Jeannie Seely has canceled out for Saturday night. Nobody else has been added. They just moved Bobby Osborne into her slot.
The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for this weekend's shows. There is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night.
Some good artists are scheduled for this weekend. Terri Clark makes her 2nd Opry weekend in a row, along with Steve Wariner, Sunny Sweeney and Craig Morgan, who are in for both nights. Vince Gill is scheduled for Friday night, and Saturday night Andy Griggs is in.
Friday February 18
7:00: Mike Snider(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Ray Pillow; Terri Clark
INTERMISSION
8:15: Steve Wariner(host); Riders In The Sky; Connie Smith
8:45: Vince Gill(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; John Conlee; Craig Morgan
Saturday February 19
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Sunny Sweeney
7:30: Steve Wariner(host); Jack Greene; Connie Smith
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Andy Griggs; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: John Conlee(host); Terri Clark; Craig Morgan
Not too bad of shows for this weekend. And, if you look at the Opry's website, they have some very solid acts booked in the coming weeks, including a show next Friday night that looks absolutely loaded.
Finally, on a sad note, our thoughts and prayers go out to Grand Ole Opry member Jean Shepard, who's sister, Laquieta Alexander, passed away last Sunday morning. The funeral services will be on Thursday.
Nationally recognized independent Grand Ole Opry historian Byron Fay offers news and comments regarding country music's premier show.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Some Reflections On The Current Opry Membership
Last month as I was doing my year end review of the Opry, it got me to thinking about the current membership of the Opry, their commitment to the show and the future of the Opry. Last week while I was at the Opry, some of the same thoughts came into my mind, so I thought I would offer my analysis of the Opry's current membership.
Since the death of Charlie Louvin and the addition of Blake Shelton, there are currently 66 Grand Ole Opry members. Now, let's break this down into some different categories.
There are 3 Opry members who are ill and due to health reasons, do not play the Opry. Those include Wilma Lee Cooper, Hal Ketchum and Mel McDaniel. That brings us down to 63.
There are 4 Opry members who are retired and no longer play the Opry. Those are Billy Grammer, Barbara Mandrell, Jeanne Pruett and Ricky Van Shelton. That takes us down to 59.
There is the group of Opry members that for whatever reason, have not played the Opry in a number of years. Those are 5 of those and they include Clink Black, Garth Brooks, Tom T. Hall, Reba McEntire and Travis Tritt. That brings the number to 54.
Then there is the group that plays the Opry once or twice a year, just to say that they are staying active on the Opry. This is a large group of 12 and includes Roy Clark, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis and Trisha Yearwood. That takes the number down to 42.
Now we have the group that will generally play the Opry between 5 and 10 times each year. This is the largest group of the Opry membership and numbers 18. These are Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, Charlie Daniels, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie, Larry Gatlin, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Charlie Pride, Ralph Stanley, Mel Tillis, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and Steve Wariner. I will also include Blake Shelton in this group, even though he just joined. Now we are down to 24.
There are a couple of senior legends that only play the show about once per month. This is not their choice, but it is all they are scheduled. There are 3 in this group and they are Stonewall Jackson, Stu Phillips and Ray Pillow. Now the number is 21.
So out of 66 Opry members, you can say that only 21 of them, or one-third of the Opry roster, is really actively participating on the Opry on a regular basis.
Now of the 21 left, there are those that, give or take a few appearances, are good for about 20 to 25 shows each year (some years more than that, some less). That group would include Vince Gill, Del McCoury, Lorrie Morgan, Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart. That leaves 16 Opry members left.
Of the 16, you have some that appear on about 50 shows each year. Those include John Conlee, Jack Greene, George Hamilton, Jan Howard, Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne and Riders In The Sky. That list numbers 7. And, I will add the disclaimer that all of these would do the Opry more if they were just asked.
Now of the remaining, you have 9. And these are the 9 the are on the Opry most weekends of the year. These 9 are Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, Jimmy Dickens, Jimmy C. Newman, Jeannie Seely, Jean Shepard, Connie Smith, Mike Snider and The Whites.
Now the scary part. Of the 16 that are participating in most of the Opry shows, Jack Greene, Jan Howard, Jesse McReynolds, Jimmy Dickens, Jimmy C. Newman and Buck White are all over the age of 80. Then you have George Hamilton IV, Bobby Osborne, Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown and Jean Shepard all over the age of 70, with John Conlee, members of Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith, all over the age of 60. Heck, Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Marty Stuart and a whole bunch more are over the age of 50.
This is not good and should give all Opry fans some concern. George Jones sang, "Who's gonna fill their shoes?". When you look at the younger members who have recently joined the Opry, say in the last 10 years, there is nobody that is stepping forward to "fill their shoes" as far as the Opry is concerned. The generation before this current one, you did have Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart who stepped forward and challenged those of their generation to play the Opry and keep the tradition going. That was also the last generation who knew the early stars of the Opry, people such as Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Grandpa Jones, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow and the others. The current younger stars of the Opry do not know that historical link.
While it is not reasonable to expect any of today's younger Opry members to play the Opry each week, you would expect there would be one or two that would follow the example of Vince, Ricky and Marty and at least play the Opry on a semi-regular basis. When Brad Paisley joined the Opry, I really thought that he would have been the one to step forward and be that person. The one to challenge his generation of performers to support the Opry. He was that member when he joined, but then his career went into overdrive and, like so many others, he left the Opry behind. He showed back up when the flood severely damaged the Opry House, but then once the Opry House reopened, he has disappeared. And, Blake Shelton, the Opry's newest member, has yet to play the Opry since he became a member (although he is scheduled for an upcoming show), But, then again, he was not really a regular Opry performer before he was asked to join.
I really believe, that for the Opry to survive, there has to be some type of commitment from the newest members. And, for that matter, from future members. Joining the Opry and playing the show less than 10 times per year is not going to cut it. And, just taking into account the age of some of the veteran Opry members, it is possible that we could lose several more this coming year. These younger Opry members could be needed more than ever.
I look on the Opry's facebook page and you have those who ask why Keith Urban, George Strait, Taylor Swift and others are not Opry members. These people who ask, while having good intentions, just don't understand the history of the Opry. Now, more than ever, is the time for Steve Buchanan, Pete Fisher and the rest of the senior management of the Opry, to step forward and to clean out the roster of those who are not going to support the show, and to make a firm commitment to change the membership of the Opry, and to get as members, those who will fully support the show. Make new members sign a pledge and commit to doing at least 20 shows a year. While that is not ideal, it is a start. I am sure if they looked at the right people, they would have no problem finding those artists. Heck, there are guest artists that fulfill that already and they are not even members.
