It was 38 years ago on November 10, 1973 that one of the most horrific events in Grand Ole Opry took place as David Akeman, known to all of us as Stringbean, and his wife Estelle were murdered at the home outside of Nashville, after arriving home from the Ryman Auditorium and the Opry.
Too many country fans remember Stringbean only for the way he and his wife died. But those who saw him perform in person or on Hee Haw realized that he was one of the most original comedians in country music as well as a fine clawhammer banjo player and traditional singer. His distinctive striped shirt, low-belted pants, and funny duckwalk were as familiar as Minnie Pearl's straw hat. His droll wit and deadpan irony were reflected in signature one-liners such as "Lord, I fell so unneccessary."
Stringbean was born on June 17, 1916 in Annville, Kentucky. He would grow up in eastern Kentucky and worked in Civilian Conservation Corps camps during the depression before landing his first musical job, as well as his nickname, from country performer Asa Martin. After playing banjo for several bands around the Lexington area, he came to Nashville around 1942 and became Bill Monroe's first banjo player. Later in the 1940s he teamed with fellow Opry member Lew Childre for a duet act and became a protege of Uncle Dave Macon. The older banjo player taught Stringbean much of his repertoire of old-time banjo songs and even gave him one of his own banjos. By the time Macon died in 1952, Stringbean was working as a solo act on the Grand Ole Opry and adapting current songs such as "Hillbilly Fever" to his clawhammer style.
Feeling his appeal lay primarily in personal appearances, Stringbean postponed making his own records until 1960, when be began doing a series of albums for Starday Records. The first of these was "Old Time Banjo Pickin' and Singin', released in 1960. His best known album was "A Salute to Uncle Dave Macon", which was released in 1963, and has been later reissued. Stringbean would record later for the Nugget and Cullman labels. Joining the cast of Hee Haw in 1969 rejuvenated his career, though his comedy was featured more than his music. He often teamed with fellow banjoist-comedian Grandpa Jones, with whom he had become a close friend and neighbor.
In 1973, the brutal murder of Stringbean and his wife, Estelle Stanfill Akeman, at their remote three-room cabin shocked Nashville's music community. The two gunmen, John and Doug Brown, were waiting for Stringbean at home after a Saturday-night Opry performance in hopes of robbing him of cash rumored to be hidden in his cabin; they came away with a few guns and a chainsaw. Though the killers were caught and convicted, many felt an important link with country music's tradition had been senselessly broken. In 1996, police discovered remnants of hundreds of dollars stashed in the walls of the Akeman's cabin.
Stringbean and Estelle's bodies were discovered the following morning by Grandpa Jones, who arrived at their home to pick up Stringbean for a fishing trip. Grandpa was so shaken by the murders that he moved from Nashville for a period of time, performing in a dinner theater he owned in rural Arkansas. Roy Acuff publicly called for the death penalty to be reinstated in Tennessee. After Stringbean's murder, Roy had concerns about living alone after the passing of his wife and this was one of the considerations to him moving to the house at Opryland, where he lived his final years. And, Skeeter Davis was very vocal in her comments regarding Stringbean's murder.
Stringbean was one of the last in a long line of Opry comedians, who would dress in the over exaggerated hillbilly style. Those comedians included Rod Brasfield, Lew Childre, Whitey Ford (known as the Duke of Paducah), Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones, and in his earlier years, Archie Campbell. It is interesting that all but Archie and Stringbean have been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and both should be.
What a lot of people forget, especially after seeing Stringbean on Hee Haw, is what a great musican and banjo player he was. He really played the banjo well and could have played with any bluegrass group in the country if he had so desired.
As I stated above, I really believe that if not for his early death, Stringbean would have been elected to the Hall of Fame. With him being a part of Hee Haw, he was at the peak of his popularity and much like Hee Haw's exposure helped to get Grandpa Jones elected, I believe the same would have happened with Stringbean.
Stringbean appeared on both Opry shows the night of November 10. On the 1st show, he appeared on the 7:00 segment, while on the 2nd show he was on at 10:15. In honor of Stringbean, here is the Opry line up and song list from Saturday November 10, 1973, Stringbean's final night at the Opry.
1st show:
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host): Little Red Wagon
Johnny Carver: Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
Willis Brothers: God Walks These Hills With Me
6:45: Rudy's
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): Forget, Forgive Us #1
Bill Carlisle: Too Old To Cut The Mustard
Josie Brown: Precious Memories Follow Me
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: When My Time Comes To Go
7:00: Rudy's
Tex Ritter (host): Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
STRINGBEAN: HILLBILLY FEVER
K. Wheeler: The First Time For Us
Tex Ritter: Green Grow The Lilacs
STRINGBEAN: Y'ALL COME
K. Wheeler: Listen, Spot
Tex Ritter: Fall Away
7:30: Standard Candy
Bobby Bare (host): Ride Me Down Easy
Jimmy Martin: Just Plain Yellow
Melba Montgomery: Crawdad Song
Crook Brothers: Chicken Reel
Bobby Bare: The Streets Of Baltimore
Jimmy Martin: Tennessee
Melba Montgomery: Wrap Your Love Around Me
Bobby Bare: Detroit City
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Night Train To Memphis
Grandpa Jones: Mountain Dew
Jimmy Driftwood: Run, Johnny, Run/Tennessee Stud
Roy Acuff: Wabash Cannonball
Grandpa Jones: Orange Blossom Special
Brother Oswald: Roll On, Buddy
8:30: Stephens
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Marion Worth: Paper Roses
Billy Grammer, Jr: Orange Blossom Special
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldiers Joy
Billy Grammer: I'm Letting You Go
Marion Worth: Me & Bobby McGee
Billy Grammer: Just A Closer Walk With Thee
2nd show:
9:30: Kelloggs
Willis Brothers (host): Give Me 40 Acres
Johnny Carver: Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
Jimmy Martin: Honey, You Don't Know My Mind
Josie Brown: Precious Memories Follow Me
Skeeter Willis: Maiden's Prayer
Johnny Carver: Tonight Someone's Falling In Love
Jimmy Martin: Who'll Sing For Me When I'm Gone
10:00: Fender
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): Little Darling Pal Of Mine
Bill Carlisle: Have A Drink On Me/No Help Wanted
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper: Coming Down From God
10:15: Union 76
Tex Ritter (host): There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder
STRINGBEAN: GONNA MAKE MYSELF A NAME/HOT CORN, COLD CORN (LAST SONG)
Tex Ritter: Willie, The Wondering Gypsy & Me
10:30: Trailblazer
Roy Acuff (host): Ball Knob, Arkansas
Grandpa Jones: Bright Morning Stars Are Rising
Jimmy Driftwood: The Mixed Up Family
10:45: Beech-Nut
Bobby Bare (host): Four Strong Winds
K. Wheeler: The First Time For Us
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Bobby Bare: Detroit City
11:00: Coca-Cola
Billy Grammer (host): Bonaparte's Retreat
Melba Montgomery: Don't Keep Me Lonely Too Long
Billy Grammer, Jr: Orange Blossom Special
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Nubbing Ridge
Billy Grammer: Somewhere My Love
Melba Montgomery: Let's All Go Down To The River
Sam McGee: Worry, Worry Blues
Billy Grammer: What A Friend
11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): I Walk Alone
Marion Worth: Paper Roses/Sleeping At The Foot Of The Bed
Ronnie Robbins: Too Much Love Between Us/Mama Tried
Marty Robbins: Love Me/Big Boss Man/Crawling On My Knees/Don't Worry/El Paso
The following Saturday night, November 17, 1963, Bud Wendell started the Opry by reading a tribute to Stringbean. And, while Roy Acuff was there and was actually hosting his segments, he did not sing on that night's Opry. Howdy Forrester and Brother Oswald played instrumental numbers.
Thanks for taking the time with me to remember a great entertainer, David "Stringbean" Akeman.
