June Opry Highlights

In the history of the Grand Ole Opry, June has been one of the active months. I hope you enjoy this look back at the important and historical events that took place in Opry history during the month of June.

June 17, 1910: Clyde Julian Foley, better known as Red Foley, was born in Blue Lick, Kentucky. Red would join the Opry and replaced Roy Acuff as the host of the Prince Albert Show and would stay at the Opry until 1954, when he left Nashville to go to Springfield, Missouri to host the Ozark Jubilee.

June 14, 1914: Lester Flatt was born in Overton County, Tennessee. Lester would become famous as part of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys and as part of the duo Flatt & Scruggs, with Earl Scruggs. He would break off from Earl over the direction of the music, as Earl wanted to work on a more progressive sound, while Lester wanted to continue to play traditional bluegrass. When Lester left, most of the Foggy Mountain Boys stayed loyal to him and formed the majority of his new group, The Nashville Grass. He remained an Opry member and when doing the Opry, would always host the Martha White portion of the show.

June 17, 1916: David Akeman, better known as Stringbean, was born in Anniville, Kentucky. We all know the tragic story of his death in November 1973, when he and his wife were murdered at his home after returning from a Grand Ole Opry performance. Stringbean had been a steady performer and musician in country music and at the Opry, but it was his role on Hee Haw that made Stringbean famous to a nationwide audience. On fact regarding Stringbean: he never learned how to drive. His wife Estelle would drive him everywhere. And, he would buy a new Cadillac every year.

June 28, 1924: George Morgan was born in Waverly, Tennesseee. The father of current Opry member Lorrie Morgan, he joined the Opry in 1948 and would remain an Opry member until his death in 1975. He would later be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. George also hosted the final portion of the Friday Night Opry on its final night at the Ryman Auditorium.

June 19, 1926: DeFord Bailey made his Grand Ole Opry debut. DeFord would be a regular on the Opry until he was fired by Opry founder George D. Hay in 1941. His song, "Pan American Blues" would often be the opening number on the Opry's early broadcasts. After he was fired from the Opry, DeFord was very bitter and he rejected many invitations to return and make guest appearances on the show. Finally on February 23, 1974, he returned to the Opry for their annual Old Timer's Night. Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl introduced him and he received a great ovation from the crowd. DeFord passed away on July 2, 1982, several months after his final Opry appearance in April of that year. He would later be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 2, 1927: Former Grand Ole Opry member Carl Butler was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Carl and his wife Pearl had one of the biggest hits in country music history, "Don't Let Me Cross Over." Carl and Pearl were instrumental in Dolly Parton's career and helped to bring her to Nashville. And Dolly never forgot the kindness that they showed to her. Later in Carl and Pearl's life, when their careers tailed off and they had serious financial problems, Dolly reportedly helped them out, allowing them to keep their farm.

June 23, 1929: Valerie June Carter was born. She would later become a member of the Opry as part of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family. June married Carl Smith and they are the parents of Carlene Carter. Later, June would marry former Opry member and country music superstar Johnny Cash.

June 12, 1936: Dr. Humphrey Bate of the Possom Hunters died. He was 61. After Uncle Jimmy Thompson, he is considered the 2nd original member of the Opry, and in fact, many historians feel that he may have been the first rural performer featured on WSM. He was an important part of the early days of the Opry and his contributions are often overlooked today.

June 13, 1936: Because of the size of the crowds, the Opry moves to the Dixie Tabernacle, located on Fatherland Street in East Nashville. The Tabernacle, while sounding impressive, was actually a very primative facility with wooden benches, sawdust floors and no dressing rooms. It was basically an old barn that you had to open the sides in the summer to keep the air flowing throught. But it did seat 3,500 people and contributed to the growth of the Opry.

June 5, 1937: Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys join the Opry. Pee Wee was one of the first professional entertainers to join the show and they helped to bring a more professional and polish look to the Opry. Pee Wee would also have numerous disagreements with George D. Hay, who felt that Pee Wee's group was not country enough and playing instruments that had no business being on the Opry. Pee Wee would leave the Opry and move to Louisville, Kentucky to work in television, something that he tried to convince WSM to get into, without success. He would become famous for the "Tennessee Waltz" and would be one of the early members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. After leaving the Opry, he would continue to make appearances and attended almost all the reunion shows. His biography, "Hell-Bent for Music" is an excellent read, and even though a few of the facts are wrong, I highly recommend it.