In conclusion, someone told me about 10 years ago, and it is someone close to the music industry in Nashville, that within 5 years, the Opry as we knew it then, would no longer exist. I laughed at her and told her no way. You know what? Maybe she was right. The Opry as we knew it back when we were growing up, does no longer exist. Now the question is, can the Opry be saved before it totally dies?
Since the death of Charlie Louvin and the addition of Blake Shelton, there are currently 66 Grand Ole Opry members. Now, let's break this down into some different categories.
There are 3 Opry members who are ill and due to health reasons, do not play the Opry. Those include Wilma Lee Cooper, Hal Ketchum and Mel McDaniel. That brings us down to 63.
There are 4 Opry members who are retired and no longer play the Opry. Those are Billy Grammer, Barbara Mandrell, Jeanne Pruett and Ricky Van Shelton. That takes us down to 59.
There is the group of Opry members that for whatever reason, have not played the Opry in a number of years. Those are 5 of those and they include Clink Black, Garth Brooks, Tom T. Hall, Reba McEntire and Travis Tritt. That brings the number to 54.
Then there is the group that plays the Opry once or twice a year, just to say that they are staying active on the Opry. This is a large group of 12 and includes Roy Clark, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis and Trisha Yearwood. That takes the number down to 42.
Now we have the group that will generally play the Opry between 5 and 10 times each year. This is the largest group of the Opry membership and numbers 18. These are Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, Charlie Daniels, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie, Larry Gatlin, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Charlie Pride, Ralph Stanley, Mel Tillis, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and Steve Wariner. I will also include Blake Shelton in this group, even though he just joined. Now we are down to 24.
There are a couple of senior legends that only play the show about once per month. This is not their choice, but it is all they are scheduled. There are 3 in this group and they are Stonewall Jackson, Stu Phillips and Ray Pillow. Now the number is 21.
So out of 66 Opry members, you can say that only 21 of them, or one-third of the Opry roster, is really actively participating on the Opry on a regular basis.
Now of the 21 left, there are those that, give or take a few appearances, are good for about 20 to 25 shows each year (some years more than that, some less). That group would include Vince Gill, Del McCoury, Lorrie Morgan, Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart. That leaves 16 Opry members left.
Of the 16, you have some that appear on about 50 shows each year. Those include John Conlee, Jack Greene, George Hamilton, Jan Howard, Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne and Riders In The Sky. That list numbers 7. And, I will add the disclaimer that all of these would do the Opry more if they were just asked.
Now of the remaining, you have 9. And these are the 9 the are on the Opry most weekends of the year. These 9 are Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, Jimmy Dickens, Jimmy C. Newman, Jeannie Seely, Jean Shepard, Connie Smith, Mike Snider and The Whites.
Now the scary part. Of the 16 that are participating in most of the Opry shows, Jack Greene, Jan Howard, Jesse McReynolds, Jimmy Dickens, Jimmy C. Newman and Buck White are all over the age of 80. Then you have George Hamilton IV, Bobby Osborne, Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown and Jean Shepard all over the age of 70, with John Conlee, members of Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith, all over the age of 60. Heck, Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Marty Stuart and a whole bunch more are over the age of 50.
This is not good and should give all Opry fans some concern. George Jones sang, "Who's gonna fill their shoes?". When you look at the younger members who have recently joined the Opry, say in the last 10 years, there is nobody that is stepping forward to "fill their shoes" as far as the Opry is concerned. The generation before this current one, you did have Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart who stepped forward and challenged those of their generation to play the Opry and keep the tradition going. That was also the last generation who knew the early stars of the Opry, people such as Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Grandpa Jones, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow and the others. The current younger stars of the Opry do not know that historical link.
While it is not reasonable to expect any of today's younger Opry members to play the Opry each week, you would expect there would be one or two that would follow the example of Vince, Ricky and Marty and at least play the Opry on a semi-regular basis. When Brad Paisley joined the Opry, I really thought that he would have been the one to step forward and be that person. The one to challenge his generation of performers to support the Opry. He was that member when he joined, but then his career went into overdrive and, like so many others, he left the Opry behind. He showed back up when the flood severely damaged the Opry House, but then once the Opry House reopened, he has disappeared. And, Blake Shelton, the Opry's newest member, has yet to play the Opry since he became a member (although he is scheduled for an upcoming show), But, then again, he was not really a regular Opry performer before he was asked to join.
I really believe, that for the Opry to survive, there has to be some type of commitment from the newest members. And, for that matter, from future members. Joining the Opry and playing the show less than 10 times per year is not going to cut it. And, just taking into account the age of some of the veteran Opry members, it is possible that we could lose several more this coming year. These younger Opry members could be needed more than ever.
I look on the Opry's facebook page and you have those who ask why Keith Urban, George Strait, Taylor Swift and others are not Opry members. These people who ask, while having good intentions, just don't understand the history of the Opry. Now, more than ever, is the time for Steve Buchanan, Pete Fisher and the rest of the senior management of the Opry, to step forward and to clean out the roster of those who are not going to support the show, and to make a firm commitment to change the membership of the Opry, and to get as members, those who will fully support the show. Make new members sign a pledge and commit to doing at least 20 shows a year. While that is not ideal, it is a start. I am sure if they looked at the right people, they would have no problem finding those artists. Heck, there are guest artists that fulfill that already and they are not even members.
In conclusion, someone told me about 10 years ago, and it is someone close to the music industry in Nashville, that within 5 years, the Opry as we knew it then, would no longer exist. I laughed at her and told her no way. You know what? Maybe she was right. The Opry as we knew it back when we were growing up, does no longer exist. Now the question is, can the Opry be saved before it totally dies?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Grand Ole Opry Line Up 2/11 & 2/12
The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line up for the shows this weekend. There is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night, both nights at the Grand Ole Opry House.
Ronnie Milsap was originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday night, but has canceled out for both nights. Even with that, there is some talent on both shows. Friday night features Marty Stuart, The Gascals, Mel Tillis, Terry Clark and Diamond Rio. Saturday's show has Danny Gokey, The Secret Sisters and Aaron Tippin.
I did find it surprising that Ronnie Milsap was hosting the final segment on both shows. With Ronnie gone, Diamond Rio takes over on Friday night. I was surprised because Mel Tillis is on and he has been hosting segments on his last few appearances. Also, he is a Hall of Famer, and Opry management usually gives those folks seniority.
Finally, in looking at the booking of the line up since the first of the year, there seems to be several patterns taking place. First, Bobby Osborne and Jesse McReynolds each get one night, opposite of each other. Usually it rotates from week to week, who is on Friday and who is on Saturday. Jean Shepard, Jeannie Seely and The Whites now seem to be on only one show each weekend, joining Jimmy C. Newman, Jack Greene and Jan Howard. We will have to watch if that pattern continues.