Nationally recognized independent Grand Ole Opry historian Byron Fay offers news and comments regarding country music's premier show.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Happy Birthday & Congratulations to Stonewall Jackson
Happy Birthday greetings go today to Grand Ole Opry star Stonewall Jackson, who on Sunday November 6 will be celebrating his 79th birthday. And along with the birthday wishes, congratulations also go to Stonewall, who tonight will be celebrating his 55th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
From the Country Music Encyclopedia, I offer to you this biography of Stonewall:
"Stonewall Jackson is known as a longtime star of the Grand Ole Opry and as a staunchly hard country singer. Jackson's father, Waymond, claiming to be a descendant, had planned to name his third son after Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall". The elder Jackson, a railroad engineer, became injured in a work-related accident and died shortly before the birth of young Stonewall. Nearly destitute, his mother took her family and hitchhiked to Georgia to work on a brother-in-law's farm. After she remarried, Stonewall suffered years of physical abuse at the hands of his stepfather. At fifteen Jackson ran away to enlist in the army, lying about his age. The truth surfaced and he was discharged. At seventeen he enlisted in the navy for four years. In 1954 he returned to Georgia to work as a sharecropper, saving some $350 of his pay to finance a move to Nashville.
His career got off to a storybook start. Two days after his twenty-fourth birthday, Jackson drove his gray 1955 Chevrolet pickup into Nashville and walked uninvited that day into the offices of Acuff-Rose Publications. His singing and songwriting impressed Wesley Rose enough that Rose helped Jackson gain an audition the following day for the Opry's George D. Hay and W. D. Kilpatrick, who gave him a contract without the benefit of a label or hit record. On his third day in Nashville, November 9, 1956, he appeared on the Opry's Friday Night Frolics program and became a member of the cast.
Ernest Tubb, who met Jackson onstage at that first Friday night broadcast, took the young singer under his wing, buying his first stage clothes, giving him the opening berth on his road show, and steering him to Columbia Records. His first hit came in 1958-59 with 'Life to Go' written by George Jones, with whom he was then touring. His next hit, 'Waterloo' was a #1 country hit for five weeks in the summer of 1959 and crossed over into the Billboard pop charts (#4), generating bookings on such pop TV programs as Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Hot on the heels of his successes 'Life to Go' and 'Waterloo', Stonewall Jackson was named Most Promising Country Male Star by Cash Box. Other Top Ten hits in the sixties include 'A Wound Time Can't Erase' (#3, 1962), 'B.J. the DJ (#1, 1964), 'Don't Be Angry' (#4), and 'I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water (#8, 1965). He's also known for his pro-Vietnam War hit 'The Minute Men (Are Turning in Their Graves)'. He left Columbia in 1973 for MGM Records, where he logged his final chart hit, 'Herman Schwartz,' that year. Jackson and his Minute-Men band (including son Turp on drums) occasionally tour and still keep their weekend Opry appearances. His autobiography, 'From the Bottom Up' was published by L. C. Parsons in 1991."
In 1977 Stonewall was presented the Ernest Tubb Memorial Award for his contributions to country music. By the end of his charted recording career, Stonewall had placed 44 singles on the Billboard country charts.
When Stonewall joined the Opry, he was part of the youth movement that was started by Opry manager Dee Kilpatrick. Others who joined the Opry during the same time period were Porter Wagoner and the Everly Brothers.
Stonewall was one of the Opry artists who were fired from the Opry on December 6, 1964 for failing to meet the Opry's appearance requirements. Stonewall was gone from the Opry for almost four and a half years, rejoining the show on May 10, 1969.
Stonewall made news in 2006 when he sued the Grand Ole Opry for $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages, claiming age discrimination. As a member of the Opry for over fifty years, he believed that management was reducing his appearances in favor of younger artists. In his court filing, Jackson claimed that Opry general manager Pete Fisher stated that he did not "want any gray hairs on that stage or in the audience, and before I'm done there won't be any." Fisher was also alleged to have told Jackson that he was "too old and too country." The lawsuit was settled on October 3, 2008 for an undisclosed amount and Stonewall returned to performing on the Opry.
On the night that Stonewall Jackson returned to the Opry, on May 10, 1969, he was on the 7:00 segment hosted by Roy Acuff. Others on that segment included Jean Shepard and Leroy Van Dyke. Stonewall sang "Don't be Angry" and "Angry Words" during that half hour. On the 2nd show that night, he appeared in the 10:15 segment, again hosted by Roy Acuff and sang "Angry Words".
If there was ever a country singer, it was Stonewall Jackson. He had a distinctive voice and you knew a Stonewall song the minute it came on. Many of his songs had a honky-tonk beat to them. Pete Fisher was right was he said Stonewall was "too country."
I could never understand, with the number of hit records that Stonewall had, why he never received more recognition in Nashville, or on the award shows. And with his career accomplishments, in the opinion of this writer, Stonewall should have been in the Country Music Hall of Fame long ago. Yet, he has never received even serious consideration. Some of it could be that he was not a trailblazer in music and outside of his first few hits, he never had any crossover appeal. I think the other more recent reason is because of the lawsuit against the Opry. Gaylord is a big supporter of the Hall of Fame and I think people remember. Politics is in play many times with Hall of Fame voting and with the lawsuit, I think any chance Stonewall had pretty much went out the window.
But in my opinion, Stonewall was one of the great classic country music singers of all time and I am glad he is back on the Opry, although with reduced appearances, and I congratulate him on 55 years of Opry membership and send along my best wishes on his 79th birthday.
From the Country Music Encyclopedia, I offer to you this biography of Stonewall:
"Stonewall Jackson is known as a longtime star of the Grand Ole Opry and as a staunchly hard country singer. Jackson's father, Waymond, claiming to be a descendant, had planned to name his third son after Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall". The elder Jackson, a railroad engineer, became injured in a work-related accident and died shortly before the birth of young Stonewall. Nearly destitute, his mother took her family and hitchhiked to Georgia to work on a brother-in-law's farm. After she remarried, Stonewall suffered years of physical abuse at the hands of his stepfather. At fifteen Jackson ran away to enlist in the army, lying about his age. The truth surfaced and he was discharged. At seventeen he enlisted in the navy for four years. In 1954 he returned to Georgia to work as a sharecropper, saving some $350 of his pay to finance a move to Nashville.
His career got off to a storybook start. Two days after his twenty-fourth birthday, Jackson drove his gray 1955 Chevrolet pickup into Nashville and walked uninvited that day into the offices of Acuff-Rose Publications. His singing and songwriting impressed Wesley Rose enough that Rose helped Jackson gain an audition the following day for the Opry's George D. Hay and W. D. Kilpatrick, who gave him a contract without the benefit of a label or hit record. On his third day in Nashville, November 9, 1956, he appeared on the Opry's Friday Night Frolics program and became a member of the cast.
Ernest Tubb, who met Jackson onstage at that first Friday night broadcast, took the young singer under his wing, buying his first stage clothes, giving him the opening berth on his road show, and steering him to Columbia Records. His first hit came in 1958-59 with 'Life to Go' written by George Jones, with whom he was then touring. His next hit, 'Waterloo' was a #1 country hit for five weeks in the summer of 1959 and crossed over into the Billboard pop charts (#4), generating bookings on such pop TV programs as Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Hot on the heels of his successes 'Life to Go' and 'Waterloo', Stonewall Jackson was named Most Promising Country Male Star by Cash Box. Other Top Ten hits in the sixties include 'A Wound Time Can't Erase' (#3, 1962), 'B.J. the DJ (#1, 1964), 'Don't Be Angry' (#4), and 'I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water (#8, 1965). He's also known for his pro-Vietnam War hit 'The Minute Men (Are Turning in Their Graves)'. He left Columbia in 1973 for MGM Records, where he logged his final chart hit, 'Herman Schwartz,' that year. Jackson and his Minute-Men band (including son Turp on drums) occasionally tour and still keep their weekend Opry appearances. His autobiography, 'From the Bottom Up' was published by L. C. Parsons in 1991."
In 1977 Stonewall was presented the Ernest Tubb Memorial Award for his contributions to country music. By the end of his charted recording career, Stonewall had placed 44 singles on the Billboard country charts.