June 25, 1940: Republic Pictures releases the move, "Grand Ole Opry" which featured George D. Hay, Roy Acuff and Uncle Dave Macon. It was a basic movie for the times, as the Opry stars helped a group of Ozark residents try to take back state government from a group of crooks. The movie premiered in Nashville on June 28. Currently the movie is long out of print and is a collectors items for those who can locate a copy.

June 5, 1943: The Opry moves again, this time to the Ryman Auditorium, where it would stay until March 1974 when the Opry moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. Over time, the Ryman would become known as "The Mother Church of Country Music" and was also the building where bluegrass music was first heard. The Opry would enjoy its greatest growth period while at the Ryman and many old-timers today still consider the Ryman the Opry's home. Each winter since 1999, the Opry has returned to the Ryman for a series of shows.

June 6, 1944: Grant Turner started work at WSM as an announcer. Of course, this was "D-Day". Over time, Grant would become known as the voice of the Opry and he would remain with the Opry until he died on October 28, 1991, after announcing a Friday Night Opry show. In 1981 he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 17, 1944: The Poe Sisters joined the Opry.

June 11, 1949: Hank Williams makes his Grand Ole Opry debut. The performance that night is still talked about today as he sang his hit, "Lovesick Blues" and was called back for 6 encores. Jimmy Dickens still talks about that night and he has been quoted as saying that it is the greatest Opry performance that he ever saw.

June 1, 1957: The Everly Brothers become members of the Opry. It was part of an effort that the Opry was making at the time to attract some of the younger fans as rock and roll was reaching its peak. Opry attendance was way, way down and there was some concern on whether or not the show would survive. However, the Everly Brothers were destined for bigger and better things and their stay at the Opry was very short. In 2001, they were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

June 13, 1959: Roy Drusky joined the Opry. Roy came to the Opry from Atlanta and would remain an Opry member until his death in September 2004. In my opinion, Roy had one of the smoothest voices there was and did an outstanding job each time he did a ballad number.

June 27, 1959: Grand Ole Opry member Loretta Lynn Morgan, known professionally as Lorrie Morgan, was born in Nashville, Tennessee.

June 14, 1961: Patsy Cline was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Nashville. It would take her 8 months to recover and because of the scar left on her forehead, Patsy would wear a wig just about every time she would perform.

June 8, 1964: Altone Delmore died at the age of 55 in Huntsville, Alabama. The Delmore Brothers joined the Opry in 1933 and their influence is still felt in duet acts today. They were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. As with many other acts, they had disagreements with George D. Hay and left the Opry after a dispute with the judge.

June 12, 1965: Tex Ritter joined the Grand Ole Opry. When Tex joined the Opry, he was on the tail end of his career and many questioned what his commitment would be to the show, as he was not a Nashville based star. But Tex surprised everyone by becoming one of the Opry's most loyal and popular members. He would also co-host the late night show on WSM radio with Ralph Emery and was influential in the start of the Country Music Association. Tex remained an Opry member until his death on January 2, 1974. He also had been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1964.

June 13, 1965: Connie Smith and Bob Luman became members of the Grand Ole Opry. This will be Connie's 47th year as an Opry member, although she did leave the show for a short amount of time in the late 1960s, rejoining the Opry in 1971. Connie is one of the top female voices in the history of country music and this year she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Connie remembered the night that she joined the Opry: "I joined the same night as Bob Luman. And I had totally no control over my voice at all. I was scared to death; it just meant too much to me. I had heard about people's knees knocking and I thought it was a fake. But mine actually did while I was out there singing. I was that shook. And when I came off the stage I busted out crying. It was just my dreams come true." Bob Luman was someone who was as close to a rock and roll performer as anyone else at the Opry. He was a rockabilly singer from Texas, who came to the Opry from the Louisiana Hayride. His big hit that got his career going was "Let's Think About Living." Bob Luman would remain an Opry member until passing away in December 1978. What is interesting about both Connie Smith and Bob Luman is that June 13, 1965 was actually a Sunday. I have September 18, 1965 as the date where she was actually introduced as a new member at the Opry.