Friday February 11
7:00: Marty Stuart(host); Connie Smith; The Grascals
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Riders In The Sky; Mel Tillis
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Mike Snider; Terry Clark
8:45: Diamond Rio(host); Stonewall Jackson; Jean Shepard; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Saturday February 12
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); The Whites; Terri Clark
7:30: Jeannie Seely(host); Jack Greene; Danny Gokey
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Jimmy C. Newman; The Secret Sisters; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mike Snider(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Aaron Tippin
Ronnie Milsap was originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday night, but has canceled out for both nights. Even with that, there is some talent on both shows. Friday night features Marty Stuart, The Gascals, Mel Tillis, Terry Clark and Diamond Rio. Saturday's show has Danny Gokey, The Secret Sisters and Aaron Tippin.
I did find it surprising that Ronnie Milsap was hosting the final segment on both shows. With Ronnie gone, Diamond Rio takes over on Friday night. I was surprised because Mel Tillis is on and he has been hosting segments on his last few appearances. Also, he is a Hall of Famer, and Opry management usually gives those folks seniority.
Finally, in looking at the booking of the line up since the first of the year, there seems to be several patterns taking place. First, Bobby Osborne and Jesse McReynolds each get one night, opposite of each other. Usually it rotates from week to week, who is on Friday and who is on Saturday. Jean Shepard, Jeannie Seely and The Whites now seem to be on only one show each weekend, joining Jimmy C. Newman, Jack Greene and Jan Howard. We will have to watch if that pattern continues.
Friday February 11
7:00: Marty Stuart(host); Connie Smith; The Grascals
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Riders In The Sky; Mel Tillis
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Mike Snider; Terry Clark
8:45: Diamond Rio(host); Stonewall Jackson; Jean Shepard; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Saturday February 12
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); The Whites; Terri Clark
7:30: Jeannie Seely(host); Jack Greene; Danny Gokey
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Jimmy C. Newman; The Secret Sisters; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Mike Snider(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Aaron Tippin
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Remembering Ernest Tubb
I wanted to take a moment and remember the great Ernest Tubb, who today would have celebrated his 97th birthday. Ernest was born on February 9, 1914 and passed away on September 6, 1984. It goes without saying that Ernest was one of the all time greats in country music and in the history of the Grand Ole Opry.
The Country Music Hall of Famer was noted for the amount of touring that he did and for the way he helped out younger artists trying to make it in the country music business. He established the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. It was through the Midnight Jamboree that Ernest did most of his work with the newer artists. He was always willing to give air time to someone who he thought was worthwhile. The list is too long to name them all, but Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn are two of the more well known. It was also through his influence that Hank Snow became a member of the Opry. Both of them shared a love of Jimmie Rodgers, the father of country music. He also pushed band members to move on to solo careers, with the most famous of these being Cal Smith and Jack Greene.
Even though he has been gone for over 25 years, his influence is still felt in country music. Almost every artist who comes out of Texas looks up to 2 artists, Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb. Willie Nelson is on the top of the list of admirers.
Ernest's influence on the Opry was great. He was the first to bring electric guitars to the Opry and he fought management all the way to make sure his sound was heard. He did not have the greatest voice in the world, and he admitted it. That was one of the reasons why he always had a great band. Toward the end of his career, after his health problems really took hold, his voice really faltered. He smoked and drank most of his life, and while he did quit later in his career, the damage was already done.
I am not going to go into all the hits that Ernest had, and there were many, or even do a review of his career. It would take too long. Ronnie Pugh, formally of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and later of the Nashville Public Library, wrote an excellent biography of Ernest and if you have not read it, I highly recommend it. Ronnie covers the good and the bad, and really gets into the history of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Midnight Jamboree. I met Ronnie several times, once at the Hall of Fame, and also at the Nashville Library, and I told him on several occasions that I wished he would also write biographies on more of the classic Opry stars, such as Red Foley or Roy Acuff. But, Ronnie told me that a biography really is a lot of work, and for the time, Ernest's was enough.
Ernest made his first Grand Ole Opry appearance on January 16, 1943. At the time, the Opry was at the War Memorial Auditorium. He played the Opry several times over the next several weeks, and officially became an Opry member on February 13, 1943. Before too much longer, Ernest not only had the Midnight Jamboree, but was hosting warm up shows before the Opry on WSM. Although Ernest would remain an Opry member until his death, his final Opry show was on August 14, 1982. That was also the final night that he hosted the Midnight Jamboree. After that final Opry show, he made 4 more personal appearances, the final being on November 13, 1982, in Berlin, Ohio, which ironically is just 20 minutes from my home.
To remember Ernest, here is the Opry line-up and the song list from his final Opry appearance on Saturday August 14, 1982.
