Grand Ole Opry 3/2 & 3/3-Updated

Update #2: Connie Smith is off the schedule on Friday night and Connie Smith has been added, while Jean Shepard has cancelled for Saturday night with Jan Howard added.

Update #1: Holly Williams has been added on Saturday night.

There Grand Ole Opry has posted the line ups for the 2 shows this weekend. Of interest is the fact that while the Friday Night Opry is at the Opry House, the Saturday Grand Ole Opry is at the Ryman Auditorium.

This week's line up is highlighted by the return of Opry member Mel Tillis, who will be at both shows this weekend. Appearing with Mel on Friday night will be Opry members Montgomery Gentry, while non-Opry member (and who should be an Opry member), Rhonda Vincent will also be on. This weekends newcomer who will be making his first Opry appearance will be Dustin Lynch.

Saturday night's show, in addition to Mel, will feature popular Opry guests Darryl Worley, Mark Wills and Exile.

Jimmy Dickens and Jean Shepard, both of whom cancelled out last Saturday night, are scheduled for this weekend. Jimmy is set for both shows, and in somewhat of a surprise, Jean is scheduled for Saturday night. While mentioning these two veteran performers, 2012 has been off to a rough start for a couple more of the Opry's veterans. Neither Stu Phillips, Stonewall Jackson or Jack Greene has made an Opry appearance since the first of the year. Stonewall is scheduled to be the host of the Midnight Jamboree next weekend. And speaking of the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, Ronnie Milsap is scheduled to be the host for this week's show, yet he is not scheduled for the Opry. I hope that is Ronnie's choice and not the Opry's.

Friday March 2
7:00: John Conlee (host); The Whites; Dustin Lynch
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Rhonda Vincent
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; Gloriana
8:45: Mel Tillis (host); Jesse McReynolds; Montgomery Gentry

Saturday March 3
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Mike Snider; Holly Williams
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jim Ed Brown; Darryl Worley
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mel Tillis (host); Jan Howard; Mark Wills; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Exile

That is 12 artists on Friday night of whom 9 are Opry members, while 12 are scheduled for Saturday night of whom 8 are Opry members.

On a final note, recently I received an email from the Opry, and if you are on the Opry's email list, I am sure you received it also, an offer for $10 off Opry tickets to shows through April. (if I have the offer right). If you go on the Opry's website for upcoming shows, you will see now that they have listed a number of shows where the discounts do not apply. Of course, those shows feature stars such as Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and other big named talent. I guess what the Opry is saying is that there are some shows that are not going to be very good and not worth full price, so we are going to offer you a discount to buy tickets to those shows!! Not so sure about that move.

Breaking News-No Jimmy Dickens Tonight

With the Grand Ole Opry underway, Jeannie Seely is hosting the first segment as Jimmy Dickens is absent tonight. After her first song, Jeannie mentioned that she was there instead of Jimmy as she was called in at the last minute. She said Jimmy was fine, but that it was Saturday night and "he had a date for the night and I didn't".

As I mentioned when I gave a rundown of the Friday Night Opry, Jimmy sounded so-so on Friday night.

Grand Ole Opry---February 24, 1979

I was going through my items and found the Grand Ole Opry line up from February 24, 1979, which was 33 years ago. It was a Saturday night and there were 2 shows. Nothing special took place that night, but the line up was very, very good from that night, so I thought I would go ahead and post it. Enjoy the look back:

Saturday February 24, 1979

1st show
6:00: Vietti
Billy Walker (host): Come A Little Bit Closer
Jean Shepard: Heart, We Did All That We Could/If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down/Don't Play Me No Songs About Texas
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bucket to the South
Billy Walker: Lawyers

6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Ernie Ashworth: Tak Back Trembling Lips
Jack Greene (host): Lord, I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
Billy Grammer: Maiden's Prayer/Faded Love
Jack Greene: Statue of a Fool

6:45: Rudy's
Roy Drusky (host): Alone With You
Lonzo & Oscar: Columbus Stockade Blues
Marion Worth: For the Good Times
Roy Drusky: Peel Me A Nanner

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Tennessee Sunshine
Dottie West: Sing Your Song, Sweet Music Man/When Two Fools Collide
Justin Tubb: What's Wrong With the Way that We're Doing it Now
Charlie Louvin: See the Big Man Cry
Willis Brothers: Cool Water
Porter Wagoner: Cold Hard Facts of Life/Carroll County Accident/Green Green Grass of Home/Ole' Slewfoot

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball/Tennessee Central #9/Sunshine Special
Connie Smith: Once A Day/Back Up on the Mountain
Stu Phillips: Thank God She's Mine
Crook Brothers/Ralph Sloan Dancers: Billy in the Low Ground
Roy Acuff: Mansion on the Hill