When Stonewall joined the Opry, he was part of the youth movement that was started by Opry manager Dee Kilpatrick. Others who joined the Opry during the same time period were Porter Wagoner and the Everly Brothers.
Stonewall was one of the Opry artists who were fired from the Opry on December 6, 1964 for failing to meet the Opry's appearance requirements. Stonewall was gone from the Opry for almost four and a half years, rejoining the show on May 10, 1969.
Stonewall made news in 2006 when he sued the Grand Ole Opry for $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages, claiming age discrimination. As a member of the Opry for over fifty years, he believed that management was reducing his appearances in favor of younger artists. In his court filing, Jackson claimed that Opry general manager Pete Fisher stated that he did not "want any gray hairs on that stage or in the audience, and before I'm done there won't be any." Fisher was also alleged to have told Jackson that he was "too old and too country." The lawsuit was settled on October 3, 2008 for an undisclosed amount and Stonewall returned to performing on the Opry.
On the night that Stonewall Jackson returned to the Opry, on May 10, 1969, he was on the 7:00 segment hosted by Roy Acuff. Others on that segment included Jean Shepard and Leroy Van Dyke. Stonewall sang "Don't be Angry" and "Angry Words" during that half hour. On the 2nd show that night, he appeared in the 10:15 segment, again hosted by Roy Acuff and sang "Angry Words".
If there was ever a country singer, it was Stonewall Jackson. He had a distinctive voice and you knew a Stonewall song the minute it came on. Many of his songs had a honky-tonk beat to them. Pete Fisher was right was he said Stonewall was "too country."
I could never understand, with the number of hit records that Stonewall had, why he never received more recognition in Nashville, or on the award shows. And with his career accomplishments, in the opinion of this writer, Stonewall should have been in the Country Music Hall of Fame long ago. Yet, he has never received even serious consideration. Some of it could be that he was not a trailblazer in music and outside of his first few hits, he never had any crossover appeal. I think the other more recent reason is because of the lawsuit against the Opry. Gaylord is a big supporter of the Hall of Fame and I think people remember. Politics is in play many times with Hall of Fame voting and with the lawsuit, I think any chance Stonewall had pretty much went out the window.
But in my opinion, Stonewall was one of the great classic country music singers of all time and I am glad he is back on the Opry, although with reduced appearances, and I congratulate him on 55 years of Opry membership and send along my best wishes on his 79th birthday.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Grand Ole Opry Line Up 11/4 & 11/5
Before I get into this week's schedule, how do you think some of those "younger fans" feel right now, who bought tickets for the Opry coming up in November, specifically to see Keith Urban and nobody else, and then he cancels out on the Opry for those two dates? Probably not so great, but that is what happens when the Opry tries to cater to a group that has no real interest in the Opry and specifically target an individual performer instead of promoting the entire show. Nothing against Keith Urban as I am sure it was a good reason why he had to cancel, but as "real" Opry fans know, you get used to performers who are advertised and not show up and we just accept it as part of the show. At least this time there was some advanced notice. But I am sure it created a lot of unhappy ticket buyers and considering how expensive it is to see the Opry, these same fans might think twice before buying a ticket again. And of course, that hurts the Opry's reputation and bottom line.
Anyways, the Opry is back at the Ryman Auditorium for the winter run and with the move, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night. Saturday nights show will feature the return of Stonewall Jackson to the Opry and this weekend will mark his 55th year as an Opry member. Congratulations to Stonewall and I am glad he is able to be at the Opry this weekend. Jean Shepard also returns to the Opry on Saturday, along with newcomers Sarah Darling and James Wesley.
The Friday Night Opry will feature a couple of newcomers with JT Hodges and Craig Campbell appearing at the Opry. I am pretty sure that this is JT's first appearance on the show.
Friday November 4:
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; Diamond Rio
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; JT Hodges
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jack Greene; Craig Campbell
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Rebecca Lynn Howard; Johnny Lee
Saturday November 5:
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; James Wesley
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Sarah Darling
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jean Shepard (host); Stonewall Jackson; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Exile
I find it interesting that Jesse McReynolds is no longer listed as Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, even though his group is with him most nights he appears on the Opry.
For those counting at home, there will be 12 artists on each show, with 8 Opry members each night.
Connie Smith will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on Saturday night. She is promoting her new CD and I hope the fans turn out.
Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry, November 8:
7:00: Jimmy C Newman; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Danny Gokey
INTERMISSION
8:15: The Whites; Diamond Rio
8:45: Jim Ed Brown; Darius Rucker
Anyways, the Opry is back at the Ryman Auditorium for the winter run and with the move, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night. Saturday nights show will feature the return of Stonewall Jackson to the Opry and this weekend will mark his 55th year as an Opry member. Congratulations to Stonewall and I am glad he is able to be at the Opry this weekend. Jean Shepard also returns to the Opry on Saturday, along with newcomers Sarah Darling and James Wesley.
The Friday Night Opry will feature a couple of newcomers with JT Hodges and Craig Campbell appearing at the Opry. I am pretty sure that this is JT's first appearance on the show.
Friday November 4:
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; Diamond Rio
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; JT Hodges
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jack Greene; Craig Campbell
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Rebecca Lynn Howard; Johnny Lee
Saturday November 5:
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; James Wesley
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Sarah Darling
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jean Shepard (host); Stonewall Jackson; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Exile
I find it interesting that Jesse McReynolds is no longer listed as Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, even though his group is with him most nights he appears on the Opry.
For those counting at home, there will be 12 artists on each show, with 8 Opry members each night.
Connie Smith will be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on Saturday night. She is promoting her new CD and I hope the fans turn out.
Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry, November 8:
7:00: Jimmy C Newman; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Danny Gokey
INTERMISSION
8:15: The Whites; Diamond Rio
8:45: Jim Ed Brown; Darius Rucker
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
November Opry Highlights
As I do each month, here are the important and historical events that have taken place in the history of the Grand Ole Opry during the month of November.
November 2, 1925: George D. Hay began working at WSM radio in Nashville as the Radio Director. Later that month, he would start the WSM Barn Dance and he would manage the Opry during it's early years.
November 28, 1925: WSM's Barn Dance, which later became known as the WSM Grand Ole Opry, was broadcast for the first time. The show took place from the fifth-floor studio in the National Life and Accident Insurance Company's headquarters in downtown Nashville. The first broadcast featured Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddler who claimed that he knew over one thousand songs. "Tennessee Waggoner" was the first song played.
November 2, 1948: Roy Acuff, who was the Republican candidate for Governor of Tennessee, was defeated. While Roy would not seek political office again, he would continue to campaign for Republican office seekers including Ronald Reagan and George Bush. During his campaign appearances in the fall of 1948, Roy would sing and feature his Smoky Mountain Boys. But the story went that when the music stopped and his political speech would begin, the crowds would start to thin out.
November 13, 1949: The Grand Ole Opry sponsored its first overseas trip as a group of Opry performers traveled to England, Germany and the Azores as part of a USO sponsored tour. The Opry stars on this trip were Roy Acuff, Rod Brasfield, Jimmy Dickens, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl and Hank Williams.
November 21, 1955: Jean Shepard becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jean will also be celebrating her birthday and wedding anniversary on this date. This will be Jean's 56th year as an Opry member and she is the current Opry member that has been at the Opry for the longest number of years consecutively.
November 3, 1956: Stonewall Jackson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This year will be his 55th as an Opry member and he is on the schedule for this Saturday night. I think everyone has heard the Stonewall Jackson story before, but for those who have not, Stonewall just showed up outside the Opry one day and so impressed folks with his singing that he was asked to become a member even though he had never recorded a hit record. In the course of his career, Stonewall would have many hit records and become a big star in country music. Sadly, several years ago, Stonewall filed a lawsuit against Gaylord Entertainment and the management of the Opry claiming age discrimination. Although still offered slots to perform on the Opry, including on his 50th anniversary as an Opry member, Stonewall elected to stay away until the lawsuit was settled, which it eventually was in an out of court settlement. Since then, Stonewall has returned to actively performing on the Opry and while his appearances greatly increased immediately after the lawsuit, they have become more sporadic over the past several years. On November 6th, Stonewall will be celebrating his 79th birthday.
