Grand Ole Opry Line Ups 7/1 & 7/2

First, sorry for the lack of updates for the past couple of days. I was enjoying a couple of vacation days, and the "real boss" at the house does not allow me to open my laptop while I am enjoying time off!! Anyways, it has been pretty quiet around the Opry as summer moves forward. Just really nothing going on special. In the next couple of days, I will be posting the July highlights and also a post that I have been working on regarding the age of some of the Opry's members and what the future might hold.

Looking at this weekend's shows, there is the usual 1 show on Friday night and 1 show on Saturday night. And compared what we have seen some weeks, these shows look pretty good. Friday night will feature Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, The Isaacs, Darius Rucker and Rodney Atkins among others.

On Saturday night, Opry members Steve Wariner and Joe Diffie will be joined by Jimmy Wayne and Troy Olsen, along with the North American Irish Dance Champions. With these dancers being placed in the spot where the Opry Square Dancers are usually at, it means that we will only have the regular dancers on for the opening spot.

Here are the line ups:

Friday July 1
7:00 Mike Snider(host); Jesse McReynolds; the JaneDear girls
7:30 Jimmy Dickens(host); The Isaacs; Rodney Atkins
INTERMISSION
8:15 Bill Anderson(host); Connie Smith; The Whites; Ricky Skaggs
8:45 Marty Stuart(host); Darius Rucker; ACM Lifting Lives Music Campers

Saturday July 2
7:00 Opry Square Dancers; Jimmy Dickens(host); Jeannie Seely; Troy Olsen
7:30 Mike Snider(host); Jim Ed Brown; Jimmy C Newman; Jimmy Wayne
INTERMISSION
8:15 Steve Wariner(host); Jack Greene; Riders In The Sky; North American Irish Dance Champions
8:45 Bill Anderson(host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Joe Diffie

The host of this week's Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be Stonewall Jackson. Great to see that Stonewall will be hosting, but I also notice that Stonewall will not be on the Opry. In fact, so far this year, he has only made 2 Opry appearances, the last coming on April 9. We need for Stonewall to be able to get back to the Opry stage.

Finally, here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry on July 5:

7:00 The Whites; Josh Thompson
7:30 Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Exile
INTERMISSION
8:15 Bill Anderson; Mandy Barnett
8:45 Jimmy Dickens; Marty Stuart

Again, not a bad show.

Tuesday Night Opry 6/28

Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry, June 28:

7:00: Jimmy C Newman; Danny Gokey
7:30: Jesse McReynolds; Restless Heart
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson; Justin Moore
8:45: Mandy Barnett; Jimmy Dickens

Grand Ole Opry Schedule 6/24 & 6/25

The Grand Ole Opry has posted their line up for this weekend's shows. There will be one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday, as the Opry continues to follow its recent schedules.

Friday night will feature Crystal Gayle returning to the Opry stage. Over the past several years, she has been making appearances on the Opry and always been well received. Also appearing on Friday will be Americana favorite Jim Lauderdale, along with Bucky Covington.

Saturday night's show will feature Dailey & Vincent, the award winning bluegrass group. They have been making many Opry appearances over the past several years. Also appearing on Saturday night will be newcomer Frankie Ballard, along with a reunited Foster & Lloyd. You may remember Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd from the 1980's, when they achieved success with a series of albums. The duo broke up in 1990 and went their separate ways. However, they recently got back together and have recorded a new album. The reviews of their album have said that they are as good as they ever were, and back in the 80's, they were pretty good.

When you look at the schedule, you will notice that Friday night has 12 acts and Saturday has 11, with one to be added. But overall, the quality is pretty good. And, with a shortage of segment hosts on each show, Ray Pillow will be hosting a segment each night. Ray does not make many Opry appearances any more, but he still has a great voice and he seems to be Pete Fisher's "go-to" guy when he needs someone to host a segment and all the usual names are not available.

Friday June 24
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jim Lauderdale
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Buddy Jewell
INTERMISSION
8:15: Ray Pillow (host); Bucky Covington; Del McCoury Band
8:45: Mike Snider (host); Connie Smith; Crystal Gayle

Saturday June 25
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Frankie Ballard
7:30: The Whites (host); Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
INTERMISSION
8:15: Ray Pillow (host); Foster & Lloyd; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Connie Smith; Dailey & Vincent

A couple of other quick notes:

Mandy Barnett has posted on the facebook that she will be appearing on the Tuesday Night Opry each week through July 19th. I know that there is a lot of cross promotion going on with the Patsy Cline show at the Ryman and the Opry has been helping to promote her new CD. It is easy to say that Mandy will be making more Opry appearances over the next month than a majority of the Opry's members.