June 20, 1965: Ira Louvin, the older brother of Charlie Louvin, was killed in a car accident. One of the greatest duets in the history of country music, Charlie and Ira were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Except for Bill Monroe, Ira was considered to have one of the greatest high tenor voices in country music history.

June 1, 1967: Stu Phillips joined the Grand Ole Opry. Stu was from Canada and would join Hank Snow as the Opry's Canadian members. While Stu never had a "career record", he would be a loyal member of the Opry and still performs on the show to this day. This will be his 45th year as an Opry member.

June 30, 1970: Ground was broken for Opryland. Roy Acuff and Brother Oswald handled the grand breaking and it would take several years for the park to be completed. While the park was completed in several years, it took until 1974 for the Opry House to be finished. The closing of Opryland was a decision till felt in Nashville and the tourism industry today.

June 17, 1978: Marty Robbins drove his new custom-made Panther Deville automobile onto the Opry Stage. In a moment of good humor, Roy Acuff found a security guard and had the guard write Marty a parking ticket.

June 19, 1982: Riders In The Sky joined the cast of the Opry. Ranger Doug Green, Woody Paul and Too Slim would be the only act on the Opry to feature true western music. They remain popular Opry members to this day and will be celebrating their 30th year as Opry members. Doug Green was formally on the staff at the Country Music Hall of Fame and is an author who has an appreciation for the history of country and western music. Doug is also a featured member of the Time Jumpers.

June 9, 1984: Lorrie Morgan joined the Grand Ole Opry. This will be her 28th year as an Opry member. Her father was the late George Morgan, who introduced Lorrie at the Opry for the first time was she was 13. Lorrie enjoyed a string of hits during her career and while still an Opry member, her appearances at the Opry are not as frequent as they could be.

June 18, 1984: Former Opry member Paul Howard died in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was 75 and he performed on the Opry with his group, the Arkansas Cotton Pickers.

June 20, 1986: Whitey Ford, the Duke of Paducah died at the age of 85. This former Opry member joined the show in 1942 and remained an Opry member until 1959. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1986. He was a featured comedian on the Prince Albert portion of the Opry and while many people remember Rod Brasfield and Minnie Pearl as being a part of the Prince Albert show, it was Whitey Ford who was an original part of that show.

June 10, 1988: Herman Crook died in a Nashville hospital at the age of 89. Herman was a harmonica player and part of the Crook Brothers, who backed up the square dancers each Saturday night. Herman was the last living member from the original Opry cast of 1926 and with his death, the final link to the start of the Opry was gone. Over the years as the string bands were merged together, the Crook Brothers would have various members, but Herman was always there. For the majority of his final years on the Opry, the Crook Brothers traditionally played on Roy Acuff's early segment and then would appear at 10:45 on the 2nd show. After his death, the Crook Brothers name was no longer used and the band playing for the square dancers and led by Earl White was just called the Opry Square Dance Band.

June 10, 1988: Ricky Van Shelton joined the Opry. Ricky was introduced as a new member by Roy Acuff and was at the top of the charts when he joined the show. Ricky retired from the business several years ago and has not performed at the Opry since. Even when he was an Opry member, he did not make many appearances. In checking Ricky's website for any new information, I have noticed that it has not been updated. Technically, this will be his 24th year as an Opry member.

June 11, 1988: Patty Loveless joined the cast of the Opry. As with Ricky Van Shelton, this will be her 24th year as an Opry member. She is a cousin of Loretta Lynn and was signed as a songwriter by the Wilburn Brothers, who also had Loretta under contract. She was also a part of Porter Wagoner's show for a short period of time and always talked about how much Porter helped her early in her career. It was Porter who introduced her the night she became a new member. I honestly feel that Patty has one of the sweetest voices in country music today and I just wished that she would appear at the Opry more often.

June 24, 1989: Garth Brooks makes his first Grand Ole Opry appearance.

June 2, 1990: Mike Snider joins the Grand Ole Opry. Mike joined based on his comedy skills as a member of the Hee Haw cast. This will be his 22nd year as an Opry member and with his string band, remains a popular member of the Opry to this day. He is one of the very few artists keeping the string band music alive on the Opry.

