They’re going to have this at the Opry house at 10 am CT on August 14th. Because Seely (Who passed away August 1st) appeared on the Opry 5,398 times. Thursday, they make it 5,399 times. However, I have an issue with that. See, right off the bat whomever writes stuff like that doesn’t get it. They don’t REALLY know what to make of all this, do they?
They don’t grasp the concept of the Opry or realize just what the Opry is. It is a place for us fans (just because I wrote this, and run this, I am NO GREATER a fan than you are) to gather weekly and see an assortment of artists we know and love. And once you are a member you are in forever. I consider Hank Williams a part of the Opry, and they cannot change that nor can you.
Jeannie Seely is an irreplaceable fixture on the Opry, and although she didn’t have a long list of albums and hit singles, she had more integrity and respect for Country Music than anyone I could name. She was the type of person that looked upon Wanda Jackson with as much awe as I did at Muddy Roots one year.
Wanda Jackson appeared at one of the Nashville Boogie festivals that Muddy Roots had in the Opryland Hotel a few years ago, and she appeared in the Nashville Palace. Jeannie and her husband joined my booth for the show. I noticed the same joy in her as I had seeing her perform again. I mean Wanda Jackson IS ROCKABILLY…right?
Ever since that time we met, she remembered my name and always greeted me with a smile and asked who I was writing about now or next? Right now we need the direction that the Opry is headed with membership, as just a few nights ago they invited Kathy Mattea! We need a new group of Grand Ol Ladies to join forces on the weekends that they aren’t touring.
I mean listen folks in today’s day and age Country Music couldn’t be any better than it is currently now at this state right here on the forefront. I have 100% confidence that things will indeed get thousands of times better than it has. Pop Country has rapidly been fading away into obscurity and being overshadowed by what is real. The wolves are waking up the sheep.
You see, Jeannie Seely has never left the Opry, nor have any of the others. Their spirit is forever imbedded in the Opry or my heart. Ghosts are all over the place on the Opry. She IS there….5,398 indeed.
You just don’t get it, do you?
This Thursday her memorial service will be live streamed HERE