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
4 Guys(host): "Turn Your Radio On"
Wilburn Brothers: "Arkansas"
4 Guys: "A Blaze Of Glory"
6:45: Rudy's
Billy Grammer(host): "Georgiana Moon"
Skeeter Davis: "Just When I Needed You Most"
Billy Grammer: "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party"
7:00: Shoney's
Ernest Tubb(host); "Thanks A Lot"
Jean Shepard: "Blanket On The Ground" "I'll Be There"
Lonzo & Oscar: "Ramblin' Fever" "Windy City"
Jack Leonard: "I Can't Help It" "Take These Chains From My Heart" "Half As Much" "Your Cheating Heart"
Ernest Tubb: "Waltz Across Texas" "Walkin' The Floor Over You"
7:30: Goo Goo
Billy Walker(host): "When A Man Loves A Woman"
Jeannie Seely: "You Don't Need Me, But You Will" "I'm All Though Crying Over You"
Crook Brothers: "Cotton-Eyed Joe"
Bill Carlisle: "No Help Wanted"
Billy Walker: "You Gave Me A Mountain"
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff(host): "Wabash Cannonball"
Connie Smith: "The Key's In The Mailbox" "'Til I kissed You"
Charlie Walker "Don't Squeeze My Charmon"
Roy Thaskerson: "Orange Blossom Special"
Carol Lee Singers: "A Song The Holy Angels Cannot Sing"
Roy Acuff: "I'll Fly Away"
8:30: Acme
Bill Monore(host): "My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling"
Roy Drusky: "I Really Don't Want To Know"
Del Wood: "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise"
Vic Willis Trio: "Faded Love"
Fruit Jar Drinkers w/Earl White: "Katy Hill"
Bill Monore: "Little Cabin Home On The Hill"
9:30: Kelloggs
Ernest Tubb(host): "Seaman's Blues"
Skeeter Davis: "Me And Bobbie McGee" "The Old Rugged Cross" "The King Is Coming"
Wilburn Brothers: "I Know A Goodbye When I See One" "Because He Lives"
Ernest Tubb: "Another Story, Another Time, Another Place"
10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe(host); "On & On"
Connie Smith: "Satisfield"
Bill Monore: "Come Hither To Go Yonder"
10:15: Sunbeam
Billy Grammer(host): "Wildwood Flower"
Lonzo & Oscar: "Old Songs"
Billy Grammer: "I Was Born In Renfro Valley"
10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff(host): "Meeting In The Air"
Roy Thackerson: "Sally Goodin'" "Orange Blossom Special"
Roy Acuff: "Cabin In Gloryland"
10:45: Beechnut
Billy Walker(host): "A Million To One"
Jean Shepard: "Alabama Jubilee"
Crook Brothers: "Liberty"
Billy Walker: "Cattle Call"
11:00: Coca-Cola
Roy Drusky(host); "There'll Never Be Anyone Else But You For Me"
Jeannie Seely(host); "I'm Almost Ready" "Healing Hands Of Time"
Fruit Jar Drinkers: "Sugar Tree Stomp"
Kirk McGee: "Blue Night"
Bill Carlisle: "Elvira"
Roy Drusky: "Just A Closer Walk With Thee"
11:30: Bama
4 Guys(host): "Cottonfields" "Mariah"
Del Wood: "There's A Big Wheel"
Charlie Walker: "Don't Play Me No Songs About Texas"
Vic Willis Trio: "Shenendoah" "You Were Always On My Mind"
4 Guys:"Made In The USA"
Just a couple of notes:
Ernie Ashworth was scheduled for the 9:30 segment, but canceled out. Also, if you notice, the 4 Guys were on the very first segment and the final segment. This was the time period when they had their dinner theater going and on a Saturday night, they would do the 1st Opry segment, then rush to do their 2 shows at their Harmony House, and then rush back to do the final segment, either as hosts or guests, on the Opry.
I think I got all the sponsors right and I have to admit, I draw a blank with one of the perfomers, Jack Leonard. I could not remember who he was and I even searched and could not come up with it.
Ernest's final night at the Opry was a pretty normal show. Mostly all Opry members and a few of the bigger names, such as Marty Robbins, Jimmy Dickens, Grandpa Jones, Loretta Lynn and Hank Snow among the missing.
Hope you all enjoy the look back at Ernest Tubb.
The Country Music Hall of Famer was noted for the amount of touring that he did and for the way he helped out younger artists trying to make it in the country music business. He established the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. It was through the Midnight Jamboree that Ernest did most of his work with the newer artists. He was always willing to give air time to someone who he thought was worthwhile. The list is too long to name them all, but Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn are two of the more well known. It was also through his influence that Hank Snow became a member of the Opry. Both of them shared a love of Jimmie Rodgers, the father of country music. He also pushed band members to move on to solo careers, with the most famous of these being Cal Smith and Jack Greene.
Even though he has been gone for over 25 years, his influence is still felt in country music. Almost every artist who comes out of Texas looks up to 2 artists, Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb. Willie Nelson is on the top of the list of admirers.
Ernest's influence on the Opry was great. He was the first to bring electric guitars to the Opry and he fought management all the way to make sure his sound was heard. He did not have the greatest voice in the world, and he admitted it. That was one of the reasons why he always had a great band. Toward the end of his career, after his health problems really took hold, his voice really faltered. He smoked and drank most of his life, and while he did quit later in his career, the damage was already done.
I am not going to go into all the hits that Ernest had, and there were many, or even do a review of his career. It would take too long. Ronnie Pugh, formally of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and later of the Nashville Public Library, wrote an excellent biography of Ernest and if you have not read it, I highly recommend it. Ronnie covers the good and the bad, and really gets into the history of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Midnight Jamboree. I met Ronnie several times, once at the Hall of Fame, and also at the Nashville Library, and I told him on several occasions that I wished he would also write biographies on more of the classic Opry stars, such as Red Foley or Roy Acuff. But, Ronnie told me that a biography really is a lot of work, and for the time, Ernest's was enough.
Ernest made his first Grand Ole Opry appearance on January 16, 1943. At the time, the Opry was at the War Memorial Auditorium. He played the Opry several times over the next several weeks, and officially became an Opry member on February 13, 1943. Before too much longer, Ernest not only had the Midnight Jamboree, but was hosting warm up shows before the Opry on WSM. Although Ernest would remain an Opry member until his death, his final Opry show was on August 14, 1982. That was also the final night that he hosted the Midnight Jamboree. After that final Opry show, he made 4 more personal appearances, the final being on November 13, 1982, in Berlin, Ohio, which ironically is just 20 minutes from my home.
To remember Ernest, here is the Opry line-up and the song list from his final Opry appearance on Saturday August 14, 1982.