June 7, 1991: Alan Jackson joined the Grand Ole Opry. To say that Alan has been a major disappointment as an Opry member would be an understatement. He was part of a group of artists who joined the Opry during this period of time who had no requirements on the number of appearances that they would make. As a result, Alan rarely appears at the Opry. This will be his 21st year as an Opry member.

June 15, 1991: Minnie Pearl made her last Opry associated appearance. It was at an Opry sponsored show in Joliet, Illinois. 2 days later, on June 17, she would suffer a serious stroke that forced her into retirement.

June 3, 1994: The Ryman Auditorium reopens for the first time since it was renovated. The last time that the Ryman was in regular use was for the Opry, which left in March 1974. For the 20 years after that, the auditorium basically sat empty and untouched. Garrison Keillor's Praire Home Companion radio program opened the remodeled building. It should also be noted that June 4 was to be the official opening date, but due to a high ticket demand, a June 3 show was added.

June 3, 1994: Former Opry member Wally Fowler passed away. He was 77 years old. Wally came to Nashville in 1948 with his Oak Ridge Quartet. Wally was also instrumental in getting Patsy Cline her with Roy Acuff. Roy offered Patsy a job but the pay was so low that Patsy decided to stay in Virginia. Wally would become famous for the all night gospel sings that were held at the Ryman Auditorium. The Oak Ridge Quartet would turn into the Oak Ridge Boys. He was a part of the Opry from 1946-1950, and they were regulars on the Prince Albert portion of the show.

June 4, 1994: Former Opry member Zeke Clement died at the age of 82.

June 27, 1994: Sarah Wilson of Sarie and Sallie, former Opry members, died at the age of 97.

June 10, 2000: The Grand Ole Opry introduced a new Opry backdrop. The new state of the art lighting replaced the traditional red barn that had been the backdrop for over 25 years. Instead of being just red, the backdrop could be changed to different colors and lighting. This is the backdrop that is still used today. It should be noted that Opry traditionalists were not happy over this. It was reported that the old barn was donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame, yet if it was, it has never been put on public display.

June 17, 2000: The Opry begins streaming its shows on the internet, giving those around the world the opportunity to listen live to the Opry.

June 14, 2003: While Trace Adkins was performing on the Opry, Jimmy Dickens came out and asked Trace if he would like to become an Opry member. What was funny about this was that Jimmy had to stand on a stepladder to be face to face with Trace.

June 12, 2004: Terri Clark joined the Opry. She was the first female Canadian artist to join the Opry. This will be her 8th year as an Opry member. After enjoying some solid success as an up and coming female artist in the early 2000s, her career has largely stalled out in recent years.

June 9, 2007: Mel Tills is introduced by his daughter Pam as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Mel had been a part of the show previously, as a part of Porter Wagoner's outfit. While many feel that Mel had been an Opry member earlier in his career, from what I could find, he had been asked but decided not to, even though his picture was included in an edition of the Opry's Picture History Book.

June 23, 2009: Montgomery Gentry joined the cast of the Opry. This will be their 3rd year as Opry members. Whenever they perform at the Opry, the certainly raise the excitement level of the show.

As I mentioned above, June 4, 1988 was Herman Crook's final show at the Opry, in an Opry career that started in 1926. In honor of Herman Crook, here is the line-up from that final Opry show, June 4, 1988:

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Jack Greene (host): Walkin' on New Grass
4 Guys: What'll You Do About Me
Jack Greene: You Are My Treasure

6:45: Rudy's
Billy Walker (host): Down to My Last Cigarette
Jeannie Seely: (?)
Billy Walker: Wild Texas Rose

7:00: Shoneys
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Wilma Lee Cooper: No One Now
Jan Howard: You Don't Know Me
Charlie Louvin: See the Big Man Cry/You Are What Love Means to Me
Porter Wagoner: I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name
Right Combination: Turkey In The Straw

7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy
Jeannie Pruett: Satin Sheets
Michael Johnson: Whisper Your Name/The Moon is Still Over Her Shoulders
Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin

8:00: Martha White
Bill Anderson (host): The Corner of My Life
Del Reeves: The Great Chicago Fire
Jean Shepard: Someone's Gotta Cry
Roy Drusky: Blues In My Heart
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers" Sally Goodin
Bill Anderson: Golden Guitar

