Grand Ole Opry Line-Up-November 13 & 14

Here is this week's Grand Ole Opry Line-Ups:

Friday November 13
7:00: Ricky Skaggs(host); Jean Shepard; The Whites
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Joe Diffie
8:00: Mike Snider(host); Jeannie Seely; Jim Ed Brown; Steve Wariner
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); The Band Perry; Josh Turner

Saturday November 14
First Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Jim Ed Brown
7:30: Bill Anderson(host); Jean Shepard; Mike Snider; Opry Square Dancers
8:00; Carrie Underwood; Jake Owen; Martina McBride; Rodney Atkins

Second Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); The Whites; Jack Greene; Martina McBride
10:00: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Jimmy C. Newman; Carrie Underwood
10:30: Jeannie Seely(host); Jean Shepard; Rodney Atkins; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jake Owen

Comments and Observations:
>The 8:00 segment will be simulcast lie at MySpace Music. I have not heard if they will have a host/announcer/mc for that segment, which I assume they will, unless Pete Fisher decides to have Carrie Underwood as the host.
>I do hate to see that 1 hour segment on a two hour show. Observing it in person, it just feels as if the first hour is a warm up to the second hour and there seems to be a disconnect between those two sections of the show. By that, it seems as if the last hour is more of a "made for tv" production than a part of the radio show. Also, only 10 acts for the first show.
>That said, the second show on Saturday has a very strong line-up of acts. The first show is basically sold out while the second show has some tickets available in the wings.
>Say what you will about Carrie Underwood being an Opry member, but so far, she has been making appearances on the show. She will end up the year at the 10 appearances they have asked of new members, which is more than many Opry members.
>Jesse McReynolds is the host of the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree after the Opry on Saturday night.
>In the upcoming weeks, there is an impressive group of Opry stars who will be appearing on the Opry. Between now and Christmas, Ralph Stanley, Charlie Daniels, Rhonda Vincent, Dierks Bentley, Trisha Yearwood, Charley Pride, Trace Adkins, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris and Ronnie Milsap will all be making appearances.
>Finally, Jack Greene has a link on his website to sign a petition for him to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Next year's class should be announced sometime in January. I know a couple of the voters and I am trying to get a list of the finalists in each category. Regarding Jack, I have mixed feelings regarding him and the Hall of Fame. He has had a very nice career in country music and has a great voice. I think he has had 9 #1 records, which is a decent number. But, at the same time, I think there are others of his generation that are more deserving than him and have been overlooked. I think of Jean Shepard, Jim Ed Brown, Teddy and Doyle Wilburn, Dottie West, Jimmy Dean and a few others who I think might have a stronger resume and I think would require more serious consideration than Jack. But, if he were to be elected some day, I don't think that it would be a bad thing. At best, he would be a long shot. The problem is that there is a backlog of deserving candidates and with only 1 or 2 being elected each year, I am afraid only a few will ever achieve the recognition that they deserve. There has been a petition for the Wilburn Brothers for a couple of years now and I wish Jack Greene and his petition drive lots of luck.

My Space to Stream Live Grand Ole Opry Performance on November 14

From the Grand Ole Opry:
The Grand Ole Opry, the world's longest-running radio show, and MySpace are uniting to live stream an Opry performance with video for the first time. On November 14, 9-10pm ET fans can view the live show featuring Opry member and country superstar Carrie Underwood, CMA new artist nominee Jack Owen and more. The show will be hosted on MySpace Music in cooperation with Ustream. For more information, go to myspace.com/grandoleopry.

Underwood will perform music from her just-released CD "Play On" including the fastest-rising single of her career to date, "Cowboy Casanova."

Just a thought: Maybe since the Opry cannot seem to find it's way back to live television, they are going to try this method. I have a feeling they will operate it like they did the televised GAC hour, with only 3 or 4 guests, and no legends. I wonder if they will have an actual host for the hour or go with the announcer format. Time will tell, but it is still an opportunity to see the Opry taking place live.

