FROM THE (CLUTTERED) DESK OF JEANNIE SEELY
February 2013
We have a new website look and I'm so proud of it! Once again I thank Ron Harman for his ideas, input and efforts to make me look good!
I will try to re-cap the last several months....going back to May of last year, Gene and I flew out to Las Vegas to attend my nephew Cole's Motocross race and meet up with all of our West Coast family. Unfortunately Cole wasn't able to race due to an injury he received in the race in Salt Lake City a few weeks earlier. But the upside was we got to spend a little more time with him and really enjoyed being with him and younger brother Chance at a family picnic. They are so funny....typical siblings joking around with each other. Normally we only get to see Cole for a few minutes in the pits during his interviews and photo ops.
One of the highlights in June was working Wisconsin Dells, WI, with Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Moe Bandy and Janie Fricke. There was a mix up on our reservations, so all of us, except Moe and his band, were housed in a huge family condo! What could have been a problem turned out to be a really wonderful time ....we went out for a nice dinner and came back and sat around the fireplace and enjoyed each other's company. The next morning they brought us breakfast and we all started the day at the table....just like family!
For the first time in many years I got to see the fireworks on the 4th of July! I have always had puppies who don't like them so I always stayed away to protect them. This time my friend Helen Cornelius agreed to puppy-sit Cheyenne so that Gene and I could join a group of friends and take the General Jackson Dinner Cruise down to Riverfront Park and watch the fireworks from the boat. It was absolutely amazing to see them from the water, sitting practically under them! It was an experience I would recommend to anyone. It was also a great way to celebrate my birthday early....July 6th you know....mark your calendars!
August was a very busy month, starting with the filming of Larry's Country Diner Christmas Show....hopefully all of you got to see that. It always seems strange to be getting into my Ms. Santa outfit when its 90 degrees outside but it was a lot of fun....I think I even bought a few Christmas gifts after that! Had a great time visiting with my friends Steve and Carla Hunter when we worked Renfro Valley with John Conlee and T.G. Sheppard and got to introduce them to Lee and Becca Thompson who accompanied us on that trip. Cheyenne was along also and of course stole the show.
We were delighted to be asked to perform at the Texas Hall of Fame Awards in Carthage, Texas, with so many of our fellow artists, including Linda Davis who calls Carthage home. They gave her a great welcome home and it was fun to meet her friends and family members. The Hall of Fame there just gets better every time I visit....congrats to Tommie Ritter Smith on all your hard work! The Sandusky County Fair was especially fun this year since I got to work with my 'agents' Moore & Moore. Carrie & Debbie opened the show and then graciously sang backup and did a feature number with me....hard to believe this is work when you're having so much fun!
Pulled out passports and headed up to Canada for a show in Regina with T.G. Sheppard and his great band. We were kind of competing with the Canadian Country Music Awards that night so we missed many of our fans up there, but we enjoyed seeing everyone who did make it out....they were so welcoming as always.
Two wonderful events happened for me in September...I was honored to celebrate my 45th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry by hosting the 7:30 portion and then later hosting the Midnite Jamboree at the Texas Troubadour Theatre. I want to thank all of my friends who came or sent messages and gifts to me that made the night even more memorable....I am so blessed to know all of you. Then Eddie Stubbs gave me the privilege of being his guest on "An Intimate Evening with Eddie Stubbs" at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Once again I was surprised at the support of my friends, especially Tim Atwood who played piano and sang a duet with me....I appreciate you Tim more than you know! And of course, my agents helped me out with a little "Rock-A-Bye Boogie"....they will steal a show too!
Our friend Joe Belinski assembled a phenomenal show called "The Grand Ole Opry Comes to Cowtown" down in Ft. Worth, Texas. The Opry cast included Bill Anderson and his Po' Folks Band, Jim Ed Brown, Little Jimmy Dickens, Connie Smith, and myself, with Johnny Counterfit doing a comedy break. Everyone is hoping this will be an annual event. We also celebrated the birthdays of Lee Thompson, Ron Harman, and my husband Gene during the month of September. We had all of Gene's family gathered for a 'family celebration' celebrating his birthday, our great grand-daughter Arden's 1st birthday, and a baby shower for our grand-daughter who would be arriving soon! Even his brother Jess and nephew Steve flew in from California, and my brother Bernie and his family came from Arizona in their motorhomes.
Part of my gift to Gene was to mark 'work' off my calendar and to pack up his motorhome for a trip....so with Lee & Becca Thompson onboard with us, we had a motorhome motorcade with Bernie & Barb and Bernie & Penni and headed for Pennsylvania. It was an eventful trip to say the least and we had a wonderful time visiting all the old home places, schools, family, and friends. We even visited the hospital in Titusville where I was born and the bank where I worked there....I am so honored that both have framed memorabilia of me on display....again I must give credit to Ron Harman, who of course thought of doing that!! I continue to thank his parents, Bud & Nina Harman for giving me and the rest of the world this very thoughtful and talented young man!
We arrived home safely, marriage and friendship with the Thompsons both still intact....just in time to welcome GiAnna Beth Ward to our family on October 17th....she is of course one of the most beautiful babies ever born! We taped a Country's Family Reunion show and then attended the Rope Banquet and Awards where I'm proud to say my husband picked up the Award for the Business Person of the Year! I was asked to speak at a Minnie Pearl Cancer Fundraiser and we all got a laugh when Brenda Lee forgot to introduce me! We were all holding our breath and saying prayers that T.G. Sheppard would get out of the hospital and be well enough to work the Isle of Capri show in Mississippi....our prayers were answered and he did an incredible performance....he is such a pro and always a pleasure to work with.
In November I was honored to be invited to speak at the Chamber of Commerce Women in Business luncheon meeting, sharing "My Journey So Far". I attempted to emphasize the business side of the music business, the trials as well as the triumphs. What a receptive audience they were in a room full of very successful women....I am most humbled. We had Gene's son and grandsons and their families all together for Thanksgiving, having dinner at John As and then coming back to our cottage on the river for dessert.....a wonderful fun and stress-free day! Then we packed our bags and headed to Ashville, NC, to meet the Thompsons, spending a couple days touring the Biltmore and the up to their condo in Gatlinburg, TN, for a 'mountain fix' before coming home.
The holiday season was really fun this year....we tried to get in just as many Christmas parties as possible, saw the Rockettes again and did some new decorations at the house. Gene's son Kevin, Beth and little GiAnna joined us for the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve and we had all the kids here for Christmas Day dinner. Having Arden and GiAnna just gave us a taste of the fun we're going to have when they get a little older and are joined by the new little boy coming in April!!
A New Year!! On Jan 10th Gene was honored with a Lifetime Board of Director membership with the Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce in appreciation for his many years of service as President, Legal Counsel and Board member. He received three standing ovations.....and a blast from a confetti cannon!
We had a marvelous time in January on the Country's Family Reunion Cruise with so many fellow artists. It was nice to spend more time with the Larry's Country Diner cast and get to know them better too....and they are just as crazy as I thought they were!! Of course it is always a pleasure to spend a little more time with all our wonderful fans....we appreciate you more than you know!
Throughout all of this time, we have been appearing at the Grand Ole Opry which is a second home to me. I always enjoy going downtown to the Ryman for a few months, but the Opry House is still home and such a source of pride to me....plus it's in my 'hood'! And we are proud also to be in our new 'digs' at the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre....in case you didn't know, we have moved to the Music Valley Village and are neighbors to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and Texas Troubadour Theater.
NOW, I HAVE to get back to working on taxes!! So we'll see you next time....I'm not promising when, but maybe I'll surprise you by writing sooner :) Have a wonderful new year, and make someone happy....it might just be you!!!
Love,
Jeannie
April 2012
Good morning everyone! It's Friday the 13th and I thought the best way to start this day would be to write a message to you....can you believe it??? It has been such a beautiful spring, and I'm afraid I just took every opportunity to be outside instead of in the office....hope you have been doing the same.
Since I'm so far behind I'll start with a quick wrap-up of the end of last year. On October 3rd I was hosting a segment of the Opry when my husband Gene got the call telling us we were new great-grandparents to a beautiful little baby girl, Arden Sue! I signed off the show saying "I've got to go hold our new baby....see you next time" and we went straight to the hospital! The proud parents are Gene's grandson Shane Bolinger and his wife Brooke. Hopefully you've seen some of the many photos we've shared. There are some here on the website....just click on the "Photo Album" page, then wait a few seconds until all the photos load. I can't believe Arden is 6 months old already!
Also in October we attended my husband's Homecoming at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. It was a pleasure for me to meet many of his classmates and hear their stories (and there were some good ones) and catch up on what they are doing today.
Last fall Shannon McCombs with WSM asked me to do some shows for the station in their celebrity DJ series....how fun! She brought her setup over here and we just talked and played some music, all from my kitchen table overlooking the Cumberland River! So many folks commented that while listening to the shows they felt like they were right here with us! When I joined Joe Limardi during his broadcast from the Opry Backstage Grill recently, he asked me to do some more of those shows....and even said he would like to come and be a guest....how cool would that be??!! Hopefully that will happen, so please stay tuned!
Gene and I had a wonderful holiday season. We rode in the Donelson Christmas parade as usual....it was a very nice day and we didn't freeze for a change! It's always so much fun to see the children's excitement along the way....I always tell them to keep watching 'cause Santa Claus is coming....I saw him! And I don't know who likes the sirens, horns, and lights on Gene's dune buggy the most....him or the kids! We were able to spend some fun times with our family and friends over the holiday season. We spent New Year's Eve on a plane flying to Hobbs, New Mexico, where we did a show on New Year's Day with Billy Troy, T.G. Sheppard, Gene Watson, and all of his fine band....what a great way to start 2012!
January is always a whirlwind of putting away Christmas decorations (did I really put up this many??!), pulling out office files and setting up new ones....and then getting ready for the Grand Ole Opry Cruise. I tried to simplify that this year, reminding myself that it's all about having a good time and making sure our guests do the same. The cruise went very well....how could you not have a good time with Jean Shepard, Jan Howard, Mandy Barnett, T.G. Sheppard, Ralph Emery and most of the Opry band with special guest Dawn Sears!! Then came the bad part....many of us got the Norovirus that makes you so deathly sick. I kept going by Jan's room to check on her and take her whatever she needed....I knew she was going to be alright when she asked me to get her some good facial cleanser even though she couldn't hold her head up....no wonder she always looks like a million dollars! Unfortunately I got ill on the plane coming home, but the angels heard my prayers and got me home before I went down....thank you Lord! You probably saw on the news where four big cruise ships were hit with that virus....and we were one of them....not the way we wanted to make the news. It was unfortunate also that I had to cancel the Country's Family Reunion Roadshow in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan....my apologies to all the fans there and thank you for your understanding. My thanks also to Teea Goans for stepping in at the last minute to replace me on the show....I know all of you enjoyed her....she's one of my favorite singers.
Gene and I took a short break away and joined our friends Lee and Becca Thompson up in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It is always so beautiful in the mountains in the spring. Gene is from East Tennessee, so he gave us a great tour of the surrounding areas with all the history. We visited Dandridge, which he told us is the second oldest town in the state. It is very quaint with an old hardware store, drugstore with a soda fountain, and of course some antique stores. We toured the Courthouse where Gene first practiced law....tried his first case there....and he won it too! Then we had lunch on the porch of an old house turned into a restaurant....Cheyenne slept through it in her carriage beside the table....a good day!
Billy Yates invited me to do "Tin Pan South" this spring, which is an annual city-wide songwriters' event here in Nashville. On the bill with us were Buddy Jewel and Eddie Heinzelman. All the proceeds go to the programs of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), including a medical clinic for writers in need. We had such a good time sharing fun stories as well as some great songs. I thank the boys for including me.
One new project that I put together this year was re-printing the book I wrote back in the 80's. It has been out of print for quite a while....then all of a sudden old copies started showing up here and there and folks started asking me about it. I then realized there is a whole new generation who has not experienced these words of questionable wisdom! I call this a 'thought book' because it is a collection of some of the thoughts I've had through the years about everything from the music business to trying to help raise children. (I didn't realize that you had to grow up first before you could be a parent!) I reprinted the book just as I had written it....but you'll have to wait until I get through with my current notes about life as a senior!! The book is titled "Pieces Of A Puzzled Mind"....You can't judge a book by its AUTHOR....which tells you it is not real serious material....Jim Ed Brown says he keeps his copy in the bathroom for quick reading!
We have a new home for the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre....we moved up to the Music Village area close to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and Texas Troubadour Theatre. The facility has been renovated and it is beautiful!....Felix the cook has a brand new kitchen and the food is even better! Diana Murrell has always put together a great show, and I'm proud that I get to perform there when our schedules permit....check us out at www.NashvilleNightlife.com. Tim Watson is often on the bill there as well....a great entertainer.
Congratulations go out to fellow Opry members Connie Smith and Garth Brooks, along with legendary keyboard player Hargus "Pig" Robbins, who were named in March as the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame! Also congratulations go out to my great-nephew, Cole Seely, on winning a Supercross race this year, and continuing to make us proud as he travels the Supercross circuit!! Gene and I are looking forward to seeing Cole race again in Las Vegas.
I was very honored to be asked to join Mayor Karl Dean at a ceremony on April 12th to celebrate the completion of a renovation project involving the historic alley located next to the Ryman Auditorium. As you probably know, the alleyway has been used by many country artists as a link between the backstage of the Ryman and the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway. Renovations on the alley recently wrapped up after eight months of work....and at the rededication ceremony they wanted me to share stories and some of the history of the alley from an Opry artist's perspective. I told the audience that when I mentioned to some of my fellow entertainers that I'd been asked to tell some stories, they said "Don't!!" I also reminded the audience at the ceremony that a lot of business was carried on in that alley....of course there was the real business and the 'monkey' business! And I told them that, for me, the thrill of following in the footsteps of all those who came before me did not just start on the Opry stage....they started there when I walked that same alley that they walked, climbed those same steps they climbed, and walked through that back door, knowing that I finally belonged.
Plans are already underway for the "Country's Family Reunion and Larry's Country Diner Cruise" in January of 2013, and I've been asked to join them. Of course I'm always happy to join Bill Anderson and everyone in that group, whether we are working or not! You can check out all the artists who will be part of the cruise....and very importantly make a reservation to join us....at www.CFRCruise.com.
