What is it about the Opry?

Joe Drivdahl · From: Montana, USA

As I sit here on this Sunday morning watching "Grand Ole Opry Live" on CMT featuring Joe Nichols, Bucky Covington, and Rhonda Vincent, I notice that Rhonda is the only one singing on key. Why is that? I have seen Joe Nichols live and he sang on key for the most part. I've never heard Bucky live so I don't know if he can sing or not.

This is not the first time I've noticed this phenomonon. I've even heard the usually solid-as-a-rock, Martina McBride sing off key on the Opry.

Are these people unable to hear themselves? I have a theory about why Rhonda is able to sing on key... No Drummer! Therefore she is able to hear herself in the monitors.

I know we have talked before about the mix on the opry, but I am just wondering why so many singers sing off key on the opry.

Any ideas?

Joe

Bob Grado · From: Holmdel, New Jersey

I don't know about Joe Nichols on the Opry but his steel player is terrific. Who is he?

Ron ! · Posted 9 Mar 2008 9:01 am

Joe....when you take a look at some of the performers you will see that they use the ear monitors.These performers are able to sing in key.But you are right about one thing though.Most of the singers don't belong upon that stage to begin with.
It's a total shame what they put up there.And they wonder why the C&W scene is going down the tube.Nowadays the studio engineer will mix these performers in a perfect way and when they have to sing or perform live....they can't sing/play worth a ....

I am paying 15-bucks a month extra for this channel.....and all they do is rerun the whole year round....If you'd ask me....it's not worth the money....I am taking it of my cable bill this week.I can use the money for a good program.

G.A.C is IMO a waste of money.

Bill Cutright · From: Akron, OH

This was a re-run and Bucky was terrible the first time and hadn't improved any last nite.

I thought Joe was nearly in tune. His "thing" is to do the Jones on every note and on the recorded version of that song its hard to tell if he's really in tune on that last phrase...

Tho, Craig Morgan was almost in tune, I can't bear to watch all his facial contortions...

I noticed that sometimes, on the live stuff, it's actually the harmony singers that are out of tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zeLKMHxbN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pcJOpYH-4&feature=related

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Joe's steel player is Dean Holman. He plays a Zumsteel D-10.

Brett

Bo Legg · Posted 9 Mar 2008 10:08 am

I agree with everyone here on the out of tune thing and G A C does suck.
Have you ever heard a live performance where everything is in tune? I love Charlie Daniels but live his whole band if they got within 20 cents of the pitch I'd be amazed and Tracy Lawrence vocal live might be as far out as 30 cents.
I love Tracy Lawrence and I love Charlie Daniels and being out of tune is the charm and difference between a live performance and a studio processed recording and I wouldn't want it any other way. To me the PSG at live performance is the most out of tune thing I hear but it's not noticed because most times you can't hear the PSG anyway.

Joe Drivdahl · From: Montana, USA

That's right, guys. I guess everyone can't be a Hag or a Jones, and sing as well or better live than they did on the recording; although, I think Rhonda Vincent might be as close as anyone.

Bo,
I have noticed that too. Why do they mix the telecaster right up in your face, but the steel is so far in the background, you can barely make out a note or two. Are they ashamed of the steelman?

Ron,
I don't have the option of getting rid of CMT. If I could I would. I much perfer the music shows on RFD. Though the singers are questionable, the musicians are great and you can hear them!

Singing doesn't really matter to me anyway. Its just something to fill in between lead breaks.

Joe

Dale Hansen · From: Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)

It's not just the singers, Joe.

I missed an intro, that I'd done a hundred times before, by one fret. (it doesn't get any worse than that.)
Miss by two frets,.. you can at least try to claim that you were experimenting with polychords.
I wanted to crawl into a hole.
(I blamed it on poor lighting) Rolling Eyes

(Creative subject change here)
I wish I could get RFD.

There was a rumor floating around that Comcast was picking up RFD, but haven't seen anything about it anywhere else but here.

Any new info?

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I just got CMT going again,I'll have to check out the Opry.
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Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

I played the Opry from 1996 to 2001 with Wylie and the Wild West. Wylie was not a member but we played it as guests.
We always were booked at the Opry 3 or 4 times a year cause there was no better place to play.