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
4 Guys(host): "Turn Your Radio On"
Wilburn Brothers: "Arkansas"
4 Guys: "A Blaze Of Glory"
6:45: Rudy's
Billy Grammer(host): "Georgiana Moon"
Skeeter Davis: "Just When I Needed You Most"
Billy Grammer: "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party"
7:00: Shoney's
Ernest Tubb(host); "Thanks A Lot"
Jean Shepard: "Blanket On The Ground" "I'll Be There"
Lonzo & Oscar: "Ramblin' Fever" "Windy City"
Jack Leonard: "I Can't Help It" "Take These Chains From My Heart" "Half As Much" "Your Cheating Heart"
Ernest Tubb: "Waltz Across Texas" "Walkin' The Floor Over You"
7:30: Goo Goo
Billy Walker(host): "When A Man Loves A Woman"
Jeannie Seely: "You Don't Need Me, But You Will" "I'm All Though Crying Over You"
Crook Brothers: "Cotton-Eyed Joe"
Bill Carlisle: "No Help Wanted"
Billy Walker: "You Gave Me A Mountain"
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff(host): "Wabash Cannonball"
Connie Smith: "The Key's In The Mailbox" "'Til I kissed You"
Charlie Walker "Don't Squeeze My Charmon"
Roy Thaskerson: "Orange Blossom Special"
Carol Lee Singers: "A Song The Holy Angels Cannot Sing"
Roy Acuff: "I'll Fly Away"
8:30: Acme
Bill Monore(host): "My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling"
Roy Drusky: "I Really Don't Want To Know"
Del Wood: "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise"
Vic Willis Trio: "Faded Love"
Fruit Jar Drinkers w/Earl White: "Katy Hill"
Bill Monore: "Little Cabin Home On The Hill"
9:30: Kelloggs
Ernest Tubb(host): "Seaman's Blues"
Skeeter Davis: "Me And Bobbie McGee" "The Old Rugged Cross" "The King Is Coming"
Wilburn Brothers: "I Know A Goodbye When I See One" "Because He Lives"
Ernest Tubb: "Another Story, Another Time, Another Place"
10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Monroe(host); "On & On"
Connie Smith: "Satisfield"
Bill Monore: "Come Hither To Go Yonder"
10:15: Sunbeam
Billy Grammer(host): "Wildwood Flower"
Lonzo & Oscar: "Old Songs"
Billy Grammer: "I Was Born In Renfro Valley"
10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff(host): "Meeting In The Air"
Roy Thackerson: "Sally Goodin'" "Orange Blossom Special"
Roy Acuff: "Cabin In Gloryland"
10:45: Beechnut
Billy Walker(host): "A Million To One"
Jean Shepard: "Alabama Jubilee"
Crook Brothers: "Liberty"
Billy Walker: "Cattle Call"
11:00: Coca-Cola
Roy Drusky(host); "There'll Never Be Anyone Else But You For Me"
Jeannie Seely(host); "I'm Almost Ready" "Healing Hands Of Time"
Fruit Jar Drinkers: "Sugar Tree Stomp"
Kirk McGee: "Blue Night"
Bill Carlisle: "Elvira"
Roy Drusky: "Just A Closer Walk With Thee"
11:30: Bama
4 Guys(host): "Cottonfields" "Mariah"
Del Wood: "There's A Big Wheel"
Charlie Walker: "Don't Play Me No Songs About Texas"
Vic Willis Trio: "Shenendoah" "You Were Always On My Mind"
4 Guys:"Made In The USA"
Just a couple of notes:
Ernie Ashworth was scheduled for the 9:30 segment, but canceled out. Also, if you notice, the 4 Guys were on the very first segment and the final segment. This was the time period when they had their dinner theater going and on a Saturday night, they would do the 1st Opry segment, then rush to do their 2 shows at their Harmony House, and then rush back to do the final segment, either as hosts or guests, on the Opry.
I think I got all the sponsors right and I have to admit, I draw a blank with one of the perfomers, Jack Leonard. I could not remember who he was and I even searched and could not come up with it.
Ernest's final night at the Opry was a pretty normal show. Mostly all Opry members and a few of the bigger names, such as Marty Robbins, Jimmy Dickens, Grandpa Jones, Loretta Lynn and Hank Snow among the missing.
Hope you all enjoy the look back at Ernest Tubb.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Recap of My Visit to Nashville and the Opry
I spent this last weekend in Nashville and attending the McReynolds Memorial Bluegrass Music Spectacular and the Friday Night Opry and the Saturday Grand Ole Opry. It was a fun and interesting weekend.
On Thursday evening was the McReynolds Spectacular in Gallatin. If you are a bluegrass fan, it was a great show featuring not only Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, but also Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers; The Tennessee Gentlemen, New Foundation, Buddy Griffin & Friends, Danny Rothwell and McReynolds Tradition. Eddie Stubbs served as the announcer for the 1st half of the show and Sam Jackson handled the 2nd half.
For $15, you could not beat the 3 hour show. The music was great, the crowd, while a bit on the small size, was enthusiastic. The entertainers all had tables set up in the back of the gym and were meeting and greeting fans, selling music and merchandise and just having a good time. It was all for a good cause and hopefully I can be back for next year's show.
Now regarding my Opry experience. The crowds on both nights were pretty small. I was told the Friday Night Opry had about 1200 people in attendance and the crowd on Saturday appeared even smaller. And that was with Friday night being promoted as "WSM Appreciation Night", with a ticket offer of buy one, get one free. I would have hated to see what the crowd would have been without that promotion.
On Friday, with the WSM promotion, you had all the WSM personalities announcing a different segment. While Bill Cody, Mike Terry and Eddie Stubbs know what they are doing, the same could not be said for general manager Mike Ford and the other 2 announcers. They just seemed to go on and on. More music and less talk would have been nice.
The show Friday night was fine. Vince Gill was obviously the highlight and he used the Del McCoury Band as his back up for the night and did several bluegrass numbers with them. Colin Raye, Joe Diffie were fine and in fact, there was not one performer who did a bad number. While the line up on Saturday was not as strong as the Friday night line up, the show was just as good.
As far as the performers and my observations, Jimmy Dickens looked great both nights. It looked like he has added a little weight and seemed in good spirits. He sounded fantastic on Friday night, but his voice seemed not as strong on Saturday. Not sure how it all sounded on the radio. Jean Shepard sounded great with her 2 songs, but she looked a little ragged. Jack Greene received a great ovation and his voice was very strong, but he had to be guided off the stage. I am afraid his eye site might be failing him. Jimmy C. Newman sounded and looked good also. Jan Howard was her classy self and featured the Carol Lee Singers with her number.
As far as any negative comments, on Friday night you had a group called The Willis Clan. I had never heard of them before, and neither had Vince Gill, who was the host for that segment and introduced them. He had to read all the information about them off a sheet of paper. The Willis Clan is a family group, of mom and dad and what I think were 8 children, ranging in age from 7 to teenagers. The one teenager who did the talking said they were happy to be on "the Opry show." While they sounded fine, their music was not country, but was celtic. My complaint is that I am paying $54 a seat and I wanted to hear "professional" entertainers, not some family group that is not really playing country music. And, they did 2 songs and introductions of everyone, while many of the legends are limited to 1 song.
Also, on Saturday night, there were only 6 square dancers instead of the usual 8. The square dancing also seemed to be shorter. I don't know if this is a permanent cutback on the number of dancers, in a cost cutting mode, or if it was just for that night.
Finally, I want to address the appearance of some of those performing. While I don't expect entertainers anymore to dress in the rhinestone suits like Jimmy Dickens, or even to be in the suit coats and ties like Del McCoury, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds and their groups, I do expect that for my $54 and the fact that these performers are playing the Opry, that they should not be dressed like they are going to Walmart on a Saturday morning. Don't get me wrong. Most of the performers looked nice in dress shirts, clean and wrinkle free jeans or sports jackets. Jean Shepard, The Whites and Jan Howard all looked fine. But, Mike Snider looked like he just came in off the farm. He had on his bib overalls, that were just messy looking, and what looked like a pair of long johns under them. He just looked bad. Same with Colin Raye, with a very wrinkled tee shirt on and really messy looking jeans. Mark Wills on Friday night came out on stage to sing with Joe Diffie, and he obviously looked like he was unprepared to go out on stage. I don't know. I just think if you are playing a show with the history and tradition of the Opry, you deserve to show a little more respect to the show.
