Grand Ole Opry 8/31 & 9/1

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the shows this Labor Day weekend, with one show on Friday night and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry.

When looking at the two nights, Friday is definitely the better of the two with Grand Ole Opry members Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers and the Oak Ridge Boys leading the list. Additionally, Bill Anderson, Riders In The Sky, Mike Snider and Connie Smith are scheduled. While 6 Opry members are set for Friday night, it is back down to 4 on Saturday with Bill Anderson (the only member scheduled for both nights this weekend), Bobby Osborne, The Whites and Jeannie Seely listed. And with just that few Opry members, that means the Saturday show is down to just 3 segments.

The guest list on Friday night includes Sarah Darling, Flatt Lonesome, The McCrary Sisters, Rhonda Vincent, Dean Miller and Jamey Johnson. A pretty strong list. Dean, the son of Roger, will be in the Opry Shop after the show signing copies of his new tribute CD dedicated to his late father. And even though she can't seem to get that coveted invitation to join the Opry, Rhonda is back for another guest appearance.

Saturday night the Opry will see Erin Enderlin, Dan Tyminski, Jackie Lee, Chonda Pierce, David Ball and The Isaacs. Not a bad group but certainly not on par with the Friday night list.

Friday August 31
7:00: Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (host); Sarah Darling; Mike Snider; Connie Smith
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Flatt Lonesome; The McCrary Sisters
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Rhonda Vincent; Dean Miller
8:45: Oak Ridge Boys (host); Jamey Johnson

Saturday September 1
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Erin Enderlin; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
7:30: The Whites (host); Grand Master Fiddle Champions; Dan Tyminski
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); Jackie Lee; Opry Square Dancers; Chonda Pierce; David Ball; The Isaacs

One of the nice traditions that the Opry has is hosting the winners of the annual Grand Master Fiddle Championship. The contest used to take place in the Opryland theme park, however since the park has closed, it has moved to a smaller, less publicized venue. Still nice that the Opry recognizes the winner.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the weekend of August 29 & 30, 2008:

Friday August 29
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jean Shepard; Luke Bryan
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Wylie & The Wild West
9:00: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; Restless Heart
9:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Stonewall Jackson; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Darryl Worley

Saturday August 30
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown w/Helen Cornelius; Rhonda Vincent
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jamie O'Neal; Opry Square Dancers
8:00: Jean Shepard (host); The Whites; Cherryholmes
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; The Time Jumpers

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Rhonda Vincent
10:00: Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Helen Cornelius; Jamie O'Neal; Legacy Five
10:30: Jean Shepard (host); The Whites; Cherryholmes; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Connie Smith; The Time Jumpers

And from 50 years ago, Saturday August 31, 1968:

1st show
6:30: Bob Luman (host)
6:45: Ernie Ashworth (host)
7:00: Roy Acuff (host); Mel Tillis; Jeannie C. Riley
7:30: Stu Phillips (host); Dottie West; The Four Guys; Crook Brothers
8:00: Flatt & Scruggs (host); Ray Pillow; Leroy Van Dyke; Stringbean
8:30: Ernest Tubb (host); Bill Carlisle; Loretta Lynn; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Billy Parker

2nd show
9:30: Bob Luman (host); The Four Guys; Stringbean; Rita Faye; Ray Corbin
10:00: Roy Acuff (host); June Stearns; Bobby Lewis
10:15: Ernie Ashworth (host); Dottie West
10:30: Stu Phillips (host); Jeannie C. Riley
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Loretta Lynn; Crook Brothers
11:00: Ray Pillow (host); Mel Tillis; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Bill Carlisle (host); Leroy Van Dyke; Nat Stuckey

Nat Stuckey, who I am sure many of you remember and was on the Opry that night, was a successful disc jockey, songwriter, and recording artist. Nat, who was born on December 17, 1933, earned a degree in radio and TV from Arlington State College, then worked at KALT in Atlanta, Texas, as a disc jockey before spending two years in the Army. After his discharge he went back to KALT before joining KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana for eight years. KWKH featured the Louisiana Hayride and Nat was an announcer for the Hayride when he had his first hit, "Sweet Thang," for Paula Records in 1966.

In 1968, his first RCA single, "Plastic Saddle," reached the Top Ten. He continued to record for RCA until 1976, but had only two other Top Ten recordings, "Sweet Thang and Cisco" in 1969 and "Take Time to Love Her" in 1973. In 1976 he began recording for MCA but never had a major hit.

