THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040041
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
WHEN HE DIED in Virginia Beach 27 years ago at age 73, I wonder how many of George D. Hay's neighbors at the Mayflower Seaside Apartments knew he was the man who gave the Grand Ole Opry its name.
On CBS tonight starting at 9, many of the performers who appear on ``The Grand Ole Opry 70th Anniversary'' special give tribute to Hay, who lies buried in a Norfolk cemetery.
``He came up with the name one day before a program called the `WSM Barn Dance' was about to be broadcast,'' reminisces Bill Anderson, one of more than 50 performers, young and old, who do their stuff on the two-hour special.
When the New York Metropolitan Opera signed off on NBC, the ``Barn Dance'' came on next, inspiring WSM announcer Hay to say something like, ``You've been listening to grand opera. Now it's time for grand old opry.''
The name stuck. The Opry became a showcase for country and western artists from the 1920s to the present. Even today, when making it in music means being seen on high-tech, fast-moving MTV, The Nashville Network or Country Music Television, performers are dying to be accepted into the Grand Ole Opry family.
On tonight's broadcast, young, powerfully talented Martina McBride looks positively thrilled to sing at the Opry. No doubt about it. Country is cool.
Joe Hoppel, who is in his 41st year as a disc jockey with the WCMS stations here, interviewed Hay shortly before his death, and remembers a man who was lonely, bitter and in conflict with those who were running the Grand Ole Opry. He lived his last five years in Virginia Beach.
Hay never came out and said so directly, but Hoppel got the impression that he had been forced out of the Opry and into retirement. It probably broke his heart because he no longer tooted the horn that signed on the broadcast. From what I've heard, Hay left the Opry believing that the broadcast should be elitist, that there was no place there for the drums, brass and amplification that many artists wanted to bring into the country sound.
``He represented the prim and proper side to country music. God bless him,'' says Marty Stuart on tonight's special. If Hay could see tonight's CBS celebration of the Opry, he would be pleased because the producers have made it a prim and proper salute, which is not to say it doesn't rock a little.
Near the end of the two hours, Hank Williams Jr. struts on stage to join Alan Jackson - he of the snow-white 10-gallon hats - to revive the Hank Williams song about minding one's own business.
``If you mind your own business, you won't be minding mine. . . ''
Jackson says, ``It's really early rock 'n' roll.''
Now don't let that comment chase you country traditionalists away from the special on CBS tonight. This is a night of vintage country music, including bluegrass, when the stars of today come forward to sing the music of the early performers at the ``Opry.''
No sooner does Ernest Tubb's name came up than Carlene Carter and Hank Ketchum pop up on camera singing about walking the floor over you.
In one of the special's best moments, Lorrie Morgan sings that song about candy kisses made famous by her father, the late George Morgan. He appears in a film clip just behind her shoulder singing right along with his daughter.
``We produced the show with the deepest respect for this great institution,'' said co-producer Gary Smith.
It shows.
There is much to enjoy here. I had a knee-slapping, toe-tapping good time watching the preview tape. Watched it twice. I have two favorite moments.
One came when 18 women who are among the best country singers in the business showed up on stage together to sing a tribute to Minnie (``Howdee!'') Pearl, who isn't feeling too well these days.
``The cooperation was wonderful,'' said Smith. ``These people are stars in their own right and used to being in the spotlight all alone. It was from a sense of family, of worshipping at the mother church of country music, that so many of them came together for this special.''
My second-favorite: The salute to bluegrass music and the man who is given credit for creating it, eightysomething Bill Monroe. He appeared on camera to do a little two-step and take a look at a huge bust of himself that will occupy a corner of the Opry. Before that, Roy Clark broke out his five-string banjo to start the bluegrass music flowing.
``I'll hush up my mug if you fill up my jug with some of that good ol' mountain dew.''
They don't write songs like that anymore.
It's also a moment to remember when Chet Atkins and Don Gibson appear on stage together to sing about the lonesome blues. Ray Price also sings. So does Little Jimmy Dickens. And it all gets started with Dolly Parton leading a star-spangled chorus in a verse or two of the ``Wabash Cannonball.''
``From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shores. . . ''
This program is a hoot, just perfect to keep your mind off the Christmas bills that will start arriving soon. And you get to see Parton perform when she was just a kid. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Alan Jackson will appear on tonight's tribute to the Grand Ole
Opry.
by CNB