8:00: Martha White
Ernest Tubb (host): Jealous Lovin Heart
Skeeter Davis: Silver Threads & Golden Needles/I'll Fly Away
Ray Pillow: Hungry Man's Dream
Bill Carlisle: Same Ol Tale That the Crow Told Me
Jimmy C Newman: Happy Cajun
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas

8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): Rhumba Boogie
Jeanne Pruett: I Can't Help It/May Tears Ago/Wild Side of Life/Satin Sheets
4 Guys: Let Your Love Flow
Jan Howard: When I Dream
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hollow Poplar
Hank Snow: Mysterious Lady from St. Martinique

2nd show
9:30: Kelloggs
Ernest Tubb (host): I'll Step Aside
Jean Shepard: Half A Mind
Billy Walker: Lawyers
Wilma Lee Cooper: Come Walk With Me
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Billy Grammer: Maiden's Prayer/Faded Love
Roy Drusky: One Day at a Time

10:00: Fender
Porter Wagoner (host): I'm Gonna Act Right
Dottie West: Sometimes When We Touch
Ernie Ashworth: You Can't Pick A Rose in December
Willis Brothers: Cimarron
Porter Wagoner: Ole Slewfoot

10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Lonzo & Oscar: Bluegrass Melody
Marion Worth: Paper Roses
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird

10:30: Trailblazer
Charlie Walker (host): Don't Play Me No Songs About Texas
Connie Smith: When God Dips His Love In My Heart
Justin Tubb: As Long As Their's A Sunday
Charlie Louvin: Who's Gonna Love Me Now

10:45: Beechnut
Jimmy C Newman (host): River Road
Skeeter Davis: Georgia
Crook Brothers/Ralph Sloan Dancers: Mississippi Sawyer
Jimmy C Newman: Instrumental

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): With This Ring I Thee Wed
Jan Howard: Save the Last Dance for Me/I Never Will Marry
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Alabama Gal
Stu Phillips: It's A Heartache
Kirk McGee: The World is Waiting for the Sunrise/When the Saints go Marching In
Hank Snow: Mysterious Lady from St. Martinique

11:30: Acme
4 Guys (host): Freedom Lives in a Country Song
Jeanne Pruett: I Can't Help It/Many Tears Ago/Wild Side of Life/Satin Sheets
Ray Pillow: Texas When I Die/Hungry Man's Dream
Bill Carlisle: Gone Home
4 Guys: Love, Love, Love

If I counted right, that comes out to 29 acts appearing that night, all of whom were Opry members. The only ones still performing on the Opry today are Jean Shepard, Jack Greene, Connie Smith, Jan Howard, Jimmy C Newman, Stu Phillips and Ray Pillow. Jeanne Pruett is retired and the 4 Guys were fired.

Grand Ole Opry Schedule 2/24 & 2/25

The Grand Ole Opry has announced the line ups for the 2 shows this weekend. As usual for this time of year, there is 1 show on Friday night and 1 show on Saturday night.

The Friday Night Opry will feature the return of Vince Gill to the Opry stage. This will be just his 3rd appearance so far this yea. Also performing on Friday night will be Opry members Diamond Rio along with frequent Opry guests, Dailey & Vincent.

Saturday night's Grand Ole Opry will feature a trio of non-Opry members who have been appearing on the Opry in recent months, those being Josh Thompson, Jimmy Wayne and Will Hoge.

Friday February 24
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Lee Brice
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Dailey & Vincent
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); Riders In The Sky; Diamond Rio
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; The Whites

Saturday February 25
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Josh Thompson
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jimmy Wayne
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jan Howard; Will Hoge; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Connie Smith

Just my opinion for what it is worth, but Jean Shepard, as a Hall of Famer, should be hosting the segment instead of Mike Snider.

There are 12 artists scheduled on Friday night with 10 Opry members, and 11 artists on Saturday night, of whom 8 are Opry members.

Pee Wee King

Let's take a moment and remember former Grand Ole Opry star and Country Music Hall of Fame member Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski, otherwise known as Pee Wee King. Pee Wee was born 98 years ago Sunday, on February 18, 1914 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

As the Country Music Encyclopedia states, Pee Wee King was an unlikely candidate for country music stardom. Yet as a songwriter, bandleader, recording artist, and television entertainer, he broke new ground in country music, and he helped to bring waltzes, polkas, and cowboy songs into mainstream country music during ten productive years at the Grand Ole Opry.

He grew up in Wisconsin and was exposed to the polka and waltz style of music that was popular in the day. His musical debut took place at the age of fifteen when he played accordion in his father's polka band. He changed his name to King, after popular polka performer Wayne King. Into the early 1930s, he had his own radio show in Racine, Wisconsin.