As a songwriter, however, he achieved success with "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line," at #1 hit for Buck Owens in 1965; "Pop-a-Top (#3, 1967) by Jim Ed Brown; and "Sweet Thang," a chart marker for Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn in 1967. After his recording career ended he had a successful career singing commercials, including some for Budweiser Beer. Nat Stuckey passed away from lung cancer at the age of 54 on August 24, 1988 and is buried in Shreveport.
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Looking back in Grand Ole Opry history, it was Saturday August 30, 1969 that Crystal Gayle made her debut on the Opry.

Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb in Paintsville, Kentucky. Her older sister was future country music superstar and Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn, though Loretta had already left home by the time Brenda was born.

The Grand Ole Opry has held a special place in Crystal's heart since even before she made her Opry debut on stage at the Ryman Auditorium at age 16. "My first time to perform on the Opry, Loretta was sick and she talked them into letting me perform in her spot," she recalls. "I remember singing 'Ribbon of Darkness' in my little shiny dress my mother made me."Both that dress and sister Loretta were on hand on January 21, 2017, when Crystal took her rightful place as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It was a capstone for a career full of hits, honors, and awards.

To escape constant comparison to her sister in the early days of her recording career, Crystal developed her own vocal and musical style. She had 20 No. 1 country singles, beginning with "I'll Get Over You" and including her signature "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue," which earned her a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and also propelled her album "We Must Believe In Magic" to become the first by a female country artist to go platinum. Among her many other chart successes are "Talking In You Sleep," "Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For," "Half The Way," "Wrong Road Again," "When I Dream," and "Ready For the Times To Get Better."

In 2008, Crystal was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009, and the honors kept coming in 2015, as she received the Academy of Country Music's Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award. It is just a matter of time until Crystal becomes a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Here is the running order from 49 years ago, the night Crystal Gayle made her Opry debut:

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Jim and Jesse (host): (?)

6:45: Rudy's
Hank Locklin (host): (?)
Lonzo and Oscar: (?)

7:00: Luzianne
Billy Grammer (host): Gotta Travel On
Martha Carson: I'm Gonna Walk and Talk With My Lord
Jack Barlow: Birmingham Blues
Billy Grammer: Guitar Polka
Martha Carson: Shout; Shout; Shout; and Shine
Jack Barlow: Pauline
Billy Grammer: Beautiful Isle of Somewhere

7:30: Standard Candy
Charlie Walker (host): Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Wilma Burgess: Let Me Be the Woman in Your Life
Bobby Lewis: Love Me and Make It All Better
Crook Brothers: Old Hen Cackle
Charlie Walker: Moffett, Oklahoma
Wilma Burgess: Break My Mind
Bobby Lewis: It's Such a Pretty World Today
Charlie Walker: Truck Driving Man

8:00: Martha White
Lester Flatt (host): John Henry
Margie Bowes: That Completely Destroys My Plans
Jerry Smith: Truck Stop
Louie Roberts: The Wreck of the Old 97
Lester Flatt: Cabin on the Hill
Margie Bowes: Understand Your Gal/Big City
Louie Roberts: Peace in the Valley/Hey Good Lookin'
Uncle Josh: Just Joshin'

8:30: Stephens
Ernest Tubb (host): Answer the Phone
Crystal Gayle: Ribbon of Darkness
Jay Lee Webb: She's Looking Better By the Minute
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Billy Parker: I've Still Got a Long Way to Go
Jay Lee Webb: Wonderful World of Women
Ernest Tubb: Just a Drink Away

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Jim and Jesse (host): I'm Hoping that You're Hoping
Jean Shepard: Seven Lonely Days
Bobby Lewis: From Heaven to Heartache
Jerry Smith: Truck Stop
Jim and Jesse: Knoxville Girl
Jean Shepard: I'm Tied Around Your Finger
Bobby Lewis: 'Til Something Better Comes Along
Jim and Jesse: Johnny B. Goode

10:00: Fender
Martha Carson: Cryin' Holy Unto the Lord
Harold Weakley: You've Still Got a Place in My Heart
Martha Carson: Satisfied
Joe Edwards: Alabama Jubilee

10:15: Pure
Lonzo and Oscar (host): Hertz Rent-A-Chick
Wes Buchanan: Undo the Right
Jack Barlow: Birmingham Blues
Lonzo and Oscar: Making Plans

10:30: Trailblazer
Lester Flatt (host): Folsom Prison Blues
Wilma Burgess: Let Me Be the Woman in Your Life
John Sullivan: Greyhound Blues
Lester Flatt: Foggy Mountain Breakdown

10:45: Kent
Ernest Tubb (host): In the Jailhouse Now
Crystal Gayle: Johnny One Time
Crook Brothers: Ida Red
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On