Dr. Ralph Stanley & The Grand Ole Opry

I recently read the new autobiography that Dr. Ralph Stanley wrote with Eddie Dean, "Man of Constant Sorrow." I found it an excellent book that really tells the story of The Stanley Brothers and of Ralph and The Clinch Mountain Boys. The book spends lots of time on the older days of the Stanley Brothers with some interesting stories and inside information. If you get the chance to get a copy, please do. It is an easy read and you will enjoy it and it will give you a different impression of the man and his music.

In the book, Ralph talks about his joining the Opry and the story behind it. I thought I would share it here:
For a long time, I played the Opry as a guest but I never did join. When I got to thinking harder about it, I had some people in Nashville work on it in my corner. They told me I had paid my dues years ago, and not to worry. Bill (Monroe) made the loudest noise. It was all his doing. I didn't have to say a word to him. Bill told them they needed me on the Opry and that was all it would have took. This was in 1993. Hal Durham was running it back then, and Hal told me, "You're the only man that Bill's ever asked for them to get on the Opry." Bill wouldn't even put in a word for his own son, James, to get into the Opry. With Bill behind me, I could have gone on the Opry full-time, but I just never did follow that up at the time. It was a big commitment back then. It used to be you had to commit for most of the year, at least twenty-six weeks, every Saturday night. My schedule wouldn't have allowed that. I was on the road with my band, and they counted on me for a paycheck. Later the Opry eased up on how often you had to play. That' s when I was interested in making it official and joining. By then Bill was gone, and I had Porter Wagoner on my side. Porter was a big man and host at the Opry, which he'd joined back in 1957, and he helped me a lot. He worked on my behalf for several years, talking to the people behind the scenes who could make it happen. It was in 2000 when I officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Porter was there with Patty Loveless, and they brought me out on stage to induct me into what they call country music's most "elite club."

Ralph also had thoughts on Jimmy Martin and the Opry:
I know that Jimmy Martin died a-wanting to get on the Opry and he'd never made it. That really hurt him. It was his life's goal to join the Opry and play there regular like his hero Bill Monroe, and it just never happened. Now, I don't think that was Bill's doing. I think it was more Jimmy's fault, really. He was his own worst enemy. He would always say things and do things to get him in trouble. There was no doubt Jimmy had enough talent to be a member of the Opry. He would have been a plus, talentwise, but he wasn't dependable and they knew it. He was too out of control and he wouldn't have helped the Opry after they added it all up, the good and the bad.

Ralph talked a bit about Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs:
Competition. That's the way most musicians looked at each other back then, and Bill was the same way. The way he looked at it was pure survival. Bill didn't think there was room on the Opry for any other bands playing his type of music. The better they were, the more he hated'em. He kept Flatt and Scruggs off the Opry for a long time. And a lot of others, too. Carter and me never did get to play together on the Opry, and I think Bill had something to do with that.

Interesting observations from Dr. Ralph. And, I think everyone knows that it was through the intervention and threats of losing the sponsorship of Martha White that eventually led to Flatt and Scruggs becoming a part of the Opry. Bill Monroe had even tried to get a petition going against Flatt and Scruggs joining the Opry, but he found few takers. Roy Acuff for one, said he was "fond of the boys', and thought they would make good members and that the Opry needed people like them. Looking at today's Opry, do you think any sponsor is as powerful as Martha White was back in the day, and could dictate who could become an Opry member?

Grand Ole Opry Line-Up 11/6 & 11/7-Updated

They added one of their old standbys: Rebecca Lynn Howard

Here is the line-up for this weekend's Grand Ole Opry show. The Opry begins its run at the Ryman Auditorium this week, where it will be through January. Also, the Opry goes back to 2 shows on Saturday night, for most of the rest of the year.