I stated a while back that I would no longer comment on health issues unless the artist or their authorized representatives put it out. This came out yesterday and was in the mainstream media which is why I will mention it. Glen Campbell's wife, Kim, in an interview yesterday revealed that Glen has been diagnosed with early stages of alzheimers disease. He has recently made a new CD, a final one, and will be making a farewell tour in the fall. This is a shock and I wish him and his family the best. At the age of 75, Glen is way too young. I know that his life has been at times difficult, be he seems to have found peace in the last several years. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and he was one of the hotest country acts of the 1980's. While never an Opry member, he did make several appearances on the Opry. Our prayers go to him and his family.

Finally, Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, will be the host of the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree this weekend. Should be a good show.

10 Artists That I Would Like To See As Opry Members

As I have been watching and listening to the Opry over the past several months, I have been seeing lots of guest artists on the Opry. In fact, so far in 2011, 125 different guests have performed on the Opry. Many of these guest artists have been newcomers to the business and were making their first Opry appearances, while others have been veteran artists who have played the Opry many times.

As the number of active Opry members has been decreasing, I have been thinking about who I would like to see as an Opry member. I have come up with a list of 10 who I think would make good Opry members. By good, I mean that based on their past performances, they would appreciate and understand the importance of being an Opry member and would actively support the show. In no special order, here is my list of 10:

1) Mandy Barnett. I know that the first thing some of you will say is that she has not had a hit record and is not a "real" star. But, I think this is a very talented young lady. She has one of the greatest voices in the world and each time I have seen her at the Opry, she has been well received. So far in 2011, she has appeared on the Opry 10 times. Only 17 of the 65 Opry members have had more appearances then her. She made 14 appearances last year. Currently, there is a shortage of active female Opry members. On many of the Opry's shows, there have been as few as 1 or 2 females scheduled. I think Mandy would be a fine Opry member and would add another talented female voice to the show.

2) Crystal Gayle. In keeping with the theme of the Opry needing some additional female voices, Crystal Gale is one of the most talented females in the history of country music. She was one of the top female artists in the 1980's and 1990's. She is still popular today and her concerts draw well. Last year, she made 4 Opry appearances and she has also appeared this year. The crowd loves her and I think she could be a female version of Mel Tillis. By that I mean an older artist, who's best part of their career is behind them, and now has the time to be a part of the Opry.

3) Oak Ridge Boys. I have seen the Oak Ridge Boys perform on the Opry at least a half dozen times. Each and every time they have performed "Elvira", they have received a standing ovation. They bring energy and excitement to the Opry and they appeal to all ages. For about the last dozen years, the "Boys" have made several Opry appearances each year. Last year it was 4 and so far this year, they have been on 5 times with several more appearances already scheduled. There are only 2 other country group that are Opry members, and those are The Whites and Diamond Rio. I happened to be up in the balcony at the Ryman Auditorium about a dozen years ago, during an Opry show, and Duane Allen was also standing in the back. I went over and said hi, and made the comment that the Oak Ridge Boys should be Opry members. Duane was very nice and said that they would love to be Opry members, but that they are just too busy. It would seem that with their career winding down, this would be the perfect time for them to join.

4) Rhonda Vincent. It seems like the question has been asked for about the last 5 or 6 years, why is Rhonda Vincent not a member of the Opry? She is one of the top female vocalists in bluegrass and with Alison Krauss the only female bluegrass artist on the Opry roster, it seems that this would be a great fit. She has made many Opry guest appearances and has always been well received. Last year her Opry appearances were down to 4, which is one of her lowest numbers. Many have speculated that her association with Martha White has hurt. That I don't know, but what I do know is that Rhonda should be an Opry member.

5) Dailey & Vincent. In keeping with the bluegrass theme, many of the Opry's bluegrass acts are now elder statesmen. Ralph Stanley and Jesse McReynolds are over 80 and Del McCoury and Bobby Osborne are not far behind. Even Ricky Skaggs is well over 50. It is time for some new bluegrass blood on the Opry and Dailey & Vincent should be the ones. Last year, they made 15 Opry appearances and so far in 2011, it has been 6. Bluegrass started on the Opry and the tradition of great bluegrass music needs to continue from the Opry stage. Dailey & Vincent would make great Opry members.

6) Rascal Flatts. They are one of the hottest groups in country music today and have been for the past several years. They are true country entertainers and they love the Opry. They have been making Opry appearances for the past several years and, as you would expect, the crowd loves them. And they are young. That is important as the Opry needs to continue to add younger members, but only younger members who will support the show. I believe that they would.

7) Jimmy Wayne. Not only is Jimmy a fine young talent with a couple of #1 records, he is an even better person. The Opry and WSM were one of his big supporters on his "Walk Across America." Last year, he made 9 Opry appearances and so far in 2011, it has been 6. When you see him on the stage of the Opry, the young girls love him and he always interacts with the audience. He understands the history of the show and would make a good member.