11:00: Coca Cola
Billy Grammer (host): Jesus Is a Soul Man
Peggy Little: Sweet Baby Girl
Jay Lee Webb: Big Job
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hickory Leaf
Billy Grammer: Jesus Is a Soul Man
Peggy Little: Son of a Preacher Man
Sam and Kirk McGee: San Antonio Rose
Billy Grammer: Gotta Travel On/Whispering Hope

11:30: Lava
Charlie Walker (host): Honky Tonk Season
Rita Faye: The Last Thing on My Mind
Louie Roberts: Love's on My Mind
Charlie Walker: Moffett, Oklahoma
Louie Roberts: Peace in the Valley/Hey Good Looking
Charlie Walker: San Antonio Rose/Pick My Up on Your Way Down

It is obvious when looking at the line-up that there were not many Opry members on the show that night. Also, on the second show, Hank Locklin apparently missed his spot on hosting, which resulted in the 10:00 segment having no Opry members performing and Martha Carson headlining it.

There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!

Tuesday Night Opry 8/28

A very nice line-up for this week's Tuesday Night Opry:

7:00: Jeannie Seely; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Mandy Barnett; Charles Esten
Intermission
8:15: Chris Janson; Darius Rucker; Rascal Flatts

5 Opry members and 2 who probably should be based on the number of guest appearances they have made.

Grand Ole Opry 8/24 & 25

Welcome back Garth Brooks!!! Yes, Garth is scheduled to appear on the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night. Really nice to see Garth coming back to perform on the show. He has said many times that being an Opry member is one of the highlights of his career and while he makes very few appearances, it is always a special night when Garth is on.

Garth will be closing out both shows on Saturday night and I would expect, especially the second show, to feature an extended segment. Once Garth gets on stage, and at the Opry, he likes to give the fans something extra. As someone who has seen Garth at the Opry numerous times, I am pleased that he is back.

Joining Garth on Saturday night will be Opry members Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Mike Snider and Connie Smith. Connie, Mike and The Whites are also scheduled for Friday night, to be joined by Bobby Osborne and Dailey & Vincent.

Gary Mule Deer is guesting on all three shows this weekend, joined on Friday night by Jimmie Allen, making a return appearance, The Sisterhood, Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy; The Wild Feathers, Craig Campbell, and closing out the show, T. Graham Brown. Joining Gary Mule Deer on Saturday will be Carly Pearce and Molly Tuttle.

Friday August 24
7:00: Connie Smith (host); Jimmie Allen; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
7:30: Mike Snider (host); The Sisterhood; Charlie McCoy
Intermission
8:15: The Whites (host); Gary Mule Deer; The Wild Feathers
8:45: Dailey & Vincent (host); Craig Campbell; T. Graham Brown

Saturday August 25
Early Show
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Carly Pearce; Molly Tuttle
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites
8:00: Connie Smith (host); Gary Mule Deer; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Garth Brooks

Late Show
9:30: Mike Snider (host); Carly Pearce; Molly Tuttle
10:00: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites
10:30: Connie Smith (host); Gary Mule Deer; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Garth Brooks

Pretty thin on Saturday night, but then again, you have Garth for both shows.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the weekend of August 22 & 23, 2008:

Friday August 22
8:00: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; Rockie Lynne
8:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Darryl Singletary; Rebecca Lynn Howard
9:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Josh Gracin
9:30: John Conlee (host); Connie Smith; Sawyer Brown

Saturday August 23
1st show
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; Jimmy C Newman; The Whites
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jan Howard; George Hamilton IV; Opry Square Dancers
8:00: Trace Adkins (host); Martina McBride; Wynonna; Lee Greenwood

2nd show
9:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jimmy C Newman; Martina McBride
10:00: Trace Adkins (host); Connie Smith; The Whites
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Ernie Ashworth; Wynonna; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Riders In The Sky (host); George Hamilton IV: Lee Greenwood

Now from 50 years ago, Saturday August 24, 1968:
1st show
6:30: Bobby Lord (host); Grandpa Jones
6:45: Charlie Walker (host); Glaser Brothers; The Four Guys
7:00: George Hamilton IV (host); Osborne Brothers; Lorene Mann; Hugh X. Lewis
7:30: Roy Acuff (host); Loretta Lynn; Stringbean; Crook Brothers; Brother Oswald
8:00: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs (host); Stu Phillips; Norma Jean; Mel Tillis
8:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Ray Pillow; George McCormick; Archie Campbell; Fruit Jar Drinkers;

2nd show
9:30: Bobby Lord (host); Loretta Lynn; Grandpa Jones; Charlie Walker; Stringbean
10:00: Glaser Brothers (host); Harold Weakley; Lorene Mann
10:15: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs (host); Stu Phillips; The Four Guys
10:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Mel Tillis
10:45: Roy Acuff (host); Norma Jean; Crook Brothers
11:00: George Hamilton IV (host); Archie Campbell; Ray Pillow; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Hugh X. Lewis; Osborne Brothers; Don Winters

Looking back in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, there are a couple of events worth noting. First, is was 27 years ago, Saturday August 24 that Dottie West appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the final time. Secondly, it was 18 years ago, Saturday August 26, 2000 that Pam Tillis joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry.

