September Opry Highlights

Another month is upon us, and as I do each month, here are the historical and important events that took place in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, for the month of September. Enjoy!

September 15, 1903: Roy Acuff was born in Maynardville, Tennessee.

September 26, 1925: Former Opry member Marty Robbins was born near Glendale, Arizona. Marty first appeared on the Opry in 1953 and became a member shortly after that. He would remain one of the Opry's most popular members until his death on December 8, 1982.

September 28, 1926: Jerry Clower was born near Liberty, Mississippi.

September 1, 1931: Lecil Travis Martin, otherwise known as "Boxcar Willie" was born in Sterratt, Texas. Much later in his life, on June 19, 1980, he made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. He had been playing a festival in England and Wesley Rose saw him there and invited him to Nashville, where he met Roy Acuff. He had started being Boxcar in 1975, which was the year that John Denver and Olivia Newton John had won some of the CMA awards, and many were unhappy with the direction of country music. On February 21, 1981, he became a member of the Opry and would remain a member until his death on April 12, 1999.

September 12, 1931: Opry member George Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas.

September 18, 1947: On this night, and the night that followed, Ernest Tubb and Minnie Pearl, along with other Opry members, played two shows at Carnegie Hall in New Youk. Here is how Ernest Tubb remembered it: "The radio and newspaper people ignored us the first night we were there, but we turned away six thousand people and the next night every reporter was there." Billboard magazine also reported that, "Such screaming and wild applause after each number hasn't been heard in town since Frank Sinatra brought out the bobbysoxers at the Paramount."

September 24, 1948: WSM began the Friday Night Frolics. This program originally took place in Studio C at the WSM studios. In 1964, the show was moved to the Ryman Auditorium and became known as the Friday Night Opry. This show was originally started to keep Eddy Arnold, who had left the Opry, on WSM.

September 24, 1956: WSM radio fired Opry manager Jim Denny. He was replaced by Dee Kilpatrick. Jim Denny owned Cedarwood Publishing company, which was a force in the music publishing business. Jack Stapp, who was also dismissed, owned Tree Publishing. WSM executive Irving Waugh said, "The board of directors had indicated that Denny and Stapp should be given the option of resigning or giving up their publishing interests. DeWitt didn't do that. He just fired Denny in September of '56 and brought in a new manager for the Grand Ole Opry."

September 25, 1956: Dee Kilpatrick was named the Grand Ole Opry's "general director." Kilpatrick would succeed Denny not only as Opry manager, but also as manager of the radio station's Artists' Service Bureau. He was a former record company executive. Here is what he was quoted as saying when he was appointed Opry manager: "They asked me what I thought was wrong. Well, back when I was working with Mercury Records I was at the Opry almost every Saturday night I was in town, and I could look at the audience and see what was wrong. The Opry didn't have the appeal to the younger audience that you have to have if you're going to keep growing. All I could see there were older people and little teeny kids. There weren't any teenagers." (Sounds like a lot of the same issues that Pete Fisher has been facing since he became the Opry's general manager.) Kilpatrick would begin to add younger acts to the Opry's cast, including the Everly Brothers and Porter Wagoner.

September 30, 1958: Marty Stuart was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

September 25, 1962: Loretta Lynn joined the Opry. Although her appearances have been very infrequent over the years, she will be celebrating her 49th year as an Opry member.

September 27, 1963: The National Life and Accident Insurance Company purchased the Ryman Auditorium from the city of Nashville for about $200,000. WSM, which operated the building, changed the name to the Grand Ole Opry House, but it would always be known as the Ryman. With ownership, WSM was able to do repairs that were needed on the building that the city could not afford to do.

September 16, 1967: Jeannie Seely joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. This year will be her 44th year as an Opry member. Here is how she remembers that night, "So it was September 16, 1967, when I joined. My parents came down from Pennsylvania for the show. About halfway through 'Don't Touch Me' the realization hit me of what this really meant. I was twenty-six, and from four years old I wanted that moment. I started crying. Then I encored and that was even worse. Strictly emotional."

September 19, 1968: Former Grand Ole Opry member Red Foley passed away in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Red came to the Opry and took over the Prince Albert show in April 1946. He would stay with the Opry for about a decade and then leave to go work in television in Springfield, Missouri.

September 17, 1977: Reba McEntire made her first appearance on the Opry.