As far as the Opryland area, no additional work has been done since I was last there in October. The mall is still closed and fenced off. The Acuff Theater is still up, but I was told that it is going to be torn town and the area was going to be used for bus parking. The Opry Museum is still closed and I heard 2 different reports. One was that the museum would be back open by Memorial Day, which I don't believe at all. The 2nd is that they are going to use the present museum as a storage building, but build a new one over where the Gaslight Theater used to be, that has been torn down. But, I saw no evidence of any construction getting ready to start.
With the mall closed and the convention business still down, the area around the Opry is still pretty dead. I stay at the Fairfield Marriott when I go to Nashville, and on Friday and Saturday night, only 22 of the rooms were booked each night. Shoney's, which used to be the place to see entertainers, was pretty empty after the Opry. And of course, there is no Midnight Jamboree taking place until March.
I know that the Opry will still be up and down as they go through the rest of winter. Nashville has had a tough winter also. I remember in the early 1990's of crowds of only about 500 for the 2nd Saturday show on some nights. But I really think that for what they are charging for tickets, they have to offer a stronger line up each week. The previous weekend at the Ryman, both shows were sold out on Saturday night, but Toby Keith and Trace Adkins were on the line up, and Toby will draw a crowd. This coming week, Mel Tillis, Ronnie Milsap and Marty Stuart, among others, will be there. I am sure the attendance will be better than this past week. It just makes it harder and harder to support the show as the ticket prices go up and the number of artists and the quality go down.
On Thursday evening was the McReynolds Spectacular in Gallatin. If you are a bluegrass fan, it was a great show featuring not only Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, but also Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers; The Tennessee Gentlemen, New Foundation, Buddy Griffin & Friends, Danny Rothwell and McReynolds Tradition. Eddie Stubbs served as the announcer for the 1st half of the show and Sam Jackson handled the 2nd half.
For $15, you could not beat the 3 hour show. The music was great, the crowd, while a bit on the small size, was enthusiastic. The entertainers all had tables set up in the back of the gym and were meeting and greeting fans, selling music and merchandise and just having a good time. It was all for a good cause and hopefully I can be back for next year's show.
Now regarding my Opry experience. The crowds on both nights were pretty small. I was told the Friday Night Opry had about 1200 people in attendance and the crowd on Saturday appeared even smaller. And that was with Friday night being promoted as "WSM Appreciation Night", with a ticket offer of buy one, get one free. I would have hated to see what the crowd would have been without that promotion.
On Friday, with the WSM promotion, you had all the WSM personalities announcing a different segment. While Bill Cody, Mike Terry and Eddie Stubbs know what they are doing, the same could not be said for general manager Mike Ford and the other 2 announcers. They just seemed to go on and on. More music and less talk would have been nice.
The show Friday night was fine. Vince Gill was obviously the highlight and he used the Del McCoury Band as his back up for the night and did several bluegrass numbers with them. Colin Raye, Joe Diffie were fine and in fact, there was not one performer who did a bad number. While the line up on Saturday was not as strong as the Friday night line up, the show was just as good.
As far as the performers and my observations, Jimmy Dickens looked great both nights. It looked like he has added a little weight and seemed in good spirits. He sounded fantastic on Friday night, but his voice seemed not as strong on Saturday. Not sure how it all sounded on the radio. Jean Shepard sounded great with her 2 songs, but she looked a little ragged. Jack Greene received a great ovation and his voice was very strong, but he had to be guided off the stage. I am afraid his eye site might be failing him. Jimmy C. Newman sounded and looked good also. Jan Howard was her classy self and featured the Carol Lee Singers with her number.
As far as any negative comments, on Friday night you had a group called The Willis Clan. I had never heard of them before, and neither had Vince Gill, who was the host for that segment and introduced them. He had to read all the information about them off a sheet of paper. The Willis Clan is a family group, of mom and dad and what I think were 8 children, ranging in age from 7 to teenagers. The one teenager who did the talking said they were happy to be on "the Opry show." While they sounded fine, their music was not country, but was celtic. My complaint is that I am paying $54 a seat and I wanted to hear "professional" entertainers, not some family group that is not really playing country music. And, they did 2 songs and introductions of everyone, while many of the legends are limited to 1 song.
Also, on Saturday night, there were only 6 square dancers instead of the usual 8. The square dancing also seemed to be shorter. I don't know if this is a permanent cutback on the number of dancers, in a cost cutting mode, or if it was just for that night.
Finally, I want to address the appearance of some of those performing. While I don't expect entertainers anymore to dress in the rhinestone suits like Jimmy Dickens, or even to be in the suit coats and ties like Del McCoury, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds and their groups, I do expect that for my $54 and the fact that these performers are playing the Opry, that they should not be dressed like they are going to Walmart on a Saturday morning. Don't get me wrong. Most of the performers looked nice in dress shirts, clean and wrinkle free jeans or sports jackets. Jean Shepard, The Whites and Jan Howard all looked fine. But, Mike Snider looked like he just came in off the farm. He had on his bib overalls, that were just messy looking, and what looked like a pair of long johns under them. He just looked bad. Same with Colin Raye, with a very wrinkled tee shirt on and really messy looking jeans. Mark Wills on Friday night came out on stage to sing with Joe Diffie, and he obviously looked like he was unprepared to go out on stage. I don't know. I just think if you are playing a show with the history and tradition of the Opry, you deserve to show a little more respect to the show.
As far as the Opryland area, no additional work has been done since I was last there in October. The mall is still closed and fenced off. The Acuff Theater is still up, but I was told that it is going to be torn town and the area was going to be used for bus parking. The Opry Museum is still closed and I heard 2 different reports. One was that the museum would be back open by Memorial Day, which I don't believe at all. The 2nd is that they are going to use the present museum as a storage building, but build a new one over where the Gaslight Theater used to be, that has been torn down. But, I saw no evidence of any construction getting ready to start.
With the mall closed and the convention business still down, the area around the Opry is still pretty dead. I stay at the Fairfield Marriott when I go to Nashville, and on Friday and Saturday night, only 22 of the rooms were booked each night. Shoney's, which used to be the place to see entertainers, was pretty empty after the Opry. And of course, there is no Midnight Jamboree taking place until March.
