Ashley McBryde, Terri Clark, Lauren Alaina on Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry will be in the competent hands of some strong country music women as it once again offers live entertainment to the masses during the unprecedented Coronavirus shutdown. Scheduled to appear on the hallowed stage Saturday night (4-4) will be Ashley McBryde, who just released a critically-acclaimed new album Never Will, Canadian country artist and Opry member Terri Clark, as well as former American Idol contestant turned country star Lauren Alaina.
For the fourth week in a row, the performers will be playing in-the-round and acoustic, with no audience, no backing band, and a very minimal crew on site manning the sound and cameras. It’s part of the continuing effort to keep the Opry’s “Circle” from remaining unbroken during these troubling times. It will be the 4,918th consecutive time the Grand Ole Opry has broadcast on Saturday night in its 94-year-old history.
Though the City of Nashville continues to be under shelter-in-place restrictions, the mayor has made an exception for the Grand Ole Opry, which is following strict health protocols. “As our city takes necessary public health measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, the Opry’s Saturday broadcast will be an important reminder to Nashvillians and millions of people around the world that the music will always continue playing in Music City,” says Nashville Mayor John Cooper.
The Grand Ole Opry has postponed all Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday night performances for the time being. However, the Opry has vowed to keep the Saturday night tradition going as long as they can, with Marty Stuart, Vince Gill, and Brad Paisley playing the first official week of quarantine, and Vince Gill and Amy Grant with their two daughters performing last week.
Fans can watch live via the embedded player below, on the new Circle Network via local affiliates of the expanding channel (check availability), or on the Circle Network’s Facebook Page, or on The Circle Network’s YouTube page, or listen via WSM. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. Central.
April 4, 2020 @ 12:39 pm
I’m not gonna lie I’ve watched and loved the first 2 and many other live streams recently including Josh Ward, Steel Blossoms, and Jon Pardi. Ward Davis is doin one tonight as well. I’m very thankful for all of them especially the ones that leave em up to watch at your leisure, but you just don’t know how much you start missing the other instruments til they’re not ever there. I miss the bass & drums. Sure I know I can watch live band videos etc…I’m just talking about the current streaming scenarios. I really miss live music in person too.
April 4, 2020 @ 2:18 pm
It’s true. Been watching a lot of livestreams, and I was far too excited when Jamie Lin Wilson played a (gasp) electric guitar the other day. Hell, at this point I miss harmony of any kind. I wish they’d do more of that on these Opry shows, since they actually can.
April 4, 2020 @ 2:58 pm
Anarcho-feminist-thot-country represent! I guess my dream of hard working local (to Nashville) country stalwarts getting a shot at online exposure withers on the vine. Sorry Robert’s Western World. Sorry to all the far more talented individuals.
April 4, 2020 @ 3:38 pm
What??? Since when are any of these 3 supremely talented ladies “thots”…. so you’re saying only people local to Nashville should get airplay and talent is solely dependent on who is the closest to Music Row? Get outta here lol
April 4, 2020 @ 4:24 pm
Terri Clark has been a member of the Opry for like 15 yrs or so and she actually shows up and plays numerous times a year unlike some big name members. So good on her and the other 2 ladies for keeping tradition alive.
April 4, 2020 @ 5:23 pm
The point of my comment was that genuine artist are struggling, while Opry management keeps pushing their broad (no pun intended) based woke corporate agenda. Look at the roster of out of work musicians from lower Broadway, setting up online streams with only marginal support from the honky tonkys that employ them. It’s a golden opportunity to highlight actual country music, but corporate hive mind rules supreme…
April 4, 2020 @ 5:45 pm
Musiccityman,
With all due respect, I don’t think there’s any “agenda” here. Terri Clark is an Opry member, Ashley McBryde just released a record, and Lauren Alaina is a newer artists they likely selected to attract the younger crowd. Did the Opry have an agenda to exclude women on the first week when they booked Marty Stuart, Vince Gill, and Brad Paisley?
I totally agree it would be cool to see some lower Broadway artists here, but the Opry is trying to attract a crowd and raise money for a cause that’s actually going to the less fortunate musicians, side personnel, etc., so let’s not act like some assault has happened here here. I’m not a huge Lauren Alaina fan, but I think they’ve done a good job curating these shows under extremely difficult circumstances. They may not fit my taste. My lineups would be much different. But I think the Opry is doing a good job trying to appeal to everyone.