September 6, 1984: Ernest Tubb passed away in a Nashville hospital. Ernest had been in declining health for a number of years and had made his last appearance on the Opry on August 14, 1982. That was also the last night that he hosted the Midnight Jamboree. He was 70 years old when he died. Jack Greene had some memories of Ernest Tubb: "He was a great man for taking enough time for a songwriter that was trying to get a song cut; he'd listen to all their songs and he'd write 'em a letter back. And he'd take time for the disc jockey that wanted an interview, and he'd take time for the fan that wanted an autograph. He'd take time for the promoter; he'd always mention the promoter's name on stage. He knew all those promoters all over the country and he wanted everybody to make a dollar. I've seen him take all the money from a gate and put it back in the guy's pocket. He'd say, 'You didn't make a dime on this, so I don't want any money.' He'd really do that." Ernest had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1965.

September 4, 1991: Grand Ole Opry member Dottie West died in a Nashville hospital from injuries suffered earlier in a car accident while on her way to perform on the Friday Night Opry. Dottie had been a member of the Opry since July 1964.

September 4, 1992: Former Opry member Carl Butler died in Franklin, Tennessee. Carl, along with his wife Pearl, became members of the Opry in 1962. Carl had first played the Opry in 1948 and was a fine songwriter, having written a number of songs including, "If Teardrops Were Pennies." Dolly Parton would later call them instrumental in helping her out when she came to Nashville. After they left the Opry, and Pearl had passed away, Carl would still occasionally play the Opry.

September 9, 1986: Grand Ole Opry member Bill Monroe passed away after being in declining health after suffering a stroke earlier in the year.

September 11, 1993: The Stoney Mountain Cloggers made their final Grand Ole Opry appearance. The group leader was Ben Smathers and they joined the Opry on September 13, 1958. Ben Smathers himself had passed away on September 13, 1990 at the age of 62.

September 20, 2004: Grand Ole Opry member Skeeter Davis passed away in a Nashville hosptial from cancer. She was 72.

September 23, 2004: Opry member Roy Drusky passed away after a long illness.

September 1, 2006: Taylor Swift makes her first appearance at the Opry.

Grand Ole Opry Line Up 9/2 & 9/3

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the schedule for the shows this weekend. As with most weekends, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night. Traditionally, Labor Day weekend does not produce some of the best line ups as many of the Opry's members are on the road doing the state and county fair circuit. I know that that our county fair is taking place and Rodney Atkins is the headline performer on Thursday night.

As far as this weekend, there is some good variety in the line up. Friday night will feature several non-Opry members who have performed on the show previously, those being Gloriana, James Otto and Mark Wills. Opry member Diamond Rio will also be on Friday's show.

Saturday night will feature bluegrass artist Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, who have received good reactions from the Opry crowd. Also appearing will be Elizabeth Cook and Billy Dean, both of whom are not strangers to the Opry stage, along with Wynn Varble, who will be making his first Opry appearance. I know that the name probably doesn't mean much to many of you, but Wynn has been around Nashville since the early 1980s. Not only is he a singer, but he is a talented songwriter. Among his credits is the great Darryl Worley song, "Have You Forgotten."

Also appearing on Saturday night will be Opry veteran Stu Phillips. Stu has not made many Opry appearances over the past several years, and I am sorry to report that based on his last couple of Opry shows, his voice is not what it once was. He was such a fine ballad singer. Of course, I always find it odd that he is a minister and owns a winery in the Nashville area. I have visited his winery in the past, and while I do not drink, my wife who does reported to me that his wine is not the best on the market. But, he does draw some tourists to his location.

Here is the complete schedule for this weekend:

Friday September 2
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jimmy C Newman; Gloriana
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; James Otto
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Mark Wills
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Diamond Rio

Saturday September 3
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Elizabeth Cook
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); Stu Phillips; Wynn Varble; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Billy Dean

For those counting at home, that is 12 artists each night, of which on Friday, 9 are Opry members and on Saturday 8 are Opry members. And, I am sure you have also noticed that for the 2nd week in a row, Jimmy Dickens is hosting the 2nd segment on Saturday night and not the traditional 1st segment that he had been hosting for years.

The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on Saturday night/Sunday morning will be hosted by Glen Douglas Tubb, who will be basically doing a tribute show to Ernest Tubb, who was his Uncle. For those who don't know, Glen Douglas Tubb has been around Nashville for a number of years, and his currently married to Dottie Snow, who was Hank Snow's son Jimmy's ex-wife. Hope you can all follow that.