I'm looking forward to a fun summer....hopefully I will see you on some of our travel dates which are listed here on the website on the "Appearance Schedule" link. Of course when I'm not on the road you can usually find me home at the Grand Ole Opry which continues to be a joy to me....and I would love to have you visit us there! Gene and I built a new deck even closer to the river, bought a new grill, and are looking forward to our children and friends coming to cook for us!! And we have vowed that we won't let another summer pass without spending more time in our motorhome....who knows....we might even see you along the way! Thank you for continuing to visit our website....and thank you for all of your nice comments. Would you do me one more favor? Would you please tell Ron Harman that this message was good??!! And tell him how much we all appreciate his help!! Until next time....God bless!
Jeannie
September 2011
Hello Everyone!
It does not seem possible that this year is going by so quickly! Why it seems like only yesterday Ron Harman was reminding me that I had not written a message to all of you since the Opry Cruise!!! Oh, yeah, that was just yesterday that he reminded me for the umpteenth time! I did, however, cook a complete dinner for Ron and Jan Howard recently, so I have been productive!! And please know that during these lapses it's not that I don't think of you all, because I certainly do....it's just that I don't do anything about it! I will try to catch up as fast as I can....
We had a wonderful time on the cruise with Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Charley Pride and newcomer Chris Young. We all enjoyed getting to know Chris and his family better and are very proud to see how well his career is doing. He is one of the new entertainers I feel is carrying on the traditional values in county music, but with the sound of his generation as it should be. After the Opry Cruise it was back home to the reality of winter....repacking and heading to Manistee, Michigan, for even more of a winter reality check. We again traveled with Jim Ed and Helen, meeting up with Bill Anderson, all the Po Folks band and Jan Howard for a show at the casino....had a great time....I don't remember winning any money though!!
I was delighted to be invited to entertain at the Cowboy Festival out in Pasco, Washington. It had been a long time since I had been out that way, and Washington is the one state Gene had never visited so we were looking forward to that trip.....and the folks out there definitely didn't let us down....they showed us a great time, seeing the sights and enjoying some good food! I was also pleasantly surprised when my singing buddy for many years, Jack Greene, showed up a day early and joined me onstage!!
Back home our whole neighborhood was buzzing with preparations for our flood anniversary party which we called "Mudstock"....we blocked off the street, escorting guests on golf carts down to the picnic area. Our guests were all the volunteers, police, area churches....anyone who assisted us during this devastating time in our lives...even our Mayor Karl Dean! We were especially happy that our new friends, Scott, Nancy, Peyton and Paxton Morgan could be with us from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that weekend too.....they just showed up in 'scruddies' a few days after the flood, introduced themselves and asked if they could help....we took them up on it.....and we've just decided to keep them! Gene had a wonderful time riding us all around in his dune buggy and on his antique fire engine.
The first weekend in May found us once again in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the World Championship Motocross races. We don't mind braggin' one bit that my great-nephew, Cole Seely, came in 2nd place in the World!! His dad Jeff got us passes to go down into the pit and see the 18-wheelers that transport his race team. Gene said he was going to meet Cole this trip if he had to stand in line with all the teenage girls to do it! We just about had to....he was busy doing interviews, talking to sponsors, etc. the whole time he wasn't on the track. Check out his website www.ColeSeely.com....pretty amazing! That's why you see Cole Seely #36 stickers on all my gear now!!
I want to say a special 'thanks' to all those who have purchased my new "Vintage Country" CD released earlier this year....and I certainly appreciate all the nice comments and feedback you've provided. In March I did an Opry Store signing and was a guest on the WSM morning show with Charlie Mattos, in April I hosted the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree and one evening in May I was a guest for a couple hours on Eddie Stubbs' program on WSM. Thanks too for the compliments from all the folks who watch RFD-TV and wrote to say how much they liked the "Larry's Country Diner" show that I was a guest on. In the spring I also taped the "Music City Late Night" show with host Ronnie McDowell...and in late June I once again enjoyed hosting the Midnite Jamboree.
Thanks also to all the fans who continue to come out to the shows and show their support....I truly appreciate you!!! Speaking of fans, I was honored to be a part of several activities related to the "CMA Music Festival"...or what some still refer to as "Fan Fair". On that Wednesday evening I performed at the Texas Troubadour Theater for Billy Yates' "Countriest of the Country" show, a fundraising event to benefit "Christmas for the Children"...I then rushed over to the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater to perform there....and then hurried on to the annual R.O.P.E. Summer Spectacular at the Al Menah Shrine Temple where I was proud to sing with duet partner Jack Greene as part of an event that also reunited Bill Anderson & Jan Howard, Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius and David Frizzell & Shelly West. The next day I hosted and performed on the "Classic Country Show" on the Chevy Stage in downtown Nashville....and it was fantastic to have Gene Watson, Rhonda Vincent, T.G. Sheppard and Moore & Moore as part of that show. The following day Gene and I flew up to Wisconsin...it was wonderful to visit Wisconsin Dells again this year with "Country's Family Reunion Roadshow"....they always treat us so well there!
Believe it or not, Gene and I took a little vacation trip...spent some time traveling the coast of North Carolina visiting with old friends and making some new ones...thanks to Kerry and Katherine Marx who allowed us to tour their unique home/studio right on the coastline with one of the most incredible views ever! I think the next time I record a CD we need to 'toil away' in that studio!! Private joke...but I think we will bring the dessert next time!!
In July we flew to Orlando for the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Convention where we opened for Opry brother Randy Travis and his fine entourage. It was so good to get to visit with Randy a little bit since everyone always keeps him busy when he has an opportunity to come home to the Opry. He is such a credit to our industry in that he made it 'okay' to be traditional!! My agents, Carrie and Debbie Moore of "Moore & Moore" fame accompanied me on that trip and joined me onstage for some good 'girlfriend' time...I'm sure our version of "Rock-A-Bye Boogie" will go down in history...!! We were very honored to be inducted into the Order of the Eagles and we thank everyone with the organization for accepting us and we promise to strive to be worthy of the honor.
My good friend and former record producer, Billy Troy, asked me to join him for a show in August at the Stateline Showroom in Hobbs, New Mexico. They are carrying on the tradition of the old Stateline Club, an historic venue where everybody in country music played at some point during their career. We shared the stage with another Opry brother, Jim Ed Brown and 'super-singer' Gene Watson and his great band.......what a good time we had.....we will be looking forward to going back! Also in August, I hosted the Source Awards by myself this year as Brenda Lee had some surgery and couldn't be there....we missed her! I said being up there without her, I kind of felt like a fizzled firecracker following "Little Miss Dynamite"! She is recovering and doing fine, we are happy to report.
Overall it has been a wonderful summer....and I got to spend time really enjoying my home again. One thing about going through something like the flood, it does make you realize what is important in your life. My friend Carolyn McClain and I decided that we really had too much 'stuff' anyway. I know now that if you are not using something, don't leave it stuck in a corner taking up your space and your energy...find someone who does need it....and there are many out there in need....we just need to be more aware of the need. Don't mean to lecture.....just think about it.
We lost three wonderful members of our Opry family this year....Charlie Louvin, Mel McDaniel and Billy Grammer....and they will each be sadly missed, but also remembered for their great songs and for their impact on country music. On July 8th I was delighted when the Oak Ridge Boys were invited to become Opry members....and I was thrilled to host the segment on which they were inducted on August 6th and introduce them as the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. The Oaks have been great ambassadors for country music, and I have the highest admiration and respect for each of them. Along with sending out my congratulations to the Oaks, I want to note how pleased and happy I am that my Opry sister Jean Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 22nd at the Medallion Ceremony...a much deserved honor! And also congratulations to Opry brother Bill Anderson who observed his 50th Opry Anniversary in July....I made a "stepping stone" for Bill to say how glad I am that he crossed my path 50 years ago! I am so honored to call these legends my friends!!
I hope you'll be able to join us for the 2012 Opry Cruise...we'll be leaving out of New Orleans....sailing from January 28th to February 4th with stops at Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Ralph Emery will serve as the host. The performers this year will be Jean Shepard, Jan Howard, Mandy Barnett, T.G. Sheppard and myself. I'm thinking they should have billed us as "The Ladies and the Ladies' Man" J....now don't any of you go telling my friend T.G. that I said that!!
Thank you as always for your interest in me, my career and my somewhat erratic and crazy life...and thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours.
My best to you always,
Jeannie Seely
January 2011
Let me start by first wishing you all a Happy New Year!! I just read my last message and couldn't help but laugh at my naive comment "I'm going to do some spring housecleaning".....little did I know at that time how DEEP my spring cleaning would be! As most of you know, I was seriously affected by the Nashville flood of May 2, 2010....losing my car and most of my possessions with three feet of water in my house. I do live right on the bank of the beautiful Cumberland River, however, the water that came through our house came from across the street when the Corps of Engineers opened the Dam on us with very little warning. I am one of the lucky ones able to rebuild my home and I am back home....with all new appliances, computer, television, DVD, radio, telephones, etc. that I don't know how to operate! My new washer and dryer now tell me what to do....which of course does not settle well with me, but they are bigger than I am and they know I need them so they can do whatever they want to....I'll adjust!
Once again let me thank all of the friends, fans and organizations who donated their time, funds and prayers during that very difficult time....it took all of you to get me through. I sincerely appreciate all the support and assistance you provided!!
It was a very busy summer for me with the rebuilding, refurnishing, decision-making and all with the house, as well as working our road dates and the Opry....but it was also a very rewarding one. We did make some great improvements on the house....I did get a new car....and I'm still working on acquiring a wardrobe....I know girls that's a tough job, huh? :) In June I was part of the "Classic County Show" with several other artists during the CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville. Our tour dates took us on some fun adventures with fellow artists on the Country Family Reunion Roadshows, and a special treat in August at the fair in Wyoming, Rhode Island, with the Grand Ladies. Jean Shepard, Jan Howard, Helen Cornelius and I have all been friends for so long, and it is always a pleasure to share dressing rooms and time onstage together. I also felt honored to once again co-host the SOURCE Awards here in Nashville with Brenda Lee during the summer....and also to perform at the Dixie Carter Performing ArtsCenter in Huntingdon, TN.
September and October got even busier....in addition to a pretty hectic road schedule, Country Family Reunion tapings, a couple of business trips to Memphis and San Francisco, the annual R.O.P.E banquet and show, the re-opening of the Opry House and a family wedding....Gene Ward and I decided to get married! So with all the other decisions I'd been trying to make....now I'm trying to plan a wedding, shop for a dress, choose invitations, caterer, etc.!! They said it couldn't be done in five weeks but we did it! On November 20, 2010, I married the most wonderful man I have ever known....that was the BEST decision I made!! We could not choose attendants from so many friends and family members so Gene just stood alone at the alter and I walked down the aisle by myself....I was going to have Cheyenne walk with me as my 'flower dog' but I wanted everyone to look at me a little bit...and I knew that wouldn't happen with her by my side! And my dress was RED....yes, a deep cranberry red with matching satin boots....so fun....and my groom was very handsome in his black tuxedo! You can see some photos here on the website on the 'Photo Album' page. We were married by Judge Bill Higgins who has been a close friend to both of us through the years....he is wonderful and funny....he said he 'doesn't tie any loose knots'! We spent the night at the newly restored Opryland Hotel in a beautiful suite that was a gift from the Grand Ole Opry. We appreciated that very much, and we were treated like royalty (eat your heart out William and Kate!) Then we took a leisurely trip to the North Carolina Coast....a trip that we had planned to take before the flood. Cheyenne was able to accompany us and enjoyed her new parents' honeymoon! We made a short stop in the mountains on our way home.
In December I was thrilled to be able to help celebrate Little Jimmy's 90th birthday at the Grand Ole Opry....and that month Gene and I also enjoyed a wonderful concert at the Bridgestone Arena by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood....what a wonderful display of generosity and support! Gene, Cheyenne and I spent a great first Christmas together very quietly at home with Christmas dinner at our grandson's new home, newlyweds Shane and Brooke Bolinger and other grandson Gregg Bolinger....and then at my other home, the Grand Ole Opry. Later that week we flew to Las Vegas to meet up with Gene's brother, Jess and Doris Ward and family from California, and my brother Bernie and Barb Seely and their family from Arizona.
I'm looking forward to the New Year and I think it's off to a good start....we just finished a new CD project (finally) called "Vintage Country" which includes some wonderful classic songs that are favorites of mine....and I think probably yours too. There will be more information about the CD on this site as well as on Facebook. And again, none of this would be possible without the assistance of Ron Harman....please thank him for me as you correspond with him....I have said I don't know what I did to deserve him, but if I did, I would do it again! Love you Ron.
My very best to all of you....as you try to keep your New Year's resolutions....don't be too hard on yourself....remember....you can always make them again next year! Most important of all, enjoy your life....it's the only one you get!! And time goes by so very quickly....so don't put off what you want to enjoy!!
I've got to go pack for the Opry Cruise....so we will pick it up from here next time......See Ya!
Jeannie
April 2010
Hi Everyone,
Hope you are having a wonderful Spring! I'm so ready for it myself....2010 has been a busy year so far. As usual, I start out each year by being just as ready to put the Christmas decorations away as I was to get them out....only not as much fun! Then once that is done, I start pulling out last year's files so that I don't have a blonde senior moment and mix up my receipts and complicate tax time even more. Then....it's time to get ready for the Opry Cruise!! The cruise went exceptionally well this year....everything went so smoothly and it was such a fun group....a lot of 'longtime friends', neighbors, and some wonderful new friends. Of course I can't tell you all that happened because 'what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise'....except of course for what Carolyn McClain tells at the Nashville Nightlife and John Hobbs tells at John A's!!
January also brought a lot of friends together to tape more Country Family Reunion shows, and as always we shared some special songs and stories. I especially enjoyed the stories from Billy Grammer and it was so good to have him visit with us. One of the very special highlights also for me was getting to sing a song with my duet partner of so long ago, Jack Greene. We had not sung on television together in close to 30 years. We did "Waltz Across Texas" in kind of a tribute to Ernest Tubb since he brought us together on his TV show back in the late sixties. Jack and I also just recorded this for a new CD project Jack is doing which features duets with many of our peers. I think he is singing better than ever and that is saying something!
Along with the Country Family Reunion series, they added a new show this year...A Songwriters Reunion. I was very thrilled to be invited to participate in this show which featured some of the greatest songwriters of our time, including my ex-husband, Hank Cochran. Hank has been very ill fighting a tough battle with cancer and commented on his "chemo brain", but from some of his quips off-camera I'd say he has certainly maintained his quick wit! I hesitate to try to mention other writers knowing I would miss one and there is not one who should be missed.....definitely watch for this special.