April 4, 2020 @ 9:49 pm
Thank you for
replying Kyle. While I respectfully disagree, you have a valid point.
April 5, 2020 @ 7:42 am
Trig,
Didn’t Lauren Alaina release her first album 9 years ago? How is she new?
Are acts considered new until they actually achieve some big success?
April 5, 2020 @ 9:34 am
They booked Lauren Alaina to appeal to the younger, radio-listening demographic of country. “New” country as opposed to “classic” or “traditional” country. That’s all I meant. She was a little dramatic, but I though she did a really good job.
April 4, 2020 @ 10:07 pm
You have a bizarre misconception that the Opry’s nationally broadcast show is supposed to be a venue for out-of-work or struggling local artists to perform.
The program’s purpose is to be a venue for country music stars (or the nearest thing to stars that they can get) to perform.
April 5, 2020 @ 1:01 am
I guess I just think a huge corporation could use this unprecedented opportunity to highlight musicians who literally make real country music every day of the year. Silly me, right? Why nurture a dieing flame when there is “woke” points to be tallied.
(Also if you think the Opry is a “venue for stars”, you’re about 40 years behind the times. The Grand Ol’ Opry ain’t so grand anymore.)
April 5, 2020 @ 8:10 am
Musiccityman,
This week’s choice is slightly less boring than last week’s primarily non-C(c)ountry lineup was. I have no idea what last week was about
The first week would’ve been a home run if they hadn’t of included Paisley. But it’s obvious they wanted 3 pickers on that night.
I don’t see an agenda. And I think I have a track record of pointing out agendas. Last night was a girl’s night. Big deal. Two out of the 3 women they chose are relatively country sounding. The inclusion of Alaina was strange. It was a pretty vanilla lineup in my opinion.
Trigger showed more of an agenda than the Opry did, when he referred to them as “strong country music women”.
I honestly don’t want to hear nobodies from Broadway on The Grand Ole Opry.
I want them to mix it up though. They should have a writer-focused night, maybe Tom T Hall is joined by Jamey Johnson and Mo Pitney, or Steve Wariner. I’m just throwing names out.
They seem to choosing folks that don’t need a band, for obvious reasons.
April 4, 2020 @ 4:16 pm
I can’t find Circle TV on my Dishnet program of channels. Does anyone know what channel it is on?
April 4, 2020 @ 4:26 pm
You can try searching via zip code here. And then look for the corresponding local channel on Dish. It’s not available in all areas.
https://www.circleplus.com/how-to-watch/
April 4, 2020 @ 5:00 pm
Will be watching via youtube livestream.
April 4, 2020 @ 5:08 pm
Another three artists tonight, and Bobby Bones. Yes, Bobby Bones. Oh well.
First two songs, Terri and Ashley. May take a pee break while they go to number three.
April 4, 2020 @ 7:38 pm
I don’t know how Bobby Bones manages to always appear to be in over his head? He reminds me of the weekend morning weather guy constantly filling in for the weeknight guy.
‘. . . keep the Opry’s “Circle” from remaining unbroken.’
If anybody could be counted on to do just that it would be Bobby Bones.
April 4, 2020 @ 6:10 pm
I watched the livestream. All of them did just fine.
April 4, 2020 @ 7:26 pm
Ya know one of the things about being an (out of work) video engineer for a living is being able to watch multiple things simultaneously on an 80 inch screen with a switch and multiple source inputs (laptop – TiVo/YouTube) tonight that came to fruition. Watching the Opry live and Ward Davis at the same time was the highlight of my isolated evening. Bouncing back and forth in real time was more fun than I ever could’ve imagined. Ward was so real and incredible that made me love him even more. I’d never tell him that the one one night he and Lauren Alaina were playing here at the same time my lazy old ass chose Lauren out of convenience. (I love Ward and have seen him 5 times) Just like the night 5 weeks ago Sunny and Cody were playing here 40 miles apart and I couldn’t be at both so I chose Cody and saw one of the, if not best show I’d ever seen. Grateful for what I have not what I don’t.
April 5, 2020 @ 4:15 am
Until this particular broadcast of the Opry, I always thought Lauren Alaina was a country-poptart with sugary sweet country-pop songs. In this show, she revealed a new side (to me) with some pretty decent hard-hitting songs. I was surprised at how good she sings and that she tackles stronger material. Terri Clark and Ashley McBride were great as usual and showed some above average guitar skills. I especially enjoyed the traditional country medley and the harmonies sounded great. Its pretty cool to know they quickly worked up that arrangement. The ending – with a heartfelt tribute to Joe Diffie – was wonderful. I am liking the Opry’s acoustic presentations. This is just like attending a songwriters’ round in Twangtown.