Finally, here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry on September 6. This show looks like a very solid show.

7:00: Bill Anderson; Frankie Ballard
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Steel Magnolia
INTERMISSION
8:15: David Nail; Henry Cho
8:45: Blake Shelton; Rascal Flatts

As I have shared with a couple of others via the email system, I would not be surprised at some point if Rascal Flatts was asked to join the Opry. They have been making a few appearances of late and as you would expect, have been very well received. They are also scheduled for a couple of more Opry appearances in the next several months, including at the Opry's birthday celebration in October. I have no inside information on this one, just a thought.

Happy Birthday Jimmy C Newman

I wanted to extend birthday greetings to one of the Opry's great veteran stars, Jimmy C Newman, who is celebrating his 84th birthday today. Jimmy was born on August 29, 1927 in the area of High Point, Louisiana. (although some websites list his date of birth as August 27, his official website and the Grand Ole Opry have the August 29th date). Jimmy still performs at the Opry almost everyweek, and he still looks and sounds great. Here is a summary of his career:

"One of the few Cajun artists to enjoy major success in mainstream country music, Jimmy Yeve Newman grew up on a farm about ten miles from Mamou, in the heart of Cajun country. In his youth he was mostly influenced by country music stars-Jimmy Rodgers, the Carter Family, Bob Wills-and movie cowboys such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. It wasn't until Newman began his professional career in 1946 with Cajun fiddler Chuck Guillory that he began to learn Cajun music. During this formative period, he came to admire Cajun artists such as Iry Lejeune and Harry Choates. As a member of Guillory's Rhythm Boys, Jimmy sang mostly hillbilly songs in English, along with a few Cajun songs in French.

In 1951 he made his first solo disks for the Feature label, where he cut Cajun-country songs such as "Wondering" and "I Made a Big Mistake." It was also during the early 1950s that he became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride, before moving to Nashville where he recorded "Cry, Cry, Darlin", a Top Twenty hit on the DOT label. Newman had become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by 1956, and had his biggest hit to date, " A Fallen Star," in 1957. It was during this time that Nashville DJ T. Tommy Cutrer gave Jimmy the middle name Cajun, and the "C" stuck.

Newman moved on to MGM, and then to DECCA, where he enjoyed a long string of hits, including "Alligator Man" (1961), "Bayou Talk" (1962), "Artificial Rose" (1965), and "Born to Love You" (1968). In 1974, Jimmy returned to his Cajun roots and recorded the 'Jimmy Newman Sings Cajun' album for the regional La Louisianne label in Layfayette, Louisiana. One cut from that album, "Lache Pas La Patate," sold more than 200,000 copies in French-speaking Canada, qualifying for a gold record. He continues to include strong elements of the Cajun sound-the accordion and fiddle-in his music."
(Thanks to Charlie Seemann for that article)

Jimmy C remembers when he first came to the Opry:

"When I got to the Ryman, Webb Pierce was on the Opry, and George Morgan, Jimmy Dickens, Hank Snow, Carl Smith, Faron Young-it was probably the end of that certain era when the Nudie look was so big. The Nudie suits and the Cadillacs were the big things when I came to the Opry. I wore western suits then-I couldn't afford a costume by Nudie himself-but in '57 I had a crossover hit with 'A Fallen Star' and I went to the Ivy League look."

I have always enjoyed Jimmy C on the Opry because his music is so happy. It has a bounce to it and I think it brightens people up. Whenever Jimmy is on Jean Shepard's segment, she always requests that Jimmy plays, "Cajun Stripper", which she has said is one of her favorite songs. And I always enjoy it when Jimmy Dickens introduces him and says that his group are all, "14 carat South Louisiana Cajun." I always got a kick out of that, even though Jimmy now has mostly the Opry staff band backing him up.

Jimmy's actual Opry induction date is sometimes hard to pin down, but we do know that he joined the Opry in August 1956. The best date that I could come up with was August 4, 1956, which was one week before George Jones first joined the Opry.

While I don't have the line up from August 4, 1956, when he did join the Opry, I do have the line up from August 12, 2006, the night Jimmy C Newman was honored as a 50 year Opry member.