Late last year we recorded an 'Opry Legends Gospel Favorites' CD, and I am honored to be a part of that project. I sang "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" which is one of my personal favorites. I remember that when I was a child and told my mother I didn't think I knew how to pray, she told me that I could talk with God just like I would talk with a friend......and her suggestion has certainly worked for me. In February we did a DVD taping of those gospel songs and I can't wait to see it.....I was enthralled by what I saw the night of the show and I hope you will be watching for it. Volume One of the CD includes gospel songs by Jimmy Dickens, Connie Smith, Ray Price, Stu Phillips, Jack Greene, Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, The Whites, Charlie Louvin and myself. Volume Two will follow later.
I have also taken time out this year to have some fun with friends on trips to Washington DC, where I got to tour the White House and eat in the Congressional dining room, and to Gatlinburg to see spring come to the mountains....finally!!!
My congratulations to friend Karen Wheeler on her performance as "Tootsie" in the musical "One Kiss Cafe" at the Country Music Hall of Fame's Ford Theater. Most of you know how much I love theatre and it was fun to see this show.
My little brother Ron will keep you posted on where I'll be performing throughout the year, so check the 'Appearances' page of my website for those dates and shows. He also continues to add new photos to the 'Photo Album' page, and will be glad to add any photos taken of you and me to the 'Fan Photo Scrapbook'. Just send those to Ron in care of the email address provided at the bottom of that page. And in case you didn't know, we're already planning for the 2011 Opry Cruise which will be sailing from January 30th to February 6th of next year. Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Charley Pride, Chris Young, and I will all be performing on the Royal Caribbean's 'Mariner of the Seas' cruise ship. We'd love to have you along too!!
I'm concentrating right now on spring house cleaning, some new changes in the house, lawn, and yes....wardrobe!!! I'm also enjoying our spring weather now....getting ready to plant some new things in my yard. I'm hoping to spend a little more leisure time ......time with family, friends and most of all Cheyenne, who will be eleven on May 12th.....I don't want to waste a minute I have with her! And I hope all of you take more leisure time for yourselves as well.....I have a sign that says "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life".....I'm taking that seriously!
In closing, let me say again how much I appreciate all of you staying in touch and sharing the rest of this career with me! Enjoy your life and take care of you.
Love, Jeannie
August 2009
Well I'm sitting here, once again, realizing how far behind I am on this
message for the website...have you all given up on me yet??!!! If not, I
will try to recap the year thus far and try to bring you up to date on
the happenings in my crazy mixed-up wonderful, 'beautiful life'...(a
little Darryl Worley never hurt anybody!)
To start my year off in January, thanks to Jack Greene and LeeAnn
Lallone I was able to attend the Celine Dion concert...WOW! If attending
her concert doesn't inspire you...there is just no hope for you! I keep
telling myself that although I certainly do not have a voice anywhere
close to hers....I can at least try to work on being a little more
energetic...let me know if you see a noticeable change in me!
The rest of January was spent at the Opry, getting over the holidays and
getting ready for the Opry Cruise'.which by the way was really great
this year. They added a karaoke contest, at the request of our cruisers,
which was a lot of fun for participants and the audience alike. I was
asked to host the event and I had a fun time getting to know the
contestants and adding my comments to the crowd in between
performances....in fact....we get to do it again next year! I took my
neighbor Carolyn, who most of you know from my stage routines....she was
a hit there as she is everywhere she goes....so popular that I am taking
her with me on the Opry Cruise next year too. As I tell my
audiences'.after Carolyn threw all of my mail in the recycle bin (by
mistake) the previous year when I was gone, I feel like it is just
better to take her with me so I know what she is doing!!
After I returned home from the Opry Cruise, I unpacked cool clothes and
repacked warm clothes for the trip overseas to Ireland! And then I was
off to Ireland.....that is, after missing the flight to Atlanta, then
missing the flight to Ireland....through no fault of ours. 'Ours'
meaning my friend and booking agent Carrie Moore with Third Coast Talent
who traveled with me. Thank goodness, as she worked out all the
arrangements and we were able to fly out that night going through
London....but at least we got there! Our luggage, however, did not
arrive until the next afternoon. I was sitting there making a list of
all the necessities I would have to go shopping for before I could go to
the rehearsal and then do the show when they called and said the luggage
had just been delivered! I must admit that my first impulse was to kiss
that suitcase....or at least the porter who brought it to the room! All
in all the tour was wonderful again this year...Ireland is so beautiful
and the people are so warm and friendly. Of course our entire entourage
was great to work and travel with. As always the time spent with the
other "Queens" is treasured. Let me use this opportunity to say 'thank
you' to all!
By the time we got home it was beginning to look like spring'.and that
really is when my 'new year' begins with everything starting to peep out
of the ground......and I was ready this year for sure. I got an early
start enjoying my yard and my riverbank!
In April, Jack Greene and I got to work together again down in Llano,
Texas, thanks to good buddy Tracy Pitcox. We had a great time with
everyone ...hadn't been down there in quite awhile. Our ex-fiddle player
and harmony singer, Jimmy Dry, came out to see us and joined in with
some familiar old harmony on Jack's last three songs....that brought
back some wonderful memories. I'm so glad we got to do that because
since then, sadly, we lost Jimmy. There is no doubt in my mind that
Jimmy Dry is singing with the angel choir. I feel very privileged to
have known him.
Thanks to my friend and adopted little brother, Ron Harman, we got to
make a fun trip to New York City! He had the great idea to fly up, do
some sightseeing and see the "9 to 5" musical which was opening on
Broadway. Dolly was even there that night and came out to introduce the
show! In addition to Ron and me, Jan Howard and my neighbor Carolyn
McClain also were on the trip. Before seeing '9 to 5' we had dinner at
Tavern on the Green in Central Park'.and met the Naked Cowboy in Times
Square!! The next day we toured NBC Studios and the Statue of Liberty.
If you see Jan Howard, ask her about being 'searched' on the trip. What
great laughs and fun...and we have promised ourselves we will do more
trips like that, which I highly recommend to everybody!!!
Of course it goes without saying that in between all the travel, I have
been enjoying working the Grand Ole Opry and also the Nashville
Nightlife Dinner Theatre. On May 6th I attended the 'Always'Patsy Cline'
musical at the Ryman with a group of friends that included Helen
Cornelius, Jan Howard, Lee and Becca Thompson, Carolyn McClain, and Ron
Harman. Mandy Barnett did a fabulous job in the role of Patsy, and Tere
Myers in the role of Louise. The show brought back great memories of the
three months that Terri Williams and I performed the musical in Atlantic
City back in 2000.
June show dates in Virginia, Illinois, and Marionette, Wisconsin, went
well and allowed me to visit with several fans I've known for
years...and hopefully I made some new ones too!! You are appreciated
more than you know. I had the pleasure of being a part of Moore &
Moore's party for fans at the Nashville Palace during June's CMA Music
Festival. On June 15th Hank Cochran was honored with a reception by
Sony/Tree Music and BMI celebrating his 50th year in Nashville and I was
pleased to be among the invited guests for that special occasion. The
guests also included Merle Haggard, who served as 'host', and a long
list of other notable songwriters. Everyone shared stories and thanked
Hank for his contribution to their careers. His sons were there as
well'.Jimmy from Vieques, Puerto Rico, and J.R. and Danny from Southern
California. It was obvious that Hank was thrilled with the event. Of
course journalist Peter Cooper commented'"You know how important an
event is when the 'ex-wife' even attends!' It was my honor.....
Among the highlights of July, I taped the Larry Black Country Diner Show
which will air on RFD-TV, hosted a convention show at the Opry House,
and co-hosted the Annual Source Foundation Awards with Brenda Lee.
Congratulations to all those honorees! Oh yea, in July I also celebrated
my birthday! In case you think you missed it'you didn't....I celebrate
until next July 6th at which time I will start again! Most important
though was my trip to Louisburg, Kansas, where I met Micah William
Dennis Nelson, who was born July 2nd to Michelle and Jason
Nelson....that is Denny's son. Micah is every bit as sweet and handsome
as his grandfather was! I performed at the Middle Creek Theatre
there....but I'm afraid Micah stole the show! Thank you Bill and Brenda
Harris for having me, and thanks to all your wonderful cast for making
me feel welcome and making it fun!
In early August I attended the reception for the opening of the new
Brenda Lee exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Congratulations to Brenda, and what a fine museum exhibit to honor her!!
In August the Grand Ladies had a grand time on our trip to Canada to do
the Havelock Jamboree....Jan Howard, Helen Cornelius and I flew up
together, meeting Jean Shepard and Benny up there. The show went very
well and we thank Karen and all the staff for making sure we had
everything we needed....the weather was beautiful...and Brian Sklaar and
his band did a fine job backing all of us. It was good to visit with so
many nice fans in that country again and all in all it was a great
trip.....thank you Canada!
Just recently I had the honor of receiving the Colonel Aide-de-Camp
Award presented by Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen....I'm now included
among the Honorable Order of Tennessee Colonels and I certainly
appreciate that designation! And this month I also found out I'm in the
Library of Congress!! Rik Palieri, with whom I did an interview a couple
years ago backstage at the Opry for his TV show in Vermont, forwarded a
press release that notes our interview was among his 'Songwriters
Notebook' collection of TV shows that the Library of Congress recently
archived and will now be available for researchers from all over the
world.
Well it's almost time for me to leave on a flight down to Florida for
some shows at the Orange Blossom Opry in Weirsdale, and that'll be
followed by a trip with the Grand Ladies to the Little Nashville Opry in
Indiana over Labor Day weekend. Speaking of grand ladies....there is
none more so than Miss Kitty Wells, 'The Queen of Country Music', and
I'll close by extending her happy birthday wishes as she turns 90 years
young this weekend!
Everybody take care of yourselves...enjoy the rest of your
summer.....and I'll talk with y'all later!!!
Love,
Jeannie
January 2009
Well, it is a new year and a fresh start for all of us....and I am so
looking forward to it. There were some wonderful highlights this past
year, but I am afraid the losses were even greater. As a lot of you
know, I lost the love of my life for many years, Dennis Nelson, to
massive brain tumors which took his life on July 1st. Shortly after, my
sister Mary Lou developed complications from dialysis and then I lost
her on September 7th. Needless to say, my whole day-to-day living took a
drastic change and to be honest, it has been very difficult to accept. I
do have an exceptional support group of friends, neighbors and fellow
Methodist Church members and I feel very blessed indeed for that. Also,
I received so many nice cards from people all over the world who
understood my pain and I thank all of you. But life does go on, and we
received the good news at Thanksgiving that Dennis' son Jason and wife
Michelle are expecting another 'little Nelson' the end of June and so I
am excited about that!
One of the real highlights this past summer was being asked to host the
Midnight Jamboree to honor my friend, Jeanne Pruett, on her 35th
anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry...we had a time!! Several
of her friends and fellow artists came to participate, including Jan
Howard, Jett Williams, Ray Pillow, Jimmy C. Newman, Stu Phillips, Diane
Sherill, Carol Lee Cooper, and Michelle Capps. Her son, Jack Jr., and
his lady Susan, as well as Jeanne's proud husband Eddie and her daughter
Jael, all shared the evening with us. It was absolutely delightful for
me to look down at Jael's face as she was beaming like a child on
Christmas morning! David McCormick with the Texas Troubadour Theatre and
Ernest Tubb Record Shop presented her with a beautiful plaque
commemorating the date. He always does such a good job with doing those
things and making us all feel like a million dollars! We can never thank
him enough for all he does to support our careers. Even though Ms.
Pruett insisted she was retired and would not perform, in the end we
were able to get her onstage to join us on "Satin Sheets"! All in all it
was a special night for a special lady and her fans all over the world.
Later in the summer I was honored to perform at the Williamson Country
Fair down in Franklin, Tennessee, and I got to share another evening
with Jeanne....she said after that, if I wanted to see her it would have
to be at her log cabin as she wasn't leaving it again....and she meant
it! I stayed pretty close to home this summer trying to make sense of
where my life was going, but I did make a trip to Schafferstown,
Pennsylvania, for a show with Jack Greene and his group. Spending the
time with them was good for me, plus seeing old friends back in my home
state was an uplifting experience at a time when I really needed it. In
September I was called to fill in for an ailing Tammy Cochran at
Dollywood so that was an unexpected positive thing......later I received
a nice note from Tammy thanking me for covering for her. She is very
nice young lady as well as a great talent. Of course I had appeared
there in May, so we didn't even have to rehearse which gave me more time
to have fun with the band and cast there! Much to my dismay, I
understand that show will not run at the park this coming season and I
will miss it terribly as we all will.
Another highlight was being able to present the Entertainer of the Year
Award at the R.O.P.E. banquet in October to my good friend Jimmy C.
Newman. You could not find a more deserving artist as he does put his
all into the Cajun sound that he brought to the Grand Ole Opry. He has
also been inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame....he has to be very
proud of that honor. In November, Jack Greene and I travelled to Florida
for a couple of shows and met some of the nicest people you'd ever want
to meet...they were so hospitable in showing us their horse ranch and
extraordinary home. We will be joining them again on January 17th in Ft.
Myers for another show, and we're looking forward to seeing them again.
The holidays went well for me in spite of my losses.....My friends Lee
and Becca Thompson allowed us to invade their condo in beautiful
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for a few days. Helen Cornelius and her dog
Livvie, her daughter Christy and her dog Prissy and me and my dog
Cheyenne made the trip together and we just had a wonderful time. We
celebrated one night with my friend Ann Allen from Sevierville by having
a great dinner at the Bullfish (excellent food), but mostly we just
kicked back and enjoyed our leisure time in the mountains and walking
the puppies! Most of my friends decided this year that we would spend
time together taking in the events and parties of the season instead of
shopping and stressing over exchanging gifts....we all found it to be
exhilarating. Your time is definitely the best gift you can give someone
I believe....most of us have too much 'stuff' and not enough 'time'!!!
I am ready to start the new year, and have already started cleaning out
my office and setting up new files, planning my show and wardrobe for
the cruise in February and then for Ireland and the Queens of Country
Music again. Also, I signed an exclusive booking contract with my
friends, Debbie and Carrie Moore at Third Coast Talent. I 'm excited
about some new projects we are working on for later this season and
hoping to come to your area and see you personally. To all of you who
have made the trip to Nashville to see us at the Grand Ole Opry or the
Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre, we thank you again and hope it was a
memorable trip for you.
One of my New Year's resolutions is to do a little better staying in
touch with all of you, but you know how these resolutions
go.............! I honestly do appreciate your continued interest in my
life and career, so I promise to do my best. I hope the New Year is the
best ever for all of you. Take care, be good to yourself'.it will set an
example to others on how to treat you!!