Country music stylist Dottie West enjoyed one of the longest hit making careers of any woman of her generation. Known for her 1964 Grammy-winning recording "Here Comes My Baby," she also was a country pioneer with ad jingles (including the famous Coca-Cola "Country Sunshine" campaign of the 1970s), and she recorded successful duets with Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, Jimmy Dean and Kenny Rogers.

Born Dorothy Marie Marsh, she grew up in a large, poor family. She worked her way through college and married steel guitarist Bill West in 1953. He took a job in Cleveland, Ohio, and she landed a singing slot on that city's Landmark Jamboree TV show as half of the Kay-Dots duo with Kathy Dee (Kathy Dearth). By 1958 Dottie had children Dale, Morris, Kerry and Shelly, but continued to sing professionally. On weekends the Wests would drive south to Nashville to try to establish contacts in the music industry there. Finally she successfully auditioned for Starday in 1959, but little came of the affiliation. In 1961 the family moved to Music City. Dottie signed with Atlantic, but fared no better than she had at Starday.

Dottie continued to write songs, however, and Jim Reeves had a hit with her composition "Is This Me" in 1963. He brought her to the attention of RCA's Chet Atkins, who signed Dottie and produced her self-penned "Here Comes My Baby." It earned her Grand Ole Opry membership and the first Grammy won by a female country artist. She had other Top Ten singles with "Would You Hold It Against Me" (1966) and "Paper Mansions" (1967), as well as hit duets with Reeves ("Love Is No Excuse," 1964) and Don Gibson ("Rings of Gold," 1969).

Patsy Cline served as her mentor, and Dottie, in turn, befriended others, boosting the careers of Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, Steve Wariner, and Tony Toliver, while serving as a den mother for a generation of struggling pickers and writers. Dottie's own songwriting led to her composing twelve Coca-Cola jingles, including the Clio Award-winning "Country Sunshine," which also became a 1973 Top Ten hit. She moved to United Artists in 1976 and later scored a pair of #1 hits with "A Lesson in Leavin'" (1980) and "Are You Happy Baby?" (1980-81). She also recorded a highly successful string of duets with Kenny Rogers, including "Everytime Two Fools Collide" (1978), and "What Are We Doin' in Love" (1981), which also became a Top Twenty hit on the pop charts.

Along the way, Dottie shed her gingham/sweetheart image and reemerged as a glamorous, sexy star with a $50,000 wardrobe and a glitzy stage show. After she and Bill West divorced, she married two younger husbands in succession and lived extravagantly. But bad investments and a lull in her career in the late 1980s led to bankruptcy in 1990. Dottie passed away a year later, on September 4, 1991, from injuries suffered in a Nashville car crash while on her way to an Opry appearance.

Since her death, Dottie has been mentioned as a candidate for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. After several years of pressure from her friends and fellow artists, Dottie West was finally elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year and will be formally inducted later in the fall.

Here is the running order from Saturday August 24, 1991, the final Opry appearance by Dottie West:

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Coming
Ernie Ashworth: Shamrock Motel
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home/Ol' Slewfoot

6:45: Hall of Fame
Jim and Jesse (host): Dream on Me
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Jim and Jesse: A Flower in the Desert

7:00: Shoney's
Del Reeves (host): Girl on the Billboard
Billy Grammer: Steel Guitar Rag
Jean Shepard: If You Can Live With It
Dottie West: I Can't Help It
David Houston: I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen
Del Reeves: Good Time Charlie's

7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
McCarters: No Where to Go But Up/If I Could Stop Loving You
Clinton Gregory: If It Weren't for Country Music/Satisfy Me and I'll Satisfy You
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda/The Ring that Shines

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Stonewall Jackson: Side-Steppin' the Blues/Muddy Water
Connie Smith: Did We Have to Come this Far to Say Goodbye/Louisiana Man
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Bill Cheatham
Roy Acuff: I Can't Help It

8:30: Opryland USA
Hank Snow (host); Tangled Mind
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Roy Drusky: Too Old to Die Young
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Johnson Mountain Boys: Maybe You'll Change Your Mind
Hank Snow: I'm Glad I Got to See You Once Again

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Connie Smith: The Key's in the Mailbox
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Tips
Bill Grammer: Steel Guitar Rag/Gotta Travel On
Jeannie Seely: Too Far Gone
Porter Wagoner: I'll Go Down Swinging

