As we all know, some weekends at the Grand Ole Opry are better than others, and this weekend we have one of the better weekends as Carrie Underwood returns to the Opry for two shows on Friday and Saturday night. For Carrie, these four appearances will bring her total up to 10 for the year as she continues to fulfill her commitment to the Opry.
Besides Carrie Underwood, the Friday Night Opry has Opry members Bill Anderson, Mark Wills and Steven Curtis Chapman on the schedule. Guesting are Louis York and Colony House.
Friday will also be a special night, and I wanted to include what Bill Anderson wrote in his November newsletter:
My special month continues on the Opry stage this coming Friday, Nov. 6th, for two shows shining the spotlight on the gift of adoption. November just happens to be National Adoption Month. Opry member, Steven Curtis Chapman, and his wife, Mary Beth, have an organization called Show Hope that helps care for orphans and reduce barriers to adoption. The Opry will be offering a $5 donation to Show Hope per ticket sold Friday night. Since I have an adopted granddaughter, Sophie, in my life, this cause is special to me and my family. Carrie Underwood among others will perform that night. I hope lots of you will come enjoy the show and help support a very worthwhile cause.
Sounds like a good reason to buy a ticket for Friday night.
Meanwhile, on Saturday night, besides Carrie, Connie Smith and Dailey & Vincent are scheduled, along with John Foster, who is back for another appearance. If it appears that John is on the schedule a lot, well, he is. John has made more appearances than any other non-member in 2026. While John has made numerous appearances, legendary songwriter Bernie Taupin will be making his first appearance as Saturday will be his Opry debut.
It seems like it has been a while since David Lee Murphy has played the Opry and that will change on Saturday as he is scheduled, along with Mark Geiger.
Friday November 6
1st show
7:00: Mark Wills, Bill Anderson, Louis York, Colony House, Steven Curtis Chapman, Carrie Underwood
2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson, Carrie Underwood, Mark Wills, Louis York, Colony House, Steven Curtis Chapman
Saturday November 7
1st show
7:00: Opry Square Dancers, Dailey & Vincent, Mark Geiger, Connie Smith, John Foster, David Lee Murphy, Bernie Taupin, Carrie Underwood
2nd show
9:30: Opry Square Dancers, Dailey & Vincent, Connie Smith, Carrie Underwood, David Lee Murphy, Bernie Taupin, Mark Geiger, John Foster
Bernie Taupin has written the soundtrack to millions of lives over the last six decades. His legendary songwriting partnership with Elton John produced one of the most celebrated catalogs in popular music, while collaborations with artists including Willie Nelson, Alice Cooper, Starship, Courtney Love, and others have cemented his standing as one of the defining lyricists of the modern era. His work has earned an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize, induction into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and most recently, the Recording Academy's Trustees Award.
The Sea Has No Mercy arrives at a new creative peak for Taupin. Following the publication of his acclaimed memoir Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me, and with a feature documentary about his life and work currently in production, he turns the pen inward for the most personal project of his career.
His first solo album in nearly four decades—and the first he has written entirely on his own—The Sea Has No Mercy distills a lifetime of experience into ten songs that are reflective and revealing, vivid and thoughtful, sometimes hushed, sometimes joyful, and sometimes elegiac. Recorded in Nashville with producer Frank Liddell, the album features guest appearances from Brandi Carlile, Lee Ann Womack, and Taupin's younger daughter, Georgey.
Finally, there is a special Sunday Night Opry this weekend as the Grand Ole Opry celebrates the 60th annual Country Music Association Awards. The show will highlight the award winners from the period when the awards show took place at the Grand Ole Opry House. Vince Gill will host the show, and in addition to Vince, Opry members Ricky Skaggs, Jamey Johnson, Crystal Gayle and Lorrie Morgan are scheduled.
Also listed is Deana Carter. Interesting. Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle will also perform. The show will also include a special tribute to John Anderson, who was scheduled to appear on the show.
Sunday November 8
7:00: Ricky Skaggs, Deana Carter, Crystal Gayle, Jamey Johnson
Intermission
8:20: Lorrie Morgan, Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle, Vince Gill
November 7, 1998, was a special night at the Grand Ole Opry as Jimmy Dickens was honored upon his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. (Actually, it was his 50th anniversary from when he originally joined the Opry in 1948, as Jimmy left the Opry for 17 years).