Love as always,
Jeannie
April 2008
Dear Friends, Fans and Relatives!
Yes, I know I am way behind on updating this home page message to you,
so I won't even go there!! It's not that I don't want to stay in touch
with all of you....it is just hard to get me to sit at the computer any
longer than absolutely necessary!! My summer last year was spent mostly
at home, working the Opry and participating in some events here in town.
For example, I had the honor of co-hosting the Source Foundation Awards
again last year with Brenda Lee and Charlie Monk. As you might remember,
this organization honors women who have contributed so much to our
industry behind the scenes and it is a joy to see them receive this
recognition.
I want to congratulate the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry who have
joined since I last wrote. Mel Tillis was inducted in June, Josh Turner
in October, and Charlie Daniels in January. Also congrats go out to Mel,
Vince Gil, and Ralph Emery who were inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame last October. This year the new Hall of Fame inductees will be
fellow Opry members Emmylou Harris and Tom T. Hall along with the
Statler Brothers and Ernest 'Pop' Stoneman'.all very deserving as well.
And while I'm mentioning congratulations I want to send another one out
to The Time Jumpers for their two Grammy nominations earlier this year.
As many of you know, my fiddle player Kenny Sears is a member of that
group and if you've never gone to hear them on a Monday night at the
Station Inn you're really missing out on an entertaining evening!!!
Okay, now back to my activities from last summer. One memorable trip I
made then was a show on August 31st in Maggie Valley, North Carolina,
with Grand Ladies Jean Shepard and Jan Howard. Jan and I drove over
together.....I won't go into detail, but let's just say it was a good
thing she had 'Onstar'!! Later on in September the Grand Ladies flew to
Hinckley, Minnesota, for a casino show with Jean, Jan and also Helen
Cornelius...what a fun two days we had and I agree with Penn Pennington
who lead the band for us....the night was really magic. I think we all
share a lot of the same fans and they seem to really enjoy seeing us all
together'.but probably not as much as I do though!
My friend Diane Berry talked me into doing an acoustic set'.the first
one I have ever done....for a special performance at the Tennessee State
Theatre. She introduced me to a very talented young man, Ben Hall, who
is a student at Belmont and the three of us did the show....it was so
much fun and we had so many rave reviews...we are discussing the
possibility of doing a CD together'so I will keep you posted. Diane used
to play guitar and sing harmony with me and I think she can do most
everything!
On September 22nd of last year I hosted the Midnite Jamboree and
celebrated my 40th anniversary as an Opry member. A lot of my friends
came out and made it a very special evening for me. On the 'Photo Album'
page of my website you'll see a photo of Jan Howard and me tasting the
cake'which was huge and delicious. And there's also a photo of Jim Ed
Brown presenting 40 beautiful red roses on behalf of Jack Greene who was
on the road and unfortunately couldn't attend. Later on December 8th
when Jack hosted the Midnite Jamboree to celebrate his own 40th Opry
anniversary, I presented him with commemorative Hatch Show Print posters
and you'll see a photo of that presentation on the Photo Album page too.
And you might have seen a photo taken by Aaron Crisler that appeared in
Country Weekly which shows several of us celebrating with Jack and
feeding him anniversary cake'.and they included a photo of the Hatch
Print in the magazine as well.
Once again I was delighted to go to Dollywood during the autumn season
which is my favorite time of the year...the world is beautiful then, but
East Tennessee especially so. After spending two weeks there, enjoying
friends, fans and everyone I work with at the park, I came back to
Nashville just in time to start rehearsals for "Could It Be Love", the
musical production we have done four times now'and we are still
receiving questions about when we will do it again!!! The show also
stars Helen Cornelius, who plays an innocent little church lady (a
stretch!) opposite my rather bawdy retired actress (no stretch!) to much
laughter. The songs in this show are wonderful as well and I'm very
proud to be a part of it'.hopefully all of you will get to experience
this fun show one day!! Of course in between rehearsals you could find
me at the Opry or from time to time at my favorite dinner theatre, The
Nashville Nightlife. We finished the musical production just in time for
Thanksgiving, exhausted but with more great memories of such a wonderful
cast of actors, musicians and crew. In December some of you may have
seen the photo of Helen and me from the musical in Country Weekly
magazine. Thanks again to photographer Aaron Crisler for taking that
great shot and being so supportive.
December was the usual rush to
decorate...shop...wrap....clean....repeat, repeat, repeat!!....that's
how it always seems to be anyway. This year I tried and did manage to
simplify everything and tried to remember the people in need more than
those 'in want'....myself included. As part of our gift to each other
Dennis and I did treat ourselves to dinner on Christmas night at the Old
Hickory Restaurant in the Opryland Hotel and we both enjoyed it
immensely....wonderful food, atmosphere and most of all, I got to get up
and walk away without any cleanup needed!!! I do want to thank everyone
for the gifts, cards and holiday letters...it is always nice to hear
what others have been up to....and especially Ann Allen who does so much
for me all year but is much too generous at Christmas...she does spoil
me!! My thanks also to Ron Harman, without whom I would never have
anything on my website!! He is always coming up with great promotional
ideas too, not to mention that he is a most trusted chauffeur! So I must
thank his parents, Bud and Nina Harman up in Pennsylvania, for allowing
me to share part of their family.
Well even though it's now April, I guess it's never too late to wish
everyone a Happy New Year.....we still have a lot of 2008 to go!! And so
I hope your new year is going as you might have wished so far....I'm
sure everyone is keeping their resolutions...you do remember them don't
you?! My resolution was to not stress....so I threw out all the other
ones! Seriously, I believe there are enough stressful things coming at
us from the world that we can't do much about that I don't think we
should add too much on ourselves. I believe in treating us gently!!!
It has been a hectic start for me this year, trying to figure out how to
pack for two totally different trips. I worked the Grand Ole Opry Cruise
from January 25th through February 2nd with Hal Ketchum, Craig Morgan,
and Charley Pride'.but unfortunately I came home with what I call the
'cruise crud'. As soon as I could get me moving again, I put away all
the Caribbean clothes and repacked warm clothes for a trip to Ireland.
What a super time! We did a Queens Of Country two-week tour with Billie
Jo Spears, Lynn Anderson and myself from here, Philomena Begley from
Northern Ireland and Louise Morrisey from Southern Ireland. I saw some
of the most beautiful countryside and ocean views I've ever seen,
learned a lot (okay Ireland ladies..I won't tell it all!) and I hope
made some new friends. James McGarrity promoted the tour and did a great
job of scheduling some fun time for us as well....so thanks James! And
thanks too to all the band and crew members for their kindness and
laughter....some of it at my expense. A special thank you to Carrie
Moore-Reid, my agent and friend who accompanied me on the trip....I
don't think I could have made it without her....and if I did....it
wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable! She even sang harmony with me!
So fun.....and I couldn't believe all the goodies she can pack in a
bag!! Had a great time with Lynn too and I thank her for sharing her
telephone, laptop and goody bag....except for the pizza and sweet roll
that she carried for about a week! It was wonderful to be a part of
dragging Billie Jo out of retirement!! She has always been so much fun
and I was glad to see she hasn't changed.....nor has she lost her
ability to hold the audience in her hand....she is amazing....it was
obvious that Ireland was as glad to see her as I was! Thanks to my fans
who traveled to Ireland including Sylvia from Italy and Drew from
Scotland'.I deeply appreciate your support! I hope to go back overseas
next year, and I've been asked to be a part of the 2009 Opry Cruise as
well'.so start making plans to join us.
Before I forget, back on January 22nd and 23rd I was honored to get
together with over 70 other artists to record another series of the
Family Reunion tapings. I understand the nine-DVD set is to be released
this spring so be sure to watch for that collection. This is the ninth
in a series and I am so pleased that so many great stories and
performances are being documented for future generations. There were
definitely a lot of emotional moments'.in the news article that was
released during the tapings, Shelly West was quoted as saying she was
crying when I sang 'Don't Touch Me' because her mom Dottie and I were
best friends and she'd heard me sing that song all her life.
And another special occasion'..along with Jan Howard, Jack Greene, Mel
McDaniel, and Steve Buchanan from the Opry, I was delighted to attend
the special tribute show that Dolly performed in honor of Porter Wagoner
on April 12th at Dollywood. Dolly also honored her friend and manager
Don Warden who played the steel guitar onstage with Dolly for the first
time in 34 years. It was announced during the show that later this year
Don will be formally inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame which
thrilled me immensely. Dolly has dedicated wonderful new exhibits in her
museum to honor both Porter and Don. Throughout the day I enjoyed
visiting with Porter's son Richard and daughters Debra and Denise, and
their families, as well as many other friends. Ron Harman was able to
take some time off from the Hall of Fame and join me on the trip. I'm
heading back up to Dollywood to perform there the last week of May so
please come and see us if you can!
Well this month I attended my first Predators hockey game and had a
really great time. I definitely want to go back!!! This month was also
time for me to settle up with Uncle Sam! Actually I just got finished
with that .....and as always I vow I will do better at keeping my
records straight so it is easier next year....some things never seem to
change. And speaking of that.....I hope none of you ever do! It means so
much to me that all of you stay interested in me, my life and my
career.....I appreciate you. Oh, and in answer to the most often asked
question, Cheyenne is doing fine!!
Take care and until next time....much love!!
Jeannie
June 2007
Well I started this New Year like every New Year with new plans about
all the new things I was going to do, but.....I ended up doing the same
thing I have done for most of my life and that is 'pickin & singin'!!
But that's' okay because I love what I do and I thank all of you for
letting me still do it!!
A good place to start in January is West Palm Beach, Florida, where we
did the South Florida Fair with Leroy and Gladys Van Dyke and their
Country Gold Show. They always assemble a great talent lineup and we had
a wonderful time. A special thanks goes to the folks who cooked us a
'home cooked meal' of fresh veggies picked that morning and everything
imaginable to eat! Anyone who has ever traveled knows how welcome that
was. Then the next week found me in Bismark, North Dakota (what? doesn't
everyone plan a trip to Bismarck in January??) with my Opry brothers Jim
Ed Brown and Jack Greene. Needless to say we had fun at the Prairie
Knights Casino ....but what happened there stays there!! On the personal
side, this is the time of year I reorganize my office files for the
coming year and start coordinating tax info.....I do not wait until the
last minute anymore.....the pain does not go away! And the sooner I
start the sooner I can finish and get on to something fun.
In February I spent a lot of time at the Grand Ole Opry which was at the
Ryman Auditorium. Even though it is harder to go downtown, especially in
inclement weather and through traffic jams of the Predators fans, it is
still exciting to be back down on Broadway. It is something to walk down
the street and hear music coming from everywhere you pass....Nashville
is so special. However, you usually find me heading for the ice cream
shop instead of the bars now!! Hey...times change! Another plus for the
Ryman is the girls have to share dressing rooms there so it gives us a
good chance to spend time together, hearing about families, sharing tips
on everything from cooking to the latest medical finds, with some good
jokes interspersed throughout. I love the Opry family.
Helen Cornelius and I were both booked on the Florida State Fair in
Tampa (once again with Leroy Van Dyke) so we planned our flights
together....yeah, two blondes trying to find their way around!! We had
such a great time and got to visit with so many friends we have made in
that area through the years as well as old friend Lacy J. Dalton who
looks fabulous and sounded even better. She of course will never give up
on natural things to keep me healthy and loaded my pockets with all
kinds of things....I took them....don't know what they were or what they
were for but they must have worked since I'm still here!! Between her
advice and Helen's, I should be around for a long time!
Yeah! Its March and we are back home at the Opry House! Just no place
like it to me. On the personal side I have decided to redecorate some in
my own home so I have been looking through magazines and noticing
everything around me for ideas. Since I live on the bank of the
Cumberland River I'm thinking of going to a more relaxed 'river
look'.....we'll see. Spent some time with retired Opry sister Jeanne
Pruett and her wonderful husband Eddie during our trip to Pigeon Forge
for the NATMA awards and show and of course had some good laughs with
them. Jeanne has been working so hard (did I say 'retired'?) putting
this show and the museum displays together but her work definitely paid
off....they look terrific....Eddie was so impressed, he bought us
breakfast after the show!!! The next morning she had us scheduled to
speak at a seminar for upcoming artists and writers and that was very
enlightening for me as well. Others speaking were John Conlee, Helen
Cornelius, Jim Ed Brown and of course Jeanne. After seeing all of these
upcoming young ladies, Helen and I hurried home to get a facial!! During
these past two weeks I had been trying to rescue a little Pug that
someone dropped off in our neighborhood and I finally lured her into my
driveway with food and treats, then put Shadpoke's old bed in the
carport....that did the trick! My friend Donna Rae was visiting
Nashville and was looking to adopt another dog as a companion to
hers....the match was perfect and though I cried when I had to give her
up, I knew it was best and that she would have a wonderful home and
life. Cheyenne was not as fond of her as I was, so she was happy to see
her go....she likes being the only child!
I also bought tickets to see a concert! I wanted to sit in the audience
and enjoy the 'Last of the Breed' show with Ray Price, Merle Haggard,
Willie Nelson, and Asleep at the Wheel and enjoy it I did.....they are
true masters of their craft. Then back to work for me.....I went up to
Branson for a show at the new RFD TV Theatre, again with Leroy Van Dyke
and entourage. My friend Amber Hayes, who is a new young artist traveled
with me and we got to spend some quality 'girlfriend' time. She appears
this fall again in 'Could It Be Love', the musical comedy with Helen
Cornelius and me, and is working several casinos and also on a recording
project....remember her name and watch for her!! The theatre is very
nice by the way and I look forward to going back again next month.
Spring finally arrived in Tennessee! So it was time to check out my lawn
and gardens to see what we needed to do.....too much.....I'll think
about that later!! The Opry and the Nashville Nightlife kept me busy the
first of April, then on the 14th I rode up to Leitchfield, Kentucky,
with Jack Greene and LeeAnn Lallone for a show at Calvin Ray's
Theatre...what a nice family they are! Calvin has a great voice and
personality and you can tell he is loved by everyone in that area. I
wish him continued success with his theatre.....oh yes....and the food
was excellent!! Thank you! I got home with just time to repack and head
back to Branson, this time traveling with my good friend and neighbor,
Carolyn McClain who is the crazy redheaded hostess at the Nashville
Nightlife....I'm serious, check her out the next time you are in
Nashville! We were accompanied by her friend from high school days Linda
Gupton. Oh the stories I heard....I'm sure I didn't act that way in high
school....did I??!! The shows went well again at the RFD Theatre, then
it was back home to repack and fly to Monroe, Louisiana for a show in
Bastrop.....what a wonderful group of people I met there! I worked with
Wilfred Ray and his group from Memphis ....good fun and good food'.too
much good food!! Also got to see Mike Manning's folks there.....oh where
did they go wrong as parents?!! Just kidding...Mike is one of my
heroes...he does so much for all of us at the Country Music Hall of Fame
where he is the Communications Coordinator.