10:00: Little Debbie
Del Reeves (host): Six Days on the Road/Truck Driving Man
Skeeter Davis: He Says the Same Things to Me
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me

10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Just A Friend
Wilma Lee Cooper: Gathering Flowers from the Hillside
Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin

10:30: Pet Milk
Jimmy C Newman (host): Pistol Packin' Mama
Jean Shepard: Days of Wine and Roses
Jimmy C Newman: Down on the Bayou

10:45: B.C. Powder
Charlie Walker (host): Right or Wrong
Clinton Gregory: Satisfy Me and I'll Satisfy You/Nobody's Darling But Mine
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Golden Slippers
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down

11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Geisha Girl
Jim and Jesse: When I Dream About the Southland
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby
Justin Tubb: Keep Me from Blowing Away
McCarters: Everytime You Leave
Hank Snow: It Kinda Reminds Me of Me

11:30: Creamette
George Hamilton IV (host): Early Morning Rain
Stonewall Jackson: Side-Steppin' the Blues
Roy Drusky: I Really Don't Want to Know
Johnson Mountain Boys: Duncan & Brady/Springtime in Glory
George Hamilton IV: Life's Railway to Heaven

Pam Tillis has enjoyed many career-defining moments on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. The daughter of singer and songwriting legend Mel Tillis, she made her Opry debut on the Ryman Auditorium stage at age eight, singing "Tom Dooley" with her dad. "It was a larger-than-life moment for me," Pam recalls. "It was sort of like he was passing me the baton. The microphone came down to me and it was in slow motion. My little knees were knocking together. I got my knees under control and it traveled up. My lip was twitching and I was a like little kiddie Elvis."

In 2000, Pam was on the legendary stage once again, now looking down rather than up, as Little Jimmy Dickens invited her to became an Opry member. Without a moment's hesitation, she said yes.

Throughout her career, Pam has earned nearly 20 Top 10 singles, three Country Music Association awards, including the coveted Female Vocalist of the Year in 1994, and two Grammys. She has experimented with pop, Broadway, and jazz, seamlessly incorporating those influences into music that remains unmistakably country at its core.

Throughout the '80s, Pam worked as a back-up vocalist, jingle singer, club performer, songwriter, and demo singer before her first hit single, "Don't Tell Me What to Do" reached the Top 5 in 1990. She followed with hits including "Maybe It Was Memphis," "Shake the Sugar Tree," "Mi Vida Loca," and "All The Good Ones Are Gone." Two albums were million-sellers.

"In all my years in the music business," Pam says, "I've been very proud that I wasn't calculated, that I really did what I felt, and what I thought was honest for me to sing. Daddy always said, 'Never change who you are; let it come around to you.' So when things did happen for me, it was because what I wanted to do was what people now wanted to hear."

Here is the running order from Saturday August 26, 2000, the night Pam Tillis became a member of the Grand Ole Opry:

1st show
6:30: WSM online/Tex Mex
Jeannie Seely (host): Leaving and Saying Goodbye
The Whites: Pins & Needles
Bill Carlisle: I've Waited too Long
Mandy Barnett: Hurt/Trademark
Jeannie Seely: Making Plans

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Howdy, Neighbor, Howdy
Billy Walker: She Goes Walking Through My Mind
Matt King: A Woman's Tears
Connie Smith: I Never Stopped Once Loving You
Jack Greene: Ever Since My Baby Went Away
Porter Wagoner: I've Enjoyed as Much of This As I Can Stand/On a Highway Headed South

7:30: Standard Candy
Marty Stuart (host): Hillbilly Highway
Darryl Worley: When You Need My Love
Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me on Sundays
Pam Tillis: All the Good Ones are Gone/Maybe it was Memphis

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): Southern Fried
Pam Tillis: Mi Vida Loca
T. Bubba Bechtol: Comedy
Holly Dunn: You Really Had Me Going
Opry Square Dance Band/ Melvin Sloan Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Bill Anderson: Still

8:30: Physicians Mutual
Jimmy Dickens (host): Mountain Dew
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Mike Snider: John Henry
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her that Way

2nd show
9:30: Big Lots
Porter Wagoner (host): My Long Journey Home
Connie Smith: How Long; Oh, How Long/He Was There All the Time
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Porter Wagoner: Daddy's Old Sayings and Mama's Beliefs/Sorrow on the Rocks

10:00: Lincoln Mercury/Opryland Hotel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed
Skeeter Davis: I Can Call Jesus Anytime
Stu Phillips: Colorado
Mandy Barnett: Up the Lazy River/The Whispering Wind
Jimmy Dickens: I'd Rather Sleep in Peace than Know You're Gone