From The Tennessean, Friday November 6, 1998:
This is a historic weekend for Little Jimmy Dickens: he celebrates 50 years as a Grand Ole Opry member during his performance Saturday night on the Opry.
After making his first guest appearance on Feb. 21, 1948, he became an official member that Nov. 6, and he's been one of its most consistent performers since. Dickens made a mark with novelty tunes such as Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait), A-Sleepin at the Foot of the Bed, and May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose, but he also cranked out rockabilly-flavored stuff before there was ever a name for it. Two of Ricky Van Shelton's hits Hole in My Pocket and Life Turned Her That Way, were recorded by Dickens long before Shelton ever got hold of them.
A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame since 1983, Dickens will celebrate his 50th anniversary during the 7:30 p.m. TV portion of the show on TNN's Grand Ole Opry Live.
Here is the posted schedule for the Friday Night Opry on November 6, 1998:
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host): Bill Carlisle, The Whites, Oswald & Charlie, Stonewall Jackson
8:00: Johnny Russell (host): Jeannie Seely, Billy Grammer, Holly Dunn
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host): Jeanne Pruett, Jack Greene, Charlie Louvin
9:00: Bill Anderson (host): Billy Walker, Stu Phillips, Jimmy C Newman, Lari White
9:30: Diamond Rio (host): Del Reeves, Jan Howard, Leroy Van Dyke, Ray Pillow
And now the running order from Saturday November 7, 1998, the night Jimmy Dickens was honored:
1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Jimmy C Newman (host): Cajun's Dream
Skeeter Davis: Silver Threads & Golden Needles
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya
6:45: Kodak
Jack Greene (host): Highway to the Sky
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Comin'
Porter Wagoner and Brother Oswald: Mansion on the Hill
The Whites: If It Ain't Love
Billy Grammer: Legend in My Time
Leroy Van Dyke: Walk on By
Christie Lynn: Chains/The Last Thing on My Mind
7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): Out Behind the Barn
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Bobby Bare: Detroit City
Jimmy Dean: Drinking From My Saucer
8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): No Fair Falling in Love
Charlie Louvin: In the Cross
Del Reeves: The Bells of Southern Bell
Sweet Adelines: Who Will Buy
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Singers: Cherokee Shuffle
Bill Anderson: Po Folks
8:30: Physician's Mutual
Johnny Russell (host): Truck Driving Man
Charlie Walker: There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
The 4 Guys: In My Tennessee Mountain Home
Lari White: You Can't Go Home Again
Stu Phillips: Only God
Johnny Russell: Act Naturally
2nd show
9:30: Opry Book
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Jan Howard: Oh, Lonesome Me
Billy Grammer: Unknown Soldier
Leroy Van Dyke: Auctioneer
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home
Porter Wagoner and Christie Lynn: Milwaukee, Here I Come
10:00: Lincoln Mercury
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Skeeter Davis: I Can Call Jesus Anytime
Jimmy C Newman: Cochon De Lait/Texa-Cajun
10:15: Banquet
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take an Old Cold Tater
Bobby Bare: Marie Laveau
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn
10:30: Epiphone Guitar
Bill Anderson (host): Did She Mention My Name
Sweet Adelines: Who Will Buy
Bill Anderson: The Paper
10:45: Joggin' In A Jug
Charlie Walker (host): San Antonio Rose
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Durang's Hornpipe
Charlie Walker: There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
11:00: Coca Cola
The 4 Guys (host): Walking With My Baby by the San Francisco Bay
Lari White: Take Me/You Can't Go Home Again
Jack Greene: Over There
Stu Phillips: The Great El Tigre
The 4 Guys: Amazing Grace
11:30: Opry Book
Johnny Russell (host): Folsom Prison Blues
Del Reeves: You Comb Her Hair/Hound Dog
The Whites: Doing It By the Book
It was a big night for Jimmy as he was featured on the televised portion that night. Bobby Bare appeared on both shows, at Jimmy's invitation, while his good friend Jimmy Dean appeared on the first show. Backstage that night were Waylon Jennings, Carl Smith and Garth Brooks.
No comments:
Post a Comment