8:30 Music Valley Merchants
Hank Snow (host): Between Fire and Water
Connie Smith: Did We Have to Come this Far to Say Goodbye
Stu Phillips: I Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep
Del Wood: Piano Roll Blues
Charlie Walker: Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
Hank Snow: Old Shep

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
4 Guys (host): How Married Are You Mary Ann
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
Lorrie Morgan: Crazy
Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top/The 3 Bells
4 Guys: Fox on the Run

10:00: Little Debbie
George Hamilton IV (host): I Saw the Light/I'll Fly Away
Skeeter Davis: I Ain't Never
George Hamilton IV: A Farmer's Dream Plows Under

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Night Train to Memphis
Jack Greene: I Need Somebody Bad Tonight

10:30: Pet Milk
Roy Drusky (host): Mississippi
Charlie Louvin: In the Pines
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell

10:45: B. C. Powder
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dine at a Time/Looking at the World Through a Windshield
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Crook Brothers(Herman's last appearance)/Melvin Sloan Dancers
Del Reeves: She's Still the Only Girl I Can't Forget

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Tangled Mind
Jean Shepard: I'll Sail My Ship Alone
Justin Tubb: Thanks, Troubadour, Thanks
Hank Locklin: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
Hank Snow: She Wears My Ring

11:30: Creamette
Charlie Walker (host): Deep Water
Connie Smith: Walk Me to the Door
Stu Phillips: Great El Tigra
Johnny Russell: Kaw-liga
Charlie Walker: Take Me Back to Tulsa

As I mentioned, a lot happened in Opry history in June. I hope you enjoyed the look back.

Breaking News: Gaylord Sells Hotel Brand to Marriott. Opry Safe For Now?

It was announced this morning that Gaylord Entertainment Company is spinning off its Gaylord Hotel brands to Marriott International Inc. for $210 million. According to the Gaylord press release, the Nashville-based company will continue to own the properties and will reorganize as a real estate investment trust effective January 1, 2013. Analysts had suspected such a move was possible, as Gaylord CEO Colin Reed had said the company was exploring ways to "unlock" shareholder value.

The details of the sale and transaction are detailed on various websites including the Nashville Tennessean and Nashville Business Journal. The deal is subject to the approval of Gaylord stockholders. The initial reaction from Wall Street is that they like the deal as Gaylord stock was up 6% today, or almost $2.00 a share.

As far as the Grand Ole Opry is concerned, Gaylord will continue to own and operate the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium and other attractions as taxable REIT subsidiaries. According to the press release, "nothing will change at these iconic assets of the Nashville community, and Gaylord is fully committed to maintaining the legacy of these historic attractions."

My initial reaction is that we shall see. With Gaylord turning over the management of the hotels and resorts to Marriott while retaining ownership, I have to wonder if the same might happen to the Opry. That is, could Gaylord maintain ownership but at some point turn over the management of the Opry to someone else.

Time will tell, but the hope is that once Gaylord gets themselves straightened out financially they will put more money and effort into the Opry.

Grand Ole Opry 6/1 & 6/2--Updated

Update: Several changes to the original line-ups that were announced. For the 2nd week in a row, Pam Tillis has cancelled out. Mallary Hope replaces her. Jamie O'Neal has been added to the empty slot for Friday night. On Saturday night, Andy Griggs as been added, as has Chuck Meal & His Grassy Knoll Boys. The line-up listed below includes the updates.

The Grand Ole Opry is moving into one of its better months as June traditionally offers up some strong shows, especially those that take place during the period of the annual CMA Music Fest that takes place in Nashville. The city is loaded with tourists and there are many shows to choose from, including Opry performances.

As far as this week, I have to tell you in this era of the Opry announcing their line-ups ahead of time (versus the era for many of us when you didn't know who was going to be there until you got to the show), it still bugs me when you cannot get a complete line-up the day before the show. This week for example, the announced schedule has an opening on the Friday Night Opry and two on the Saturday Grand Ole Opry. If past behavior and booking policies follow, the slots will be filled by some lesser known talent instead of an Opry member.

As far as the Friday Night Opry, Vince Gill will be making a return to the Opry stage. He has been gone way too long for him. Also, the great Ralph Stanley will be joining Vince. Ralph will also be doing the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night. I have enjoyed Ralph over the years and I will have to say I have been disappointed that he has not done more Opry appearances since joining. He is not that far away and he is still doing some limited touring. Pam Tillis, who failed to make it last weekend as advertised, is scheduled for Friday night, along with non-member, but frequent Opry guest Jim Lauderdale.

The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night will have, along with Ralph Stanley, frequent Opry guests Steel Magnolia, and Mallary Hope, who have late has been on the Opry quite a bit.

Friday June 1
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jean Shepard; Jamie O'Neal
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jim Lauderdale
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Mallary Hope
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Ralph Stanley; Connie Smith

Saturday June 2
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Mallary Hope
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Andy Griggs
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); George Hamilton IV; Steel Magnolia; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Ralph Stanley; Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys

As currently constructed, the Friday show has 11 artists, of whom 10 are Opry members, which is good to see, while on Saturday night, 10 artists are listed, of which 8 are Opry members. Still shameful to have only 8 of 65 Opry members on a show.

Grand Ole Opry--May 25, 1991

It has been a while (really much too long), since I have posted an Opry line-up from years past. It's about time for a look back and for this line-up, I went back 21 years ago, to May 25, 1991. There were 2 shows that night and there was nothing special that took place that night. Just a typical Saturday night at the Opry a generation ago. So here is the running order from that night.

Saturday May 25, 1991
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Danny Davis: My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You
Porter Wagoner: You Gotta Have A License/Forty Miles From Poplar Bluff

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Jim Ed Brown (host): Everyday People
Jan Howard: Heartaches By The Number
Jim Ed Brown: Four Walls

7:00: Shoney's
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Stu Phillips: Castle A Cabin
Jean Shepard: Home In San Antone/Time Changes Everything/Deep Water/Roly Poly
Bill Carlisle: Hand Me Down My Walking Cane
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Tembling Lips
Jimmy C Newman: Colinda/Cajun Stripper

7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Monroe (host): Uncle Pen
Charlie Walker: There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
Teddy Wilburn: She Loved You All Over The World
Margo & Holly Smith: Just The Beginning/Chime Bells
Bill Monroe: Cryin' Holy Unto The Lord/Blue Moon Of Kentucky/Watermelon Hangin On The Vine

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
4 Guys: I'm Bound For Higher Ground/How Married Are You, Mary Ann
Roy Drusky: It's My Way Of Loving You/One Day At A Time
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Rachel

8:30: Pops Right
Jimmy Dickens (host): Family Reunion
Skeeter Davis: My Last Date With You/Silver Thread & Golden Needles/The End Of The World
Ray Pillow: Too Many Memories
Charlie Louvin: Will You Visit Me On Sundays
The Whites: Doing It By The Book
Jimmy Dickens: I Love Lucy Brown

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Sugarfoot Rag
Jean Shepard: Let's All Go Down To The River/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away/ I Saw The Light
Stonewall Jackson: Ol' Chunk Of Coal
Stu Phillips: Here She Comes Again
Bill Carlisle: Rusty Old Halo
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass Of Home/Country Music Has Gone To Town

10:00: Little Debbie
Jim Ed Brown (host): Pop A Top
Jan Howard: Wind Beneath My Wings
Jim Ed Brown: The Old Lamplighter

10:15: Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): Just A Friend
Brother Oswald: Willy, Don't You Ramble No More
Roy Acuff: The Things I Might Have Been

10:30: Pet Milk
Bill Monroe (host): The Old Tennessee River
Jimmy C Newman: Pistol Packin' Mama
Bill Monroe: Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong

10:45: B.C. Powder
Charlie Walker (host): A Way To Free Myself
The Whites: What About You
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Sugar In The Goard
Charlie Walker: Take Me Back To Tulsa

11:00: Coca-Cola
Jimmy Dickens (host): Me & My Big Loud Mouth
Teddy Wilburn: Somebody's Back In Town
Roy Drusky: Go Bring My Children Home
Justin Tubb: As Long As There's A Sunday
Ray Pillow: If I Didn't Have You In My World
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way

11:30: Creamette
4 Guys (host): We're Only Here For A Little While
Charlie Louvin: The Precious Jewel/Something To Brag About
Skeeter Davis: The End Of The World/Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down In My Heart
4 Guys: If I Didn't Care/Tied Up

Compared to the Opry line-up this Saturday night with 12 artists and 9 Opry members, this Saturday night had 21 artists on each show, with all but 2 being Opry members on the 1st show, while the 2nd show had all Opry members, if you consider that Brother Oswald would eventually join the Opry. On the 1st show, Danny Davis was a late addition for Wilma Lee Cooper, who had cancelled out. As you look at the line-up, you can see what 21 years has done to the Opry membership. The majority of the Opry members on this particular night are no longer with us. Enjoy!