10:30: Folex Spot Remover/Joggin' In A Jug
Marty Stuart (host): Rock Island Line
Matt King Burying Bones
Pam Tillis: No Use Crying Over Spilled Perfume/I Said A Prayer
Opry Square Dance Band/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Marty Stuart: Dark As a Dungeon

11:00: Coca Cola
Bill Anderson (host): Po Folks
Mike Snider: If My Nose was Runnin' Money
Holly Dunn: Devil, Stand Back
Billy Grammer: I Dreamed of an Old Love Affair
Bill Anderson: A Picture from Life's Other Side

11:30: Wildhorse Saloon
Charlie Walker (host): Cherokee Maiden
T. Bubba Bechtol: Comedy
Darryl Worley: When You Need My Love/A Good Day to Run

There you have it for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend and Garth's return.

Dustin Lynch Invited to Become the Opry's Newest Member

Last night on the Tuesday Night Opry, on a night to recognize Trace Adkins upon his 15th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Trace surprised guest artist Dustin Lynch during his performance and asked him to become the Opry's newest member.

Dustin Lynch is from Tullahoma, Tennessee, and graduated from Tullahoma High School in 2003. At the age of 16, Dustin, who had been playing the guitar for a few years, performed at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on an open mic night and was well received. In 2003, after graduating from high school, he moved to Nashville and attended Lipscomb University, He graduated with a B.S. degree in biology in 2007 and although he was interested in attending medical school, he turned it down to pursue a career in music.

After briefly signing with Valory Music Group, Dustin moved to Broken Bow Records in 2011. His debut single "Cowboys and Angels" was released in January 2012. The self-titled debut album "Dustin Lynch" was released in August 2012 and reached #1 on the Top Country Albums chart. The albums second single "She Cranks My Tractor" became his second Top 20 hit in early 2013. It was followed by "Wild in Your Smile" which also made the Top 30.

In early 2014 Dustin released his fourth single and the lead single from his second album "Where It's At (Yep, Yep)." It became his first #1 single on the Country Airplay chart in September 2014, and the album of the same name was released on September 9, 2014. "Hell of a Night" and "Mind Reader" were released to country radio as the albums second and third singles, both of which reached #1 on the Country Airplay charts.

"Seein' Red" was released on July 11, 2016 as the lead single from Dustin's third studio album "Current Mood." It hit #1 on the Country Airplay chart for the week dated February 25, 2017. "Small Town Boy" was released on March 20, 2017 as the second single from that album. That song also reached #1 on the Country Airplay chart.

Like others, I was very surprised last night that the invitation to join the Opry went to Dustin. That makes four new male members in a row (Chris Young, Chris Janson, Bobby Bare, Dustin Lynch). It seemed to me awful early and quick. After all, Chris Janson had to make over 100 guest appearances before he received an Opry invite. I thought there were others, such as Rhonda Vincent, Exile, Restless Heart, Mark Wills, etc., who should have received an invitation first. But it was obvious from this selection that the Opry wanted to go young and build upon its future, especially after having Bobby rejoin.

Time will tell if Dustin will be a committed Opry member or not. The odds are against it as his career continues to pick up steam. For those interested, September 18 will be his induction date.

Congratulations to Dustin Lynn, the Grand Ole Opry's newest member.

Tuesday Night Opry 8/21

It is a big night as Trace Adkins will be celebrating his 15th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The Grand Ole Opry stage holds many fond memories for Trace Adkins, beginning with his 1996 debut performance. In 2003, the 6'6" singer was invited to join the Opry by 4'11" veteran Little Jimmy Dickens, who stood on a stepladder to ask him fact to face. Later that same year, one of Adkins' heroes, fellow Opry member Ronnie Milsap, welcomed him into the family.

Country music fans first embraced Trace's rich, resonant baritone nearly two decades ago. His lengthy list of hits includes "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing," "Every Light in the House Is On," "Then They Do," "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," "You're Gonna Miss This" and "Just Fishin'".

Trace grew up in Sarepta, La. and developed an interest in music when his father taught him to play guitar. During his school, he joined a gospel group called the New Commitments. He spent time working on an oil rig before moving to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. After a record executive saw Adkins playing at a small club just outside of Nashville, he was soon signed to his first record deal.

Trace, who has worked as a spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Program, is well known for his staunch support of the U.S. military. He has performed for troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2007, he was honored with the USO Merit Award in recognition of his dedication to assisting others through charitable works. In 2007, Random House published his autobiography, "A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck."

