| Author |
Topic: Opry Musicians |
Jimmie Misenheimer
From:
Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.
|
Posted 13 Apr 2002 9:56 pm |
|
Couldn't sleep, so I guess I'll ask a question. This has probably been talked about a few times, but if so, I missed it. Can any of you guys who are in some way connected with the "Opry", tell me the logic behind replacing about a half dozen very able musicians with about a half dozen OTHER able musicians? I know that at least some of this got dirty, so nobody may want to speak on this. This whole deal has posed a question to me since it happened - although it didn't happen all at once. Since last year was my last year to activly work in this business to any degree at all, I'm sure that I will never again be around some of the people that I have been around in the past. Still yet, I never did get an answer that seemed to amount to anything. Just thought somebody might know... Jimmie
------------------
|
|
|
 |
Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 12:58 pm
|
|
Jimmie,
As I have heard, that was explained as a change of generations."Old school" players were replaced with a "new school" players.Since country music isn`t anymore what it jused to be, I guess they figured out that they need that new style of playing.If that is ok or not, don`t ask me.I love old as much as I love new country (at least some of it).I personaly think,and that is just my opinion,that Grand Ole Opry should have stay traditionaly oriented,but what do I know.
------------------
http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html
|
|
|
|
Dr. Hugh Jeffreys
From:
Southaven, MS, USA
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 1:50 pm
|
|
| I'm in no way connected to the GOOpry, but I too have a question: While I was computering last night, my wife tuned in to the GOOpry; I could not believe that producers would let such music pass. In particular, does Charlie Pride have a damaged 8th cranial or is he just getting old and hard-of hearing? The song he sang, Kalija (or something like that) was totally off base--at least a quarter of a tone away from the band; really BAD! ---- Hugh |
|
|
|
Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 2:18 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
| .""Old school" players were replaced with a "new school" players.Since country music isn`t anymore .." |
It's ironic that the new staff band only seems to get to play with the older/traditional artists.
All the new acts bring their own band.
Sometimes they pass on having a Steel player. I can't understand on how you can "pass" on having T.W. complement your sound.
I'm only commenting on the televised part, that's all I get to see/hear. |
|
|
|
Harold Jack Baker
From:
Ladora, Iowa, USA
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 3:52 pm
|
|
If you think this is bad now wait 'till you get to 73 years old and wonder what happened to REAL MUSIC I can't even listen to the new age radio stationes anymore without feeling a tear fall. Texas jack baker
------------------
Texas Jack |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 3:54 pm
|
|
I'm a fan of the older, simpler stuff. But I wouldn't want to wipe out all the new stuff that has a decent market. I don't know why they couldn't have kept the Opry traditional, and then started "Nashville Bandstand", or "New Country Palace", or something like that...keeping the "hat and belly-button acts" in a seperate venue. They're trying to appeal to all audiences with one show, and that seems to be running the older crowd off...big time. And the young "kickass music" crowd ain't real happy either. People always respond better, and are more loyal, if they're offered some kind of choice. (This is why General motors makes Camaros and Cadillacs!)
In short, they got the Gatorade and bottled water right along side the Ben Gay and and Pepto Bismol, but they can't figure out why their "customers" can't find what they want.
Maybe they oughta visit a drugstore. |
|
|
|
Jimmie Misenheimer
From:
Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 5:42 pm
|
|
| I'm not knocking the new players - What I AM confused about is somewhat what Joey A. said. They have new players backing up the older acts. My listening to the G.O.O. goes back to the middle - late '50s, so you can pretty well figure where my head, (and my heart) is. I LOVE THE OLDER, MORE TRADATIONAL ACTS / SINGERS /BANDS!! My puzzling point is nobody knows who in the hell the pickers are but us. They seem to sound the same as the ones that they replaced! Sure, we know what the management is up against, and what they are trying to do. I'd be willing to bet money that any one who dislikes the Opry in general, or maybe JUST the "older acts", in favor of the "semi-rockers", or "belly-button" acts, couldn't give a damn WHO is in the staff band. I go back to my original question - since they still have SOME ot the good old acts (THANK GOD!!), why was about half of the band replaced by people that do about the SAME QUALITY job as those they "took over for"? Before I go, I,ll come clean. While I loved the work of them all, old and new alike, I have since I first heard him (even BEFORE the albums), been a die-hard Leon Rhodes fan. I.M.H.O., they've never had, nor do they have now, ANYONE who could do the job that he could do - so I go back to my original question... At 52, I am "Jimmie the Old-Timer" |
|
|
|
Gary Walker
From:
Morro Bay, CA
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 6:58 pm
|
|
| Doctor, I agree with your assessment of Mr. Pride. He has sold a lot of great records and I have his recordings from the early days of his career. I don't think his hearing is any worse than ever except what we all lose due to age. As much as I enjoy hearing him sing, he has had a little trouble going sharp at times, especially on this song. On the original recording of the song from the late 60s, he was sharp at times but doing it live presents more challenges and also the monitoring system may be difficult for him to hear the band. I'll give him slack on that one and give him credit for making a lot more money singing than I have. |