November 3, 1961: The Country Music Association announced the beginning of its Country Music Hall of Fame. The first performers honored were Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams. The following year, 1962, Roy Acuff became the first leaving member to be elected to the Hall.
November 29, 1961: A group of Opry performers played a sold-out show at Carneige Hall in New York City. Among the Opry members who were part of the show were Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Bill Monroe, Patsy Cline and Grandpa Jones. No wonder the show sold out with a line up like that.
November 28, 1963: Willie Nelson joined the Grand Ole Opry. He did not last long as an Opry member and often complained about the low pay at the Opry. And of course, on his first night there, he was introduced with the wrong name. Those were the days that Willie had the short hair and was clean shaven. In 1972, Willie left Nashville for Austin, Texas, where he established himself as country music's outlaw singer. Willie would continue to play the Opry over the years.
November 12, 1971: Construction officially began on the new Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland. While there were those worried if the crowds would continue to come to the Opry once it moved out of downtown, that would not be an issue. When the new Opry House opened in March 1974, it would be the first building built specifically for the Opry.
November 10, 1973: David Akeman, otherwise known professionally as "Stringbean" made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. That night when he and his wife Estelle returned home after the Opry, they were ambushed and killed by two men who were waiting to rob him. The killers sat in his house and listened to the Opry on the radio so they could judge when he would return home. The rumor at the time was that Stringbean had money, and lots of it, hidden in his small cabin. Nothing was found, but over twenty years later when the house was being worked on, $20,000 of rotted money was found within the walls of the house. The bodies of Stringbean and Estelle were found on Sunday morning by Grandpa Jones, Stringbean's neighbor and closest friend. Grandpa was so shaken by the killings that he left Nashville for a number of years and moved to Arkansas and had a country dinner theater. Roy Acuff and other members of the Opry called for the death penalty for the killers. Although the killers were quickly captured, they were not sentenced to death, but to lengthy prison terms. One of the killers was recently denied parole. A&E did a program on these murders several years back and they still show it from time to time. Not only was Stringbean famous for his work at the Opry, but he was one of the stars of Hee Haw. Opry announcer Grant Turner remembered Stringbean's final night at the Opry: "I'll never forget that night. I saw Grandpa Jones and Ramona talking with Stringbean and his wife. There were having so much fun; they were planning to go fishing. I was going to stop and say something to them, but they were busy talking. That was just a short time before Stringbean and his wife........" By the way, Stringbean was an early member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys.
November 21, 1985: Reba McEntire became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This was her first Opry show as a member, as she actually joined the show on November 14, as part of the Opry's 60th anniversary special on CBS.
November 3, 1990: Minnie Pearl was honored on her 50th anniversary as an Opry member. When Minnie joined the cast in 1940, she was immediately accepted into the Opry's cast. Minnie remembered her Opry audition: "I auditioned in front of maybe eight or nine people. Harry Stone, Jack Stapp, Judge Hay, Ford Rush, all of those people standing in that old control room in Studio B on the fifth floor of the National Life building, and they just looked at me. They never cracked a smile. I didn't get through to them, I don't think." Ford Rush then told her after the audition that they had investigated her "and he wasn't sure those people out there wouldn't think I was a phony." Rush was concerned that she had attended Ward-Belmont College. She was then told that she would have a tryout on the Opry the following Saturday and she was told to report at 10:30 and to be ready to go on the Crazy Water Crystals show at 11:05, when, she was told, normally not very many people are listening. She further remembered that night: "I went to Judge Hay and I said, 'I'm Minnie Pearl'. We'll, I didn't say, 'I'm Minnie Pearl', that was the funny part of it. I said 'I'm Ophelia Colley,' which was my name then. He said, 'Oh, yes, you're the young lady that's going to do the comedy.' And I said, 'We'll, I'm going to try.'" She was told to go back to one of the dressing rooms at at 11 to come back to the stage. This was at the War Memorial Auditorium and she said it was not full as it was late at night and cold outside. At 11, she stood next to Judge Hay and she was shaking and the Judge asked if she was scared and she said she was. Then he gave his famous line to her, "Just love'em honey, and they'll love you back."
November 15, 1992: The Grand Ole Opry is inducted into the Museum of Broadcast Communication's Radio Hall of Fame.
November 23, 1992: Grand Ole Opry star and Country Music Hall of Fame member Roy Acuff passed away in Nashville. His influence on the Opry and in country music in general can never be overstated. Thanks in large part to Acuff-Rose Publishing, Nashville moved to the forefront of country music and his publishing company gave country music songwriters and entertainers a place to publish and claim ownership of their material without going to New York. Roy played the Opry right up to within a month of his death. He was the first living performer to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It is ironic that one of those younger entertainers who have tried to carry on the Opry tradition as Roy Acuff would have wanted was Marty Stuart, who became an Opry member on the Saturday following his death.
November 28, 1992: Marty Stuart becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 19th year as an Opry member. Marty, along with fellow artists Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill, have done much to carry on the Opry's tradition and have supported the show over the years.
November 27, 1993: Joe Diffie becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 18th year as an Opry member.
November 30, 1995: Martina McBride became a member of the Opry as part of a CBS show that celebrated the Opry's 70th anniversary. Loretta Lynn, who was a big influence on Martina, handled the formal induction. This will be Martina's 16th year as an Opry member and what I will always remember is that earlier that year in October, Martina was invited to guest on the Opry on the night of the Opry's 70th birthday celebration. Martina was the final performer for that half hour, which was televised on TNN. The singing of Happy Birthday and the rolling out of the cake was to take place after Martina's songs, But, Martina song two ballads and she ran long on her slot and as a result the birthday celebration was not shown on televison, resulting in many unhappy viewers and some not-so-happy Opry members. Martina was crestfallen afterwards, believing that she had blown her chance to become an Opry member, and apologized to everyone. But a month later, her dream came true.
November 23, 1996: Trace Adkins makes his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. 7 years later, on August 23, 2003, he would become an Opry member.
November 7, 1998: Jimmy Dickens celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. Although he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1948, it should be mentioned that Jimmy left the Opry 18 years, rejoining the show in 1975. With that in mind, and although he is often introduced from the Opry stage as a member of the Opry for over 62 years, it would be correct to say that he became an Opry member 63 years ago. (if you need a clarification, just ask Jean Shepard, who is real careful about her Opry history). Among those who came out to honor Jimmy on his special night wer Carl Smith, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare and Bill Anderson. At the time, the only other Opry members who had been with the show for 50 years were Herman Crook, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Bill Monroe and Grandpa Jones. Since then, 50 year members have included Wilma Lee Cooper, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Stonewall Jackson, George Jones, Charlie Louvin, Jimmy C Newman, Jean Shepard, Porter Wagoner, Teddy Wilburn and most recently, Bill Anderson. I question seeing George Jones on this list, and to be honest, I completely forgot Teddy Wilburn.
November 30, 2002: Tim McGraw makes his first appearance on the Opry. Although he never would become an Opry member, he has made several Opry appearances over the years.
November 14, 2005: The Grand Ole Opry returns to Carneige Hall in New York for the 3rd time to perform an Opry show. This was was featured in a special on GAC-TV and would be released as a DVD. This performance was part of the Opry's 80th anniversary. The performers on the show that night were Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Ricky Skaggs and Trisha Yearwood. (Wouldn't you love to see this line up at the Opry House on a Saturday night?)
November 8, 2008: Actor Kevin Costner and his country band, Modern West, performed on the Opry for the first time. 2 years later, they would return for another appearance.
November 14, 2009: For the first time, the Opry streams part of its show on MySpace. The show featured Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Jake Owen and Rodney Atkins. The show had numerous technical flaws and problems, but despite the issues, the Opry would repeat this again.
There you have it. Enjoy!!!
November 2, 1925: George D. Hay began working at WSM radio in Nashville as the Radio Director. Later that month, he would start the WSM Barn Dance and he would manage the Opry during it's early years.
