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San Jose, CA
June 1, 2002
Hillbilly-News.com attended WSM's Grand
Ole Opry during its visit to Nashville while attending the International
Country Music Conference. The visit to the Opry was a perfect way to
cap a weekend devoted to the study of Country Music history. And a chance
to see how the Opry had changed since our last visit, when stars such
as Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff were performing.
It was a perfect hot summer afternoon in Nashville, and the first thing
noticed was the new shopping mall complex called Opry Mills that had
replaced the Opryland Amusement Park. We attended the first show Saturday
night and our tickets were what any fan with a camera would have enjoyed.
On a center aisle, about 15-20 rows from the stage.
We came to see many of the stars that you will find on this site during
your visit - Little Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner, Jumping Bill Carlisle,
Billy Walker Jeannie Seely and Jimmy C. Newman. Stars of the new generation were also
there such as Lorrie Morgan and Sammy Kershaw, Mark Snider, the Whites,
Riders in the Sky, the Wilkinsons, Elizabeth Cook, Pinmonkey, the Del McCroury
Band, along with the Opry Square Dance band and the Ralph Sloan Dancers.
Handling the emcee chores that night was Hairl Hensley.
We attended as a fan and hope you enjoy some of the photos from our
visit.
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