[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 25, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11778-S11779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE GRAND OLE OPRY
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 286, which was submitted
earlier today.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the
resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 286) commending the Grand Ole Opry on
the occasion of its 80th anniversary for its important role
in the popularization of country music and for its 8 decades
of musical and broadcast excellence.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to,
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon
the table.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 286) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 286
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is a pioneer of commercial radio
in the United States, and is the longest running continuous
radio program in the United States, having operated since
November 28, 1925, and having broadcasted over 4,000
consecutive Saturday evening shows on WSM Radio, Nashville,
Tennessee;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry played an integral role in the
commercial development of the country music industry, and in
establishing Nashville, Tennessee, as ``Music City USA'';
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry has consistently promoted the
best in live entertainment and provided a distinctive forum
for connecting country music fans to musicians so as to
promote the popularity of this uniquely American genre;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry serves as a unique American icon
that enshrines the rich musical history of country music, and
preserves the tradition and character of the genre through
commemorative performances and events;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is committed to quality
performances, and the membership of the Grand Ole Opry
represents the elite of country music performers, including
generations of America's most talented musicians,
encompassing the music legends of old and the superstars of
today that continue to define American country music;
Whereas performers at the Grand Ole Opry have included such
universally recognized names as Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins,
Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Porter Wagoner, Little Jimmy
Dickens, Connie Smith, Earl Scruggs, George Jones, Grandpa
Jones, Loretta Lynn, Uncle Dave Macon, Dolly Parton, Minnie
Pearl, Jim Reeves, Hank Williams, and many more;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry celebrates the diversity of
country music, with membership spanning both generation and
genre, representing the best in folk, country, bluegrass,
gospel, and comedy performances;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry continues to utilize
technological innovations to develop new avenues of
connecting country music to its fans, and can be seen and
heard around the world via television, radio, satellite
radio, and the Internet;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry provides heartening support to
members of the Armed Forces by participating in the
Department of Defense's America Supports You Program,
providing live performances to American Forces serving abroad
via the American Forces Radio and Television Services
network;
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is recognized as the world's
premiere country music show, and continues to entertain
millions of fans throughout the world, including United
States Presidents and foreign dignitaries, and serves as an
emissary of American music and culture; and
Whereas the Grand Ole Opry will continue to impact American
culture and music, and play an important role in presenting
the best in country music to new generations of fans
throughout the world, touching millions with music and
comedy: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate commends the Grand Ole Opry on
the occasion of its 80th anniversary for its important role
in the popularization of country music, and for its 8 decades
of musical and broadcast excellence.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Tennessee is
recognized.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I join the majority leader in the
resolution that I have cosponsored honoring the Grand Ole Opry on its
80th birthday.
I ask unanimous consent to bring on the Senate floor this piece of
demonstrative evidence which I hold in my hand and to which I will
refer in a moment.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Those of us of a certain age will recognize this straw
hat with a garland of flowers and a price tag that says $1.98 as the
kind of hat that Minnie Pearl wore on the Grand Ole Opry on Friday and
Saturday nights every year for about 40 years. Most of the time, Minnie
Pearl was the Grand Ole Opry, along with Roy Acuff. She welcomed people
with: Howdy, I'm so proud to be here. I didn't say it the way she would
always say it. Thousands and thousands of Americans sat on the
uncomfortable wooden pews in the back of the Ryman Auditorium and later
at the Opry to watch this radio show. One of those was a young man from
Minnesota named Garrison Keillor, who, in the 1970s, sat back there and
imagined the show which we call today ``The Prairie Home Companion.''
A couple weekends ago, I was the guest announcer on the Grand Ole
Opry. They didn't trust me with the Goo Goo candy bar commercial or
with the 7 p.m. show which is nationally televised, so I was on at 8.
But I did get to do the Martha White flour commercial and to introduce
Porter Waggoner three times.
There is nothing quite like the Grand Ole Opry. There are 3,400
people out there every Friday night, every Saturday night, now
sometimes on Tuesdays. Flashbulbs are popping. Everybody is having a
good time.
There was Jimmy C. Newman from Louisiana who next year will be on the
Grand Ole Opry for 50 years. There was Susan Haynes, the daughter of my
law school roommate. This is her first year on the Grand Ole Opry.
There was Carol Lee and Nora Lee, the back-up singers. They have been
there a long time, too.
[[Page S11779]]
At 7 o'clock, there was Vince Gill who ended his hour-long session
with a piece of jazz music. The Grand Ole Opry is getting more
diversified. There was Keith Bilbrey backstage interviewing people. He
was explaining what Charlie McCoy, the great harmonicist, once said
about the four stages of being a country music star which sound a lot
like being a politician. Stage No. 1 is, Who is Charlie McCoy? Stage
No. 2 is, Get me Charlie McCoy. Stage No. 3 is, Get me somebody who
sounds like Charlie McCoy. And stage No. 4 is, Who is Charlie McCoy?
The Opry was started so that the National Life and Accident Insurance
Company could sell debit insurance. They got a big tower in Nashville.
I think it is 50,000 watts. So all the people who were on little radio
stations came to Nashville so they could be on the big radio station.
That is when Roy Acuff and Chet Atkins and Archie Grandpappy Campbell
and Dolly Parton all moved from east Tennessee to Nashville. If you
understand how important the Alamo is to Texas, you will understand how
important the Grand Ole Opry is to Tennesseans, not just Tennesseans
but many Americans, the 3,400 who every Friday and Saturday night have
gone to thousands and thousands of these radio shows.
No one represented the Opry in its spirit better than Minnie Pearl.
There is a photograph of Minnie in dressing room No. 1 backstage, which
was Roy Acuff's dressing room until he died, which was the dressing
room that Vince Gill was using on the night I was there as the guest
announcer. There on the wall was a picture of a young Minnie Pearl in
the early 1940s with this hat or a hat similar to this one.
Where did this $1.98 price tag come from? I heard the story that
night for the first time. Minnie was performing on the Opry. She pinned
a garland of flowers to her hat. And during her performance, this price
tag wiggled down and started dangling from her hat. She left it there
for the next 40 years as a reminder that anybody can make a mistake and
it is all right to make one.
Minnie Pearl was a talented woman who wanted to be Katharine Hepburn.
As she said, that was already taken. She set a standard of conduct and
style for the Grand Ole Opry that lasts and persists until today, and
that style was simply that she was just a very nice person. She would
sign the last autograph; she would say hello to anyone; she would pay a
call on a Grand Ole Opry family member who was sick; she would see the
last fan who had waited for 2 hours after the show.
Minnie Pearl told me one time: I have gotten to the point in life
where I have decided if people are not nice, they are not so hot in my
book no matter how big they are.
So in the spirit of Minnie Pearl and all of the thousands of
Americans who have created and enjoyed the Grand Ole Opry, happy 80th
birthday, Grand Ole Opry.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
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