A few days off, and then off to The Little Nashville Opry, Nashville,
Indiana, with T. G. Shepard and Johnny Rodriquez....two handsome guys
and two great singers...how did I get so lucky! The show went well and
as always the folks at the theatre went out of their way to make us
comfortable and again, well-fed! My traveling companion this trip was my
'adopted little brother' Ron Harman, who has a 'real' job during the
week in computer software and a part-time job as a weekend supervisor at
the Hall of Fame, and still finds time to keep this website updated and
looking so good...I don't know how he does it....and keeps me on my toes
even though I drag my feet so much of the time!! While driving up to the
show, I discovered half-way there that I'd read the wrong contract
(either a blonde or senior moment, or maybe both) and that the show
started an hour earlier than what we had anticipated. That wasn't a big
deal, but shortly after we realized we would be changing over to Eastern
Standard Time which meant we'd lose another hour. And then within just a
few miles of the theater we encountered a traffic backup and sat for
almost an hour there. So for awhile Ron and I were a little concerned
about making the show in time, but we did make it....and the wonderful
fans and friends we saw there sure made us glad we had. I had been
telling Ron what fun the little town of Nashville was with all the
shops, crafts, history and of course food! We had a great time and even
hit a flea market on the way home.
Whew! Time for a little break to stay in town....my little dog barely
knows me anymore.....just a short break....then flew to Baltimore,
Maryland, for a show in Hanover, Pennsylvania, traveling with my
all-time hero, Jimmy Dickens and his Road Manager, Robbie
Wykowski.....thank you Robbie for all your help to me as well. We were
joined by Jack Greene for the show and it is always great to share a
stage with those two. Jack just keeps singing better all the time and I
think Dickens just keeps getting quicker with his humor! Back home I
have started making some moves on the redecorating...ordered new
hardwood floors for my office... and new office furniture...pretty
exciting! I finished up the month with a trip to Durant, Oklahoma, for
the Magnolia Festival....my thanks to Jim Dunegan and all his fine staff
there. Then I headed to the Main Street Theatre in Denison, Texas, with
Shawnda Rains and her fine group....they did a wonderful job backing me
up on both shows...good musicians, but a little crazy! Well of course
they are...why else would anyone be a musician??!! Thanks to Ron Mason
for sending us some photos and thanks to Charlie for singing a duet with
me, then getting up at 4:00 a.m. to drive me to the airport...now that's
a true new friend!! Shawnda, Charlie, Angie and group have a great
show'if you are ever down that way, don't miss it. Of course the
highlight of that trip was getting to see my 'god dog'....remember me
telling you about the Pug that I rescued? Well Donna, her new Mom
brought her and her sister, Merrilee to see me! We stayed at the Comfort
Inn (thank you folks for allowing pets!) and we got to play, go for a
walk and cuddle a little bit. By the way, her name is officially River
Seely Martin....oh and yeah, it was good to see Donna too!! Got back
home to CMA Music Fest, (kinda a letdown after seeing River!) and
performed for the R.O.P.E. Show, The Opry Trust Fund Show, did
autographs and Q&A for the Opry fan club, worked the Opry then
collapsed!! It is always wonderful to see so many loyal fans year after
year....we never get tired of seeing you, I hope you don't us! I will
close with that and I'll try not to be so long in writing again.
A couple more dates this month and then I'm taking July off to finish up
my redecorating project and to celebrate my birthday.....yeah!! Take
care of yourselves'.and you can celebrate my birthday too if you want
to!!
Love, Jeannie
January 2007
Well Happy New Year everybody! I hope the Christmas season was a wonderful time for you and your families. We had a quiet but very nice one and as always I enjoyed the holiday time with my Opry family as well. BUT'..now is the time to make those New Year's Resolutions'..and try to figure out a way to keep them!! We have a fun thing we've done for several years you might want to try (I don't think it's too late!). You make a list of your resolutions, then take them outside, read them again, then burn the paper and send them drifting to the heavens. I believe that is to confirm your commitment and maybe request a little divine assistance?? It can be a fun thing to do with friends if you have some as crazy as mine!!
Since I haven't written a message for the website for some time, I better go back and pick up where I left off last July. It seems as though summers come and go a little quicker than they used to! But what a great summer it was for me. Truly one of the highlights was my trip in August to Carthage, Texas, to host the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame Awards Show. My friend and 'adopted little brother' Ron Harman accompanied me and I think it was a toss up of who had the best time! Since he also works at the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville, it was particularly interesting to him to tour the facility in Carthage and we were both so impressed with the displays and the wonderful folks who sponsor the booths and the ones who keep it operating so smoothly. We all owe a lot to Tommie Ritter Smith for her dedication to this foundation. Ron and I arrived on Friday and served as judges for the Talent Showcase that evening. There was an amazing array of talent onstage and a very enthusiastic crowd in attendance'.Carissa Amberly was named the winner and received some great prizes. The next day was pretty exciting as well, with all the booths set up on the lawn, folks performing, Maxine Brown was autographing her book "Looking Back To See" and all of us doing interviews with Tom Perryman....it reminded me so much of the old disc jockey conventions! Then later I was honored not only to share the stage once again with Jack Greene, but we performed our #1 hit "Wish I Didn't Have To Miss You" for the first time in 25 years!! Then we were joined by Candi Carpenter for a trio version of "Waltz Across Texas" in tribute to Ernest Tubb and the state of Texas. It was my privilege to host this year's event and to assist in the induction of Billy Joe Shaver and The Gatlin Brothers into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Both acts gave incredible performances showing exactly why this honor had been bestowed upon them. New artist and Texas native Casey Rivers also performed on the show. The entire experience was bittersweet in that Bettie and Billy Walker had been scheduled to be there along with band members Charlie Lilly and Danny Patton, and the tragedy of their loss was weighing heavy on everyone's heart.
In September I flew to Bismark, North Dakota, to work the Prairie Knights Casino with Mel McDaniel and Jimmy Fortune. However, during the rehearsal I started feeling bad and a virus hit me so fast, by show time I couldn't even get up. They later called the medics and I spent the rest of the night in the hospital as I was dehydrated. Needless to say it was a pretty miserable trip for me, but I want to thank everyone at the Casino for their assistance and a special thanks to Mel and Jimmy for 'picking up my slack' by extending their portions to give the audience a great Grand Ole Opry style show. I have been rescheduled to return Jan 20th with Jim Ed Brown and Jack Greene so I'm looking forward to that.
I was honored to co-host the Source Foundation Awards with Charlie Monk. This foundation honors women behind the scenes in the music industry for the incredible work they do in the offices of recording companies, studios, publishing and publicity companies etc. Brenda Lee usually holds this position but this year she was being honored with the Jo Walker-Meador Award. It was a lot of fun sparring back and forth with Charlie'we got some good laughs and we are all invited back next year!! Also in September, the Humane Society of the United States asked me to do a public service video reminding people to remember their pets in case they should become incapacitated or worse. Often our most trusted little companions get overlooked at such times so I urge you to consider that too. Cheyenne did an outstanding job of looking cute and I'm sure they only asked me to be there so they could have her!!! We closed out the month with a fun trip to Taylorsville, Illinois, for a show with David Frizzell and his fine group. We surprised the audience when I came back onstage and did Shelly West's part on 'You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma''.we had never done it before and it was really amazing to me after having the privilege of knowing Shelly since she was a little girl to be singing her hit song!!
October found Cheyenne and me going to Dollywood! We always have a good time there. We've made so many friends there through the years and as always Cheyenne provides the entertainment for the entertainers between shows! She comes home with a carload of stuffed animals bigger than her every year! The weather was great most of the time we were there and of course the mountains were alive with color. Our Circle of Friends President Ann Allen was a wonderful host while we were there providing any kind of assistance I might need and Cheyenne and her Brittany have decided they should be playmates''Princeton sort of watches from the sidelines since he's a little too big for the girls'.but oh what great hugs he gives!!! Later in the fall, Ann too suffered a virus of some sort that put her totally out of commission for quite awhile. And of course as some of you know I had to have some surgery on November 6th which definitely changed my traditional Thanksgiving so we both apologize to our fan club members for missing the last newsletter'.and we will both understand if you want to vote in a new Star and President!!!! One thing the change did for me was make me even more thankful for good health and I don't intend to ever take it for granted again!! I am also thankful for the wonderful friends, family and fans I have'.I don't take you for granted either.
My appreciation goes out to the R.O.P.E. organization (Reunion Of Professional Entertainers). Although I was not able to attend their annual dinner and awards show on November 7th due to my surgery the day before, I felt extremely honored to receive their award for 'Songwriter of the Year'. My congratulations go out to Jean Shepard whom they named their 'Entertainer of the Year'. Jean is certainly very deserving'.even if she does tell blonde stories about me on the Opry. That's okay because of course I enjoy telling blonde jokes too'
On December 16th I hosted the Midnite Jamboree and as always I thank David McCormick and his staff for their hospitality at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. My girlfriends Terri Williams, Helen Cornelius, and Carol Lee Cooper joined me onstage for a holiday song. In December I also rode in the Donelson Christmas parade with the kids from our neighborhood and we honored the brave men and women who serve in our military and to whom we all owe a great deal of gratitude. Throughout the year, I have been working some dinner shows at the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre here on Music Valley Drive. Diana Murrell is doing a great job there and we hope you will add it to your list of places to visit the next time you are in Nashville'.and of course we always look for you at the Grand Ole Opry!
Love,
Jeannie
July 2006
Happy summer everyone!
Well I've often heard folks say that when they tried to retire, it
seemed as though they were busier than ever!! I believe that is
definitely the case with me! I had a wonderful spring....I've been
making some alterations in my yard....changing some of my flower gardens
to 'bush gardens' for easier management....what does that tell you??!!
In general I've just been enjoying playing with my house. I added some
chair rail in my dining room that I've wanted for a long time...and of
course that led to painting again....and now that leads to a new kitchen
sink and counters....it's hard to find a stopping place once you get
started. But my house is my hobby'so that's my story!!
Since Helen Cornelius has moved to my part of town, we've been spending
a lot of time together. I told someone the other day'"No, Helen and I
aren't friends, but our dogs are"!! We schedule playtime for them
because they have such fun. Helen's dog is a Maltese name "Livvie",
short for Olivia, and she's discovered that she has an "Aunt Lou" (my
sister) who lives close enough for her to run over there every time she
sees her door open to make sure she gets puppy kisses for the day. I'm
not sure who enjoys that more....Livvie or Mary Lou!! As for Helen, she
could have a second career as an interior decorator because she is so
good at it. It's actually dangerous for me going with her to pick out
paint and paper samples!!
Speaking of Helen'.one Monday night in May she and I, along with friends
Carolyn McClain and Ron Harman, headed down to the Station Inn to hear
The Time Jumpers play. Members of this group, which include my fiddle
player Kenny Sears and his wife Dawn, are all stellar musicians and
vocalists'.and I am always blown away by the degree of talent
represented by every single member of that band. That particular night
their performance was being documented for a DVD, and I was asked to
participate in an interview portion. Dawn sang a spectacular version of
my "Leavin' And Sayin' Goodbye" for the DVD, and really wowed the crowd
for sure. My friends Jan Howard and Linda Davis were also in the
audience'so we got to catch up on some 'girl talk' during the
intermission break. The Time Jumpers play classic country and western
swing at the Station Inn every Monday night, so make that a stop when
you visit Nashville'.you might just see me there in the audience too!!
I had a wonderful trip up to Kelly Crossroads, Pennsylvania,
recently....I worked with the great Steve Lake and the Swingmasters
Band. They picked me up at the bus and carried me to the stage on a
buckboard pulled by a beautiful team of horses. The next day we traveled
to the Hickory Grove Opry in Califon, New Jersey, where I followed Steve
Hall and Shotgun Red onstage. Of course I had to joke then that I had
followed two 'horses' butts' onstage two days in a row!! It is always
fun to work with Steve.
I'm heading up to Renfro Valley tonight (July 1st) to work the Barn
Dance with T.G. Sheppard and Jimmy Fortune....that should be a fun show.
My friends Steve and Donna Hale, and my friend/neighbor Carolyn are
driving up with me and we plan to spend the night and do a little
shopping around in all the fun little places that area has to
offer....I'll probably come home with more ideas!!
I'm looking forward to heading down to Texas next month when I host the
Texas Country Music Hall of Fame 2006 Annual Awards Ceremony in Cartage.
Several of you have already sent me notes saying you plan to attend, so
it'll be good to see some familiar faces'.as well as meet some new
friends as well. The Gatlin Brothers and Billy Joe Shaver will be
inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame this year, and there
will be a special tribute to Miss Cindy Walker and Billy Walker, two
Texas Hall of Fame members whom we lost this year. Billy and Bettie
Walker were very dear friends and they are sadly missed by our entire
Opry family'.I hope you will continue to keep their families in your
prayers'.and continue to keep their memories alive as well.
Please don't forget that it's not too early to start planning a trip for
this fall'.and what better place to head during the autumn season than
to Dollywood?? I'd love to see you there during my stay which will be
from October 6th to the 21st'.but if you can't make it then, remember
that Jan Howard will be warming up for me in the month of September.
I'm continuing to do some lunch shows at the new Nashville Palace and
also share the stage with Diana Murrell at the Nashville Nightlife
Dinner Theatre whenever our schedules permit. They are both wonderful
places to visit when you come to Nashville for some good food, good fun
and 'up-close personal' visits with some of the legends in country
music. Another good place to eat is the Santa Fe restaurant on Music
Valley Drive. A group of us artists have decorated the walls of one of
their dining rooms with photos and memorabilia'.so be sure to check it
out if you're dining there.
Thanks to everyone for the messages you post to my Guestbook, as well as
the notes you send to me via e-mail through the website. I read them all
and appreciate you taking the time to correspond. I just received an
e-mail from Peter Harrison, a country music radio announcer on OAK 101.3
FM and he tells me that he's been playing my music on his station down
in Australia. That's great!!
My home continues to be the Grand Ole Opry and that's where my heart is,
so you will find me there just as often as possible. I find it hard to
believe that it was 40 years ago this June that I made my very first
appearance on the Opry'.please do keep in mind that I started in this
business at a VERY young age!!!