In 2008, Trace expanded his fan base beyond the country audience when he finished second on Celebrity Apprentice. Because his daughter Brianna has severe food allergies, he used the time on the show to raise money and awareness for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Trace won All-Star Celebrity Apprentice in 2013, raising money for the American Red Cross. He's also acted in several films including An American Carol, The Lincoln Lawyer and The Virginian.

Joining Trace on Tuesday night for two shows will be Opry members Vince Gill and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry.

1st show
7:00: Vince Gill; Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry; Dillon Carmichael
8:00: Exile; Dustin Lynch; Trace Adkins

2nd show
9:30: Vince Gill; Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry; Dillon Carmichael
10:30: Exile; Dustin Lynch; Trace Adkins

Congratulations to Trace, who is another of those members who joined in the past several decades that has honored his commitment to the Opry and who understands what being an Opry member is all about.

Grand Ole Opry 8/17 & 8/18

After the big weekend with Carrie Underwood, it is back to normal this week at the Opry House, with one show each night. Interesting that Mark Wills is once again scheduled for both nights. No, I don't anticipate Mark becoming an Opry member, although worst things can happen, but he seems to be the person they are going to now to fill out the line-ups.

Besides Mark Wills, corporate comedian Dick Hardwick is also scheduled for both nights. On the Friday Night Opry, Mark and Dick will be joined by Mickey Guyton, Ryan Kinder and Don Schlitz, while on Saturday night Logan Brill and Waylon Payne will join the pair.

As far as Grand Ole Opry members this weekend, John Conlee, Mike Snider and Connie Smith are scheduled for both nights, with Dailey & Vincent, The Whites and Ricky Skaggs joining that trio on Friday night. Saturday night has Jeannie Seely, Bobby Osborne, Riders In The Sky, and the Opry's newest member, Bobby Bare listed.

Friday August 17
7:00: John Conlee (host); Mickey Guyton; Mike Snider
7:30: Connie Smith (host); Ryan Kinder; Don Schlitz
Intermission
8:15: Dailey & Vincent (host); Dick Hardwick; Mark Wills
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites

Saturday August 18
7:00: John Conlee (host); Logan Brill; Mike Snider
7:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mark Wills
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Dick Hardwick; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Waylon Payne; Bobby Bare

And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from ten years ago, the 3rd weekend in August 2008:

Friday August 15
8:00: Jimmy C Newman (host); Connie Smith; Zac Brown Band
8:30: Ray Pillow (host); Elizabeth Cook; The Steeldrivers
9:00: Jean Shepard (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Point of Grace
9:30: Mel Tillis (host); Johnny Lee; Melissa Lawson

Saturday August 16
1st show
7:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Point of Grace
7:30: Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Helen Cornelius; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Johnny Counterfit; Opry Square Dancers
8:00: Vince Gill (host); The Grascals; Melissa Lawson; Guy Clark

2nd show
9:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jimmy C Newman; Point of Grace
10:00: Jean Shepard (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Point of Grace
10:30: Vince Gill (host); Charlie Louvin; Guy Clark; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Jim Ed Brown (host) w/Helen Cornelius; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Melissa Lawson

Looking back, it was 51 year ago, Saturday August 19, 1967 that Charlie Walker became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Charles Levi Walker came from the cotton fields of Dallas County, Texas, to become one of country music's most popular disc jockeys and then one of the best shuffle-beat honky-tonk singers. A singer-guitarist with Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers in Dallas from 1943-1944, Charlie also worked daily remote broadcasts from Sellers Studio to Corpus Christi and other Texas outlets. With the Eighth Army Signal Corps in the Tokyo occupation forces, he became the first to broadcast country music to fellow soldiers in the Orient. Discharged in 1947, Charlie and his band the Texas Ramblers performed in and around Corpus Christi for several years.

Moving to San Antonio in 1951, he became KMAC's country disc jockey and built an enormous listenership with great records and great antics: His sign-on was "This is ol' poke salad, cotton-picking, boll-pulling, corn-shucking, snuff-dipping Charlie Walker." On Decca Records (1954-56) after a short previous stink with Imperial, Charlie had a regional hit, "Tell Her Lies and Feed Her Candy," and his first charted record, "Only You, Only You" (1956). Pappy Daily next signed Charlie to Mercury, but it was a chance with Columbia Records, thanks to Ray Price, that made possible Charlie's first big hit, "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down" (1958), which helped introduce the popular shuffle beat to country music.

Charlie remained San Antonio's top country disc jockey while building his own touring and recording career with a few widely spaced honky-tonk hits: "Who Will Buy the Wine" (1960), "Wild as a Wildcat" (1965) and "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon" (1967). The popularity of the latter convinced Charlie, who was also a top-notch golfer, to move to Nashville and join the Grand Ole Opry, where he remained a member for the rest of his life. He was the Opry's staunchest exponent of honky-tonk and western swing styles. And in case you forgot, it was Charlie Walker who portrayed Hawkshaw Hawkins in the 1985 film biography of Patsy Cline, "Sweet Dreams."