Anyway, when I was on, alot of the time it was very hard to hear your self in the monitiors. Our singers also would mention this fact to.
I do think that everyone who appears on the Opry can sing on key, but sometimes that fact of not being able to hear yourself plus the stress of just being on the "sacred ground" of the Opry stage can take a toll on some people. I know it did with me.

Hey I've played the Opry!!! I cant do any better then that!!!

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Hey Dale, I missed an intro on the Opry too. Song was supposed to be in A. I started 2 pick up notes in Bb. Right when the band came in I knew I was in trouble.
Within 2 or 3 seconds I simply moved the bar down one fret and finished the intro. I thought I was pretty cool in saving my butt.
After the song, back stage all the guys in the band came up and started teasing me for playing in the wrong key. I never did live that down. Never will...

Joe Drivdahl · From: Montana, USA

Hey Duane,

Thanks for chiming in. Yeah, man, you been there. That is the big'n, huh? I hadn't thought about the feeling of intimidation of playing the opry, just because hey, its the Opry Shocked

Dale,
I've got a fairly recent DVD of Merle and the Strangers playing Billy Bob's, and on it Merle plays the intro to Workin Man Blues and completely muffs it. Just slaughters it, but it doesn't bother him in the slightest. He's one cool dude.

Speaking of Merle, I don't know that I have ever seen him on the Opry.

Joe

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

The Opry has died, I started at the Opry at the Ryman in the 60s',
Tommy White is about all we steelers really have left to tantalize us now.
Most of you don't remember when every night at the Opry, we had instrumentals by, Jerry Byrd, Chet Atkins, Bud Isaacs Hank Garland, Del Wood, Bro. Oswald, Grady Martin, Joe Edwards, Paul Yandell, ETC.
Hear a great musician play an instrumental on the Opry today? Ha! No way unless possible Ricky Skaggs is on a rare kick.
Great steeler, Billy Robinson has some great transcriptions of the Opry in the '50's, WOW! Some truly great music, from great country to some great jazz licks played by the great players. But alas, Tommy is the last bastian for us now.

The occational road band guesting with a "star" that lets the band loose is as rare as Lisa Nowak guesting on the next space flight. Wait, she may have a better chance.
I'm sure Paris Hilton could book the Opry in this day and time, and may sing better than some of the bimbos I've seen on there recently,,,,,, (Guess I won't be on for a while now! Ha! Ha!)

Tune in for more humor in the next edition of, Naw, don't tune in,,,,,,,,

This has been your poster writing this

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

I grew up 50 miles north of Nashville, where as a kid the Grand Ole Opry was always a mainstay at our house every Friday & Saturday night. For the past 34 years I've worked in the Broadcast entertainment business which spans 4 Radio Stations, 10 Television Stations (3 that I still work for in Nashville) plus I worked for the now defunct TNN. And I still co-own WEKT, a small AM Radio in Kentucky.
To me, it's now a sad situation at the Opry. Nowadays, I couldn't justify paying for a ticket to see it. I'm NOT referring to the staff band mind you. Tommy White, Tim Atwood, Jimmy Capps & Hoot Hester are the BEST! But the selection of Artists Pete Fisher puts on the stage is just not my cup of tea. It seems like after Roy Acuff died, and Bud Wendell left, the Opry took a left turn. It's a new generation of singers on the Opry and I must agree with Dale Watson, "They Ain't COUNTRY"!
WSM-AM 650 Radio has to program what Cumulus Broadcasting & Gaylord Entertainment say to do. But I think they could learn what die-hard country fans want to hear by listening to (Willie's Place) XM-13 Satelite Radio. They play the stuff we used to get to hear on WSM and the Opry. Nick

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

And, Bobbe, I hear there's a down side to the Opry too!

Dennis Graves · From: Maryville, Tennessee

Let's hear it for Willies Place !!

Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

Its not just the opry.These award shows are just as bad. You would think that the elite would be running sound at these shows. Its like they don't have a clue.
I always like it when a fiddle takes a break and they pan in on the piano ECT. or turn up the guitar.
I think they are getting to high tech.
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Jerry H. Moore · From: Newnan, GA, USA

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

the trouble (or beauty) with live shows is all you have to work with is your own ability. on austin city limits, lyle lovett and george strait (and their great bands) sound fine. randy travis just plain sings off key!
bucky covington could never sing to start with, even though my daughter liked him!

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

At least the wanna be rock and rollers[The so-called country artist of today] have a place to play,THE NOT SO GRAND OLE OPRY,Bobbe is right,If Paris recorded a rap version of Cold,Cold,Heart,Mr.Fisher would book her on the opry in a heartbeat.This past week just started getting RFD on my cable channel,can see the old CMA shows,Porter shows,Wilburn Brothers show,Ralph Emery.etc,Sure is nice to see CLASS and TALENT for a change,One of the main things is the way they presented themselves in the way they dressed,Today most of the artist[not all but most]look like rejects from an outlaw biker gang.[I have been chastised before for saying this,save your breath,you will NEVER change my mind about this]There is still some good music out there[Like Dale Watson]but you won't hear it on FM radio or on GAC[great American crap]There is no such thing as Country Music Awards Shows anymore,Just crappy Hollweird rock and roll shows they call the CMA award shows.DYKBC.
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Dale Hansen · From: Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)

Mike Archer · From: church hill tn

GOO IS GONE
I STOPPED LISTENING TO IT 15 YEARS AGO
Tommy White and the boys are wonderfull
the rest of it is down the tubes as far as I
can see

and country music in general is about the same
or worse
now adays its about looks sex and folk music
not about good tunes or players Very Happy

Skeeter Stultz · From: LOMITA, California, USA

I AGREE MOSTLY WITH WHAT I'VE READ ON THIS TOPIC. I REMEMBER AS A KID I WOULD LISTEN AS BEST I COULD (WEATHER PERMITTING) TO THE OPRY AND IT WAS EXCITING. THE ARTISTS WOULD TALK TO EACH OTHER AND THERE WAS A GIFT IF GAB AMONG THE STARS. NOW MOST OF THE NEW "ARTISTS" CAN'T EVEN TALK TO THE CROWD. I DON'T CARE IF THEY ARE INTIMIDATED BY BEING THERE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU HAD TO BE EXCELLENT AT WHAT YOU DO TO EVEN BE THERE. AS FOR THE ENGINEERING OF THE SOUND, IT'S ATROCIOUS. I DON'T CARE IF THERE ARE DRUMS RIGHT CLOSE, FIX THE PROBLEM. CAN ANYONE CONNECTED TO THE OPRY SPELL PRESENTATION? ONE NIGHT I WAS WATCHING AND ON AN UP TEMPO SONG TOMMY WHITE STARTED THE CUT AND THE CAMERA WAS ON HIM FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS THEN THE DIRECTOR SWITCHED TO THE AUDIENCE. ALSO ONE NIGHT THE FIRST THREE SONGS WERE SLOW ONES. NOT A HARD WAY TO KILL AN INDUSTRY. ALSO, DRESS UP. MOST EVERY ONE LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO HOME DEPOT TO GET SOMETHING TO FINISH A HOME PROJECT.
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Rick Kornacker · From: Dixon Springs, Tennessee, USA

Just thought I could offer a little input. First of all..hearing all that's going on during your "spot" on the Opry is not all that easy to start with due to the stage set-up and whatever the soundman has coming out of the monitors at the moment. Also, from the perspective of a musician, especially a steel player, there is very little time to plug in, adjust the amp, sit down, and be ready, etc. I always considered the Opry thing as a "make the best of it, wham, bam, thank you ma'm" experience that you never really can be ready for...and a little different each time. Had a lot of respect for Weldon and Sonny, and now TW, in being able to get a good sound(and be in tune!) despite it all. Respectfully submitted, RK
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Dave Diehl · From: Mechanicsville, MD, USA

This don't have anything to do with the Opry but it does about "out of tune". I've said for a long time that Kenny Chesney is the worst singer I've ever heard and I have never heard him sing live "on key". I don't know how he continues to get the reviews and awards he does. Guess it goes back to the Studio being able to cover up a lot.

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