November 28, 1925: WSM's Barn Dance, which later became known as the WSM Grand Ole Opry, was broadcast for the first time. The show took place from the fifth-floor studio in the National Life and Accident Insurance Company's headquarters in downtown Nashville. The first broadcast featured Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddler who claimed that he knew over one thousand songs. "Tennessee Waggoner" was the first song played.
November 2, 1948: Roy Acuff, who was the Republican candidate for Governor of Tennessee, was defeated. While Roy would not seek political office again, he would continue to campaign for Republican office seekers including Ronald Reagan and George Bush. During his campaign appearances in the fall of 1948, Roy would sing and feature his Smoky Mountain Boys. But the story went that when the music stopped and his political speech would begin, the crowds would start to thin out.
November 13, 1949: The Grand Ole Opry sponsored its first overseas trip as a group of Opry performers traveled to England, Germany and the Azores as part of a USO sponsored tour. The Opry stars on this trip were Roy Acuff, Rod Brasfield, Jimmy Dickens, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl and Hank Williams.
November 21, 1955: Jean Shepard becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Jean will also be celebrating her birthday and wedding anniversary on this date. This will be Jean's 56th year as an Opry member and she is the current Opry member that has been at the Opry for the longest number of years consecutively.
November 3, 1956: Stonewall Jackson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This year will be his 55th as an Opry member and he is on the schedule for this Saturday night. I think everyone has heard the Stonewall Jackson story before, but for those who have not, Stonewall just showed up outside the Opry one day and so impressed folks with his singing that he was asked to become a member even though he had never recorded a hit record. In the course of his career, Stonewall would have many hit records and become a big star in country music. Sadly, several years ago, Stonewall filed a lawsuit against Gaylord Entertainment and the management of the Opry claiming age discrimination. Although still offered slots to perform on the Opry, including on his 50th anniversary as an Opry member, Stonewall elected to stay away until the lawsuit was settled, which it eventually was in an out of court settlement. Since then, Stonewall has returned to actively performing on the Opry and while his appearances greatly increased immediately after the lawsuit, they have become more sporadic over the past several years. On November 6th, Stonewall will be celebrating his 79th birthday.
November 3, 1961: The Country Music Association announced the beginning of its Country Music Hall of Fame. The first performers honored were Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams. The following year, 1962, Roy Acuff became the first leaving member to be elected to the Hall.
November 29, 1961: A group of Opry performers played a sold-out show at Carneige Hall in New York City. Among the Opry members who were part of the show were Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Bill Monroe, Patsy Cline and Grandpa Jones. No wonder the show sold out with a line up like that.
November 28, 1963: Willie Nelson joined the Grand Ole Opry. He did not last long as an Opry member and often complained about the low pay at the Opry. And of course, on his first night there, he was introduced with the wrong name. Those were the days that Willie had the short hair and was clean shaven. In 1972, Willie left Nashville for Austin, Texas, where he established himself as country music's outlaw singer. Willie would continue to play the Opry over the years.
November 12, 1971: Construction officially began on the new Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland. While there were those worried if the crowds would continue to come to the Opry once it moved out of downtown, that would not be an issue. When the new Opry House opened in March 1974, it would be the first building built specifically for the Opry.
November 10, 1973: David Akeman, otherwise known professionally as "Stringbean" made his final Grand Ole Opry appearance. That night when he and his wife Estelle returned home after the Opry, they were ambushed and killed by two men who were waiting to rob him. The killers sat in his house and listened to the Opry on the radio so they could judge when he would return home. The rumor at the time was that Stringbean had money, and lots of it, hidden in his small cabin. Nothing was found, but over twenty years later when the house was being worked on, $20,000 of rotted money was found within the walls of the house. The bodies of Stringbean and Estelle were found on Sunday morning by Grandpa Jones, Stringbean's neighbor and closest friend. Grandpa was so shaken by the killings that he left Nashville for a number of years and moved to Arkansas and had a country dinner theater. Roy Acuff and other members of the Opry called for the death penalty for the killers. Although the killers were quickly captured, they were not sentenced to death, but to lengthy prison terms. One of the killers was recently denied parole. A&E did a program on these murders several years back and they still show it from time to time. Not only was Stringbean famous for his work at the Opry, but he was one of the stars of Hee Haw. Opry announcer Grant Turner remembered Stringbean's final night at the Opry: "I'll never forget that night. I saw Grandpa Jones and Ramona talking with Stringbean and his wife. There were having so much fun; they were planning to go fishing. I was going to stop and say something to them, but they were busy talking. That was just a short time before Stringbean and his wife........" By the way, Stringbean was an early member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys.
November 21, 1985: Reba McEntire became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This was her first Opry show as a member, as she actually joined the show on November 14, as part of the Opry's 60th anniversary special on CBS.
November 3, 1990: Minnie Pearl was honored on her 50th anniversary as an Opry member. When Minnie joined the cast in 1940, she was immediately accepted into the Opry's cast. Minnie remembered her Opry audition: "I auditioned in front of maybe eight or nine people. Harry Stone, Jack Stapp, Judge Hay, Ford Rush, all of those people standing in that old control room in Studio B on the fifth floor of the National Life building, and they just looked at me. They never cracked a smile. I didn't get through to them, I don't think." Ford Rush then told her after the audition that they had investigated her "and he wasn't sure those people out there wouldn't think I was a phony." Rush was concerned that she had attended Ward-Belmont College. She was then told that she would have a tryout on the Opry the following Saturday and she was told to report at 10:30 and to be ready to go on the Crazy Water Crystals show at 11:05, when, she was told, normally not very many people are listening. She further remembered that night: "I went to Judge Hay and I said, 'I'm Minnie Pearl'. We'll, I didn't say, 'I'm Minnie Pearl', that was the funny part of it. I said 'I'm Ophelia Colley,' which was my name then. He said, 'Oh, yes, you're the young lady that's going to do the comedy.' And I said, 'We'll, I'm going to try.'" She was told to go back to one of the dressing rooms at at 11 to come back to the stage. This was at the War Memorial Auditorium and she said it was not full as it was late at night and cold outside. At 11, she stood next to Judge Hay and she was shaking and the Judge asked if she was scared and she said she was. Then he gave his famous line to her, "Just love'em honey, and they'll love you back."
November 15, 1992: The Grand Ole Opry is inducted into the Museum of Broadcast Communication's Radio Hall of Fame.
November 23, 1992: Grand Ole Opry star and Country Music Hall of Fame member Roy Acuff passed away in Nashville. His influence on the Opry and in country music in general can never be overstated. Thanks in large part to Acuff-Rose Publishing, Nashville moved to the forefront of country music and his publishing company gave country music songwriters and entertainers a place to publish and claim ownership of their material without going to New York. Roy played the Opry right up to within a month of his death. He was the first living performer to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It is ironic that one of those younger entertainers who have tried to carry on the Opry tradition as Roy Acuff would have wanted was Marty Stuart, who became an Opry member on the Saturday following his death.
November 28, 1992: Marty Stuart becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 19th year as an Opry member. Marty, along with fellow artists Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill, have done much to carry on the Opry's tradition and have supported the show over the years.
November 27, 1993: Joe Diffie becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be his 18th year as an Opry member.
November 30, 1995: Martina McBride became a member of the Opry as part of a CBS show that celebrated the Opry's 70th anniversary. Loretta Lynn, who was a big influence on Martina, handled the formal induction. This will be Martina's 16th year as an Opry member and what I will always remember is that earlier that year in October, Martina was invited to guest on the Opry on the night of the Opry's 70th birthday celebration. Martina was the final performer for that half hour, which was televised on TNN. The singing of Happy Birthday and the rolling out of the cake was to take place after Martina's songs, But, Martina song two ballads and she ran long on her slot and as a result the birthday celebration was not shown on televison, resulting in many unhappy viewers and some not-so-happy Opry members. Martina was crestfallen afterwards, believing that she had blown her chance to become an Opry member, and apologized to everyone. But a month later, her dream came true.
November 23, 1996: Trace Adkins makes his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. 7 years later, on August 23, 2003, he would become an Opry member.