|
|
|
Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
|
Posted 14 Apr 2002 9:04 pm
|
|
| Maybe we should continue listening to old geezers sing off key to a song that was popular 40 years ago. Is that it? Every one has their season. Prize fighters and musicians always seem to stay to long at the party until they are asked to leave. It took Mohamed Ali getting his a$$ whipped in the ring before he understood. Its time for the older crowd to make way for the younger and more popular music and musicians. Its just the passing of time, and the way life works. Porter Wagner sounds like a goose being strangled. At least Willie Nelson can still sing. Theres been to many boring older acts on the Opry lately. I say bring on the new blood, hopefully both traditional and rockers. [This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 14 April 2002 at 10:06 PM.] |
|
|
|
Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 4:29 am
|
|
I didn't understand the change in musicians either. Why would they keep Spider Wilson and Jimmy Capps and let Leon Rhodes go? That doesn't make any sense to me. They have the new guitar player without any hair who looks like he's about 50 himself and in my opinion ain't good enough to tune Leon's guitar. It was great to see Leon pickin' with Porter Waggoner on the show. As for the new guy, I guess maybe they got him for the chicken pickin' but J Capps can cover all that. He does stay pretty up to date with his chops. I do like Hoot Hester on fiddle in favor of the other guy who's name I can't remember but even if he'd stayed it wouldn't have been a bad thing as he was a good fiddler too. I wish ol' Porter'd stay on stage instead of coming through the audience with that big hulk who's knuckles drag the ground for his bodyguard. That looks pretty bad. As for the steel guitar I think they've got the best man for the job in that category. T White nails everything that's thrown at him and a lot of the stuff sounds better than what was played on the record!
------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney tuning.
|
|
|
|
Rusty Hurse
From:
Hendesonville, Tn
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 4:46 am
|
|
| Just remember "OLD AGE AND TREACHERY WILL WIN OVER YOUTH AND GO INTENTIONS EVERY TIME".But the best one is from my friend Vern Kendrick" I HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE DO MORE DAMAGE WITH A STEEL GUITAR, THAN WITH AN AXE ANYTIME. |
|
|
|
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 6:59 am
|
|
You guys are trying to apply logic in a place where it doesn't exist. The Opry and, for that matter, country music in general has become a large conglomerate corporation. I'm a manager in a large multinational corporation and I can see similar things happening in Nashville that happened to my nice little 'mom and pop' pharmaceutical company that used to offer retirees free meals once a week. Now they will hardly allow them on the premises.
The 'new corporate world' is run from the top down. The CEO has objectives that will satisfy the Board of Directors and the shareholders. Those objectives are usually profit-driven (e.g., 'Increase share price by x% and Earnings per Share by y%'). Then it starts rolling downhill. The Exec VPs get specific assignments that will lead to the CEO meeting those objectives. (e.g., make the Opry more profitable) The execs don't really care about anything but their bonus they will receive for meeting or exceeding their objectives.
Folks, if you think there's anything going on here more than dollar$ and cent$, I believe you are mistaken. One trend I've seen time and time again in the corporate world is that if something's wrong, you must have THE WRONG PEOPLE doing the job. So, the VP cleans house in the interest of meeting objectives. He/she does not care WHO is affected or whose family might not meet their monthly bills. Since there are plenty of dynamite musicians out there, the old pros don't really wield much influence. One well-defined action is to downsize, right-size, or just change the mix of people on the job. EVERYONE IS EXPENDABLE -- even (or maybe ESPECIALLY) that CEO. His job is management, not country music. He can go run an automobile company if this job doesn't pan out.
If you're trying to figure out why Leon Rhodes got the boot by comparing his musical abilities to someone who might have replaced him, you're missing the point. I would not assume that those making the decisions knows anything about him OR about music.
Just my take on it.
------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 15 April 2002 at 08:10 AM.] |
|
|
|
Earl Erb
From:
Old Hickory Tenn
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 8:35 am
|
|
Quote:If you're trying to figure out why Leon Rhodes got the boot by comparing his musical abilities to someone who might have replaced him, you're missing the point. I would not assume that those making the decisions knows anything about him OR about music.
Just my take on it.
Larry,you hit the nail on the head.The excuse for letting the guys go because of age and or ability was pure unadulterated bullsh#t.
I can tell from the posts on this topic that you guys didn't hear about the Gaylord bunch terminating the whole WSM Radio News Dept.,plus all middle management at the Opryland Hotel.Most of these people had been around for 15 to 20 years.It made the local news last week,but apparently didn't go national.
I think its only a matter of time before WSM gets dumped.This last reprise is only a rouse.I predicted this several months ago in earlier topics about WSM radio. 
|
|
|
|
Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 8:46 am
|
|
Larry - you've nailed it, man. I work in a corporate environment too, and the only thing the managers look at is the numbers, and I don't mean a 2m/5. Further argument would be pointless now. But opinions, like broken 3rd strings, will always pop up.
C# |
|
|
|
Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 9:05 am
|
|
Larry's take on the Corporate angle sounds right-on.