Charlie was born in Copeville, Texas on November 2, 1926. In addition to being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Charlie was also a member of the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame, elected in 1981. Charlie passed away at the age of 81 on September 12, 2008. His final appearance on the Opry was Friday March 21, 2008.

Here is the running order from Saturday August 19, 1967, the night Charlie Walker became an Opry member:

1st show
6:30: (?)
6:45: (?)

7:00: Luzianne
Hank Locklin (host): Please Help Me I'm Falling
The Four Guys: Walking in the Sunshine
June Stearns: Habit, Not Desire
Pete Drake: I'm Just a Guitar (Everybody Picks on Me)
Hank Locklin: Hasta Luego
Bobby Barnett: Down Came the World
The Four Guys: Ruby, Don't Take Your Guns to Town
Jerry Whitehurst: (?)
Hank Locklin: Jambalaya

7:30: Cordite
Billy Walker (host): Let's Think About Living
Del Wood: 12th Street Rag
Mel Tillis: Goodbye Wheeling
Margie Singleton: Ode to Billy Joe
Billy Walker: Bare With Me a Little Longer
Leon Ashley: Laura
Del Wood: Are You from Dixie
Mel Tillis: Life Turned Her that Way
Billy Walker; Del Rio

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Night Train to Memphis
Jim & Jesse: The Ballad of Thunder Road
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Lafayette: Crook Brothers
Loretta Lynn: If You're Not Gone Too Long
Larry McNeely: (?)
Roy Acuff: Cabin in Gloryland

8:30: Stephens
Ray Pillow (host): Thank You Ma'am
Marion Worth: If I Kiss You, Will You Go Away
Jerry Green: Sally Was a Good Old Girl
Bobby Jenkins: Lovesick Blues
Ray Pillow: I Just Want to be Left Alone
Curtis McPeake: The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
Johnny Carver: It's Such a Pretty World
Marion Worth: You Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad
Ray Pillow: Take Your Hands off My Heart

2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Billy Walker (host): Cross the Brazos at Waco
Willis Brothers: Somebody Knows My Dog
Pete Sayers: Wash My Face in the Morning Dew
Del Wood: Ballin' the Jack
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Katy Hill
Willis Brothers: I Still Do
Billy Walker: Cattle Call

10:00: Schick
Ray Pillow (host): If' Is a Mighty Big Word
Margie Singleton: Ode to Billy Joe
Leon Ashley: Laura
Ray Pillow: Six Days on the Road

10:15: Pure
George Morgan (host): I Couldn't See
Mel Tillis: The Fugitive
Loretta Lynn: Don't Come Home a Drinkin'
George Morgan: You're the Only Good Thing

10:30: Buckley's
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball/The Sinking of the Great Titanic
Harold Weakley: Almost Persuaded
Roy Acuff: Put My Little Shoes Away

10:45: Kent
Hank Locklin (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Charlie Walker: Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
Crook Brothers: Ida Red
Hank Locklin: Release Me

11:00: Coca-Cola
Bill Anderson (host): I Got the Fever/Get While the Getting's Good
The Four Guys: Roll Muddy River
Jimmy Gatley: Crying Don't Pay
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Fire on the Mountain
Bill Anderson: Papa
Sam McGee: Spanish Two-Step
The Four Guys: Shenandoah
Bill Anderson: No One's Gonna Hurt You Anymore

11:30: Lava
Marty Robbins (host): Singing the Blues
Marion Worth: Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed
Jerry Green: Danny Boy
Jim & Jesse: Diesel on My Tail
Bobby Sykes: Living a Lie
Don Winters: Chime Bells
Marion Worth: A Legend in My Time
Marty Robbins: Tonight Carmen/Begging to You/Ribbon of Darkness/Don't Worry/The Shoe Goes on the Other Foot Tonight

There you have it for this week. Coming up on Tuesday night will be two big shows featuring Trace Adkins, Vince Gill and Eddie Montgomery among others. It will be a celebration of Trace's 15th year as an Opry member. Then next Saturday night, two shows with Garth!!

With that, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!

Tuesday Night Opry 8/14

Now that summer is ending and school is starting back up for many districts, the Opry is back down to just one mid-week show, the Tuesday Night Opry.

Here you go for this week, Tuesday August 14:

7:00: Riders In The Sky; Holly Williams
7:30: Trent Harmon; Lorrie Morgan
Intermission
8:15: Michael Ray; Charlie Daniels Band
8:45: Jason Aldean