I know that the Opry will still be up and down as they go through the rest of winter. Nashville has had a tough winter also. I remember in the early 1990's of crowds of only about 500 for the 2nd Saturday show on some nights. But I really think that for what they are charging for tickets, they have to offer a stronger line up each week. The previous weekend at the Ryman, both shows were sold out on Saturday night, but Toby Keith and Trace Adkins were on the line up, and Toby will draw a crowd. This coming week, Mel Tillis, Ronnie Milsap and Marty Stuart, among others, will be there. I am sure the attendance will be better than this past week. It just makes it harder and harder to support the show as the ticket prices go up and the number of artists and the quality go down.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Grand Ole Opry Line-Up 2/4 & 2/5
The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for this weekend's shows. There is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night, and both shows are at the Grand Ole Opry House, where the Opry will be until November. To be honest, I thought there would be a much stronger line up for this weekend, with the Opry heading back to the renovated Opry House.
On a personal note, I will be in Nashville this weekend, attending the Friday Night Opry and the Saturday night Grand Ole Opry. Also on Thursday night will be the 18th annual McReynolds Memorial Bluegrass Spectacular, which I will also be attending. That show will feature Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Tennessee Gentlemen and many, many more. Only $15 for this show, which could be the best bargain of the weekend.
Here are the Opry line-ups:
Friday February 4:
7:00: Mike Snider(host); Jean Shepard; Jimmy Wayne
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Collin Raye
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Riders In The Sky; Joe Diffie
8:45: Vince Gill(host); The Willis Clan; Del McCoury Band
Saturday February 5
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; James Wesley
7:30: Bill Anderson(host); The Whites; Del McCoury Band
INTERMISSION
8:00: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Jimmy Wayne; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Riders In The Sky(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jack Greene; Mark Wills
One observation on first glance and that is the shortage of female singers on each show. Friday night features only Jean Shepard and Saturday night features only Jan Howard., although you could count the Whites. Usually there is more of a balance. I know that Jeannie Seely is on the Opry cruise and Connie Smith, I am guessing, is in England with the Marty Stuart tour. But, usually they will add a Mandy Barnett, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Elizabeth Cook or Holly Williams if the Opry veterans are not available.
I will have a full report when I return next week.
On a personal note, I will be in Nashville this weekend, attending the Friday Night Opry and the Saturday night Grand Ole Opry. Also on Thursday night will be the 18th annual McReynolds Memorial Bluegrass Spectacular, which I will also be attending. That show will feature Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Tennessee Gentlemen and many, many more. Only $15 for this show, which could be the best bargain of the weekend.
Here are the Opry line-ups:
Friday February 4:
7:00: Mike Snider(host); Jean Shepard; Jimmy Wayne
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Collin Raye
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson(host); Riders In The Sky; Joe Diffie
8:45: Vince Gill(host); The Willis Clan; Del McCoury Band
Saturday February 5
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Jimmy C. Newman; James Wesley
7:30: Bill Anderson(host); The Whites; Del McCoury Band
INTERMISSION
8:00: Mike Snider(host); Jan Howard; Jimmy Wayne; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Riders In The Sky(host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Jack Greene; Mark Wills
One observation on first glance and that is the shortage of female singers on each show. Friday night features only Jean Shepard and Saturday night features only Jan Howard., although you could count the Whites. Usually there is more of a balance. I know that Jeannie Seely is on the Opry cruise and Connie Smith, I am guessing, is in England with the Marty Stuart tour. But, usually they will add a Mandy Barnett, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Elizabeth Cook or Holly Williams if the Opry veterans are not available.
I will have a full report when I return next week.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
February Opry Highlights
As we enter the month of February, and as I do each month, I want to highlight the Opry members having Opry anniversaries during the month and some of the important and historical events that have taken place in Opry history during February.
The following Grand Ole Opry members joined the cast during February:
February 6, 1960: George Hamilton IV (51 years).
February 6, 1976: Ronnie Milsap (35 years).
February 7, 1981: John Conlee (30 years).
February 17, 2001: Brad Paisley (10 years).
February 27, 1959: Billy Grammer (52 years).
February 29, 1992: Travis Tritt (19 years).
The following historical events took place in Opry history during February:
February 14, 1914: Pee Wee King was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pee Wee and his Golden West Cowboys would join the Opry in 1937, getting there ahead of Roy Acuff. Pee Wee's group, which featured Eddy Arnold as the lead singer, would remain on the Opry, although Eddy left early on, until Pee Wee decided to move to Louisville to do a regularly scheduled television program. He tried to talk WSM into the future of television, but they did not see it as amounting to much.
February 1, 1928: Harry Stone joins WSM as a staff announcer. He would later become the WSM Program Director and would take over the lead role in overseeing the Grand Ole Opry from Opry founder George D. Hay. He would also lead the effort to professionalize the Opry.
February 19, 1938: Roy Acuff becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Roy had first played the Opry in 1937 and was not very well received. He made a second appearance on February 5, 1938 and the response was so overwhelming that he was added to the Opry's cast. Roy was the first real singing star to join the show and with him becoming a member, the focus of the show started to shift from a show that emphasized instrumental music to a show that featured vocal performers.
February 26, 1938: Roy Acuff made his second appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. What was different about this appearance is that it was his first appearance with the renamed, Smoky Mountain Boys, which would remain Roy's backup group until he died. Originally the name of his band was Crazy Tennesseans, but WSM general manager Harry Stone that that name was a slur on the state of Tennessee and insisted that Roy accept his idea of what the band should be called. Roy did and the rest was history.
February 23, 1952: Del Wood would make her first appearance on the Opry. She was a great ragtime piano player and had the number one hit, Down Yonder, which was her career record. In 1953 she would become an Opry member and remain a member until her death on October 3, 1989.
February 10, 1955: Ira and Charlie Louvin joined the Grand Ole Opry. They would perform together as a duet until the brothers decided to go separate ways in 1963. Ira left the Opry at that time, but Charlie would continue as a solo act and continue his Opry membership, up until his death last week. He was an Opry member for 55 years. (As a disclaimer, some accounts give the date of their Opry induction as February 29, 1955, with the February 10th date as when they started making regular Opry appearances. Their first Opry appearance was in 1954.)
February 23, 1957: Porter Wagoner joins the cast of the Opry. Porter would become one of the Opry's most influential and loyal members. He would be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002 and would remain an Opry member up until his death on October 28, 2007. Earlier that year, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member, in a show that featured his long time friend Dolly Parton and Patty Loveless.
February 8, 1975: Jimmy Dickens, after an absence of 18 years, rejoins the Opry. Hank Snow introduced Jimmy that night with these words, "Jimmy is one of the greatest showmen of all time. It's like replacing the most important spoke in a wheel to have him back on the Opry. We need more Jimmy Dickenses." The song that Jimmy sang that night was "The Family Reunion." Today on the Opry Jimmy is introduced as an Opry member for over 62 years, but that is not actually the case. It would be correct to say that Jimmy first became an Opry member 62 years ago. Jimmy actually left the Opry to accept an offer to head up the Philip Morris tobacco company road show. One of the Opry's sponsors, R.J. Reynolds company prohibited any Grand Ole Opry member from traveling with a tour sponsored by a competitor. So, Jimmy left.