Now back to Charlie Pride..
It's only fair to mention he did not plan to do Kawliga, Porter requested it. Charlie said, "No, we wanted to do one off the Jim Reeves album." Porter insisted, on camera, Charlie complied. |
|
|
|
Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 9:18 am
|
|
It's really ironic that when the little blonde twit on the Opry Live TV show interviews performers backstage (while the viewers miss what's happening onstage) they talk so much about "tradition" and how the Opry feels like a "family". Having worked the Opry many times, I know that there is a close-knit feeling of comraderie backstage after you've been there for 20 or 30 years, but equating the GOO (read Gaylord) to the concept of "family" is like expecting the Bundys and the Cleavers to both show up for the PTA meeting.
C# |
|
|
|
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 9:37 am
|
|
Yeah, Cal
But what may show up is TED Bundy wielding a meat CLEAVER. 
what if the opry sidemen went POSTAL?????
LTB[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 15 April 2002 at 10:39 AM.] |
|
|
|
Leroy Riggs
From:
Looney Tunes, R.I.P.
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 12:21 pm
|
|
| Hugh, I am glad you heard the Charlie flats also. I though I was going deaf. |
|
|
|
Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
|
|
|
|
Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 1:12 pm
|
|
B,
I guess so. I think you think that's a good thing. Theresa |
|
|
|
Dr. Hugh Jeffreys
From:
Southaven, MS, USA
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 2:59 pm
|
|
| Back to my remark about Charley Pride: Well, I received eM's from his steel man, agent, and road manager--all 3. They chose not to go on the Forum. They all said pretty much the same: Charley enjoys getting close to the crowd, shaking hands, etc. --- which is in front of the monitors; this distorts his perception somewhat. They apologize for the sour notes, and say that Charley will be more careful in the future. Well, we all make mistakes doesnt we? However, if I played between the frets of my steel, my computer would probably explode with eM's!!!! Hugh |
|
|
|
Vance Monday
From:
Missouri, USA
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 3:23 pm
|
|
Just wanted to get my two "sense" in here..I play steel for a couple of little opry type shows and if it weren't for the older people supporting the shows wouldn't exist.. We have very few younger people. There are a few that like to old traditional country and we are glad to have them.Abraham, who plays at the NTSGA meetings started on one of these shows. In fact, his Dad and Mom, started the show about 10 years ago and they moved to Nashville and the band kept the show going..I recently did a session in Nashville for Jim McGlasson, who sings like Ernest Tubb. Greg Golbraith played lead on it and did an excellent job. The CD is getting airplay overseas but can't get it played in the states because it sounds to country..
After listening Sat nite to the GOO, I think our little opry is better..at least the people are getting what they want, songs they can sing along with..Well I've sounded off enough, so will quit for now..Vance Monday |
|
|
|
Reggie Duncan
From:
Mississippi
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 4:22 pm
|
|
How many songs did TW play on Saturday night?
My dad says 4-5. Kerry Marx is a good lead player, but he ain't Gregg, Theresa.
The older fiddler was Joe Edwards. IMHO was a better guitar player.[This message was edited by Reggie Duncan on 15 April 2002 at 05:24 PM.] |
|
|
|
Gary Walker
From:
Morro Bay, CA
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 7:56 pm
|
|
| Theresa, I agree with you on Kerry Marx. I remember him when he was with Ray Price a few years ago and he demonstrated his ability quite well and he had more hair that was quite curly. I feel he is not given the chance to prove he really can pick. |
|
|
|
Jimmie Misenheimer
From:
Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.
|
Posted 15 Apr 2002 8:11 pm
|
|
| Gentlemen - Thank you!! I (like you) have known the answer to this for sometime. I guess I just wanted to hear someone else say it. Two things though... 1st. -- Nowhere did I say ANYTHING about ANYBODY being any better that ANYONE else. I was talking about what appears to me to be trading "a half dollar for 50 cents". 2nd. - I don't claim to be in the "in crowd", because I not. I, like some of you, DO know about the "dirty kind of $--t that went on where some of these people are concerned. I hate to see that - but I really hate to see it for the advancement of business. I've never had that done to me, but I guess that I just wasn't raised to do things that way. As I've said before, I'm nobody, but a couple of points before I go. I used Leon as an example, but I meant EVERYTHING that I said. By the way I know Joe Edwards somewhat. Our hometowns are 7 miles apart, and we are "brother Masons". This has nothing to do with my thinking that he, excuse me, got screwed. I'd like to tell you-all about the funny thing that happened the time I ALMOST met Leon Rhodes, but that's for another time. And Theresa, one time your brother gave me an hour long lesson in "pick-blocking", at the "Little Nashville Opry" back when he was with Mel. In fact, you, Greg, a couple of other musicians, and I sat and talked backstage for quite a while at a little country music show in Nashville, Indiana some years back. I'm sorry that I must disagree with yout assesment of some of the people that we speak of here, but then I guess that I've just about always got to be "at odds" with someone. Goodnight... Jimmie |
|
|
|
