Teddy Wilburn

I want to take a moment and remember the late Grand Ole Opry star Teddy Wilburn. Teddy was born on November 30, 1931 and would have celebrated his 79th birthday on Tuesday. Teddy was born in Hardy, Arkansas, and came from a very musical family. The performed with their family members as The Wilburn Children. Roy Acuff discovered them and brought them to the Grand Ole Opry in 1940. However, they were found to be in violation of child labor laws and were forced to leave the Opry six months later.

In the early 1950's, Teddy teamed up with his brother Doyle to form The Wilburn Brothers. Although they were very popular, they never had a #1 record. The closest they came was in 1963 when the song, "Hurt Her Once For Me", went to #3 on the charts. "Trouble's Back In Town", perhaps their most popular number, went to #4 in 1962. They had a recording career that lasted from 1954 to 1981. Doyle died in 1982 and Teddy continued to appear on the Opry as a solo act.

In addition to being successful recording artists, the brothers also owned a publishing business and a talent agency. They signed a number of new artists, most notably Loretta Lynn and Patty Loveless, who were both part of their road shows and television shows, which ran from 1963 to 1974. The show can still be seen on RFD-TV. One incident that does stand out in their career is that they had signed Loretta Lynn to their publishing company and then after she became very successful, they refused to release her from her contract. It has been reported that Loretta stopped her songwriting after that, and it is rumored that she signed with another company and wrote under an assumed name.

Doyle and Teddy joined the Opry in 1953 and Teddy remained an Opry member until his death on November 24, 2003, although making very few appearances in his later years. As Opry members, they were very popular, and were often segment hosts for the shows. For many years, The Wilburn Brothers have received consideration for election to the Country Music Hall of Fame. They were one of the most influential duo acts in country music during the 1950's and 1960's, but what has hurt their chances are the fact that they never had a #1 record and the problems, that became very public, with Loretta Lynn.

In all the years of attending the Opry, I find it hard to believe that I saw Teddy Wilburn only one time and that was on Friday September 30, 1989. On that Friday night, the Opry had 2 shows and Teddy appeared only on the 2nd show. In memory of Teddy Wilburn, here is the Opry line-up from that night.

9:30 (Music Valley Drive Merchants): Grandpa Jones(host); George Hamilton IV; Teddy Wilburn; 4 Guys; Jimmy C. Newman
10:00 ( Goody's Headache Powder): Roy Acuff(host); Jean Shepard; Billy Walker
10:30 (Pillsbury Hungry Jack Biscuits): Bill Monroe(host); Connie Smith; Jimmy Dickens; Justin Tubb
11:00 (Luck's Foods): Hank Snow(host); The Osborne Brothers; Jeannie Seely; Carlisles
11:30 (Heinz): Jim Ed Brown(host); Jack Greene; Jan Howard

Tuesday Night Opry 11/30

The Opry finishes out the month of November with the Tuesday Night Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. Here is the line-up:

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Jimmy Wayne
7:30: Riders In The Sky; The Grascals
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson; Justin Moore
8:45: Jimmy Dickens; Darryl Worley

The same pattern as usual, with an Opry member on the 1st segment of each half hour, then a guest performer on the 2nd segment.

November 28, 1925

November 28, 1925 is officially recognized by WSM and the Grand Ole Opry as the official start date of the show. It was on that Saturday night, that Judge George D. Hay introduced Uncle Jimmy Thompson on the air at 8:00pm that night, for an hour of fiddle music.

Here is how George D. Hay remembered that night:

"Because the Grand Ole Opry is a very simple program it started in a very simple way. Your reporter, who was the first program director of WSM, had considerable experience in the field of folk music when the station opened in October 1925. Realizing the wealth of folk music material and performers in the Tennessee Hills he welcomed the appearance of Uncle Jimmy Thompson and his blue ribbon fiddle who went on the air at eight o'clock, Saturday night, November 28, 1925. Uncle Jimmy told us that he had a thousand tunes. Past eighty years of age, he was given a comfortable chair in front of an old carbon micrphone. While his niece, Mrs. Eva Thompson Jones, played his piano accompaniment your reporter presented Uncle Jimmy and announced that he would be glad to answer your requests for old time tunes. Immediately telegrams started to pour into WSM. "

"One hour later at nine o'clock we asked Uncle Jimmy if he hadn't done enough fiddling to which he replied, 'Why shucks, a man don't get warmed up in an hour. I just won an eight-day fiddling contest down in Dallas, Texas and here's my blue ribbon to prove it.' Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Mrs. Jones and The Solemn Old Judge carried on for several weeks for an hour each Saturday night....."