His break came when he met promoter J.L. Frank in the spring of 1934. He moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1934 and backed up Gene Autry. He later appeared on WHAS in Louisville and in 1936 he married Frank's step-daughter Lydia. In 1937 he formed the Golden West Cowboys and moved to Nashville to begin a 10 year run on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1941-42 he and his band were featured on the Camel Caravan, a touring company that presented shows at military installations across the United States and Canada. At various times his band included Eddy Arnold, Redd Steward, Ernest Tubb, Cowboy Copas and Minnie Pearl.

After joining the Opry in 1937, he helped introduce an array of new instruments and sounds to the Opry, including the trumpet, drums, and the electric guitar. In addition, he dressed his band members in spiffy western outfits designed by the Hollywood trailer Nudie. His nattily attired Golden West Cowboys generally produced a smooth and danceable sound during their heydey in the 1940s. In the 1950s, they even branched out a bit into rockabilly.

He wrote or co-wrote over 400 songs, including some of the most popular songs in American musical history, including "Slow Poke", and "Tennessee Waltz". Patti Page's verison of the song sold 5 million copies. In 1965 it became a Tennessee state song. During his recording career he recorded more than 20 albums and had 157 singles.

He was a pioneer in television performing. In 1947, he left the Opry to move to Louisville, where he had a radio and television program. In the 1950s and 60s, his show reached into Chicago, Cincinnati and Cleveland and was on the ABC television network for 6 years. He also appeared in a number of movies.

In 1974, he was the 23rd member to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. His later years were spent in retirement with his wife in Louisville and it was there that he passed away on March 7, 2000 at the age of 86. Wade Hall, with the cooperation of Pee Wee wrote a very interesting biography called, "Hell-Bent for Music", which is the life story of Pee Wee King. I have it in my library and if you can find a copy, a recommend that you read it. It is very good.

As noted above, Pee Wee was one of the early stars of the Grand Ole Opry and it was Harry Stone who brought Pee Wee to the Opry. Here is how Pee Wee remembered that 1st night:

"On the first Saturday in June of 1937 we did our first program on the Grand Ole Opry at the tabernacle on Fatherland Street, and we were invited to stay as regular members. It was a hard decision for me to make, because there was no pay at the Opry at that time. All we could do was play the broadcast and announce our dates, where in other cities they paid you for your staff programs, or commerical programs. Joe Frank drilled into mind, 'You got to remember, kid, that one broadcast on the Grand Ole Opry means twenty weeks work somewhere else.' And with that in mind, we stayed."

As as previously noted, he brought some profound changes to the Opry. As he said, "I came in with a group, an organized group, and a group that belonged to the musicians union. The Nashville local didn't want to accept our Louisville AFM cards right away, but they finally did. And others of the Opry members started becoming union members. So I guess I had something to do with getting the Opry unionized."

While it was Harry Stone who brought Pee Wee to the Opry, it was George D. Hay who pushed back at Pee Wee everytime he tried something new. Pee Wee was the first to use drums, and he was told to put them away. He was the first to bring out an electric guitar. That caused issues until Ernest Tubb arrived and after that the electric guitar was accepted. He brought out a trumpet once and told to never bring it back. His was the first group to have entrance and exit music. So many things that Pee Wee did have influenced the Opry until this day.

When Pee Wee left the Opry, it was because of televison and the delay in WSM starting a television station. Pee Wee saw what television could do well before the Opry and Nashville executives did. And even though Pee Wee left the Opry, he still toured and performed with many of the Opry's members. And he was not a stranger to the Opry. He still returned to perform on the show and in his later years, could always be counted on to return to the Opry on the annual old-timer's night reunion show.

One of the final reunion shows that Pee Wee King performed on was on April 13, 1991. In memory of Pee Wee King, here is the running order from old-timers night, Saturday April 13, 1991:

1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Grandpa Jones (host): Ball Headed End of A Broom
Bill Anderson: Still
Grandpa Jones: Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Bill Monroe (host): Molly & Tenbrooks/Blue Moon of Kentucky
Ricky Skaggs: Let It Be You/Honey, Open that Door
Bill Monroe: Southern Flavor

7:00: Shoneys
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Coming
Jim Ed Brown: The Three Bells
Jan Howard: Heartaches by the Number
Jim & Jesse: It's A Lonesome Feeling
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Porter Wagoner: Ol' Slewfoot

7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): Country Boy
Margie Bowes: (?)
Zeke Clements: No More Smoke On the Water
Faron Young: Wine Me Up/Hello Walls
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz
Charlie Louvin: When You Can Only Dream That Far/When I Stop Dreaming
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted/Elvira
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham

8:30: Pops Rite
Hank Snow (host): Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
Skeeter Davis: Who's Gonna Tell Marie
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Riders In The Sky: How the Yodel Was Born
John Conlee: Common Man
Hank Snow: My Little Old Home Down In New Orleans