November 7, 1998: Jimmy Dickens celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. Although he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1948, it should be mentioned that Jimmy left the Opry 18 years, rejoining the show in 1975. With that in mind, and although he is often introduced from the Opry stage as a member of the Opry for over 62 years, it would be correct to say that he became an Opry member 63 years ago. (if you need a clarification, just ask Jean Shepard, who is real careful about her Opry history). Among those who came out to honor Jimmy on his special night wer Carl Smith, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare and Bill Anderson. At the time, the only other Opry members who had been with the show for 50 years were Herman Crook, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Bill Monroe and Grandpa Jones. Since then, 50 year members have included Wilma Lee Cooper, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Stonewall Jackson, George Jones, Charlie Louvin, Jimmy C Newman, Jean Shepard, Porter Wagoner, Teddy Wilburn and most recently, Bill Anderson. I question seeing George Jones on this list, and to be honest, I completely forgot Teddy Wilburn.
November 30, 2002: Tim McGraw makes his first appearance on the Opry. Although he never would become an Opry member, he has made several Opry appearances over the years.
November 14, 2005: The Grand Ole Opry returns to Carneige Hall in New York for the 3rd time to perform an Opry show. This was was featured in a special on GAC-TV and would be released as a DVD. This performance was part of the Opry's 80th anniversary. The performers on the show that night were Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Ricky Skaggs and Trisha Yearwood. (Wouldn't you love to see this line up at the Opry House on a Saturday night?)
November 8, 2008: Actor Kevin Costner and his country band, Modern West, performed on the Opry for the first time. 2 years later, they would return for another appearance.
November 14, 2009: For the first time, the Opry streams part of its show on MySpace. The show featured Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Jake Owen and Rodney Atkins. The show had numerous technical flaws and problems, but despite the issues, the Opry would repeat this again.
There you have it. Enjoy!!!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Some Thoughts About The Opry On GAC
During the month of October, GAC (Great American Country) and the Opry came to an agreement to televise a few of the Opry's shows. The shows were a combination of Tuesday night shows that were taped and shown later, and a couple of Saturday night shows that were shown live. These were the first new Opry shows to be televised since the September 2010 reopening of the Grand Ole Opry House, and prior to that it had been several years since the Opry had been televised.
In the opinion of this writer and Opry fan, the shows that were shown were, in a word, horrible. The shows featured a variety of artists, a few of whom such as Martina McBride, Craig Morgan, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley and Randy Travis, were actually Opry members. The rest were not.
The recent history of the Opry on television started in the mid 1980s when TNN decided to televise a half hour of the Opry on Saturday night. Nothing special was done. The show stayed the same and whoever was scheduled on that half hour were the ones shown on the televised show. In fact, it was nothing more than putting up a camera or two and televising the radio show. The show usually started on time, although there were weeks when the segment proceeding the televised portion ran long and they had to kill some time before the segment started, and almost every week, the final performer was still singing as the credits ran on the screen. In other words, it was not scripted or polished. Those who appeared on the televised segment included just about everyone who was an Opry member. The rotation of hosts and guests was good and in a 6 month period, everyone usually got on once or twice. Sometimes the half hour had a host and 2 guests, and other weeks, there was a host and 4 guests. It just varied and you never knew who was going to be on until the show started. No pre-publicity of the show.
Over time, a half hour interview show was added that featured that night's artists. For special events, such as the Opry's birthday celebration, a whole hour of the Opry would be shown. Same formula and nothing extra special.
Eventually, the Opry moved to CMT and became an hour long show each week. And with it, the Opry management started to lose control of the show and the professionalism started to set in. The rotation of hosts became smaller and included only those who had a good tv presence. (no more Bill Monroes or Hank Snows), and the number of Opry members who were on the televised portion were picked from a smaller group, again featuring those with TV presence. And, there became more of an emphasis on guest artists promoting new material.
When CMT no longer showed an interest in the Opry, the Opry was forced to find a new marriage partner for television and the only network that came knocking was GAC. And with it, all control for the televised portion was lost. At first, Opry members continued to host the televised hour, but that eventually went away and the host became Nan Kelly, a professional announcer. The number of artists on the hour show went from 6 or 7, down to 5, and then to 4, with some weeks 3. The production became polished, and if you were in the Opry House watching the show, it felt like you were attending a tv taping. And, of the Opry's 65 or so members, only around 10 were actually shown on the show. The rest were guest artists, all young and "sexy" looking.
And that brings us to where we are now. A 1 hour show, that features either 3 or 4 artists, all singing numerous songs, with fancy lighting and large scale production values. The shows are all pre-scripted and rehearsed. The shows start and end right on time, down to the last second. And, there are many more commercials. If you are sitting in the Opry House during a televised show, you get lots of the Opry Staff Band, as that is who is playing on stage during all the commerical breaks.
Over time, most of us have gotten used to this and are happy that at least something from the Opry was televised. It really wasn't the Opry as such, but it was the best we were going to get. And that brings me to the shows this October. For whatever reason, the shows just didn't seem right, especially the birthday show. The timing was off, the camera shots were not real good, Nan Kelly seemed off her game, and I don't think some of the guest artists realized that they were on the Opry. I think they thought they were just at another television taping. In other words, the shows were terrible and tough to watch.
If you were sitting in the Opry House, it was even worse. As it is right now, the Opry is 2 hours in length. On a night when the Opry is televised, the 1st hour actually seems like the Opry. The show is good and moves at a good pace. There is about a 5 minute gap between the 1st and 2nd hours, which gives GAC time to make sure they get started right on time, the chance to get the cameras and lighting right and to make sure the artist and band is in place and ready to go. And, it gives the veteran Opry members time to get backstage to their dressing rooms so that they will not be accidently seen on television. Heaven help GAC if they show someone who is under the age of 40 on the televised show.
When you are in the Opry House, it seems like you are watching 2 separate shows. During the televised portion, the lights are turned up, the sound is louder and you are actually told when to clap and stand. And, it just seems so disconnected from the 1st hour that it doesn't seem like the Opry. When the televised portion is over, that is it. The show is over, right on time, and you are headed out the door. It turns the Saturday show into a mess.
I know the Opry needs televison to sell the product and to attract interest. And I know they want to keep it young as they want to attract younger fans to the Opry. And I know GAC has final control on who is on the televised portion and they want artists that they can promote and who will attract ratings.
So here is my idea and I think it would work. Leave the Saturday show alone. Management has messed it up already. Just leave it as the traditional Opry as we know it. Take the Tuesday night Opry, that has the different format, and tape the last hour and make that the televised show. It can still be shown on the network on Saturday. By taping the show on Tuesday night, it can be edited for televison and look better. The Tuesday Night Opry has been attracting some of the bigger named artists, as many are on the road over the weekend. And since the traditional Opry fan does not tend to go to the Tuesday night shows, they are not upsetting their traditional audience.
Of course a better idea would be to somehow come to a deal with RFD-TV as the Opry would be a perfect fit for their Saturday night line up with Marty Stuart and Midwest Country, along with their other shows. RFD has the traditional audience that grew up to and listens to the Opry. And, with RFD having an emphasis on traditional country music, we could see more of the veteran Opry members. I don't know if RFD has shown an interest in televising the Opry or if they did attempt a deal and could not make one or maybe they are happy with what they have and don't want to televise the Opry. But, if I were RFD, I would certainly explore the idea of televising the Opry. I think they would do a great job with the product and I think they would do it right.
That is just my thoughts.
In the opinion of this writer and Opry fan, the shows that were shown were, in a word, horrible. The shows featured a variety of artists, a few of whom such as Martina McBride, Craig Morgan, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley and Randy Travis, were actually Opry members. The rest were not.
The recent history of the Opry on television started in the mid 1980s when TNN decided to televise a half hour of the Opry on Saturday night. Nothing special was done. The show stayed the same and whoever was scheduled on that half hour were the ones shown on the televised show. In fact, it was nothing more than putting up a camera or two and televising the radio show. The show usually started on time, although there were weeks when the segment proceeding the televised portion ran long and they had to kill some time before the segment started, and almost every week, the final performer was still singing as the credits ran on the screen. In other words, it was not scripted or polished. Those who appeared on the televised segment included just about everyone who was an Opry member. The rotation of hosts and guests was good and in a 6 month period, everyone usually got on once or twice. Sometimes the half hour had a host and 2 guests, and other weeks, there was a host and 4 guests. It just varied and you never knew who was going to be on until the show started. No pre-publicity of the show.