8) Gene Watson. This man should have been an Opry member 25 years ago. The Opry calls upon him many times and he always answers the call. And, he is considered one of the greatest country singers in history. He had 6 appearances last year, and 4 so far this year. His hit records from the 1980's are recognized by everyone the minute he starts with the first note. Much like Crystal Gayle, he would bring a veteran voice to the Opry, and one who would make the time to be at the show.

9) The Grascals. In keeping with the bluegrass theme, this group, while new in bluegrass, has made a huge impact during the past several years. Starting out as basically Dolly Parton's back up bluegrass group, they have moved to the front. They have made numerous Opry appearances over the last 5 years and they play a great selection of up-tempo bluegrass. Their Cracker Barrel CD is great. When I was at the Opry in April, they were there and it was my first time seeing them in person. I was hooked right away. They would not hurt the Opry one bit.

10) James Wesley. Some of you are probably saying, who? But, in my opinion, this is one of the great young talents in country music. He has made 6 Opry appearances so far this year, and even the great Jimmy Dickens has given him his personal endorsement. He is true country. And, in the time I saw him at the Opry, he seems to understand what the Opry is all about. As with Rascal Flatts, the Opry needs to continue to appeal to the younger fans, and I think James Wesley would fit the bill.

I know I left some off the list. Names such as Mark Wills, Elizabeth Cook, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Holly Williams, Restless Heart, Aaron Tippin, Joey+Rory and The Band Perry. My 10 that I would pick are probably not anyone else's 10. So, who else has an opinion. I would love to hear.

Grand Ole Opry Line Up 6/17 & 6/18

The Grand Ole Opry has announced the line ups for this weekends shows. As usual, there is one show on Friday night and one show on Saturday night.

Looking at the Friday Night Opry, the Little General Cloggers will be making their annual appearance on the show. They have been coming down once a year for as long as I can remember. I saw them on the Opry once, and this youthful group does a nice job with their clogging. Also on Friday night, The Black Lillies will be making their Opry debut. I have to admit that I have never heard of this group before, so I did some checking and found out that they are out of Knoxville, Tennessee and they bill themselves as an Americana folk band. If nothing else, they continue the trend of Americana groups making their Opry debuts, as we have seen a few of these in recent months. Rounding out the Friday line up will be Opry member Ricky Skaggs, along with Kellie Pickler returning to the Opry stage.

On Saturday night, HLN morning news anchor Robin Meade will be making another Opry appearance. For those of you who have not heard her sing, she has an amazing voice. Gospel group Point Of Grace will also be on, along with Sarah Darling making a return Opry appearance.

Friday June 17:
7:00: John Conlee (host); Jimmy C Newman; Little General Cloggers; Mike Snider
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; The Black Lillies
INTERMISSION
8:15: Ricky Skaggs (host); Connie Smith; The Whites
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press; Kellie Pickler

Saturday June 18
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Sarah Darling
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Charlie Nagatani; T. Graham Brown
INTERMISSION
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jack Greene; Robin Meade; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Jim Ed Brown; Point of Grace

Here is the line up for the Tuesday Night Opry, June 21:

7:00: John Conlee; Del McCoury Band
7:30: Connie Smith; Mark Wills
INTERMISSION
8:15: Jeannie Seely; Chris Young
8:45: Jimmy Dickens; Rodney Atkins

Just in a closing note regarding the Opry, I have noticed that in the past several months that Jesse McReynolds has been listed on the line up and in the program as just himself and not with The Virginia Boys. I don't know why the change, as most weeks he still has his Virginia Boys group with him.

Finally, Opry veteran Jeannie Seely will be hosting this weeks Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. While I always enjoy the Midnight Jamboree, I always find it special when an Opry member hosts the show. I think it just goes back to the early days of the show when many of the Opry's members would go over and appear on the show. Nice to see it.

Tuesday Night Opry 6/14

We'll, the CMA Music Fest is done so things are back to normal in Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry. Before going into the Tuesday night line up, I did want to comment on last Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. I listened to the show and it came in loud and clear, and I thought it was an excellent show. 5 Hall of Famers and all performed and sounded well.

I did notice that Roy Clark did not do any singing, but did instrumental numbers for his opening and closing song. Roy will usually do 1 instrumental and 1 song singing. When he spoke, he sounded ok, but I know he is getting up there in years. Also, he had Buck Trent with him, and they did a little "Pickin & Grinnin", which was a take off of Buck Owens and Roy on Hee Haw. It went off ok, but you could tell it was not rehearsed.