"To the best of our recollection the first old time band we presented on the Saturday night show, which at that time we called the WSM Barn Dance, was headed by a very genial country physician from Sumner County, Tennessee, named Dr. Humphrey Bate."

Over the years, the November 28 date has been challenged, specifically by Mrs. Alcyone Bate Beasley, who claimed over the years that her father, Dr. Bate, was actually the first performer who originated what is today the Grand Ole Opry. According to her, Dr. Bate was doing a Barn Dance on WSM radio at the end of October 1925, 3 weeks after the station went on the air. She said that his band played on the station for about four to five weeks before George Hay came to the station.

Later research that was done through the files of the Nashville Tennessean seem to confirm her version of the events. The Tennessean mentioned in an article on Sunday October 18, 1925, with the headline, "WSM Announces Week's Program", that on Saturday from 10-11pm, a program would feature Dr. Bate and his string quartet of old-time musicians. " That would seem to confirm the date of Saturday October 24, which is the date mentioned by Mrs. Beasley.

According to the Opry's history, Saturday December 26, 1925 is the date that the WSM Barn Dance was officially added to the WSM schedule, and that is also according to the Tennessean. Again from the Tennessean, " WSM has arranged to have an hour or two every Saturday night, starting Saturday December 26." This appears to be the date that George Hay decided to make the WSM Barn Dance a regularly scheduled show.

All interesting stuff, but it goes back to no matter what may or may not have happened, or in what order, November 28, 1925 is considered the birth of the Grand Ole Opry. Congratulations to the Opry for another milestone of achievement.

By the way, here is the line-up from the WSM Barn Dance, November 28, 1925:

8:00: Uncle Jimmy Thompson

There you have it!!!

Grand Ole Opry Line-Up 11/26 & 11/27

As we enter the holiday season, things seem pretty quiet at the Opry. Not much is making news and normally it stays that way through the holiday season. This weekend, the Opry continues its winter run at the Ryman Auditorium with 1 show on Friday night and 2 shows on Saturday night.

This weekend's line-up features many of the Opry's veterans including Jack Greene, Ray Pillow, Stu Phillips, Jimmy C. Newman, Jan Howard and Jean Shepard. Several groups who had hits in the 1980's, Highway 101 and Restless Heart will be on, along with veteran country stars Crystal Gayle and T. Graham Brown.

Friday November 26

7:00: John Conlee(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Jean Shepard; Thompson Square
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Highway 101
INTERMISSION
8:15: Riders In The Sky(host); Stu Phillips; Jim Ed Brown; Holly Williams
8:45: Mike Snider(host); Connie Smith; T. Graham Brown

Saturday November 27

First Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mike Snider(host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene; Brett Eldredge
8:00: John Conlee(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Crystal Gayle; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Riders In The Sky(host); The Whites; Jim Ed Brown

Second Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Del McCoury Band
10:00: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Jack Greene; Brett Eldredge
10:30: John Conlee(host); Ray Pillow; Crystal Gayle; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Riders In The Sky(host); The Whites; Restless Heart

Interesting that the same 4 performers (Dickens, Snider, Conlee, Riders), are hosting the segments on all 3 shows. Also, it would appear that the veterans are being limited to just 2 of the 3 shows over the weekend. Those would include Brown, Newman, Shepard, Greene, Smith and Whites. The 2 veteran bluegrass groups (Osborne, McReynolds) each get one slot, as do the senior Opry members (Phillips, Howard and Pillow). Interesting booking pattern.

I listened to the Opry shows last weekend and Jimmy Dickens sounded in pretty good voice and actually had sounded pretty good over the past several weeks. Then I listened on Tuesday night and he sounded pretty bad. Maybe this many shows in a week is catching up to him again.

