Gina Keltner is the Director of Opry Talent.
Jeannie Seely is one of the regular performers on the show that made country music famous.
She is known for her quick wit and ability to engage with the crowd. She welcomes new artists into the fold in a matriarch manner. Whether they are making their debut appearance or returning as they continue to build their music careers, if she is making the introduction, she does her homework, sharing a little bit who they are with the audience.
According to Seely, the matriarch of the Opry family is Loretta Lynn, who is unable to be at the Opry for health reasons. If she was there, I hope I do what she would do. When I first arrived at the Opry, I remember. I saw that she was on a bench. She moved over and told them to sit down and talk to her.
After hearing a few things, she had some questions of her own.
She told Seely that he was going to be great. They will love you because I can say you love it. That was the end result.
The photo of Jeannie Seely was taken by Michael Ochs and is in the United States.
Seely was a member of the Opry. She recorded and released her signature song, "Don't Touch Me", in the year after she recorded and released it.
She was honored to introduce a new group at the show after she celebrated her 55th. The Chapel Hart is this time.
Seely says that he was allowed to do that because he loves the Opry. On my 55th birthday, I introduced Chapel Hart.
Chapel Hart has Danica Hart and Jeannie Seely.
Even though it might not have been the best career move, Seely has been devoted to performing on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years.
For a long time, if you wanted to remain a member of the Opry, you had to give up half of your weekends. Some of the people left because they were giving up money on the road when they used to go to the Opry 26 Saturdays. I looked at what mattered the most to me. My idea of success is being able to do what you want to do, even if you don't have a lot of money.
Over the past five-and-a-half decades, she has made her mark in moving things forward for women. She pushed for women to be allowed to serve as Opry hosts, something that was reserved for men until she broke through in the 90s.
Jeannie Seely and Stonewall Jackson were performing at the Grand Ole Opry. Robert Alexander poses for a picture.
Seely changed the way women dressed after she took to the stage.
She said that it was a freak thing. The significance wasn't what I was wearing, but that it broke the mold of what everyone else was wearing. I moved here from California, and I saw the magazines of the girls wearing gingham and ruffles, but I didn't think that was appropriate for them.
When she made her first appearance, she wore what she wanted to wear and changed things for other people.
After I wore what I wanted to wear, the rest of them said they wouldn't iron those gingham ruffles anymore. Some went to pant suits like Jan Howard, some went to sequined ones. The woman went to the dresses. The significance of that is that everyone can do their own thing.
Seely has been a solo artist, a duet partner, and a writer throughout her career. She is a host on Willie's Roadhouse.
Singer/Songwriter Jeannie Seely performs at a concert. The photo was taken by Rick Diamond.
Seely co- wrote her first bluegrass hit last year. RhondaVincent recorded a song called "If I Could" and it went all the way to the top of the charts.
I just adore Rhonda. Since then, she and I have co-written a couple of other things and I have another song on her bluegrass album that I started writing 16 years ago.
The notes for that song were lost when her home was destroyed.
The notes went down the river in the flood and Seely couldn't remember them. There was a sudden reappearance of the lyrics to me.
The Midnite Jamboree, once held at Seely's record shop on Lower Broadway, is being brought back. The shop isn't open anymore. A group of new owners, including Tubb's grandson, are working on a new show with a new format that will be recorded live.
Seely hosted her 55th Opry after party there.
She is excited about this. The Midnite Jamboree will give a lot of acts a new platform because it will be live, you will have your studio audience, and it will be on WSM AM 650 and W SM Online.
Seely has a number of projects in the works, including an autobiography, a documentary, and more hits as a writer. She has always wanted to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It is not something you can do, but if it did, I would be so honored. I hope it can happen while I am still active because I want to be involved with it.
Grand Ole Opry members and friends perform during the 40th anniversary of the show. The photo was taken by Rick Diamond.
Seely has no intentions of slowing down. She doesn't think about age at all.
I don't think about it as much as others do.
When she was in her 40s, people told her she was too old to record things. The same thing happened back then.
You are more interested in how long I have been here than in what I am doing. It didn't make sense to me.
She says her refusal to accept defeat is one of the things that motivates her today.
We are our own worst enemy when it comes to this because if someone pushes us to the side, they will win. I won't accept it. If I can change it or do something about it, I will, but if I can't, I'll do something else. You didn't lose me.
She talked about her 60th anniversary at the Opry. Keep looking for big things from Jeannie Seely.
Singer/Songwriter & Jeannie Seely performs on the Grand Ole Opry. The photo was taken by Rick Diamond.
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