6:30 Jimmy Dickens (host); Mel McDaniel; Billy Joe Shaver
7:00 Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (host); Martina McBride; Julie Roberts; Lee Roy Parnell
8:00 Jim Ed Brown (host); Helen Cornelius; Jan Howard; The Whites; Jean Shepard; Opry Square Dancers
8:30 Jeannie Seely (host); JIMMY C NEWMAN

9:30 Jimmy Dickens (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Lee Roy Parnell
10:00 Jean Shepard (host); JIMMY C NEWMAN; Julie Roberts
10:30 Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (host); The Whites; Opry Square Dancers
11:00 Jim Ed Brown (host); Helen Cornelius; Jack Greene; Billy Joe Shaver
11:30 Jeannie Seely (host); John England & The Western Swingers

Happy Birthday to Jimmy C Newman

Grand Ole Opry Line Up 8/26 & 8/27

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line ups for the shows for this weekend. As usual, there is one show on Friday Night and one show on Saturday night.

The Friday Night Opry will feature the return of Opry member Mel Tillis to the Opry stage, along with his daughter Pam. Also, Opry favorite Gene Watson will be making a guest appearance. And after making his first Opry appearance last month, Kip Moore has been invited back and will be appearing in the opening segment.

Saturday night's Grand Ole Opry will feature several non-Opry members, among them Sierra Hull, Clay Walker, and Jimmy Wayne, who seems to be on the Opry more than most of the Opry's members. And also appearing on Saturday night will be the great guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. Tommy will be at the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier in the day as part of the new Chet Atkins exhibit.

Friday August 26
7:00: John Conlee (host); Mike Snider; Kip Moore
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Joe Diffie
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Gene Watson
8:45: Mel Tillis (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Pam Tillis

Saturday August 27
7:00: John Conlee (host); Jeannie Seely; George Hamilton IV; Tommy Emmanuel
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jimmy Wayne
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Sierra Hull; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Clay Walker

For those keeping score at home, that comes out to 12 artists on the Friday Night show, of whom 10 are Opry members (which is more Opry members than most weeks), and 13 artists appearing on Saturday night, of which 9 are Opry members.

Hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree this week will be Wilson Fairchild, who are the sons of Don and Harold Reid of the Statler Brothers. The formally went by the name of Grandstaff, but recently made the name change, which is their two middle names. They have been trying to make a go of it in country music, but so far the success has been limited.

Finally, here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry on August 30:

7:00: Jimmy C Newman; Hunter Hayes
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Ricky Skaggs
INTERMISSION
8:15: John Conlee; Terri Clark
8:45: Connie Smith; Aaron Tippin

Remembering Jerry Clower

I hope that those of you who read my blog enjoy when I go back and take a look at former Opry members who have passed away and maybe are forgotten by many people today. We all remember the superstars who were Opry members, but many times we forget those who did not achieve that higher level of success. But all of them were Opry members and deserve to be remembered.

Today I want to look back at one of the great comedians in Opry history and that is Jerry Clower, who passed away 13 years ago today, on August 24, 1998. Jerry was born in Liberty, Mississippi on September 28, 1926, and here is the entry on Jerry from The Encyclopedia of Country Music:

"One of the most successful country comedians ever and a mainstay on TNN shows, Clower got into show business at age nine, when he joined a 4-H club to get out of a class. Four years later, at thirteen, he won a 4-H district competition, but it was a long time before he became a professional entertainer. While in the navy he was asked to tell some of his stories, and later, after becoming a fertilizer field representative with Mississippi Chemical Company, he used country stories as part of his sales technique. Clower became so well known for his routines that a friend suggested he record an album of them. This LP, 'Jerry Clower from Yazoo City Mississippi Talkin', was released on the Lemon label and advertised only by word of mouth. It sold more than 8,000 copies in a relatively short time and brought Clower to the attention of MCA. The company signed him to a contract in 1971. His album eventually made it on the Billboard charts for a long stay. This was followed by several other strong-selling LPs, including 'Clower Power' and 'From the Mouth of Mississippi', which led to Clower joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1973. In addition to performing live comic routines, Clower has hosted the nationally syndicated radio show 'Country Crossroads' and the TV show 'Nashville on the Road'. Clower is also the subject of a documentary film, 'Ain't God Good'. Clowers routines are based on people he knew in Amite County, Mississippi. He has written three books based on this material, the most recent being 'Stories from Home' (1992). In addition to his comedy, Clower is very serious about his religious beliefs, being a Baptist deacon and an active member of the Gideon Bible Society. He says Cristianityis the single greatest influence on his life. He is also a passionate advocate of education, family life, and racial equality and integration."

