same year they teamed up with Uncle Dave Macon for road shows around Middle Tennessee. Kirk preferred the stately, elegant, romantic old songs. Sam performed the light-hearted comic tunes and bluesy numbers. In 1928 the brothers recorded what are possibly the only five and six string banjo duets in country music history. In the 1930s they teamed up with Arthur Smith to form the Dixieliners, one of the greatest of the old-time string bands. 

In the late 1950s the McGee Brothers were "discovered" by collegiate folksong revivalists. At that time both recorded for folk labels and toured college campuses. After Sam's death, Kirk continued as an Opry soloist and as a member of The Fruit Jar Drinkers. 

Opry publicist Jerry Strobel said last night, "I think everybody liked Kirk. Course, he was just here Saturday night so this is very sad. He's had heart problems, but this is still a sudden shock." 

McGee is survived by his wife Ruby Watson McGee, and by his three daughters Ona, Dorothy, and Jean. 

Kirk McGee made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance the previous Saturday night, October 22. It was also the final night that The Fruit Jar Drinkers appeared as a group on the Opry as with the death of Kirk, the group disbanded. Here is the running order of the Opry from that night 43 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Jimmy C Newman (host): Jambalaya
Vic Willis Trio: Shenandoah
Cajun Country: Happy Cajun

6:45: Rudy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Osborne Brothers: Little Cabin on the Hill
Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo

7:00: Shoney's
Grandpa Jones (host): Nashville on My Mind
Billy Grammer: The Old Spinning Wheel
Jan Howard: One Every Hour As Often As Needed for Pain
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Ray Pillow: You're One Memory That I'd Like to Make Again/Julie Loved Boston More Than Me
Grandpa Jones: Gone Home

7:30: Standard Candy
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop-A-Top
Jeannie Seely: When Will I See You Again
Teddy Wilburn: Because He Lives
The Other Brothers: Just Sittin' & Pickin'
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Sally Goodin
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Roy Drusky: Blues in My Heart
Jeanne Pruett: We Came So Close
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Del Wood: Gloryland March/Down Yonder
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Ninety Miles An Hour (Down A Dead-End Street
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Johnny Russell: Red Necks, White Socks & Blue Ribbon Beer
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Saturday Night Hop
The 4 Guys: You Make It Right
Hank Snow: Begger To a King

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Grandpa Jones (host): Kitty Klide
The 4 Guys: Shenandoah
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda
Vic Willis Trio: Let It Be Me
Stonewall Jackson: Why I'm Walkin'
Jan Howard: Tainted Love
Grandpa Jones: My Mother's Manion is Higher Than Mine

10:00: Little Debbie
Charlie Walker (host): My Window Faces South
Billy Grammer: Homestead on the Farm
The Other Brothers: Whatever Happened to the Cowboys
Charlie Walker: San Antonio Rose

10:15: Sunbeam
Osborne Brothers (host): Wreck of the Old 97
Ray Pillow: Too Many Bridges Need Burning
Osborne Brothers: Old Flames

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Just A Friend
Del Wood: Roll Out the Barrel/Cajun Stripper
Onie Wheeler and Charlie Collins: Mother Prays Loud in Her Sleep

10:45: Beech-Nut
Jim Ed Brown (host): Fools
Jeannie Seely: When Your Heart's Been Stepped On
Crook Brothers and The Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Green Back Dollar
Jim Ed Brown: Four Walls

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): In The Misty Moonlight
Jeanne Pruett: I Oughta Feel Guilty
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Sugar Tree Stomp
Justin Tubb: Pull the Covers Over Me
Kirk McGee: I Was Sorta Wondering
Hank Snow: So Goes My Heart

11:30: Hardee's
Roy Drusky (host): Mississippi
Bill Carlisle: Business Man
Bill Carlisle Jr. and Sheila Carlisle: Just to Satisfy You
Johnny Russell: Kaw-Liga
Roy Drusky: Wings of a Dove

The following Saturday night, October 29, the show was dedicated to Kirk McGee. Here is the dedication that was read by Hal Durham at the start of the late show that night: 

Ladies and gentlemen, one of the Grand Ole Opry voices you won't be hearing tonight is that of Kirk McGee, who died this past week of a heart attack. Mr. McGee, who was 83, had been a member of this musical family almost all of its 58-year history. Together with his late brother, Sam, he helped preserved the great traditions of country music. Following Sam's death several years ago, Kirk carried on very capably as a solo act and was a member of The Fruit Jar Drinkers. Tonight, our thoughts are with Kirk's family and the sorrow that we feel at his passing is tempered by the gratitude we feel for his many years we were able to share with him. As the Grand Ole Opry continues now, we want to dedicate our show to the memory of Kirk McGee. 

Kirk McGee: another of the Opry's early members who have largely been forgotten today.