Grand Ole Opry 10/9 & 10/10

Last week I was in Nashville and at the Grand Ole Opry for the Opry's 101st Birthday Weekend. While the official birthday weekend did not begin until Thursday, I arrived in Nashville on Wednesday and attended the Opry that night, along with the Thursday-Saturday shows. 

Now for some random observations (in no particular order): 

On Wednesday night, Wade Forster from Australia made his Opry debut. It was pretty obvious that many in the audience were unfamiliar with him. Personally, I found him to be ok, but nothing special. 

The Whites were also on the schedule for Wednesday night. Why when they appear are they limited to just two songs? They deserve to have a third. 

Wendy Moten is one of the most talented singers in any type of music. Ditto for Mandy Barnett. 

As with Wade Forster, Stephen Day, who made his debut on Thursday night, was ok. Again, nothing special. 

Charlie Worsham will have his Opry induction after Rhett Akins. While he is not a superstar, he will be good for the Opry and help to fill out the lineups. 

Rhett Akins appeared in Studio A on Saturday afternoon. That show drew just under 400 and lasted about 75 minutes, followed by a meet & greet. He was really fun and I do believe he will be a very good Opry member. His induction in another week should be a special night. 

Ricky Skaggs sang his country hits. Nothing wrong with that. 

I really like Steven Curtis Chapman. 

I don't like the interviews that are being done with those making their Opry debuts. I wish they would just sing another song. 

Both Bill Anderson and Connie Smith were very good. Their voices were right-on and both received good responses from the audience. There aren't many legends left from the 60s and once Bill and Connie are gone, that link will disappear. Enjoy them while they are here. 

The Oak Ridge Boys received standing ovations for Elvira on all three shows. Sadly, Richard Sterban was not with the group this weekend. Where they get their energy from, I have no idea. 

Vince is Vince. The Opry would be lost without him. His loyalty to the show is an example to every other Opry member. 

I really liked Lucas Leon. With the right record label and management, he has a future in country music. 

Brad Paisley needs to get back to the Opry more. Of course, I have been saying that for the last couple of decades. The Opry could use him more than once or twice a year. 

It was nice to see a sold-out Opry show on Friday night, and for the first show on Saturday. The last Saturday show drew about 2,000, while Thursday was less than that. 

There were only six acts on Saturday night, It would have been nice to have had a couple more. 

The Opry Plaza Party was nice, as always, But I do miss the legendary Opry members out in the plaza meeting their fans and signing autographs. 

I miss the birthday cake being rolled out. The cake is still there but it is back in Studio A. The balloons did come down and most of the cast that was on those nights did come out to sing Happy Birthday. 

Finally, this was my 32nd birthday weekend in a row and I think 35 or 36 in total. While some weekends are better than others, this one was a good one. Overall, one of the best in a few years. 

And yes, I will be back next year. 

Now taking a look at the Grand Ole Opry shows this weekend with one show on Friday night, two shows on Saturday, and also a Sunday Night Opry. 

Starting with the Friday Night Opry, there are five Opry members on the schedule: Kathy Mattea, Connie Smith, Mandy Barnett, The Whites and Gary Mule Deer. Guesting are The Wilder Blue, Abbey Cone and making his Opry debut, Randy Bachman. 

If the name Randy Bachman sounds familiar to you, it is because Randy has had a very successful career as a member of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. As a guitarist, songwriter, performer and producer, he has earned over 120 gold and platinum album/singles awards around the world. His songwriting has garnered him the coveted #1 spot on radio playlists in over 20 countries and over the course of his career he has sold over 40 million records. Randy’s songs have been recorded by a broad range of artists and have been placed in dozens of TV shows, films and commercials. Impressively, his music has provided a veritable soundtrack of the last thirty years of popular music. The hits are too numerous to mention and include "These Eyes," "American Woman," "Roll on Down the Highway" and "Takin' Care of Business." I think it is safe to say that the Opry House will be rocking on Friday night. 