Over time, a half hour interview show was added that featured that night's artists. For special events, such as the Opry's birthday celebration, a whole hour of the Opry would be shown. Same formula and nothing extra special.
Eventually, the Opry moved to CMT and became an hour long show each week. And with it, the Opry management started to lose control of the show and the professionalism started to set in. The rotation of hosts became smaller and included only those who had a good tv presence. (no more Bill Monroes or Hank Snows), and the number of Opry members who were on the televised portion were picked from a smaller group, again featuring those with TV presence. And, there became more of an emphasis on guest artists promoting new material.
When CMT no longer showed an interest in the Opry, the Opry was forced to find a new marriage partner for television and the only network that came knocking was GAC. And with it, all control for the televised portion was lost. At first, Opry members continued to host the televised hour, but that eventually went away and the host became Nan Kelly, a professional announcer. The number of artists on the hour show went from 6 or 7, down to 5, and then to 4, with some weeks 3. The production became polished, and if you were in the Opry House watching the show, it felt like you were attending a tv taping. And, of the Opry's 65 or so members, only around 10 were actually shown on the show. The rest were guest artists, all young and "sexy" looking.
And that brings us to where we are now. A 1 hour show, that features either 3 or 4 artists, all singing numerous songs, with fancy lighting and large scale production values. The shows are all pre-scripted and rehearsed. The shows start and end right on time, down to the last second. And, there are many more commercials. If you are sitting in the Opry House during a televised show, you get lots of the Opry Staff Band, as that is who is playing on stage during all the commerical breaks.
Over time, most of us have gotten used to this and are happy that at least something from the Opry was televised. It really wasn't the Opry as such, but it was the best we were going to get. And that brings me to the shows this October. For whatever reason, the shows just didn't seem right, especially the birthday show. The timing was off, the camera shots were not real good, Nan Kelly seemed off her game, and I don't think some of the guest artists realized that they were on the Opry. I think they thought they were just at another television taping. In other words, the shows were terrible and tough to watch.
If you were sitting in the Opry House, it was even worse. As it is right now, the Opry is 2 hours in length. On a night when the Opry is televised, the 1st hour actually seems like the Opry. The show is good and moves at a good pace. There is about a 5 minute gap between the 1st and 2nd hours, which gives GAC time to make sure they get started right on time, the chance to get the cameras and lighting right and to make sure the artist and band is in place and ready to go. And, it gives the veteran Opry members time to get backstage to their dressing rooms so that they will not be accidently seen on television. Heaven help GAC if they show someone who is under the age of 40 on the televised show.
When you are in the Opry House, it seems like you are watching 2 separate shows. During the televised portion, the lights are turned up, the sound is louder and you are actually told when to clap and stand. And, it just seems so disconnected from the 1st hour that it doesn't seem like the Opry. When the televised portion is over, that is it. The show is over, right on time, and you are headed out the door. It turns the Saturday show into a mess.
I know the Opry needs televison to sell the product and to attract interest. And I know they want to keep it young as they want to attract younger fans to the Opry. And I know GAC has final control on who is on the televised portion and they want artists that they can promote and who will attract ratings.
So here is my idea and I think it would work. Leave the Saturday show alone. Management has messed it up already. Just leave it as the traditional Opry as we know it. Take the Tuesday night Opry, that has the different format, and tape the last hour and make that the televised show. It can still be shown on the network on Saturday. By taping the show on Tuesday night, it can be edited for televison and look better. The Tuesday Night Opry has been attracting some of the bigger named artists, as many are on the road over the weekend. And since the traditional Opry fan does not tend to go to the Tuesday night shows, they are not upsetting their traditional audience.
Of course a better idea would be to somehow come to a deal with RFD-TV as the Opry would be a perfect fit for their Saturday night line up with Marty Stuart and Midwest Country, along with their other shows. RFD has the traditional audience that grew up to and listens to the Opry. And, with RFD having an emphasis on traditional country music, we could see more of the veteran Opry members. I don't know if RFD has shown an interest in televising the Opry or if they did attempt a deal and could not make one or maybe they are happy with what they have and don't want to televise the Opry. But, if I were RFD, I would certainly explore the idea of televising the Opry. I think they would do a great job with the product and I think they would do it right.
That is just my thoughts.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Grand Ole Opry Line Up 10/27 & 10/28
The Grand Ole Opry has posted the schedule for the shows this weekend. As they finish up October, there will be 1 show on Friday night and 2 shows on Saturday night. After this weekend, it is back to the 1 show Saturdays. Also, this will be the last weekend at the Opry House until February as the Opry moves to the Ryman Auditorium for the next 3 months.
Saturday night will feature the return of Clint Black to the Opry stage. He is scheduled for both shows. Saturday night will also feature the Opry honoring Charlie Daniels, who is celebrating his 75th birthday. (wow, where have the years gone?) Non-Opry members Gretchen Wilson and The Grascals will also be on.
The Friday Night Opry will have Opry member Diamond Rio, along with frequent Opry guests Mark Wills and Mandy Barnett. Mandy will again be signing her new "Sweet Dreams" album, along with "Winter Wonderland." In case you are wondering about the huge promotion of Mandy's new album, it is because it is being distributed by "Opry Music, a division of Grand Ole Opry LLC". The album was produced by Steve Gibson, who is the Opry's music director, and the executive producers are Steve Buchanan, Pete Fisher and Sally Williams. Interesting that they would pick Mandy for this project.
Friday October 27, 2011
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds; Daryle Singletary
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Mandy Barnett
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Mark Wills
8:45: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top-X-Press; Diamond Rio
Saturday October 28, 2011
1st show:
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; The Grascals
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Lee Greenwood; Clint Black
8:00: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; Gretchen Wilson; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Charlie Daniels Band
2nd show:
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Grascals
10:00: The Whites (host); Lee Greenwood; Clint Black
10:30: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; Gretchen Wilson; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Charlie Daniels Band
The are 12 acts on the Friday Night Opry, of which 9 are Opry members, while there are 11 acts on each of the Saturday shows, of whom 8 are Opry members.
The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be hosted by David Frizzell. That should be a fine show coming on after the Opry.
Tonight's Opry Country Classics will be the last show for this series. This time around, there were 4 classic shows in October. Here is the line up for this show:
Host: Bill Cody
Spotlight Artist: Ricky Skaggs
Also featuring: Lynn Anderson; Mandy Barnett; Jimmy C Newman; T.G. Sheppard; James Wesley.
It's nice to see Lynn Anderson back on. She was on the classics show that I saw last year and she looked and sounded great.
Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry on November 1st, at the Ryman Auditorium:
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Edens Edge
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Phil Vassar
INTERMISSION
8:15: Riders In The Sky; Rodney Atkins
8:45: Rascal Flatts
On a final note, Vince Gill's new studio album was released this week. Called "Guitar Slinger", in my opinion it is Vince's best album yet. I have listened to the cuts over and over and it is just great. And Vince has been all over television this week promoting it. I know he was on the Imus Show this morning, and has been on pretty much all the other morning show. "Threaten Me With Heaven" has placed on the charts and "If I Die" might be the best Vince song yet. It has a strong message. If you get a chance, check it out.
Saturday night will feature the return of Clint Black to the Opry stage. He is scheduled for both shows. Saturday night will also feature the Opry honoring Charlie Daniels, who is celebrating his 75th birthday. (wow, where have the years gone?) Non-Opry members Gretchen Wilson and The Grascals will also be on.