April 5, 2020 @ 7:43 am
I just glimpsed last week.I am not sure when we lost Jan Howard so if they mentioned it last week my bad.I know they showed a picture before the show but it looks like they would have had at least a vocal mention on the show.dish network channel studio channel 102.the play the previous week at 6 and the new one at 7 cst. or have the last several weeks.
April 5, 2020 @ 9:32 am
The news about Jan Howard broke quite literally when Vince Gill was on stage at the Opry last week. He did make some remarks about it. Might have been cool to perform a Jan Howard song last night as well. But I don’t fault them. There’s been a lot of death in country music lately even without the Coronavirus.
April 5, 2020 @ 11:31 am
My review of last night that is of no concern to anyone I suppose:
1. Terri Clark – AUTHENTIC. That is the word that kept coming to my mind while watching her performances. Good guitar playing as well. She is very comfortable in this setting. Terri is good, always has been.
2. Ashley McBryde – EVEN A GOOD SINGER WHEN STRIPPED DOWN. She is a tremendous singer even when it is just her and the guitar. She seemed a bit “wooden” in her presence but that is no doubt due to circumstance or possible experience. Ashley will keep getting better, And she is already great!
3. Lauren Alaina – POTENTIAL. The first thought that came to me was a Carrie Underwood clone. Too talkative and seemed to have the same excess of emotions that Carrie often has. Having said that, her vocal performances were better than what I had anticipated. In my perception, when she finds her own place she could be formidable. She could kill some classics if she wanted to. Hopefully she will want to.
4. The Group – So glad for the Joe Diffey “John Deere Green” honor. Joe was great.
5. Bobby Bones – Rather not say.
6. Jan Howard – This should be given a pass; however it should definitely get a mention on the next show.
Until next Saturday.
April 5, 2020 @ 3:00 pm
not placing blame or real heated about it.the passing of joe diffie was a bigger shock especially the way he passed and he did have way bigger chart success. But mrs. Howard was a Opry member for a long ,long time.I thought the show was excellent Saturday night except Bobby bones.I don’t hate the guy but he doesn’t add anything to the show why not just let the opry annoucer do it.
April 5, 2020 @ 7:46 pm
I assume it’s a contract thing with the Circle TV thing.
April 5, 2020 @ 7:52 pm
Yes, it feels very much like a contractual obligation. I’m not sure if Bobby Bones even wants to be doing it at this point.
April 5, 2020 @ 7:45 pm
Both Lauren and Carrie came about via American Idol so I’m not real surprised by the slightly overly dramatic touches they both have (as it was strongly encouraged on the show to get people to vote for them).
April 6, 2020 @ 1:59 pm
Good show. Loved Terri Clark and Ashley McBryde, though Lauren Alaina clearly has the best sound when she isn’t oversinging or singing crappy songs.
The best part, though, was watching it post-livestream. Skipping past every second of Bobby Bones was awesome.
April 7, 2020 @ 8:57 pm
If it wasn’t for the Bobby Bones, that would’ve been a pretty close to perfect show. All three of those ladies can sing (I’ve been a Terri Clark fan since the first time I heard “Better Things To Do” Ashley McBride is phenomenal, and I’d never heard of Lauren Alaina before this, but she’s got talent), and two of them can play guitar really well (kudos to the guy playing guitar for Lauren Alaina, he was talented as well).
I wish they hadn’t cut to that moronic scumbag Bobby Bones (I’ve hated that douchenozzle since his days on the radio in Austin) during the Joe Diffie tribute. That was really something up until that point. Hell, just get rid of him altogether, if not forever, at least through the pandemic, and have someone like Marty Stuart or Brad Paisley lead and host from the stage while performing.
April 8, 2020 @ 9:17 pm
I really could do without Bobby Bones. He’s not being his usual ass self but somehow it still feels like he is making it about him.
And why do they cut out the last song every damn time! That seems rude.
April 15, 2020 @ 12:57 pm
I’m late to this threat but.. I am watching this on youtube right now while I have some spare time at work. Damn someone shut bobby bones up. His voice is annoying. Thank goodness for the mute button.
The girls sound great!