Friday November 6
7:00: Jean Shepard(host); The Whites; The Steeldrivers
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Bomshel
8:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jan Howard; Joey + Rory
8:30: Mike Snider(host); Connie Smith; Gene Watson

Saturday November 7
First Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; the Isaacs
7:30: Mike Snider(host); The Whites; Jean Shepard; Sarah Buxton
8:00: Riders In The Sky(host); Ray Pillow; Rebecca Lynn Howard; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); Connie Smith; Gene Watson

Second Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; The Isaacs
10:00: Mike Snider(host); Jean Shepard; Sarah Buxton
10:30: Riders In The Sky(host); Stu Phillips; Rebecca Lynn Howard; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Connie Smith; Gene Watson

A couple of very similiar shows on Saturday night. I always liked it when they varied the line-up for both shows. I also enjoy having different hosts introduce different acts. Also, I do have to ask, who is Bomshel(on Friday's show). The name just does not ring a bell. And, still a slot to fill on both the Saturday night shows, 3rd segment.

Here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry-November 10
(At the Ryman)
7:00; John Conlee; Point Of Grace
7:30: George Hamilton IV; Collin Raye
Intermission
8:15: Jean Shepard
8:45: Jimmy Dickens; The Grascals

Tough Times At The Opry? Buy 1 Ticket/Get 1 Free

Received an email from the Grand Ole Opry this morning:

"Psssst. We have a little secret just for you. As a past Opry at the Ryman customer, we are giving you the chance to take advantage of our 24-Hour Buy One Opry at the Ryman Ticket, Get One Free Sale before anyone else knows about it. But you'll need to act fast because everyone will be in on the secret tomorrow afternoon."

Yes folks, the Opry is offering a free ticket for each one you buy, up to 8, for shows at the Ryman Auditorium through the end of the year. Oh, buy the way, it is not valid on Saturday November 14, when Carrie Underwood is on the schedule. I guess they don't have a problem selling tickets that night. And, this offer is not valid for price level 1. Seriously, if you are in the area and would like to see the Opry at the Ryman, this is a great deal and there are some fine artists scheduled in December, such as Ronnie Milsap, Emmylou Harris, Josh Turner, Marty Stuart, Ralph Stanley, Charley Pride, Ricky Skaggs, and many others. A great opportunity to see some fine Opry shows at a reasonable price. On a final serious note, the Ryman seats less than 3,000. With the Christmas season and many of the Opry stars in town for the holidays, if tickets are moving this slow that management feels the need to give tickets away, it could be a tough winter for the Opry. Usually the crowds are good at the Ryman. It reminds me of the days in the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s, when I would attend Opry shows at the Grand Ole Opry House in January and February, and there would only be 400-500 people in the 4,400 seat auditorium. I know it makes it tough on the performers when they see that many empty seats.

Gaylord Posts Sharp Loss In 3Q

I post this because of Gaylord Entertainment's ownership of the Grand Ole Opry. I did not print the entire report, but it is still not good news that Gaylord's Opryland facility is still showing declines from a year ago, which was not as good as the year before that. Shows that not as many visitors are coming to Nashville. Also, there is a significant drop in revenue from the Opry. What the release does not say is what the expenditures were to operate the Opry. With the cost cutting that has been going on at the Opry, such as cutting shows and the number of acts per show, that would be interesting to see. I assume that some of the decline is from less shows than a year ago(many Saturday nights are down to one show), and less sellouts. Also with no television, that would also drop revenue, along with smaller crowds. They keep their attendance figures pretty tight, but I am trying to see what I can come up with. The feeling from those I talk to is that the Opry is still doing ok, and that overall, upper management is ok with the performance of Pete Fisher and the team operating the Opry.

Gaylord Entertainment Co. posted a steep loss in the third quarter, falling short of analyst's expectations. The Nashville-based hotelier reported a net loss of $12.9 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to a net loss of $5.5 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, in the year-ago period. Revenue came in at $199 million, down 12 percent from $226 million in the same period a year ago. Gaylord Opryland generated sales of $54.5 million in the third quarter of 2009, compared to $64.2 million for the same period a year ago. Revenue per available room dropped 12.1 percent, driven by a 7.9 percentage point drop in occupancy from group cancellations and attrition. The company's Opry and attractions segment saw revenue decline 25.4 percent to $17.1 million in the third quarter of 2009.