February 21, 1981: Boxcar Willie joins the Opry. Born Lecil Travis Martin, he would remain an Opry member until his death on April 12, 1999. He was one of the first entertainers to open a theater in Branson, Missouri, the Boxcar Willie Theater, in 1985. He would appear many times on Roy Acuff's segment and could be heard off to the side of the stage making the train whistle sound during the Wabash Cannonball. And I can tell you from meeting him, Boxcar Willie was about the nicest entertainer you could meet.
February 20, 1988: Roy Acuff celebrates his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. He is featured during a one hour telecast of the Opry on TNN. Also during that weekend, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed together for the first time in 14 years.
February 29, 1992: On the night that Travis Tritt became an Opry member, future Opry member Trisha Yearwood made her first appearance on the Opry. Porter Wagoner handled the actual induction of Travis into the Opry. Travis would go on to make infrequent appearances on the Opry, and in fact, has not done the Opry since the death of Porter Wagoner.
February 10, 1997: Gaylord Entertainment, the owners of the Opry announced that they had sold their two cable networks, TNN and CMT.
February 17, 2001: On the night that Brad Paisley became a member of the Opry, in honor of one of his mentors, Buck Owens, he wore Bucks yellow jacket that he wore on the cover of the Live at Carnegie Hall album that was released in 1966.
February 16, 2002: In a special tribute to Waylon Jennings, who had died the previous week, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt and Hank Williams, Jr. performed a number of Waylon Jennings songs. Porter Wagoner was the host for this special tribute.
The following Grand Ole Opry members joined the cast during February:
February 6, 1960: George Hamilton IV (51 years).
February 6, 1976: Ronnie Milsap (35 years).
February 7, 1981: John Conlee (30 years).
February 17, 2001: Brad Paisley (10 years).
February 27, 1959: Billy Grammer (52 years).
February 29, 1992: Travis Tritt (19 years).
The following historical events took place in Opry history during February:
February 14, 1914: Pee Wee King was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pee Wee and his Golden West Cowboys would join the Opry in 1937, getting there ahead of Roy Acuff. Pee Wee's group, which featured Eddy Arnold as the lead singer, would remain on the Opry, although Eddy left early on, until Pee Wee decided to move to Louisville to do a regularly scheduled television program. He tried to talk WSM into the future of television, but they did not see it as amounting to much.
February 1, 1928: Harry Stone joins WSM as a staff announcer. He would later become the WSM Program Director and would take over the lead role in overseeing the Grand Ole Opry from Opry founder George D. Hay. He would also lead the effort to professionalize the Opry.
February 19, 1938: Roy Acuff becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Roy had first played the Opry in 1937 and was not very well received. He made a second appearance on February 5, 1938 and the response was so overwhelming that he was added to the Opry's cast. Roy was the first real singing star to join the show and with him becoming a member, the focus of the show started to shift from a show that emphasized instrumental music to a show that featured vocal performers.
February 26, 1938: Roy Acuff made his second appearance as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. What was different about this appearance is that it was his first appearance with the renamed, Smoky Mountain Boys, which would remain Roy's backup group until he died. Originally the name of his band was Crazy Tennesseans, but WSM general manager Harry Stone that that name was a slur on the state of Tennessee and insisted that Roy accept his idea of what the band should be called. Roy did and the rest was history.
February 23, 1952: Del Wood would make her first appearance on the Opry. She was a great ragtime piano player and had the number one hit, Down Yonder, which was her career record. In 1953 she would become an Opry member and remain a member until her death on October 3, 1989.
February 10, 1955: Ira and Charlie Louvin joined the Grand Ole Opry. They would perform together as a duet until the brothers decided to go separate ways in 1963. Ira left the Opry at that time, but Charlie would continue as a solo act and continue his Opry membership, up until his death last week. He was an Opry member for 55 years. (As a disclaimer, some accounts give the date of their Opry induction as February 29, 1955, with the February 10th date as when they started making regular Opry appearances. Their first Opry appearance was in 1954.)
February 23, 1957: Porter Wagoner joins the cast of the Opry. Porter would become one of the Opry's most influential and loyal members. He would be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002 and would remain an Opry member up until his death on October 28, 2007. Earlier that year, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member, in a show that featured his long time friend Dolly Parton and Patty Loveless.
February 8, 1975: Jimmy Dickens, after an absence of 18 years, rejoins the Opry. Hank Snow introduced Jimmy that night with these words, "Jimmy is one of the greatest showmen of all time. It's like replacing the most important spoke in a wheel to have him back on the Opry. We need more Jimmy Dickenses." The song that Jimmy sang that night was "The Family Reunion." Today on the Opry Jimmy is introduced as an Opry member for over 62 years, but that is not actually the case. It would be correct to say that Jimmy first became an Opry member 62 years ago. Jimmy actually left the Opry to accept an offer to head up the Philip Morris tobacco company road show. One of the Opry's sponsors, R.J. Reynolds company prohibited any Grand Ole Opry member from traveling with a tour sponsored by a competitor. So, Jimmy left.
February 21, 1981: Boxcar Willie joins the Opry. Born Lecil Travis Martin, he would remain an Opry member until his death on April 12, 1999. He was one of the first entertainers to open a theater in Branson, Missouri, the Boxcar Willie Theater, in 1985. He would appear many times on Roy Acuff's segment and could be heard off to the side of the stage making the train whistle sound during the Wabash Cannonball. And I can tell you from meeting him, Boxcar Willie was about the nicest entertainer you could meet.
February 20, 1988: Roy Acuff celebrates his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. He is featured during a one hour telecast of the Opry on TNN. Also during that weekend, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed together for the first time in 14 years.
February 29, 1992: On the night that Travis Tritt became an Opry member, future Opry member Trisha Yearwood made her first appearance on the Opry. Porter Wagoner handled the actual induction of Travis into the Opry. Travis would go on to make infrequent appearances on the Opry, and in fact, has not done the Opry since the death of Porter Wagoner.
February 10, 1997: Gaylord Entertainment, the owners of the Opry announced that they had sold their two cable networks, TNN and CMT.
February 17, 2001: On the night that Brad Paisley became a member of the Opry, in honor of one of his mentors, Buck Owens, he wore Bucks yellow jacket that he wore on the cover of the Live at Carnegie Hall album that was released in 1966.
February 16, 2002: In a special tribute to Waylon Jennings, who had died the previous week, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt and Hank Williams, Jr. performed a number of Waylon Jennings songs. Porter Wagoner was the host for this special tribute.
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