2nd show (artist line up only)
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host); Wilma Lee Cooper; Jack Greene; George Hamilton IV; The Whites
10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host); Stonewall Jackson; Jeannie Seely
10:15: Tennessee Pride
Roy Acuff (host); Faron Young
10:30: Pet Milk
Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeanne Pruett
10:45: BC Powder
Bill Anderson (host); Jim & Jesse; Opry Squaredance Band
11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host); Jimmy Dickens; Justin Tubb; John Conlee
11:30: Creamette
Bill Monroe (host); Mike Snider; Charlie Louvin; Riders In The Sky; Charlie Walker

Grand Ole Opry 2/17 & 2/18

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the schedule for both shows this weekend and it looks like Jimmy Dickens is going to give it a go, as he is scheduled for both shows. Also on both shows again this weekend are Diamond Rio, who have really been making the Opry their home so far in 2012.

In addition, the Friday Night Opry will feature Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner, while Saturday night will feature non-Opry members Kip Moore, Matraca Berg and Canaan Smith.

Friday February 17
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Sarah Darling
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Riders In The Sky; Steve Wariner
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Mark Wills
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); John Conlee; Diamond Rio

Saturday February 18
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Kip Moore
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Mike Snider; Joe Diffie
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); George Hamilton IV; Matraca Berg; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: John Conlee (host); Canaan Smith; Diamond Rio

Couple of observations when looking at the shows this weekend. First, only 1 female for the Friday Night Opry (Sarah Darling), and just 2 females on Saturday night. Also, except for Ricky Skaggs on Friday night, it looks like to bluegrass this weekend at the Opry.

Currently, the Friday Night Opry has 11 acts schedule, with 12 for the Saturday show, with 9 Opry members each night.

Finally, the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will present another archived show, this one hosted by Boxcar Willie. That should be a pretty good one to check out. I will tell you that when I was at the record shop over the weekend, several people were complaining about no live show for Saturday night. The had come from out of town and were looking forward to the Midnight Jamboree. I know that those of us listening at home enjoy the older, archived shows, but I can understand the unhappiness over not having a live show.

Remembering Hank Locklin

I wanted to take a moment and remember one of the finest singers in the history of the Grand Ole Opry and that is Lawrence Hankins Locklin, known to all of us as Hank Locklin, who would have celebrated his 94th birthday today, February 15. Hank Locklin had one of the most pleasing and popular country music voices of the 1960s. Not only was he very popular in the United States, but he had a strong career in England and Ireland.

Hank was born on February 15, 1918 in McClellan, Florida. He grew up and attended school in Munson and was singing in amateur contests by the age of 10. He worked various jobs until accepting his first radio job in 1942, at WCOA in Pensacola. He also did radio shows in Panama City and Mobile.

After serving in the military he moved west and appeared on the Big D Jamboree in Dallas and then the Louisiana Hayride. He did some early recording on Decca Records before signing with Bill McCall's 4 Star label. His first hit was in 1949 with "The Same Sweet Girl" which made the top 10 in the country charts. His first number one record came in 1953 with "Let Me Be The One", after which he signed with RCA Records.

His first RCA hit was "Why Baby, Why" followed by "Geisha Girl", which became a top 5 hit. From that point on, Hank would show up on the charts on a regular basis. In 1958, he had the first of his 2 major hits, "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On", which was a top 5 hit. His biggest hit came in 1960 with, "Please Help Me, I'm Falling", which spent 14 weeks at #1 and was also a top 5 pop hit.

The success continued as Hank had 70 singles that made it onto the country charts, and he recorded 65 albums. He stayed with RCA until 1972, when he left to go to MGM. He stayed there for 3 years, finally moving to Plantation Records.

Hank joined the Grand Ole Opry on November 9, 1960. He would remain an Opry member until his death. While Hank was a regular performer on the Opry for most of his career, he prefered not to live in Nashville, but in Florida. In fact, his title was the honorary mayor of McClellan, Florida, and he was introduced that way many times on the Opry.

Hank's voice stayed strong right up until his death on March 8, 2009. Even in his later years, he was still recording new material. When he passed away at the age of 91, he was the Opry's oldest living member. Over the last decade of his life, Hank spent most of his time living in Brewton, Alabama, which is where he passed away. He would come up and do the Opry several times each yer, making his last scheduled appearance on Saturday September 8, 2007.

To remember Hank Locklin, here is the Opry line up from the night of his last scheduled appearance on the Grand Ole Opry:

6:30: Steve Wariner (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Wade Hayes
7:00: The Whites (host); Catherine Britt; Blue County
7:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Dale Ann Bradley; Jennifer Hanson
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); HANK LOCKLIN; Jeff Bates; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: John Conlee (host); Mel McDaniel; Buddy Jewel

Hank was one of those Opry members that had such a great voice and he had a fine career in country music.