The Friday Night Opry will have Opry member Diamond Rio, along with frequent Opry guests Mark Wills and Mandy Barnett. Mandy will again be signing her new "Sweet Dreams" album, along with "Winter Wonderland." In case you are wondering about the huge promotion of Mandy's new album, it is because it is being distributed by "Opry Music, a division of Grand Ole Opry LLC". The album was produced by Steve Gibson, who is the Opry's music director, and the executive producers are Steve Buchanan, Pete Fisher and Sally Williams. Interesting that they would pick Mandy for this project.
Friday October 27, 2011
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds; Daryle Singletary
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Mandy Barnett
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Mark Wills
8:45: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top-X-Press; Diamond Rio
Saturday October 28, 2011
1st show:
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; The Grascals
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Lee Greenwood; Clint Black
8:00: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; Gretchen Wilson; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Charlie Daniels Band
2nd show:
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Grascals
10:00: The Whites (host); Lee Greenwood; Clint Black
10:30: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; Gretchen Wilson; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Charlie Daniels Band
The are 12 acts on the Friday Night Opry, of which 9 are Opry members, while there are 11 acts on each of the Saturday shows, of whom 8 are Opry members.
The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be hosted by David Frizzell. That should be a fine show coming on after the Opry.
Tonight's Opry Country Classics will be the last show for this series. This time around, there were 4 classic shows in October. Here is the line up for this show:
Host: Bill Cody
Spotlight Artist: Ricky Skaggs
Also featuring: Lynn Anderson; Mandy Barnett; Jimmy C Newman; T.G. Sheppard; James Wesley.
It's nice to see Lynn Anderson back on. She was on the classics show that I saw last year and she looked and sounded great.
Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry on November 1st, at the Ryman Auditorium:
7:00: Jeannie Seely; Edens Edge
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Phil Vassar
INTERMISSION
8:15: Riders In The Sky; Rodney Atkins
8:45: Rascal Flatts
On a final note, Vince Gill's new studio album was released this week. Called "Guitar Slinger", in my opinion it is Vince's best album yet. I have listened to the cuts over and over and it is just great. And Vince has been all over television this week promoting it. I know he was on the Imus Show this morning, and has been on pretty much all the other morning show. "Threaten Me With Heaven" has placed on the charts and "If I Die" might be the best Vince song yet. It has a strong message. If you get a chance, check it out.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Classic Grand Ole Opry From The 1950s
As we get to the end of the Opry's birthday month, I wanted to leave everyone with 2 Grand Ole Opry line ups from many years ago. Back in those days, the Opry didn't always celebrate it's birthday/anniversary in a formal way, but what I found were 2 line ups that took place in October during the week's that for the most part, the majority of the Opry's birthday celebrations have taken place. Sorry, but for both of these shows, I do not have any song lists, just the line ups. I hope that will work for everyone. As a reminder, both of these shows took place at the Ryman Auditorium and this was during the period that the Opry had only 1 show on Saturday nights, starting at 7:30 and lasting until midnight. (not like now when there is 1 Saturday night show that goes from 7 until 9). During this period, each act, for the most part, would appear on the show twice, once before 10 and once after 10. There were a few acts that would appear only once, and once in a while you would have an act that would make 3 appearances on the show.
The first line up is from Saturday October 17, 1953:
7:30
Hank Snow (host)
Lew Childre
7:45
Johnnie & Jack (host)
Cowboy Copas
Kitty Wells
8:00
Ernest Tubb (host)
Bill Monroe
Marty Robbins
June Carter
Carter Family
8:30
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Carl Butler
Jordanaires
Stringbean
9:00
Webb Pierce (host)
George Morgan
Martha Carson
S. & Matty
9:30
Carl Smith (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Anita Carter
Grandpa Jones
Chet Atkins
10:00
George Morgan (host)
Bill Monroe
Johnnie & Jack
10:15
Hank Snow (host)
Kitty Wells
Bill Monroe
10:30
Ernest Tubb (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Marty Robbins
Duke of Paducah
June Carter
Chet Atkins
Carter Family
11:00
Web Pierce (host)
Martha Carson
Rod Brasfield
11:15
Carl Smith (host)
Johnnie & Jack
Stringbean
11:30
Hank Snow (host)
Lew Childre
11:45
Cowboy Copas (host)
Grandpa Jones
The 2nd line up is from Saturday October 22, 1955:
7:30
Carl Smith (host)
Justin Tubb
Eddie Hill
7:45
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Goldie Hill
Red Sovine
8:00
Ernest Tubb (host)
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Jim Reeves
Martha Carson
T Tommy Cutrer
Maybelle Carter
8:30
Ray Price (host)
Jordanaires
Del Wood
Rod Brasfield
Chet Atkins
9:00
Carl Smith (host)
Louvin Brothers
Bill Monroe
Bill Carlisle
Grandpa Jones
Jean Shepard
9:30
Ferlin Husky (host)
Anita Carter
Chet Atkins
Lew Childre
10:00
Hawkshaw Hawkins (host)
Bill Monroe
Martha Carson
10:15
Ray Price (host)
Bill Carlisle
Justin Tubb
10:30
Ernest Tubb (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Eddie Hill
10:45
Ferlin Husky (host)
Goldie Hill
11:00
Carl Smith (host)
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Jim Reeves
Martha Carson
Grandpa Jones
Jean Shepard
Maybelle Carter
11:30
Ray Price (host)
Louvin Brothers
Lew Childre
Red Sovine
Yes, there were squaredancers and the string bands on the show, I just didn't have them in my line up. But, overall, a nice look back and pretty good shows both nights
This will be the last of the Opry birthday line ups as October is about done. I hope you have enjoyed this look back at some of the Opry shows from years past. Look for this week's Opry schedule and comments tomorrow.
The first line up is from Saturday October 17, 1953:
7:30
Hank Snow (host)
Lew Childre
7:45
Johnnie & Jack (host)
Cowboy Copas
Kitty Wells
8:00
Ernest Tubb (host)
Bill Monroe
Marty Robbins
June Carter
Carter Family
8:30
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Carl Butler
Jordanaires
Stringbean
9:00
Webb Pierce (host)
George Morgan
Martha Carson
S. & Matty
9:30
Carl Smith (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Anita Carter
Grandpa Jones
Chet Atkins
10:00
George Morgan (host)
Bill Monroe
Johnnie & Jack
10:15
Hank Snow (host)
Kitty Wells
Bill Monroe
10:30
Ernest Tubb (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Marty Robbins
Duke of Paducah
June Carter
Chet Atkins
Carter Family
11:00
Web Pierce (host)
Martha Carson
Rod Brasfield
11:15
Carl Smith (host)
Johnnie & Jack
Stringbean
11:30
Hank Snow (host)
Lew Childre
11:45
Cowboy Copas (host)
Grandpa Jones
The 2nd line up is from Saturday October 22, 1955:
7:30
Carl Smith (host)
Justin Tubb
Eddie Hill
7:45
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Goldie Hill
Red Sovine
8:00
Ernest Tubb (host)
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Jim Reeves
Martha Carson
T Tommy Cutrer
Maybelle Carter
8:30
Ray Price (host)
Jordanaires
Del Wood
Rod Brasfield
Chet Atkins
9:00
Carl Smith (host)
Louvin Brothers
Bill Monroe
Bill Carlisle
Grandpa Jones
Jean Shepard
9:30
Ferlin Husky (host)
Anita Carter
Chet Atkins
Lew Childre
10:00
Hawkshaw Hawkins (host)
Bill Monroe
Martha Carson
10:15
Ray Price (host)
Bill Carlisle
Justin Tubb
10:30
Ernest Tubb (host)
Jimmy Dickens
Eddie Hill
10:45
Ferlin Husky (host)
Goldie Hill
11:00
Carl Smith (host)
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Jim Reeves
Martha Carson
Grandpa Jones
Jean Shepard
Maybelle Carter
11:30
Ray Price (host)
Louvin Brothers
Lew Childre
Red Sovine
Yes, there were squaredancers and the string bands on the show, I just didn't have them in my line up. But, overall, a nice look back and pretty good shows both nights
This will be the last of the Opry birthday line ups as October is about done. I hope you have enjoyed this look back at some of the Opry shows from years past. Look for this week's Opry schedule and comments tomorrow.
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