Have a wonderful time the remainder of the summer....whatever you chose
to do for fun and relaxation....and hopefully we'll see each other soon!
Love you much,
Jeannie
P.S. Cheyenne says "Happy Dog Days"!! I checked with the resident cat,
Sweet Pea, and in typical cat-fashion she fattened her ears and said she
didn't care how you spent your summer!
March 2006
Well hello everyone out there.....I guess it's time I got caught up here
on the website. I survived the holidays once again, and actually they
were very enjoyable....just busy enough to be exciting but not enough to
get stressed out over. Once again I want to thank my friend Ann Allen
and all of you in the Circle of Friends Club for my Christmas
gifts...the necklace especially is a nice conversation piece and
provides me an opportunity to brag about our little "Circle". Hopefully
all of you had a good holiday season and are doing soooooo good on your
New Year's Resolutions! My main resolution this year was to take time to
enjoy every day, every thing, everybody and of course every pet...and I
have been doing just that! (You may notice I only make resolutions that
are easy to keep.)
The beginning of every year finds me reorganizing my office, setting up
my files for the new year and getting started on the dreaded income
taxes. I also take this opportunity to clear out stuff that I have been
hanging on to for whatever reason and LET IT GO! My friend Ann Warden
says she has never regretted throwing anything away....if you miss it
that much you can probably get another one!
Unfortunately I have had to deal with some health issues this year but
thankfully nothing that can't be 'fixed' with meds and a good healthy
diet. I was on the uphill swing after several tests and different doctor
visits, and then the old fashioned intestinal flu hit and that knocked
me down big time for about a week. I know many of you are familiar with
that feeling! But I am back and enjoying the first buds of spring here
in Tennessee.
Cheyenne got her yearly checkup and shots so she is set for some fun
too. Also, I inherited a young cat that adopted our
neighborhood....somehow she knew which window to look into when it was
cold!! The little girl across the street named her Sweet Pea'.so that's
what we call her and she seems to be okay with it. She and Cheyenne have
lots of fun running and playing hide and seek.
I'm delighted to be doing some "Legend Lunch Shows" at the new Nashville
Palace. I've been laughing with the audience, reminding them I used to
do Breakfast shows at the Palace, but now that I'm a Senior I've changed
it to lunch! If any of you are coming to Nashville, be sure to check out
the Palace because I know you'll like the new 'look' there. I've even
joined in their line dance lessons there on Thursday nights taught by
Barry and Dari Anne Amato'the dancing is not only good exercise, but a
good time as well. Hopefully I'll also still be doing some dinner shows
at the Nashville Nightlife as I enjoy working there with Dianna Murrell
and all of her group.
Of course we are back at the Grand Ole Opry House until next fall for
the Opry and I'm pretty happy about that. I love working the Ryman once
I get in the building and onstage but it's not as easy to get in and out
of there as the Opry House'.but all of the folks down on Broadway and at
Tootsie's, Jack's, and Legend's Corner make us feel so welcome.....and
there is still something exciting about being Downtown!!
I'm looking forward to a good year.....you know I'm a Senior now so I
don't have to work quite so hard.....but I do enjoy doing what I do. I'm
always open for fun projects to be involved with. On February 25th I had
the pleasure of once again performing in "The Vagina Monologues" here in
Nashville at the Belcourt Theatre. And plans are for us to perform the
musical "Could It Be Love" again in November.
Thanks to all of you for staying interested in me and my career. I
appreciate the cards and letters that you send to me in care of the Opry.
And thanks to all of you who have written me a note and sent it via
e-mail from here on my website. Please know that I read each and every
one of those e-mails (even though I'll be the first to admit I don't
know much about computers)'.and I appreciate you taking the time to keep
in touch. A few of you have told me that you remember going out to your
parents' car on Saturday nights and listening to the Grand Ole Opry
there'.just like I used to do! Others have reminded me of places they've
seen me perform over the years'.or even meeting me when I was out
walking my puppy dogs. One woman told me about her father playing
country music on the radio in the barn, and she remembers listening to
my music while milking and doing chores'and now after many years she is
reconnecting to those same songs. And a gentleman wrote to me,
remembering me from the late '60's when he served in Vietnam and
listened to my music back then. And another Veteran wrote and told me he
was actually at one of the shows I performed at on a Far East tour
during Vietnam. Those are all touching stories which I appreciate you
sharing.
Hopefully our paths will cross somewhere along the way in 2006. Take
care as you continue down your path.....and don't miss a thing!!!
Love always,
Jeannie
September 2005
Hi again....do any of you remember me??!!! It has been a very busy
spring and summer....but a very good one....and I hope it was for you as
well. Okay, I'll try to pick up where my last message to you on this
website page left off'
The end of April I did a show with John Conlee and Jimmy Dickens that
was booked by our "old boss" Bob Whittaker, former Manager of The Grand
Ole Opry in Jim Thorpe, PA, a very historic town from the early mining
days. We had such a wonderful time, flew up a day early and got to see
some of the area, stayed at an old hotel downtown and ate wonderful
food....I've got a rough job don't I??!! (Unfortunately not all of my
jobs are that enjoyable.) It was really great to work with Bob again.
I attended the Medallion Ceremony at the CMA Hall of Fame the 1st of May
and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt like it was one of the best
organized events ever held there. Of course anytime I get invited to the
Hall I am thrilled...sometimes it is still amazing to me that I know
these people. I am certainly still a fan and have so much pride in our
industry...and of course I enjoyed seeing Kris Kristofferson. I never
got to work with Jim Fogelsong but have the utmost respect for him and
know he is very deserving of this honor.
Once again we flew to Billings, MT, for the annual Mother's Day
Fundraiser for the DARE Organization and got to express again to the
young people that the greatest gift to their Mothers and Grandmothers is
to be clean and sober!! As always it was good to see Bill Raines and all
of his family and friends who do so much to make sure we enjoy our trip
to their community. My sister Mary Lou was able to go again this year
and visit her son Keith and his family...of course "Aunt Jeannie"
enjoyed that part too!!
I got to do a benefit show that Leona Williams was helping to organize
for Lymphedema research held at the Wildhorse Saloon. They auctioned my
earrings and raised $1,000...I was proud of that! Of course Lorrie
Morgan had to top me by auctioning off her blouse...which brought
$1,100! All in all we had such fun. Fan Fair (now called the CMA Music
Festival) brought the usual hectic times, including the SuperStar
Spectacular which was held at the Ryman again this year....I finally got
on about 1:00 a.m.!!!!! But that was good! Other years it's been even
later. That event is always special also and the money goes to the Opry
Trust Fund which is able to assist so many industry people. I'd like to
personally thank the staff who takes care of that fund along with the
artists who so generously give their time and talent every year.
And back by popular demand!!!! The Grand Ladies did an autograph and
photo session at the Hall of Fame again this year. Jan Howard, Jean
Shepard, and I laughed and joked our way through another one! Thanks to
Shannon also for allowing us to interrupt her XM radio show for a little
bit!! Then for me it was 'pack up and head out' to Dollywood for a two
week run in the production show there called "Back Where I Come From".
It is always fun for me to work with this cast of talented young singers
and dancers. Sharing a dressing room with these girls brings me up to
date on all the latest everything! I come home at least feeling like I'm
"hip and cool"!! It is always good to see folks who have been fans for
many years come to see us, and I always feel like I have made some new
fans and friends as well. My thanks to all the staff at Dollywood Park
for making me feel welcome there and helping me find my way around
again!
Of course nothing that happens in July is as important as my
birthday'.well mine and the United States of America! A group of my
wonderful friends took me to lunch for my birthday and surprised me with
a lunch party at the Senior Center! My sister baked a special cake for
me and brought that'it was delicious. There is a wonderful Palm Tree
Cafe in the Senior Center and I love their food so that was also a nice
treat.
Another surprise was being invited to New York City to audition for a
Broadway show! Since I hadn't been to New York in a long time, I asked
my friend Kaine Riggan to fly up there with me. He knows all the ropes
and made the trip considerably easier for me, plus we had a great time.
We got to go to the hit show Hairspray, had lots of good food, a little
shopping, lots of walking and gawking, and some famous New York
Cheesecake!! I didn't get the part, but it was a wonderful experience
and....there's always next time! When I walked back in my door, looked
first at the sweet face of my Cheyenne and then at this wonderful
Cumberland River view.....well I think I would have to think long and
hard about leaving for New York anyway!
Speaking of Kaine Riggan, most of you know he is the writer and director
of "Could It Be Love" the play we did here in Donelson last fall. As I
write, we are rehearsing for a special show of this production at the
Ryman Auditorium on September 15th to benefit Hospital Hospitality House
and the area Senior Centers. Go to www.CouldItBeLove.com for more
details or call 615-883-8375. My co-stars are Helen Cornelius, Gordon
Dillingham, and Dennis Nelson along with an incredible cast including
Amber Hayes who will be joining us. Hope to see you there!!
Speaking of Helen, she booked a show in Salem, IN, and included Jan
Howard and myself. Not only did we have a great time on the show.....the
trip up and back provided some great laughs! And we made some "time out"
plans for ourselves...we will talk about that next time!
A few of the other things that happened this summer were that I had the
pleasure of hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree on July 30th'it is
always a pleasure to be part of that tradition. I also worked a show in
early August up in Middletown, OH, and on August 18th my band and I
played in downtown Nashville at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge. I also
performed a fun show hosted by my friend Melvin Sloan at the Wilson
County Fair near Lebanon, TN, just outside of Nashville'and I enjoyed
some of their good fair food...corn on the cob and ice cream!
I've got to run to a rehearsal so I have to cut this off now...please
know that I appreciate every one of you more than I can ever say. Take
care and make some "time out" plans for yourself!!!!
Love and hugs,
Jeannie
April 2005
Happy Spring Everyone!
I guess I need to go back and pick up where the last message on this
page left off. That means I first need to wish a Happy New Year to all
of you! I hope your holiday season was as enjoyable as mine. Thank you
to the Circle of Friends for the wonderful gift of therapeutic massages
that do so much for me'..that is truly a gift that keeps on giving! I
highly recommend it to anyone who has pain. My family got together
Christmas Eve and went to the candlelight service at church, then came
to my house to eat, and then on to the Grand Ole Opry. Christmas day we
all just kicked back and enjoyed a day of rest and remembering fondly
all the hectic Christmas days of the past'.happy that we had them'and
happy we don't have to do it now! Of course I was back at the Opry
Christmas night which I am always glad to share with my "Opry Family" as
they are so special to me. I did do something new and fun this year for
gifts. I bought the tollhouse cookie dough packets, put them in a
cylinder gift box and gave them to everyone with the message that
realizing I have to pump my own gas, swipe my own credit card, scan my
own groceries'.I decided that for Christmas 2004 everyone could bake
their own Christmas cookies! It was probably the best gift I have ever
given'..everyone had a great laugh and most everyone said they were
going to steal the idea! I told them they couldn't steal it'..that was
part of their gift!
In January I worked a show with Diana Murrell and her band, along with
Steve Hall and Shotgun Red up in Champagne, Illinois. We had a great
time and got to visit with a lot of fans in that part of the country.
Diana is the proprietor, along with her husband Kenny, of the Nashville
Nightlife Theatre where Steve and I perform here in Nashville quite
often. She is a great entertainer and singer and makes sure everyone has
a good time there. Be sure to add this wonderful dinner show to your
next trip to Nashville. By the way, my friend and neighbor Carolyn
McClain is the hostess who will greet you and show you to your seat'be
sure and ask her "how old Jeannie really is"'.she loves to answer
that'but not always honestly!
I know many of you are aware of my many losses so far this year. All I
could think of the other day were the lines from Skeeter's song "The End
of the World"'.it doesn't seem like the world should go on as though
nothing has happened. I am truly treasuring all the wonderful memories I
have of my brother Don, my friend and neighbor Bob McClain, and of
course my beloved companion Shadpoke who was always at my side for
almost 16 years. Thank you to all of you for your condolences, prayers
and for understanding.
In February I had a wonderful, learning time performing a role in The
Vagina Monologues, which if you are familiar with the show sounds a bit
scary!! The show is a collection of monologues written from actual
interviews with women all over the world about some very personal
experiences'some tragic, some funny that shaped their lives. I was
privileged to meet and work with some of the most intelligent, talented
and vibrant women that I have ever met during the way too short run of
this show. Hopefully they will ask me to participate again next year.
Pam Tillis, Kathy Mattea and Mandy Barnett were also members of the
cast.
March found me back on the road again with fellow Grand Ole Opry Star,
Hall of Fame Member Jimmy Dickens working a show at the Avi Casino in
Laughlin, Nevada, with Tommy Overstreet and his fine band. Tommy makes
his home in Oregon now so we don't see each other that often and we all
had a good time 'swapping stories of course! My nephew Bernie Seely and
his wife Penni also came over from California so we had a good visit
with them too.
Later in the month my adopted brother Ron Harman's 'real family' came
down from Pennsylvania for Easter weekend. Ron took us all on the Nash
Trash Tour, which was so much fun. Two sisters Brenda Kay and Sheri Lynn
take you on a tour of downtown Nashville in a pink bus'singing songs and
telling stories and spotting 'pretend celebrities' along the way. It is
something you definitely want to add to your itinerary the next time you
visit Nashville! Tell them I sent you and you will get a seat just like
everybody else!!! We all went to church with my sister Mary Lou on
Easter and then went to brunch. This extended family means a lot to Mary
Lou and me both'.don't know what we would do without Ronnie!!
Then my brother Bernie and his wife Barb came motor-homing into
Nashville. They have a rough life following all the bluegrass festivals
around the country! Their son, Bernie and his wife Penni, a
granddaughter Brittany flew in from California and we played tourist
some more! Besides the Grand Ole Opry with me when I was working, we had
a cookout at my house (my sister-in-law did the cooking!) and went on
the Sunday cruise on the General Jackson. It was a perfect day to sail
the beautiful Cumberland River and as always I enjoyed my visit with the
Showboat belle Miss Sarah.
What can I say about April? The taxes are paid'forget about it and go
on'.get over it'.its done until next year! Hurrah!! Have a great spring
and enjoy each day, each sunset and smell every flower you see! And
don't forget to hug and pet every 'littlebody' you can!!
Until next time'.Love, Jeannie
December 2004
Hello Everyone,
I can't believe it's been so long since I've written you a message on my website but here it is finally!