When Jerry joined the Opry, he was the first new comic that had been signed in a number of years. Jerry remembered it emotionally: "It's undescribable, because, you see, I had prayed as a little boy that at the end of a crop year we'd have enough money for us to go see the Grand Ole Opry. And we never made it. Now, here I was on it! Grand Ole Opry star Jerry Clower! Woooo!"

Jerry remained an Opry member until his death. He passed away in Jackson, Mississippi following heart surgery.

He joined the Grand Ole Opry on October 27, 1973 and was the last member to join the Opry while the show was still at the Ryman Auditorium. In memory of Jerry Clower, here is the Opry line up from Saturday October 27, 1973, the night he was inducted as the Opry's newest member.

6:30 Mrs Grissoms
Osborne Brothers(host)
Bill Carlisle

6:45 Rudy's
Willis Brothers(host)
Louie Roberts

7:00 Rudy's
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper(host)
Jim & Jesse
Hank Wada

7:30 Goo Goo
Porter Wagoner(host)
Dolly Parton
Crook Brothers
Harold Weakley
Mack McGaha

8:00 Martha White
Roy Acuff(host)
Grandpa Jones
Del Wood
JERRY CLOWER

8:30 Stephens
Hank Snow(host)
Bobby Bare
Ray Pillow
Fruit Jar Drinkers

9:30 Kelloggs
Osborne Brothers(host)
Willis Brother
Louie Roberts
Del Wood

10:00 Fender
Jim & Jesse(host)
Bill Carlisle

10:15 Union 76
Porter Wagoner(host)
Dolly Parton

10:30 Trailblazer
Roy Acuff(host)
Grandpa Jones
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper

10:45 Beech-nut
Bobby Bare(host)
JERRY CLOWER
Crook Brothers

11:00 Coca-Cola
Hank Snow(host)
Ray Pillow
Hank Wada
Fruit Jar Drinkers
Sam McGee

11:30 Elm Hill
Marty Robbins(host)
Mary Lou Turner
Marty Mitchell

There you have it. As you can see, this was not one of the Opry's strongest line ups.

Remembering Rod Brasfield

As I did a few days earlier with Sam McGee, I wanted to take another moment to remember another one of the Opry's stars from days gone by, and that is Rod Brasfield, who was born 101 years ago today, on August 22, 1910, in Smithville, Mississippi. John Rumble of the Country Music Hall of Fame wrote the following about Rod:

"From 1947 to 1958, Rodney Leon Brasfield was the premier comedian at the Grand Ole Opry and very likely in country music. He began his career as straight man for his brother Lawrence (known as 'Boob') during several years with Bisbee's Dramatic Shows, one of many such troupes that traversed the South during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Brasfield served one year in the army air corps during World War II, but returned to Bisbee's because of a nagging childhood back injury. Boob eventually wound up playing 'Uncle Cyp' on Springfield, Missouri's 'Ozark Jubilee' television program (1955-60).

While working the road in the Southeast, Brasfield was recruited by George D. Hay for the Grand Ole Opry in 1944. By this time, Brasfield was playing both comic and straight parts and became an immediate hit with the show's stage and radio audiences, especially with Opry Tent Shows. With his trademark baggy suit, button shoes, beat-up hat, rubbery face, and clacking false teeth, he could have the audience laughing before he spoke a word. Playing the dawling bumpkin to the hilt, he had a finely honed sense of timing and worked easily with host Red Foley on the Opry's NBC network segment beginning in 1947, when Brasfield replaced the Duke of Paducah in this regard. Much of their comedy contrasted the tall, broad-shouldered Foley with the diminutive Brasfield, who skillfully milked the running gags by deferentially addressing the singer as 'Mr. Foley' and complaining good-naturedly about the sweltering summer heat in the Ryman Auditorium.

Audiences instinctively sympathized with Brasfield's hapless character, a good ole country boy who was constantly unlucky. Like Minnie Pearl, with whom he frequently teamed with from 1948 until his death, he often poked fun at country life-always with good humor. Reinforcing his small-town identity, he took his moniker the Hohenwald Flash, from the name of a Tennessee town southwest of Nashville. Brasfield and Pearl's comic exchanges (in which they alternated in delivering punch lines-that is, neither was the straight man) were not only broadcast on the Opry radio show but also televised on a series of ABC network shows made by Opry acts in 1955 and 1956. In addition, Brasfield did comedy routines with singer-comedienne June Carter. Brasfield's role as Andy Griffith's sidekick in the 1957 film 'A Face in the Crowd' hinted at a film career that might have been. A victim of heart failure and a widely known problem with alcohol, Brasfield was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1987."

The following was written in the Grand Ole Opry book, published in 1952:

"Rod Brasfield, the teller of tall tales from Hohenwald, Tennessee, is one of the cleverest comedians in network radio. He is possessed of a quick wit, keen judgement of his audiences, and almost perfect timing. He is a true folk comedian, with roots deep in the lore and traditions of the South. As such he depends as much on his mannerisms and pantomime for laughs as he does on the jokes he tells. Ironically, the slack-jawed, simple appearing comic is a reformed tragedy actor who became a comedian by coincidence. Rod call it his 'doggone stubborn nature' that started him making people laugh. After eight years playing villains and a varied assortment of characters who came to no good end, Rod accepted the offer to play straight man for his brother 'Boob,' the comedian of the Brasfield clan. They played a tent show together. But it was mid-depression and times were tough. 'Boob' decided to quit. But not Rod. When 'Boob' walked out, Rob grabbed his red wig, placed it on his own head, and went out on the stage alone. It paid off. For the first time in his life, he was making people laugh with his own lines. Since that day, Rod has continued to garner laughs with a comedy routine that appeals to both the sophisticate and corn lover. His home town of Hohenwald, upon which most of his radio adventures center, is getting to be as famous as the Grinders Switch birthplace of his partner in comedy, Minnie Pearl. A veteran of show business from high class stock companies to burlesque, Rod began playing the Grand Ole Opry in 1944. A full bag of fan mail each week is evidence enought that a coast-to-coast audience approves Rod's last love-radio."

Rod's first Opry appearance was on July 15, 1944. After seeing and hearing him for the first time on the Opry, Minnie Pearl would say that Rod was the best comedian that she ever saw. Rod passed away on September 12, 1958, at the age of 48. The newspaper obituary said, "Brasfield, who had become a light-hearted part of Saturday night to families all over America as a star of the Grand Ole Opry, was stricken at 6:45 p.m. at his Dickerson Road trailer. He was DOA at St. Thomas Hospital."

Ott Devine was quoted as saying, "There will be no happy faces at the Ryman tonight. Rod never had a serious moment in his life before his audiences. But in private life he had his troubles."

Rod's Opry career was short, just 14 years and it ended long ago. Many of today's Opry fans have no idea who Rod Brasfield is. But in the Opry's history, he is one of the funiest people to have belonged to the Opry's cast, and that is saying a lot considering the Opry's long list of famous comedians who were part of the show.

I looked for an Opry line up that had Rod Brasfield included, and I found one from April 6, 1957. In honor of Rod Brasfield's 101st birthday, here is that line up:

7:30: Nabisco
Roy Acuff-It's Hard To Leave
Justin Tubb-Pepper Hot Baby
Oswald-Southern Moon
Roy Acuff-How Beautiful Heaven Must Be
Howdy Forrester-Forked Deer

7:45: American Ace
Old Hickory Singers-Theme
Faron Young-I'm Gonna Live Some Before I Die
Maybelle Carter-I Never Love But One
Benny Martin-Story Of My Life
Faron Young-Schrine Of St. Cecelia
Fiddle Tune-Bill Cheatham

8:00: Martha White
Flatt & Scruggs-Shuck A Little Corn
Porter Wagoner-I Should Be With You
George Jones-Don't Stop The Music
June Carter & Smokey-Comedy
Flatt & Scruggs-Is There Room For Me
Jean Shepard-I'd Rather Die Young
Carlisles-Rough Stuff
Possum Hunters-Fire In The Mountain
Porter Wagoner-I'm Day Dreaming Tonight
Flatt & Scruggs-Down The Road

8:30: Prince Albert
Marty Robbins-Singing The Blues
Ray Price-Crazy Arms
ROD BRASFIELD-COMEDY
Ray Price-I've Got A New Heartache
Fiddle Tune-Sally Goodin
Marty Robbins-Knee Deep In The Blues
Chet Atkins-Back Home In Indiana
Minnie Pearl-Comedy
Ray Price-Crazy Arms
Marty Robbins-Singing The Blues
Hal Cook-Presentations
Ray Price-Crazy Arms
Fiddle Tune-Soldier's Joy

9:00: Jefferson Island Salt
Old Hickory Singers-Theme
Ernest Tubb-TBA
Johnny & Jack-Oh, Baby Mine
Stringbean-Herro Mr. Banjo
Wilburn Brothers-I'm Setting You Free
Kitty Wells-Searching
Ernest Tubb-Don't Forbid Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Bill Cheatham
Johnny & Jack-I Want To Be Loved
Stonewall Jackson-Don't Be Angry
Wilburn Brothers-Go Away With Me
Ernest Tubb-Daisy May

9:30: Stephens
Hank Snow-Calypso Sweetheart
Louvin Brothers-Dont' Laugh
Hawkshaw Hawkins-Sunny Side Of The Mountain
Chet Atkins-Limehouse House
Wilma Lee & Stoney-Cheated Too
Hank Snow-Marriage And Divorce
Ladell Sisters-Alabama Jubilee
T. Texas Tyler-Deck Of Cards
Crook Brothers-Eight Of January
Louvin Brothers-New Partner Waltz
Hank Snow-Put Me In My Trundle Bed

10:00: Wall-Rite
Roy Acuff-I Love Mountain Music
George Jones-Uh Uh No
Maybelle Carter-Gold Watch and Chain
Roy Acuff-I Saw The Light
Fiddle Tune-Money Music

10:15: Delited
Carlisles-Theme
Ray Price-Wasted Words
Jean Shepard-If You Can Walk Away
Carlisles-Lil Liza Jane
Ray Price-You Done Me Wrong
Fiddle Tune-Grey Eagle

10:30: Hester Battery
Marty Robbins-I Can't Quit
Flatt & Scruggs-What's Good For You Should Be Alright For Me
Justin Tubb-I'm A Big Boy Now
Marty Robbins-Same Two Lips
Fiddle Tune-Old Joe Clark

10:45: De Con
Faron Young-Sweet Dreams
Wilma Lee & Stoney-Loving You
Crook Brothers-Tennessee Wagoner
Faron Young-Until I Met You
Fiddle Tune-Soldier's Joy

11:00: Coca-Cola
Old Hickory Singers-Theme
Ernest Tubb-Will You Be Satisfield That Way
Johnny and Jack-A Pleasure Is Not A Habit In Mexico
Wilburn Brothers-Go Away With Me
June Carter and Smokey-Comedy
Ernest Tubb-God's Eyes
Kitty Wells-A Change Of Heart
Stonewall Jackson-Stop Your Naggin Hoss
Stringbean-Pretty Little Pink
Gully Jumper-New Five Cents
Johnny and Jack-All The Time
Ernest Tubb-Kansas City Kitty

11:30: Jamison Mattress
Old Hickory Singers-Theme
Hank Snow-Calypso Min From Juarez
Louvin Brothers-You're Running Wild
T. Texas Tyler-Remember Me
Hank Snow-Rumba Boogie

11:45: Sustaining
Fiddle Tune-Back Up And Push
Porter Wagoner-I Guess I'm Crazy
Hawkshaw Hawkins-If It Ain't On The Menu
Sam and Kirk-The Wagon Is New
Benny Martin-Look What You Have Done To Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Ida Red
Porter Wagoner-Uncle Pen

Wow, what a line up of stars. Just a couple of final notes. First, back in those days, the Opry printed in its program the songs that the artists were going to sing. Interesting!! And finally, for those who read Hank Snow's autobiography, you will remember where Hank wrote about trying to help T. Texas Tyler. At the time, T. Tex was having some serious drug and drinking issues and Hank was trying to help them out. He convinced Opry management to allow Tex on the Opry, after Hank got T. Tex to promise to stay straight and change his ways. Hank spent a lot of money on T. Tex and his wife and it worked for a while, but T. Texas left one day and just disappeared. He left Hank a note saying he was sorry and Hank came to find out that T. Tex was still doing drugs and drinking. Later, Hank found out he had settled on the west coast and had turned his life around and was trying to pay Hank back. Hank forgave him. You can read the whole story in his book, but this is the time period that Hank was helping T. Tex out and you can see that T. Tex was on Hank's Opry segment on this particular night.