November Opry Highlights

The month of November is upon us, and I wanted to look back at historical and important Grand Ole Opry events that took place in November.

Several Grand Ole Opry members joined the Opry cast during November:
>Joe Diffie joined the Grand Ole Opry on November 27, 1993 (16 years).
>Martina McBride became an Opry member on November 30, 1995 (14 years).

And I want to give special mention to 3 Opry members who joined the cast in November. I single these 3 out for special mention because 2 are true Opry legends who have been members for over 50 years: Stonewall Jackson joined the Grand Ole Opry on November 3, 1956 (53 years ago). Stonewall had his differences with Opry management, but he is back and has been appearing reguarly on the Opry. The other legend is Jean Shepard, who became an Opry member on November 21, 1955 (54 years). One of the true Opry legends, there is no reason why Jean is not yet a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. The final Opry member that I want to give special mention to is Marty Stuart, who joined the Opry cast on November 28, 1992 (17 years). Marty, along with Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Lorrie Morgan, have led his generation of artists to support the Opry and what it stands for. Since the passing of Porter Wagoner, Marty has taken on a more public role as a spokesperson for the Opry and the number of Opry appearances he has made have greatly increased over the past year. Congratulations to all.

Now a look at historical moments from November:
>On November 2, 1925, George D. Hay accepted the position as WSM Radio Director. This would have a direct impact, as he is the one who started the Grand Ole Opry.
>Everything has a start and for the Grand Ole Opry it all started on November 28, 1925. On that date, the WSM Barn Dance-forerunner of the Grand Ole Opry-broadcasts for the first time from a fifth-floor studio in the National Life and Accident Insurance Company Building. Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddler, who claimed he knew a thousand songs, played a set that began with "Tennesse Waggoner."
>In November 1940, Minnie Pearl, one of the most loved Opry members in its history, joined the Opry cast. On November 3, 1990, the Opry honored Minnie for 50 years as an Opry member.
>November 1960, Hank Locklin joins the Opry. He would remain an Opry member until passing away earlier this year.
>November 29, 1961, a group of Grand Ole Opry members performs at a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall in New York. The perfomers included Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Bill Monore and Minnie Pearl.
>On November 28, 1964, Willie Nelson joined the Grand Ole Opry. He would not last long, becoming frustrated over the low pay and the general lack of success he was having as a performer in Nashville. He was paid $35 for his 1st performance on the Opry.
>On November 10, 1973, one of the most tragic events in Opry history took place. David "Stringbean" Akeman appeared on the Opry for the final time. When Stringbean returned home from that Opry that night, he and his wife, Estelle, were ambushed and murdered by two men who hoped to rob the couple of money Stringbean reputedly had hidden in his home. Grandpa Jones, Stringbean's neighbor and best friend, discovered the bodies the next day. Grandpa Jones was so shaken by the murders that he moved from Nashville to Arkansas, and lived there for a number of years and this crime was one of the reasons that promoted Roy Acuff to move to a house at Opryland. 23 years later, some $20,000 would be found, rotted and worthless, in the walls of the house.
>In November 1992, Gaylord Entertainment formally announced their plans on renovating the Ryman Auditorium. It would formally reopen in June 1994. For those who have been there since the renovation, all would have to agree that a great job was done at modernizing and saving the old building. It is still a special place to watch a show, especially when the Opry returns there.
>November 23, 1996, Trace Adkins performed on the Opry for the first time.
>On November 7, 1998, Jimmy Dickens celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. At the time, only Herman Crook, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Bill Monroe and Grandpa Jones were the only Opry members to have celebrated 50 years as Opry members.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy.