Let's start off with this bit of news:
"The Grand Ole Opry will return to Friday evening performances, and will expand both its Friday and Saturday evening shows to two hours, starting Nov. 6. The two-hour Saturday evening shows will include a one-hour, 8 p.m. CT Circle and Gray TV station broadcast, which can also be viewed on DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV, and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion livestream on Circle All Access Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The Opry can also be heard on 650 WSM-AM, wsmonline.com, and SiriusXM.
The Opry paused performances that included a live audience on March 14, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Opry House will continue to have limited-capacity in-venue audiences, in compliance with operating plans developed in collaboration with the Nashville Public Health Department that include socially distanced seating, mandatory masks for all guests and staff, as well as enhanced cleaning practices."
Nice to see the Opry continue to work its way back to normal. It will be interesting to see what type of format and the number of artists that will be scheduled each week and will the focus be on the one hour televised portion on Saturday night?
But definitely a move in the right direction.
_________________________________________________________________________
Continuing on to this week, the Grand Ole Opry continues to celebrate its 95th anniversary through out the month of October, with a different theme each week.
The theme for this Saturday night is a celebration of chart-topping songs and those that wrote them. It promises to be a great show with two of the best songwriters in the history of country music on the schedule. Grand Ole Opry member, and Country Music Hall of Fame member, Bill Anderson will be making his first Opry appearance since March. He will be joined by another Hall of Fame member, and frequent Opry guest, Don Schlitz.
One of the newest Opry members Chris Janson is also scheduled, as are two of the best female voices in the business, Mandy Barnett and Brandy Clark.
Nice to see five artists on the schedule as the Opry continues to offer the one-hour social distancing shows that are televised on Circle TV, and on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
____________________________________________________________________
Now 50 years ago, Saturday October 17, 1970. On that particular night, the Opry celebrated its 45th birthday:
1st show
6:00: Vietti
Bill Anderson (host); Charlie Walker; Wilma Lee Cooper; Skeeter Davis; Jimmy C Newman; Willis Brothers
6:30: Bill Monroe (host); Charlie Louvin; George Morgan; Del Wood
6:45: Tex Ritter (host); Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; The Four Guys
7:00: Roy Acuff (host); Hank Locklin; Margie Bowes; Glaser Brothers; Billy Walker; Jim Ed Brown; Jim and Jesse
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Dolly Parton; Mel Tillis; Crook Brothers; Jean Shepard; Justin Tubb
8:00: Lester Flatt (host); Del Reeves; Dottie West; Osborne Brothers; Billy Grammer; Ernie Ashworth
8:30: Ernest Tubb (host); Loretta Lynn; Bobby Lord; Earl Scruggs Revue; Stu Phillips; Wilburn Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers
2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host): Dolly Parton; Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; Willis Brothers; Justin Tubb; Del Wood
10:00: Bill Anderson (host); George Morgan; Wilma Lee Cooper; Charlie Louvin; Skeeter Davis; Charlie Walker
10:15: Roy Acuff (host); Tex Ritter; Jack Greene; Jeannie Seely; Billy Grammer
10:30: Lester Flatt (host); Margie Bowes; Jim and Jesse
10:45: Ernest Tubb (host); Loretta Lynn; Jim Ed Brown; Wilburn Brothers; Crook Brothers
11:00: Bill Monroe (host); Dottie West; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Mel Tillis; Osborne Brothers; Sam McGee
11:30: Marty Robbins (host); Del Reeves; The Four Guys; Bobby Lord; Stu Phillips; Ernie Ashworth
I would say that was a pretty solid night!!
_____________________________________________________________________
The following year, Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 46th birthday on Saturday October 16, 1971. It was also the night that country music star Freddie Hart made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
Here is the running order from that that:
1st show
6:00: Vietti
Tex Ritter (host): Just Beyond the Moon
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors
Jim Ed Brown: Morning
Stonewall Jackson: Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Roy Drusky: Long, Long Texas Road
Willis Brothers: Women's Liberation
Tex Ritter: Fall Away
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Bill Anderson (host) and Jan Howard: Dissatisfied
Jan Howard: Hurt All Over
Ray Pillow: Haven't You Heard
Ernie Ashworth: A Bottle of the Blues
Bill Anderson: Quits
6:45: Rudy's
Bill Monroe (host): I Heard a Sweet Voice Calling
Stu Phillips: I'd Rather Be Sorry
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Bill Monroe: Katy Hill
7:00: Luzianne
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper: Coming Down from God
Tom T Hall: I Remember the Year that Clayton Delaney Died
Del Wood: Gloryland March
Howdy Forrester: Sally Goodin
George Morgan: Gentle Rains of Home
Roy Acuff: I'll Fly Away
7:30: Standard Candy
Ernest Tubb (host): Answer the Phone
Loretta Lynn: Put Your Hand in the Hand
Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery: Something to Brag About
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything
Jeannie Seely: All Right, I'll Sign the Papers
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Ernest Tubb: Shenandoah Waltz
8:00: Martha White
Lester Flatt (host): Will You Be Loving Another Man
Grandpa Jones: Are You From Dixie
Dottie West: Country Girl
Billy Walker: You Gave Me a Mountain
Del Reeves: Philadelphia Fillies
Justin Tubb: Big Fool of the Year
Lester Flatt: Foggy Mountain Breakdown
8:30: Stephens
Hank Snow (host): Sea Shores of Mexico
Wilburn Brothers: That She's Leaving Feeling
Connie Smith: How Great Thou Art
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Devil's Dream
Bob Luman: Today I Started Loving You Again/Honky-Tonk Man
The Four Guys: Shenandoah
Hank Snow: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Tex Ritter (host): Fall Away