Moving ahead to Saturday night, Gary Mule Deer returns, joined by Riders In The Sky and Steve Earle. Guesting are Linda Davis, JigJam, Clayton Nile Young, who is making his Opry debut, as are Christian music artists Caleb & John.

Finally, appearing on the Sunday Night Opry are members T. Graham Brown and Dailey & Vincent. Among the guest artists are Christian music icon Sandi Patty and Kristin Chenoweth. Rounding out the lineup are Opry NextStage artist Alexandra Kay, Avery Anna, Benny G. and making her Opry debut, Sienna Spiro. 

Friday October 9
7:00: Mandy Barnett, The Whites, Randy Bachman, The Wilder Blue
Intermission
8:20: Connie Smith, Gary Mule Deer, Abbey Cone, Kathy Mattea

Saturday October 10
7:00/9:30
Opry Square Dancers, Riders In The Sky, Linda Davis, Clayton Nile Young, JigJam, Gary Mule Deer, Opry Square Dancers, Caleb & John, Steve Earle

(Running order is the same on both shows)

Sunday October 11
7:00: Dailey & Vincent, Benny G., Sienna Spiro, T. Graham Brown
Intermission
8:20: Avery Anna, Sandi Patty, Alexandra Kay, Kristin Chenoweth

While the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 101st anniversary last weekend, it was on this weekend in 1987 that the Opry celebrated its 62nd anniversary. 

From the Tennessean Friday Oct 9:

This year's 62nd Grand Ole Opry Birthday Celebration features more Opry star appearances than ever before. Tomorrow afternoon more than a dozen of the venerable show's cast members will be signing autographs and posing for pictures in the Opryland park in conjunction with the Opry birthday. Many will head for the Opry House that evening for the traditional jumbo birthday cake display and party. 

The next day at the Opryland Hotel a half dozen Opry greats will participate in a free "Sunday Mornin' Country gospel show. In the afternoon, the Opry stars have been invited to attend the Reunion of Professional Entertainers (ROPE) get-together in suburban Nashville. And many Opry stars will be on view at Monday's nationally telecast Country Music Association Awards Show, for 16 of this year's nominations were captured by show cast members. 

Saturday's Opryland autograph and picture sessions will feature Country Music Hall of Fame members Bill Monroe and Grant Turner, plus many other Opry celebrities. The sessions begin at 11 a.m. when Jack Greene, Charlie Walker and Riders In The Sky will meet with fans. At noon are The 4 Guys and The Carlisles. 

Jim Ed Brown, Jeannie Seely and The Whites are scheduled for 1 p.m. followed by Stonewall Jackson, Del Wood and Jan Howard at 2 p.m. At 3 p.m. come Skeeter Davis and George Hamilton IV, with Turner, Del Reeves and Wilma Lee Cooper arriving the next hour. The 5 p.m. slot will feature Monroe and Jimmy C Newman. The fan sessions will conclude with Jean Shepard at 6 p.m. 

Also on hand all day will be Glen Thompson, president of the Grand Ole Opry Fan Club. Thompson, of Kenosha, Wisc., will sign up new fan club members throughout the day. 

The Grand Ole Opry birthday show will be highlighted by an appearance by superstar Glen Campbell. He'll be on The Nashville Network's nationally televised 7 p.m. Opry segment along with Roy Acuff, Del Wood and Stonewall Jackson. 