The host of this week's Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree taping will be Norma Jean. That should be just a great show to see this veteran country music star who really gave up a promising career. It is too bad that she was not invited to do the Opry, as she performed on the show so many times with Porter Wagoner, and as a solo act. The Midnight Jamboree that will be on WSM was taped last Saturday and will be hosted by Jean Shepard.

Finally, a very happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. I hope all of you have something to be thankful for and are able to enjoy the day with family and friends.

Tuesday Night Opry 11/23

After 3 pretty good Opry shows this past weekend, the Opry enters Thanksgiving week. This week's Tuesday Night Opry will continue to take place at the Ryman Auditorium, with the show at 7:00pm.

7:00: Jim Ed Brown; James Otto
7:30: John Conlee; Elizabeth Cook
INTERMISSION
8:00: Bill Anderson; Eric Church
8:30: Jimmy Dickens; Dailey & Vincent

As you can see, the Opry continues the pattern of most Tuesday night shows, with an Opry performer in the first half of each half hour and a guest in the 2nd slot of each half hour.

Dierks Bentley/Josh Turner/Jean Shepard

This weekend, 3 Grand Ole Opry members will be celebrating birthdays. On Saturday November 20, Dierks Bentley will be celebrating his 35th birthday. Dierks was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Since he started his recording career, he has had 14 songs that have made the charts, including 7 #1 hits. When Dierks first came to Nashville, he worked for the Nashville Network and would hang out backstage at the Opry. He first played on the Opry in April 2003 and became an Opry member on October 1, 2005. Since joining the Opry. Dierks has been somewhat on the low end of fulfilling is Opry commitment. In the partial year that he joined in 2005, he appeared on the show 4 times. In 2006, he was up to 8 appearances, followed by 9 in 2007, and then down to 4 in 2008, 5 in 2009, and so far in 2010, 6 times on the Opry.

Here is the line-up from October 1, 2005, which was the night that Dierks Bentley became an Opry member. He was inducted on the televised segment, with Marty Stuart as the host and handling the induction.

6:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Billy Walker; Jimmy C. Newman
7:00: Marty Stuart(host); Chely Wright; Chris Cagle; Dierks Bentley
8:00: Porter Wagoner(host); John Conlee; Jim Ed Brown w/Helen Cornelius; Opry Square Dance Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); T. Bubba Bechtol; Osborne Brothers

9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Mel McDaniel; Jeannie Seely; Chely Wright
10:00: Porter Wagoner(host); Jan Howard; John Conlee; Chris Cagle
10:30: Marty Stuart(host); Stonewall Jackson; Connie Smith; Opry Square Dance Band; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jack Greene; Dierks Bentley
11:30: Jim Ed Brown(host); Helen Cornelius; T. Bubba Bechtol; Osborne Brothers

Also on Saturday, Josh Turner will be celebrating his 33rd birthday. Josh first appeared on the Opry on December 21, 2001, singing the song that would become his first hit record, "Long Black Train." Josh made numerous Opry appearances and on September 29, 2007, he was asked by Roy Clark to become the Opry's newest member. His official Opry induction took place on October 27, 2007. Since joining the Opry, Josh was pretty steady in his Opry appearances in his first two years as an Opry member. In 2007, he made 12 appearances on the Opry, followed by 11 in 2008. But in 2009, he dropped down to 7 appearances and so far in 2010, 6 appearances.

For Josh's birthday, I would like to post the line-up from Friday December 21, 2001, when he made his first appearance on the Opry.

7:30: Jim Ed Brown(host); Osborne Brothers; Clark Family Experience
8:00: Jean Shepard(host); Bill Carlisle; Jeannie Seely; Mike Snider
8:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jim & Jesse; Stu Phillips; Dale Watson
9:00: Bill Anderson(host); Josh Turner; Jan Howard; Brad Paisley
9:30: Ricky Skaggs(host); The Whites; Mel McDaniel; Phil Vassar

Finally, on Sunday November 21, one of the Opry's great legends will be celebrating her 77th birthday. Jean Shepard was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. In her great career, she has had 44 singles that have made the country music charts. She was married to Hawkshaw Hawkins, who died in the plane crash that claimed country music Hall of Famer Patsy Cline. She later married Benny Birchfield, who plays guitar for her at the Opry. (In fact, her wedding date is also November 21). For a time she was the president of the Association of Country Entertainers, that was formed in the 1970's, in response to the pop sounds that was dominating country music at the time.