Grand Ole Opry 5/25 & 5/26

As the Grand Ole Opry gets ready for the Memorial Day weekend and the summer tourist season in Nashville, things have been pretty quiet around the Opry. Not much going on and really not a whole lot to report. Most of you know that George Jones remains hospitalized in Nashville as he is still being treated for the respiratory infection that he has had for the past several months. He has cancelled all shows through June. The other bit of news regarding an Opry member was the report that Loretta Lynn is older than has been reported. Press reports have her as being 80 years old instead of 77. While that might not mean a whole lot, it does change her life story and being married before she was 16. But I did like Loretta's response that it was nobody's business what age she was. Classic, which you would expect from Loretta.

As far as the Opry this weekend, there will be 1 show on Friday night and 1 show on Saturday night. The Friday Night Opry will feature the Opry debut of Angie Johnson, who was on the television show, "The Voice." She will be joined by Opry members Pam Tillis and Ricky Skaggs, among others.

The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night will feature another Opry appearance by new Opry members Rascal Flatts. That will make 2 Opry shows this week for them, as they appeared on the Tuesday Night Opry last night. Joining them will be guest artists The Grascals, Greg Bates and Jason Crabb.

Friday May 25
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Jim Ed Brown; Andy Gibson
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Pam Tillis
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Angie Johnson
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Connie Smith

Saturday May 26
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Greg Bates
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Jason Crabb
Intermission
8:15: Jeannie Seely (host); The Whites; The Grascals; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Rascal Flatts

13 artists on Friday night of which 11 are Opry members and 12 artists on Saturday night, of whom 9 are Opry members.

The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree will be hosted this week by Jett Williams. She usually puts on a pretty good show so it should be a good one.

Everybody enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.

George Jones

Thoughts and prayers go tonight to George Jones who has been admitted to a Nashville hospital for a lingering illness. I will leave it at that but if you are interested in the press reports they are elsewhere in the media.

Grand Ole Opry 5/18 & 5/19

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the schedule for the shows this weekend. With Carrie and Brad back on the road so to speak, the Opry is back down to just 1 show on Saturday night, that in addition to the 1 show on Friday night.

The Friday Night Opry will feature guest artists The Black Lillies and Dustin Lynch, along with Opry members Diamond Rio and Ricky Skaggs. The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night will feature non-members Mallary Hope, who did a very nice job on Opry Country Classics this past Thursday, Charlie Nagatani and Thomas Rhett. In addition, Gretchen Peters will be making an appearance, along with Billy Gillman. Billy had a very solid career going as a young teenager and then he grew up, his voice changed and his country hits ended. But it is still nice to see him making an Opry appearance.

Friday May 18
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Riders In The Sky; Diamond Rio
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Black Lillies
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Dustin Lynch
8:45: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jim Ed Brown; The Whites

Saturday May 19
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Thomas Rhett
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds; Charlie Nagatani; Mallary Hope
Intermission
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Billy Gillman; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); The Whites; Gretchen Peters

That comes out to 12 artists on Friday night, of whom 10 are Opry members, while of the 13 performing on Saturday night, 8 are Opry members.

Diane McCall will be the host of this weeks Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop onMusic Valley Drive. That should be a decent show.

The Opry has also posted the schedule for the upcoming Tuesday Night Opry, May 22:

7:00: John Conlee; Mark Wills
7:30: Jimmy Dickens; Montgomery Gentry
Intermission
8:15: Kelliei Pickler; Ronnie Milsap
8:45: Rascal Flatts

The Tuesday night show is being dedicated to the American military, which is a nice salute by the Opry. And it is nice to see Ronnie Milsap and Rascal Flatts returning to the Opry stage. A very solid line up for the Tuesday Night Opry.