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors
Jim Ed Brown: She's Leaving
Roy Drusky: I Love the Way That You've Been Loving Me
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Jimmy C Newman: Louisiana Dirty Rice
Del Wood: Are You From Dixie
10:00: Fender
Bill Anderson (host): Quits
Bill Anderson and Jan Howard: Dissatisfied
Grandpa Jones: Mountain Dew
Ray Pillow: The Waitress
10:15: Union 76
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Stu Phillips: I'd Rather Be Sorry
George Morgan: Gentle Rains of Home
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
10:30: Trailblazer
Lester Flatt (host): The Bluebirds Singing for Me
Tom T Hall: I Remember the Year that Clayton Delaney Died
Dottie West: Here Comes My Baby
Justin Tubb: Lonesome 7-7203
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Lester Flatt: Orange Blossoms Special
10:45: Beechnut
Ernest Tubb (host): Letters Have No Arms
Loretta Lynn: Lead Me On
Billy Walker: How Great Thou Art
Crook Brothers: Eighth of January
11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): Snowbird
Earl Scruggs Revue: T For Texas
Jack Greene: There's a Whole Lot About a Woman a Man Don't Know
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Hickory Leaf
Del Reeves: Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On/Hound Dog
Freddie Hart: Easy Lovin'/My Hang Up is You
Sam McGee: San Antonio Rose
11:30: Elm Hill
Marty Robbins (host): Devil Woman
Wilburn Brothers: That She's Leaving Feeling
Connie Smith: Just One Time
The Four Guys: Let the Sun Keep Shining
Bob Luman: Getting Back to Norma
Marty Robbins: I Walk Alone/Begging to You/Don't Worry/Big Boss Man/They'll Never Take Her Love From Me/Singing the Blues/El Paso
The Opry members who were not scheduled that night were Bobby Bare, Margie Bowes, Archie Campbell, Skeeter Davis, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Hank Locklin, Lonzo and Oscar, Bobby Lord, Osborne Brothers, Minnie Pearl, Jean Shepard, Stringbean and Marion Worth.
Those who were scheduled but failed to appear were Porter Wagoner, Glaser Brothers, Jim and Jesse and Cousin Jody, while Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper cancelled on the second show.
While the first show that night ran relatively on time, the second show did not end until 1:00 a.m. I think it is safe to say that everyone got their money's worth that night.
_____________________________________________________________________
Finally, can you believe that it has been 28 years since Roy Acuff made his final appearance on Saturday's Grand Ole Opry? It was the night of the Opry's 67th birthday celebration. I know many of us know about that final night, and the unplanned duet he did with Bill Anderson. I was there that night and it was an emotional scene.
Here is the running order from Saturday October 17, 1992:
1st show
6:30: GHS Strings
Bill Monroe (host): Mule Skinner Blues
Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top
Bill Monroe: Ozark Rag
6:45: Hall of Fame
Grandpa Jones (host): Cindy
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Roy Drusky: Peel Me a Nanner
Grandpa Jones: Gone Home
7:00: Shoney's
George Hamilton IV (host): Abilene
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Mike Snider: Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Hank Locklin: Please Help Me, I'm Falling
Jean Shepard: Let's All Go Down to the River/I Saw the Light/Will the Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away/Somebody Touched Me
George Hamilton IV: Break Me Mind
7:30: Standard Candy
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol' Slewfoot
Shelly West: Standing In Sorrow's Way/You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma
John Conlee: Hit the Ground Running/Miss Emily's Picture
Porter Wagoner and the Grand Ole Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry
8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Connie Smith: Then & Only Then/Sing, Sing, Sing
Bill Anderson and Roy Acuff: I Wonder If God Likes Country Music
Bill Anderson: Still
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Dan Kelly: Turkey Buzzard
8:30: Kraft
Hank Snow (host): Ancient History
The Four Guys: Big River
Jan Howard: You Don't Know Me
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
The Whites: San Antonio Rose
Hank Snow: It Kinda Reminds Me of Me
2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Wilma Lee Cooper: Singing Waterfall
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Jeannie Seely: Don't Touch Me
Mike Snider: Green Sleeves
Porter Wagoner and the Grand Ole Opry Cast: Happy Birthday Grand Ole Opry
Porter Wagoner: Big Wind
10:00: Life's Highway
Bill Monroe (host): Life's Highway
Roy Drusky: All for the Love of a Girl
Jimmy Campbell: The Old Tennessee River
10:15: Sunbeam/Tennessee Pride
Roy Acuff (host): Once More
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy/Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
10:30: Pet Milk
Grandpa Jones (host): Don't 'Cha Cry Melinda
Jean Shepard: Someone's Gotta Cry
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Grandpa Jones: My Little Old Home Down in New Orleans
10:45: B.C. Powder
George Hamilton IV (host): Life's Railway to Heaven
Shelly West: Jose Cuervo
Opry Square Dance Band and The Melvin Sloan Dancers: Black Mountain Rag
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
11:00: Coca Cola
Hank Snow (host): There's a Fool Such as I
The Four Guys: How Married are You Mary Ann
Connie Smith: Once a Day
John Conlee: Before My Time/Rose Colored Glasses
Hank Snow: On That Old Hawaii Shore with You
11:30: Creamette
Jim Ed Brown (host): Morning Comes Too Early
Jan Howard: Together When We Tried
Bill Carlisle: Elvira
The Whites: Swing Down Chariot
Johnny Russell: Why Me Lord
Jim Ed Brown; The 3 Bells
Roy would make one more Opry appearance on the following Friday night, where he performed sitting in a directors chair, being too frail to stand. Saturday October 24 would be the last time Roy's name would be printed in an Opry program, however he did not appear that night as his family did not wake him from his nap.
There you have it for this week. As always, thanks for reading and commenting and I hope everyone enjoys the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night.