I guess the last message was posted back in June. Besides celebrating my birthday during July I was able to be at home and at the Opry most of the time'.two of my favorite places to be. I also began doing some dinner shows at the Nightlife Theater again. My friends, Diana Murrell and her husband are managing it now and doing an excellent job. It is so close to home....I don't have to cook....and I have a good time there as well as keeping my "chops" up and trying out new jokes. It's a great place for the fans to see some of us "up close" as they say. Mel McDaniel, Steve Hall and Tommy Cash also play the theater quite often. Hopefully you'll check us out there when you come to Nashville.
I made a trip to Hiawassee, Georgia to work the Georgia Mountain Fair, and it was wonderful! I worked with the staff band and ran into Jerry Braswell, who used to play bass with Jim Ed Brown and Del Reeves several years ago'.we had some good laughs recalling old times. It is a beautiful drive down there and it was even more beautiful driving my new vehicle! I purchased an Infiniti FX, which is a luxury SUV, but not as big as most. It has 20' wheels and looks very European. I'm liking it more all the time. Cheyenne can see better and Shadpoke thinks it sleeps just as well as the Riviera did!!!
August started out pretty exciting for me....I got to see my godchild Mackenzie in the production of "Annie". She told me she didn't get the part she wanted, but she was an orphan and she was all right with that. Of course, to me, she was the very BEST orphan!!!
In August I flew up to Providence, RI and worked the fair at Wyoming, RI with Bill Anderson and his group. We had really good time and of course some pretty good fair food....yes, including those yummy french fries! Several folks requested that Bill and I perform a duet, so on the night show we sang "When Two Worlds Collide" which Bill and Roger Miller wrote. I was thrilled....I thought it came off very well on our first try, but I also teased Bill and told him it was hard to harmonize with a whisper!
Later in the month, I flew to Minneapolis, MN, and met my friends Steve and Coleen and they took me to see Faith who is my new 'dog girlfriend'. She is a rescued greyhound and absolutely delightful. These dogs never see so many things our dogs take for granted....like stairs, hardwood floors, etc. not to mention any other dogs other than the greyhounds she raced with. She is learning very quickly and knows who is a pushover for a treat in the neighborhood.
They drove me up to Sandstone for the Midwestern Country Jubilee the following day. This year we tried something different....they booked some area acts and had me host a "Grand Ole Opry" type show. I really enjoyed meeting all the artists and was impressed with the talent.
September was an exciting, fun, and very busy month. I started off flying to Detroit and then being driven to Harrow, Ontario, Canada, to work their fair with Bill Anderson and his group again. It was an outside arena and the area was just packed with enthusiastic country fans'of course that just makes us work harder'.we both got standing ovations which we of course appreciated! It has nothing to do with ego, it just lets you know that you did your job well. I didn't sleep very well that night, however, as I spent most of the night worrying about whether I would be able to get back into the United States'.you see this blonde forgot she was actually leaving the country and didn't take her passport. It wasn't until we were driving through the Canadian border that I realized that the short drive from the airport was actually taking us into another country. Thank goodness they accepted my identification and permitted me to return home. It was a frightening feeling though. All of the folks in Canada treated me so great'.the volunteers that picked me up, the people that run the fair, and all the wonderful fans.
The next weekend I flew to Dayton, OH, and worked with my friends, Steve Lake and the Swingmasters on a Saturday night in Franklin, Ohio, for the Ben Franklin Festival. Then we left bright and (way too) early Sunday morning on their bus for Salem, Ohio, to perform at Ponderosa Park for a show with Mel McDaniel and his band along with Billy "Crash" Craddock and his group. It was a beautiful day and I was very happy that some of the "kids" I graduated from school with drove over from PA. My friends, the Harman family from Tionesta, were there as well as my 7th grade teacher, Mr. Harold Sargent and his beautiful wife.
Mr. Sargent always believed in me, as he did all his students. When I told him I was going to Nashville one day and sing on the Grand Ole Opry, he didn't laugh. He said I could do anything I wanted to as long as I worked hard and had a plan. He also gave me my first acting experience that year when we did a production of "The Camel and the Vampire"'.of course I was the vampire!
Speaking of acting, I performed in a new musical comedy the last two weekends of October here in Donelson, TN. It's a totally new show written and directed by Kaine Riggin, a very talented young man. The show is called "Could It Be Love?" and premiered at the Donelson Senior Center for the Arts. It's a win-win situation for all of us because we could rehearse a new show and the Center received much needed funding. Helen Cornelius also played a role as well as my friends, Dennis Nelson and Gordon Dillingham. We had an absolute ball and possibly we'll be performing it at other venues.
September was a sad month in having to say goodbye to Grand Lady Skeeter Davis and fellow Grand Ole Opry star Roy Drusky'.I was a huge fan of both and personally consider it a privilege to have known them as friends. I know a lot of you were their fans as well'.and I can tell you they appreciated you so much'.please cherish your memories of them as I will. The Whites and I, along with backup from the Carol Lee Singers, honored Skeeter by performing "The End of the World" on the stage of the Opry that she loved so much.
I drove to West Plains, MO, for "Jan Howard Homecoming Day" in late September. I was pleased to be asked to do a short performance and to host the rest of the show, introducing many dignitaries and reading messages from many of Jan's friends. Bill Anderson and his group were also there with his great show. As most of you remember, Jan starred on Bill's TV show, recorded many hits with him, and toured extensively during those years. Bill and I had some little jabs and stories to kind of 'roast' Jan a bit!
I hosted the Midnight Jamboree on November 20th, have been performing on the Opry quite a bit'and of course am trying to prepare for Christmas. Please have a safe and happy holiday season and as always, thanks for being my friends.
Much love,
Jeannie June
2004 I
guess I have quite a bit to catch you up on since the last time I wrote
a message in early February. I went down to Tampa for the Florida State
Fair that month and it was fun to see and work with some artists we
don’t see all the time at the Opry. Obviously the fans love that
type of show too. Later in February I went to Laughlin, Nevada, for
a show with Billy Walker, Jim Ed Brown and his band. In addition to
the fans, my family had a bit of a 'family reunion’ there.
My brother Bernie and his wife Barbara were motor-homing around the
country enjoying their retirement so they came out. Their son Bernie
and wife Penni came from California, as well as their other son Jeff’s
wife Caryn and her mom. Jeff and Caryn have a son who races motorcycles
in the Motorcross....his name is Cole Seely, he’s 13 and he’s
been racing since he was three! I got to see him in Hurricane Mills
at Loretta’s track a couple years ago and a while back he had
a feature story in a magazine called Final Lap. A lot of Bernie’s
friends from the Bluegrass circuit came out to the show in Laughlin
too and we always appreciate their support. I had the pleasure of introducing
Kenny Chesney on the Opry as a surprise guest on March 6th. Back in
January while I was on the Grand Ole Opry Cruise, Kenny called my house
late one night after a show just to say he loved me....so I called
him back, thanked him, and suggested he come out to the Opry and tell
me that in person. He was taping an A&E television special across
the hall in Studio A that night so he came over and asked for me to
introduce him. Needless to say...we were all thrilled! He also brought
along friend Uncle Kracker, who joined him for a song. Those unexpected
things are always special on the Opry. Recently I found myself looking
back thru my calendar trying to figure out exactly what I've accomplished
this spring. Did you ever have days where you were busy all day but
when you try to tell someone what you did.....well that's the way I
feel right now! I know a lot of time was spent in my office trying to
get last year's files out, new ones in, and working on TAXES! Every
year I think there must be an easier way to do this....but like
everyone else....I just don't like to do it! Then I started working
on my wardrobe, getting ready for a season change and Goodwill. This
is the time I look in my closet and say "who bought all these mistakes?"
I would much rather be at Lowe’s or the salvage yard looking for
something new to do with my house....and I do have some ideas! I hope you all got to see
the Nancy comic strip on May 27th. I was honored to be part of the comic
strip by its wonderful illustrator Guy Gilchrist who is a friend both
to me and to the Opry. Gil has made the comic strip part of his 'Celebrity’
series and you can order reproductions of it by going to his web site
at http://www.gilchriststudios.com/nancy/celeb6/main.asp. Later we stopped by a 90th
birthday celebration for my neighbor Bertha Cantrell and sang Happy
Birthday with all her family. Then home to regroup and go to the Opry
for the 6:30 show and say Congrats and Welcome to Terri Clark. Unfortunately
I couldn't stay for her reception as I was booked as the surprise guest
on the Mystery.Com event at the Opryland Hotel. What a fun party that
was, not to mention great food!! Believe me I was ready to kick my shoes
off and enjoy some 'puppy time' before falling into bed! Sunday morning I was up bright
and early (well the morning was bright!) and headed down to Riverfront
Park for the ROPE Show. The wonderful folks with Rope worked so hard,
but I was not pleased with the way they and this show were treated by
the CMA producers. Since we were all 'shortchanged' I felt like the
fans were also and there was absolutely no reason for it to be that
way. Hopefully there will be some changes for the better next year.
After that I met my sister, Mary Lou Lang, and one of her friends, Luella
Shjerve, for lunch. Luella comes to Nashville for Fan Fair every year
and attends our church while she is here and that’s where she
met my sister and they became friends....it is a small world!! Well until next time, take
care of yourself and enjoy the summer months coming up! Love ya much, February
2004 Hello Everyone, I guess an update
to this page is a little overdue but it seems time just goes by faster
and faster and there’s more and more to keep me occupied....even
during these past winter months. Let me try to catch you up on what’s
been going on and what’s coming along. First I hope you
all have had a chance to pick up a copy of the new "Life’s
Highway" CD which I’m very proud of. It’s still amazing
to me that this project represents my fifth decade of recording since
I first began in the '60’s. We had a wonderful CD release
party on November 15, 2003, in conjunction with my hosting duties on
the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree. My sincere thanks go out to the great
folks at OMS Records and the Ernest Tubb Record Shop...as well as
to the musical guests and everyone else who made that event so special
for me. I hope you all
got to see the great review of my CD in the January 20, 2004, issue
of Country Weekly magazine. Thanks to Chris Neal for his very complimentary
remarks in the review. And thanks also to Peter Cooper from The Tennessean
who published a "Behind The Head Shot" feature on me in
the December 14th Sunday edition of the newspaper. Ann Allen will be
sending out copies of these articles to all the fan club members with
the next newsletter. Before I forget,
I want to share a great story about one of the photos that have been
added to the 'Photo Album’ page of my web site. Those pictured
from left to right in the group are Slick McGoo, Gale Beamer, my brother
Bernie Seely, and Roger Moras. Gale worked with me on the Thailand tour
way back in 1969 and some time ago he happened to meet Bernie out west
after they both retired there. It’s a small world and it pays
to be nice....you never know when, where, or how people will show up
in your life again! The pets are all
fine now, but kept me pretty busy for the last several months...I had
some remodeling done on my house and Hamilton managed to get out and
get attacked by an outside cat I call Bruiser because he is so big.
Well needless to say, Hamilton lost that fight and after overcoming
infection from the puncture wounds, he developed a fungal infection
and we had to put him in the hospital for several days while I cleaned
carpets, upholstery, curtains, afghans, throws, pillows, Christmas rugs,
throws, and toys. Then I had to dry clean all the clothes in one closet
that he hides in and bathe both dogs! Then we assembled two dog crates
to make one 6' run for him as he had to be quarantined when he came
home since the fungus was contagious to both humans and other pets.
Of course he had to go back twice a week for treatments so I would take
him in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. The wonderful news
is that we did it! He is doing fine now and there's this little naked
cat running around....they had to shave him but we are both happy! Shadpoke
turned 15 this month and is doing pretty well considering he can't see
or hear very well. He still has a good appetite and loves his walks.
Cheyenne is beautiful and very busy! She has to be in the middle of
everything going on...and if there is nothing going on...she starts
something! I'm told there is no doubt she is my dog! And like me...she
has a strong tendency to gain weight so her doctor just advised we cut
back a little on the treats and increase her exercise...funny...my
doctor told me the same thing!! No matter what I'm doing, all three
of them are right there to help and I love it! We are in the process
of lining up a pretty good season of shows...most of them not completely
confirmed yet but I hope you will keep checking with us. This month
will find us at the Florida State Fair in Tampa on the 12th, and then
at the Avi Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, on the 27th with Jim Ed Brown
and Billy Walker.....and then I am on to the San Diego area for a few
days. Hope to be able to visit with my sons Danny and J.R. Cochran and
their families, as well as my brother Bernie and his wife Barb on this
trip. Even though my brother Don lives in the Reno area, my sister-in-law
Nancy says I'll probably have to come there to see him...he took
his retirement much too seriously!!! Love ya much, Jeannie October
2003 Happy Autumn Everyone! I hope you all
had a great summer and are looking forward to the fall season like I
am. Can you believe that summer flew by as fast as it did? I guess it’s
been awhile since I’ve written an update so let’s catch
up on some of the many things that have been going on. I had a wonderful
time up at Dollywood in August and was asked to go back in September
to fill in for Jim Ed Brown who wasn’t able to make the trip.
I’ll be headed back there on October 12th for another week so
if possible please try to visit the park and stop by to see the "Country
State Of Mind" show where I perform with Randy Parton and some
other very talented entertainers. It’ll be your last chance to
see us at Dollywood this season. One of the more
exciting trips for me this summer was going thru Minneapolis (on my
way to Sandstone, Minnesota, to play Kathy and Joe Jensen's Theatre)
and visiting with my friend Steve Pasho. He just recently adopted a
greyhound named Faith and I got to meet her! They are really an interesting
breed of dog and have always fascinated me. Thanks to wonderful people
like Steve and the agency that place them, these retired race dogs are
now finding loving homes. And....I think she liked me!! I know many of
you – like myself – have been anticipating the release of
my new acoustic and bluegrass CD titled Life’s Highway. I’m
glad to report that the wait is almost over! I’m proud of this
project on OMS Records and will be anxious to hear what you think. I
was fortunate to have contributions from some great musicians like Josh
Graves, Glen Duncan, Steve Wariner, Jesse McReynolds, and Buck White
– as well as wonderful harmony vocals from Charlie Louvin, the
Osborne Brothers, the Whites, and Terri Williams. I also plan to
host the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree on November 15th so be listening
on WSM 650 if you can tune in – or better yet come by the Texas
Troubadour Theatre if you’re going to be in the Nashville area.
We'll be doing some music from the new CD which will be fun. I learned just
recently that I was named the recipient of the 2003 Legend Award from
the Bluebird Country News. Many thanks to Virgie Warren and everyone
up in Flushing, Michigan. The award itself is very nice and something
I will certainly treasure. I also want to again thank the George D.