Remembering Sam McGee

I wanted to take a moment and remember one of the long lost members of the Grand Ole Opry, Sam McGee, who passed away on August 21, 1975. Together with his brother Kirk, they performed on the Opry as either Sam & Kirk McGee, or as the McGee Brothers. Sam was born in Williamson County, Tennessee on May 1, 1894, while Kirk was born in the same location on November 4, 1899. The following is from "The Encyclopedia of Country Music" and was written by the late Charles Wolfe, who wrote some very fine books on the early history of the Opry and country music.

"Though folk music fans remember them primarily as the accompanists for Uncle Dave Macon, Sam and Kirk McGee had a career that extended from the very earliest days of the Grand Ole Opry to the show's movement from the Ryman Auditorium in 1974. In fact, it was one of their acoustic guitar duets that so impressed visiting journalist Garrison Keillor in 1974 that he was moved to start his radio show 'A Praire Home Companion'.

The music of the McGees was much more electric than that of early Opry denizens. Sam learned guitar tunings and slide techniques from black railroad workers near his family home: Kirk adapted the blues records of Papa Charley Jackson and others to the stringband style, and sported a singing style derived partly from his tenure at old-time singing schools; both liked old-time jazz and Sam adopted ragtime piano rolls to the guitar.

It was Sam who first tested the waters, playing guitar and banjo for the famed Uncle Dave Macon. While with Macon at a 1926 recording session, Sam made several guitar solos, including his famous 'Buck Dancer's Choice,' and 'Franklin Blues.' The discs were the first serious country guitar solos, initiating a tradition that would extend from Riley Puckett to Chet Atkins. In the early 1930s the brothers joined forces with Dickson County fiddler Arthur Smith to form the Dixielines, by most accounts the hottest string band the Opry ever had. Unfortunately, the band never recorded in its prime (the Bluebird records under the same name featured Smith and the Delmore Brothers).

As other of the classic Opry bands broke up, Sam and Kirk kept at it until the late 1950s, when they were discovered by folk revival fans. The McGees made a comeback of sorts, recording albums for Folkways and Starday and appearing at a number of festivals. Sam recorded several solo albums for Arhoolie and for MBA, a company he partly owned. In their later years, both Kirk and Sam hosted a procession of young instrumentalists anxious to learn from the masters.

Sam was killed in a farming accident in 1975; Kirk died in 1983."

In the WSM Grand Ole Opry History-Picture Book, 1972, Volume 5, Edition 1, Sam and Kirk actually wrote about themselves. Here is what Sam wrote:

"I was born Sam Fleming McGee in 1894, the ninth of ten children of John and Mary Elizabeth Truett McGee, in the Peytonsville Community of Williamson County, Tennessee. When I was about twelve years old I had been watching for sometime the colored folks play guitar with one finger and thumb. I figured if two fingers could pick that well, I would add another, so I began my own style finger pickin.

In 1914 I married Elizabeth Pate and at the time was in the blacksmith business. I had heard Uncle Dave Macon play and admired him very much. A few years later he came to put on a program at the local auditorium and we went to hear it. I enjoyed it so much I asked Uncle Dave to spend the night in our home. He saw my Martin Guitar in the corner of the room and asked if I played. I told him 'a little' and I'll never forget that I played the 'Missouri Waltz'. Uncle Dave asked me to join him for some personal appearances.

In 1925, three weeks after the beginning of the Grand Ole Opry, Kirk and I joined them. I am the oldest living still playing on the Grand Ole Opry in service and age and unless I'm out of town, making a personal appearance, I'm going to be there for our 11:00 p.m. show with my brother Kirk.

I have a recent album called 'Flat Top Pickin Sam McGee'. My first recording label was Vocalion and I've recorded for about six others. Presently I am recording for M.B.A. Records.

I like music.......any kind of music.....as long as its played well. Sometimes when I am in the company of young folks I pick along with whatever type of music they like, gospel, rock, fast or slow.

I'm 78 years young and can still work on my farm. I was plowing my tobacco just before writing this story. I know I can't last forever but as long as I'm able and needed I'll continue to play. And Opryland U.S.A. is a mighty big step from the little Saturday Night Show we did 47 years ago."

I just thought on the anniversary of his death, I would look back at Sam McGee, and at a time when the Opry was simpler and the music more down to earth than it is today. Except for an occasional moment here or there, the music that was played by Sam and Kirk McGee, along with the likes of Dave Macon and the other string bands, is missing from the Opry today. The Opry has come a long way from its roots. While I do enjoy a lot of the music that is played on the Opry today, once in a while I wish the Opry would look back and remember it's past and how it all started.