Not only is November 21 Jeans birthday, it is also the date that Jean joined the Opry in 1955. In terms of consecutive years as an Opry member, Jean is only trailing Charlie Louvin, who joined the Opry earlier in 1955. (Jimmy Dickens joined in 1948, but left for a number of years). When Jean reached her 50th anniversary as an Opry member, she became the first female singer in the Opry's history to reach that milestone. Jean tells the story about the announcement on her becoming an Opry member. "Jim Denny (then the Opry's manager), was making some announcements to the DJs (during the annual disc jockey convention) and the media, and he said, 'By the way, we would like to welcome the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, Jean Shepard. Happy birthday Jean.' And what a thrill."

In my opinion, and the opinion of many others, one of the great injustices in country music history is the fact that Jean has not been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. She was a pioneering female in the history of country music, in fact having the first million selling record by a female artist after World War II. She became a star in a male dominated business and set the stage for the later success of Kitty Wells and many others. Some people feel one of the reasons she has not been elected is that she has been very outspoken in her views and opinions over the years regarding country music (the same thing happened to Porter Wagoner). Another fact that hurts her getting elected is the age of many of the voters, many of which are much younger than she is and do not know her as a million seller recording artist, but instead as "the elderly lady who plays the Opry every week." Hopefully, this injustice will be corrected while Jean is still healthy enough to enjoy the honor.

In honor of Jean Shepard, I would like to post the Opry line-up from Saturday November 26, 2005, when Jean was honored by Pete Fisher on her 50th anniversary as an Opry member. In another bit of injustice to Jean, the Opry on that Saturday night was not televised and even on the televised show the following week, Jean was not honored for her accomplishment.

6:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Osborne Brothers; Danielle Peck
7:00: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Mel McDaniel; Restless Heart
7:30: Hal Ketchum(host); Jean Shepard; Shannon Brown
8:00: Jeannie Seely(host); Billy Walker; Cherryholmes; Opry Square Dance Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); Jack Greene; Marty Stuart

This Saturday night, Jean will be the host of the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, where she will be honored for her 55th anniversary as an Opry member, her birthday, and her wedding anniversary. Hopefully, the Opry will have some special mention for her as she will be on the first show on Saturday night.

Grand Ole Opry Line-Up 11/19 & 11/20--Updated

The Opry has made several changes in this week's line-ups. On Friday night, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Daryle Singletary have been added. Also on Saturday night, Paul Shaffer, from the Dave Letterman show, will be with Marty Stuart.

I also neglected to mention, that on Sunday November 21, Jean Shepard will be celebrating her 55th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The Grand Ole Opry has posted their line-ups for this weekend's shows. There will be 1 show on Friday night and again, 2 shows on Saturday night, all 3 taking place at the Ryman Auditorium. Looking at the line-ups, it would appear that it will be a pretty good weekend.

Friday night is highlighted by the return of Charley Pride to the Opry stage, along with Ralph Stanley, and for the 2nd week in a row, Craig Morgan. On Saturday night, Charley Pride is back, along with Ralph Stanley, and joining them will be the Charlie Daniels Band. If you enjoy some of the Opry's veteran performers, this is the place to be this weekend.

Friday November 19

7:00: John Conlee(host); Mike Snider; Jean Shepard; Rebecca Lynn Howard
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jack Greene; Daryle Singletary
INTERMISSION
8:15: Charley Pride(host); Stonewall Jackson; George Hamilton IV; Ralph Stanley
8:45: Bill Anderson(host); Jan Howard; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Craig Morgan

Saturday November 20

First Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Radney Foster
7:30: Charley Pride(host); Jean Shepard; Mike Snider
8:00: Marty Stuart(host); Connie Smith; Ralph Stanley; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: John Conlee(host); The Whites; Charlie Daniels Band

Second Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Radney Foster
10:00: Charley Pride(host); The Whites; Mike Snider
10:30: Marty Stuart(host); Connie Smith; Ralph Stanley; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: John Conlee(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Charlie Daniels Band