Here is the posted lineup for Friday October 9, 1987: 

1st show
6:30: Del Reeves (host): Skeeter Davis, Ray Pillow, The 4 Guys, Del Wood
7:00: Bill Monroe (host): Jean Shepard, Riders In The Sky, Stonewall Jackson, Jack Greene
7:30: Roy Acuff (host): Jan Howard, George Hamilton IV, 
8:00: Jim Ed Brown (host): Connie Smith, Osborne Brothers, Jimmy C Newman
8:30: Hank Snow (host): The Whites, Charlie Walker

2nd show
9:30: Bill Monroe (host): Lorrie Morgan, Carlisles, Justin Tubb, Jeannie Seely
10:00: Roy Acuff (host): The 4 Guys, Del Reeves, Jean Shepard
10:30: Jack Greene (host): Riders In The Sky, Del Wood, Wilma Lee Cooper, George Hamilton IV
11:00: Hank Snow (host): The Whites, Jimmy C Newman, Connie Smith
11:30: Jim Ed Brown (host): Osborne Brothers, Charlie Walker

And now the running order from the 62nd birthday show from 39 years ago: 

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime At At Time/Looking at the World Through a Windshield
The 4 Guys: Once More
Del Reeves: I Wished That I Had Loved Her That Way

6:45: Rudy's
Jimmy C Newman (host): Cajun's Dream
Lorrie Morgan: There's No Love In Tennessee
Jimmy C Newman: Pistol Packin' Mama

7:00: Shoney's
Jim Ed Brown (host): Fools
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Charlie Louvin & Jennifer O'Brien: Every Time You Leave
George Hamilton IV: Someday My Ship Will Sail
Jan Howard: Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye
Jim Ed Brown: I Don't Want to Have to Marry You

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Stonewall Jackson: Closer to the Vine
Del Wood: Down Yonder
Glen Campbell: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle/I Remember You
Roy Acuff & Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry
Roy Acuff & Glen Campbell: I Saw the Light

8:00: Martha White
Bill Monroe (host): My Rose of Old Kentucky/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Connie Smith: The Key's in the Mailbox
Riders In The Sky: Faded Love
The Whites: If It Ain't Love
Crook Brothers & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Lafayette
Bill Monroe: Lord, Let the Gates Swing Wide for Me

8:30: Music Valley Merchants
Hank Snow (host): Between Fire and Water
Skeeter Davis: My Last Date with You/Silver Threads & Golden Needles/The End of the World
Roy Drusky: The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder
Jack Greene: Statue of A Fool
Carlisles: Worried Man Blues
Hank Snow: I'm Glad I Got to See You Again

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Bill Monroe (host): Uncle Pen
Jeannie Seely: That May Be All I Need to Know
Del Reeves: The Chair That Rocked Us All
The Whites: Swing Down Sweet Chariot
Jimmy C Newman: Big Mamou
Bill Monroe: The Home Above

10:00: Little Debbie
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
The 4 Guys: Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Wilma Lee Cooper: I Dreamed About Mama Last Night
Roy Acuff & Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away

10:30: Pet Milk
George Hamilton IV (host): Break My Mind
Jean Shepard: I'll Sail My Ship Alone
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young

10:45: Heil Quaker
Jack Greene (host): Walking on New Grass
Charlie Walker: Deep Water
Crook Brothers & The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Jack Greene; There Goes My Everything

11:00 Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Why Do You Punish Me
Connie Smith: Once A Day
Charlie Louvin: True Love
Jan Howard: Release Me
Justin Tubb: Thanks, Troubadour, Thanks
Hank Snow: I Care No More

11:30: BC Powder
Roy Drusky (host): Too Old to Die Young
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Carlisles: Elvira
Riders In The Sky: Back on Those Texas Plains
Roy Drusky & Riders In The Sky: Cool Water
Roy Drusky: Just A Closer Walk With Thee

Even as loaded as this Opry birthday show was, there were still a few big names missing. People such as Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner, Grandpa Jones, Johnny Russell among others. And it was nice to see Glen Campbell make one of his rare Opry appearances during the birthday celebration. 

There was really something about the Grand Ole Opry birthday weekends with a lot of opportunity for fans to meet their favorite Opry members for pictures and autographs. Sadly, those days are gone, as are the birthday weekend shows when a vast majority of the Opry's members appeared.