Jack Greene hot confused on what song he was singing. The band started into "Statue of a Fool", while Jack was still doing "There Goes My Everything", but he sounded great and recovered from the mistake. Mel Tillis forgot the name of the square dancers, and of course, he found out that they are now just called the square dancers. And Mel sounded good. The Whites did a fine job of doing of the great Holly Dunn song, "Daddy's Hands", and making mention of Father's Day next Saturday. And George Hamilton IV did "We Will Meet Again', dedicating it to the country entertainers that had passed away since the last CMA Fest. All in all, a good show.

Now, for the Tuesday Night Opry, June 14:

7:00 Jim Ed Brown; Chuck Wicks
7:30 Jean Shepard; Edens Edge
INTERMISSION
8:15 George Hamilton IV; Dailey & Vincent
8:45 Jimmy Dickens; Darryl Worley

Tex Ritter's Opry Induction

As I previously noted, it was on June 12, 1965 that Tex Ritter joined the Grand Ole Opry. Here is the running order of the show on that June night that Tex officially joined the Opry. Remember, there was only 1 Saturday night show in those days.

7:30 Luzianne
Bobby Lord (host)-A Room in the Corner of the House
Marion Worth-The Answer to the Question
Ernie Ashworth-Love has Come My Way
Lonzo & Oscar-There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
Bobby Lord-I'm Going Home Next Summer
Osborne Brothers-Fair and Tender Ladies
Bobby Lord-Hawkeye

8:00 Martha White
Roy Acuff (host)-Freight Train Blues
TEX RITTER-DECK OF CARDS
Wilburn Brothers-Making Plans
Roy Acuff-The Great Speckled Bird
Crook Brothers-Black Mountain Rag
TEX RITTER-BOLL WEEVIL

8:30 Stephens
Porter Wagoner (host)-Tennessee Border
Norma Jean-Go Cat, Go
Del Wood-Piano Roll Blues
Stringbean-Hot Corn, Cold Corn
Porter Wagoner-A Satisfied Mind
Mac Magaha & Buck Trent-Katy Hill
Speck Rhodes-The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me
Norma Jean-Foggy Mountain Top
Del Wood-Cattle Call
Porter Wagoner-I'm Gonna Feed You Now

9:00 Pet Milk
Sonny James (host)-I'll Keep Holding On
The Browns-You Can't Grow Peaches on a Cherry Tree
George Hamilton IV-Truck Driving Man
Johnny Cash-Orange Blossom Special
Johnny Cash & The Statler Brothers-Mr. Garfield
Statler Brothers-Go On Home Billy Christian
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Take Me Back to Tulsa
Sonny James-Young Love
Jim Ed Brown-I Heard From a Memory Last Night

9:30 Kellogg's
Billy Walker (host)-Cross the Brazos at Waco
Willis Brothers-A 6 ft 2 by 4
June Carter & The Statler Brothers-I Want You Again
Billy Walker-Funny How Time Slips Away
Margie Bowes-Big City
Curly Fox-Casey Jones
Willis Brothers-Private Lee
Billy Walker-Come a Little Bit Closer

10:00 Schick
Bobby Lord (host)-Take the Bucket to the Well
Osborne Brothers-I Know What it Means to be Lonesome
Del Wood-Waiting for the Robert E Lee
Bobby Lord-Like Can Have Meaning

10:15 McCarter
Roy Acuff (host)-Wabash Cannonball
June Stearn-Once a Day
Stringbean-Moonshine in them Old Kentucky Hills
Roy Acuff-Glorybound Train

10:30 Harvey's
Sonny James (Host)-You're the Only World I Know
TEX RITTER-GREEN GROW THE LILACS
Sonny James-What'll They Do to My Darling

10:45 Newport
Wilburn Brothers (Host)-I'm Gonna Tie One on Tonight
Marion Worth-Go On Home
Crook Brothers-Chicken Reel
Wilburn Brothers-Steal Away

11:00 Coca-Cola
Porter Wagoner (host)-Company's Coming
The Browns-Jackson
Norma Jean-Lonesome Number One
Johnny Cash-Understand Your Man
Johnny Cash & June Carter-Were You There
Johnny Cash & June Carter-Amen
Fruit Jar Drinkers-Fire on the Mountain
Jim Ed Brown-Just to Satisfy You
Sam & Kirk McGee-If I had my Life to Live Over
Porter Wagoner-I'll Go Down Swinging

11:30 Lava
Marty Robbins (host)-El Paso
Willis Brothers-Ghost Riders in the Sky
Curly Fox-Fifty Years Ago
Margie Bowes-Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me
Don Winters-Chime Bells
Willis Brothers-Cool Water
Margie Bowes-Jambalaya
Marty Robbins-Ribbon of Darkness
Marty Robbins-Singing the Blues
Marty Robbins-Lovesick Blues
Marty Robbins-Begging to You