Hay Foundation and fine folks in Mammoth, Arkansas, for my induction
into the George D. Hay Music Hall of Fame in September. Around my house
the biggest excitement has been that Hamilton (my cat who has never
been outside) escaped during my bathroom remodeling project and tangled
with a stray cat – who needless to say was more experienced so
you can pretty much guess the rest of this story.....many trips to the
vet later he is recovering pretty well and does enjoy looking out the
new windows the remodeling gave him!!! Shadpoke is trying
to enjoy his 'retirement' but sometimes still has to go with me just
to get away from his little sister for awhile. Speaking of her...Cheyenne
is doing her job quite well most of the time. She will let Shadpoke
know when there is a squirrel at the feeder to bark at and when to chase
a leaf across the lawn since he can't see too well. However, she will
also take advantage of that situation and steal his biscuit from time
to time!! We have all been
having fun playing in the yard, decorating for fall. We have scarecrows,
mums, pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, straw, and everything else we can
think of! We are also putting new yellow ribbons around our trees......we
are still waiting for our soldiers to come home. I know there's
probably more to tell you that I'm forgetting, but I better close this
letter and start carving this year’s jack-o’-lantern....if
I don’t start now I’ll never be done in time for Halloween!
Much Love, June
2003 Hello to Everyone, Well once again
I can't believe it’s been so long since I've written to all of
you! Time flies when you are having fun...and I have been making
sure I do that as much as possible!! Let's see what I need to catch
you up on...in March we opened at Dollywood in a new production
called "Randy Parton's Country State of Mind". It’s
a great show featuring some of the best young talent you could find
anywhere, and we perform in the Celebrity Theatre which of course is
my favorite! Randy does a great job as usual and makes all of us feel
so welcome to the park...I’m hoping to do a duet with him
when I go back in August. I came home the middle of April and got to spend a
little time getting my yard ready for spring...I love working out there
even though my allergies don't! Then I got to make a trip to my home
state of PA for a "Legends Fest" show with Porter Wagoner,
Jack Greene, Gene Watson, and myself with Johnny Counterfit hosting
at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster. The airline lost my luggage
when we flew in the night before, so after a quick trip to Wal-Mart
at midnight for a toothbrush and some things to get through the night,
I started early the next morning to shop for something to wear on the
show...from skin out!! Thankfully there was a nice mall there and I
was able to get by, and then my luggage showed up in time for the night
performance. It was a fun day with all the fans in that part of the
country, but especially spending time with some special friends. In May I was honored to be among those invited to share
in the medallion ceremony for the Country Music Hall of Fame inductions
of Bill Carlisle and Porter Wagoner. It was a nice ceremony with some
fun moments and comments from Dolly Parton and Vince Gill...and
a great musical tribute to Bill by his son and the members of his group.
Somehow you just 'feel' the stature of the event in the walls of the
Hall of Fame Rotunda! Gentlemen's Quarterly magazine is publishing an article
on The Grand Ole Opry and they asked me to pose for some photos with
Jean Shepard, Jan Howard and Connie Smith. Needless to say there was
a lot of giggling going on most of that afternoon. I am always mindful
of how lucky I am to be among those ranks...as talents and as wonderful
women. I don't know if we will make it into the magazine or not...there
is only so much space...but I was told they quoted me!! I guess we will
all have to buy a copy to see what I said! Recently I was notified of a great honor...induction
into the George D. Hay Music Hall of Fame which is located in Mammoth
Spring, Arkansas. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend the actual
ceremony on September 21st due to a performance already scheduled that
weekend, but I am thrilled to be in the company of the other 2003 inductees
– Bill Monroe, Barbara Fairchild, Conway Twitty, Ernie Ashworth,
George Hamilton IV, Jimmy C. Newman, Jimmy Martin, and Clyde Moody.
Thanks to all the fine folks involved with the George D. Hay Foundation
which you can read more about on the Internet at www.GeorgeDHayFnd.org. Gary Fjelstad in Billings, MT extended an invitation
to appear on his fund raising show for the D.A.R.E. organization on
May 12th and since my sister's son Keith lives there I was happy to
accept and take my sister with me! We had a wonderful visit with Keith,
his wife Victoria and daughter Whitney...and we got to enjoy some
of the beautiful Montana countryside as well as contribute to such a
worthy cause. The show featured Moore & Moore, The Hager Twins,
Jack Greene, Candi Carpenter, and Johnny Rodriquez as well as myself.
They are talking about making that an annual event. Thanks to the staff at "Country Music Greats"
for recently publishing an article about me in their quarterly magazine.
You can order copies or subscribe on their website at www.PureCountryMusic.com.
Also don’t forget to order your copy of the "Changing Hearts"
movie that I had the pleasure of appearing in...there’s info
on the Fan Page of my site about how to order the movie...and your
purchase will help non-profit organizations dedicated to cancer research,
education, and patient support. And also on the Fan Page
is a fun trivia contest that is running through September 30th. I probably
shouldn’t say this...but I’m pretty sure I don’t
know all the answers myself! I’m really looking forward to Fan
Fair...I will be appearing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
with Jean Shepard and Jan Howard on June 6th, as well as visiting with
Bill Cody on WSM that morning, and I’ll be visiting with Eddie
Stubbs on Saturday morning before going out to the Opry Fan Party. Hope
to see you all there. If we can't see you in person this year though,
hopefully you’ll be listening to everything on WSM radio and on
the Grand Ole Opry. If you haven’t already signed up for the 2004
Opry Cruise next January I hope you do so soon...I’ll be cruising
with some of my favorite friends like Brad Paisley, Bill Anderson, Jimmy
Dickens, and Eddie Stubbs...and I hope you can come along too! I also hope you
have a wonderful summer this year...pretend you are a child again, lay
back and look at the clouds on a pretty day, or if its raining, don't
be afraid to get wet...remember how much fun it was to run in the puddles!
Try it again, only maybe now you should just walk! Enjoy your life to
the fullest...and thank you for being a part of mine. Love, February
2003 Hi Everyone, I hope you all enjoyed your
holiday season and have enough memories to make you want to go through
all the decorating, shopping, baking, etc. again next year! My holidays
were wonderful - enjoyed my family, friends, neighbors and most of all
of course, my pets! My sister and I hosted a formal sit down dinner
for ten at my house on December 22nd and then we went to the Radio City
Music Show at the Opry House. It was so much fun to watch my great,
great (yes, that's right, great, great!!) nieces’ faces...they
are 12 and 9 and they had never seen a show like that before. It's really
a great show and I always enjoy it myself. On press night this year
they asked me to read a short version of "Twas The Night Before
Christmas" on the stage before the show started and they had about
ten children up there with me. It was fun and with my usual "rewrites"
I was able to get a few laughs from the adult audience, too!! We finally got all the decorations
down...thank goodness all the outside stuff was put away before
we got our snowstorm which literally shut down Nashville. I was home
most of it, although I did have to leave that night to go by tour bus
to Panama City, Florida on a LegendsFest show with Ralph Emery, George
Lindsey, and we met Gene Watson and his band down there. It was really
cold there also, but I did get to "hold hands" with a dolphin
and rub her belly!! They took my picture and I looked like I was scared
to death but I was just freezing!! My little Florida dog Cheyenne
didn't know what to think about all the snow...she had fun running around
until she realized her feet were freezing and then she'd look up so
pitiful. Shadpoke is an old pro at this and he loves playing in it.
They looked so cute in their sweaters. Hamilton the cat didn't see anything
interesting at all out there...no birds even came up to the feeder that
day!! So he spent most of his time in front of the fireplace until the
dogs came in all wet and wanting to get warm! I started doing Weight Watchers
before Thanksgiving and somehow I managed to lose about five pounds
during the holidays. Mostly I had just developed some bad eating habits
so this is helping me get back on track. I wanted to lose ten pounds
as I have some great costumes that I haven't been able to wear. I decided
to literally "put my money were my mouth is"!!!!!! My trip to the Florida State
Fair in February was a great time, not only for me but for the fans
as well...there were 39 acts I'm told. Didn't get to see much else
at the fair as there’s never time, but we did have wonderful weather
and wonderful food, including strawberry shortcake!!! One interesting
thing that happened is they cancelled my reservations when I didn't
come in on Wednesday as I had planned. There weren't any rooms so I
roomed with Jeanne Pruett and we had ourselves a fun PJ party! She reminded
me that a few years ago, Jan Howard and I had a room and somehow Jeanne
and Connie Smith didn't...so we all had a PJ party together that
year! So far I'm still losing about
1/2 pound every Weight Watchers meeting, but it has been hard to do
it with so much traveling, especially when there is strawberry shortcake!
But I don't have much more to go so I'm okay. The puppy dogs say I just
need to walk them more! There is great news that
I will be performing this year at Dollywood and I am really happy about
that....I missed everything about it not working there last year...the
park itself, the cast, the fans, and the great friends I've made down
there. I hope you can come see our show there this year...and/or
come visit us at the Opry! It’s always nice to
be recognized and I’m very proud to be nominated this year by
the Opry Fans Connection International (OFCI) as their "Entertainer of
the Year"...it’s especially great to be in the company
of Loretta Lynn, Jean Shepard, and Bill Anderson. The awards will be
presented in August. I’m also honored that
in a recent book released titled Heartaches By The Number: Country Music’s
500 Greatest Singles, my recording of "Don’t Touch Me"
was included at No. 97. The authors, David Cantwell and Bill Friskics-Warren,
were very complimentary and presented a nice message about the song. I guess that’s all
for now...take care of yourself until next time. (And think SPRING!) Love, November
2002 Well
hello everybody! Can you believe that fall is here already? I don't
know where the time is going but I AM having a wonderful time so no
wonder it's flyin'! I'm really getting excited now about my new CD on
OMS Records. I still don't know the release date yet as we have to work
around everybody's schedule to get it finished...but hopefully it will
be worth the wait! I almost missed all the goblins this year as I took
a few days off to go to the mountains and look at some of God's most
beautiful artwork but I did get back in time to greet my little "god-daughter"
who was dressed as a mouse! Now the "trick" is to get all
these "treats" out of the house before I eat them all! About
my redecorating job...I've always heard that it will take longer and
costs more than you planned and I can attest to that! But we're getting
there and I'm really pleased so far...alright alright...so I did
change my mind a time or two! Besides...our
priorities are dog walks (according to Shadpoke and Cheyenne) and catnaps
(according to Hamilton)!!! One
of the most exciting things that has happened for me recently was attending
the International Bluegrass Music Awards show as a nominee and ultimately
as a winner! Thanks again to Dr. Ralph Stanley for inviting me to be
a "Clinch Mountain Sweetheart" and for allowing me to share
in the honor of winning the "Recorded Event of the Year".
Congratulations to Dr. Stanley, his wonderful band, and his producer
Bill VornDick. I
have been very busy working road dates with some of my very favorite
people including Jimmy Dickens, Ralph Emery, Jack Greene, and Bill Anderson
just to name a few - and I had a wonderful time with Jean Shepard and
Jan Howard performing a "Grand Ladies" concert at Dollywood.
It's always an honor to share the stage with these great artists, and
our friend Marty Martel makes that possible for all of us on the Legendsfest
shows. Hope to see you at one soon! Speaking
of Dollywood, Shadpoke wrote a letter to Ms. Dolly and suggested they
have a Doggywood where puppy dogs can relax and refresh when they are
visiting her great park - and they are going to add it! Ms. Dolly wrote
him a letter herself......now how's that for being a VID (a Very Important
Dog for those of you not familiar with dog talk). Check it out as it's
supposed to open this holiday season! Since
my Christmas Breakfast shows got cancelled this year I think I'm going
to really enjoy my family, friends, and neighbors this season. I haven't
been able to attend many of the parties the last several years with
my schedule. And I think we're going to limit the commercial aspect
and put the emphasis on 'together time'. That's a great gift for me.
Thanks
to so many of you for showing an interest in my new fan club called
Jeannie Seely's Circle of Friends. I'm so grateful to Ann Allen for
talking me into doing it after all these years, and I'm glad that it
brings joy to people. All of you make me realize everyday how fortunate
I am to be able to continue to do what I love, and I love you for that! With
the Holidays just around the corner, remind yourself to take care of
YOU!!! Maybe I'll talk to you again before then, but let me tell you
to start enjoying RIGHT NOW! Love,
Jeannie and Family July 2002 Let me thank all
of you for visiting me via the web...it is still amazing to me! I'm
still learning how to do all this, but the good news is...I'm learning! I have been really
busy lately with several projects I'm excited about. I have been redecorating
my house, not only because I needed a change but also because I'm planning
to do a video here which I hope you will all find interesting once it's
done. I'm trying something a little different and that's all I'm gonna
tell you right now! Also, I have been
in the studio recording a new bluegrass album with Hugh Moore and Billy
Troy for OMS Records. It's pretty fun and we've chosen some really good
songs and some I think might surprise you on a bluegrass CD! So far
we just have the basic tracks done...I'll keep you posted along the
way. I'm looking forward
to going to Switzerland since I have never been there...it's going
to be a quick trip, but hopefully they will like me and I can go back
and spend a little more time. As most of you
know by now, I adopted a little girl dog in March. Most of the time
Shadpoke seems to enjoy Cheyenne, but when she pulls on his ears he
gets a little annoyed! I won't have to worry about Hamilton the cat
getting bored...she keeps him on his toes! She is three years old
but still puppy enough to teach me to pick up after myself...or she
will! I had a wonderful
birthday on July 6th and spent it at the Opry which was wonderful. Of
course as most of you know, I celebrate all year long, so I still have
some lunches and dinners coming...the greatest gift of all since
I don't like to cook! Actually, I feel that I'm helping the world by
conserving our energy resources...that story seems to be working
for now! Got to run, but
until I see you in person...just pretend you're getting a hug! March 2002 Hi Everybody! Gee
this is exciting...my very first web message! As slow as I am it's hard
to believe I used to be a secretary...it's probably best to keep
singing huh? First let me tell
you how pleased I am that you are visiting with me thru my website.
I really do appreciate your continued support and interest in my life
and career. We are just now booking dates for the season and hopefully
we'll be coming close to you. I've often said that visiting with you
after the show is like a living scrapbook for me because you folks tell
me about where and when you have seen me thru the years...most of them
good memories for me! The most important
thing going on right now is the adoption of a little sister for Shadpoke
and Hamilton. She is a little Shih Tzu like Shadpoke, only smaller and
he likes that! He weighs 8 ½ pounds and she weighs 6 pounds.
She's blonde with huge brown eyes and we think she looks as much like
Goldie Hawn as Shadpoke does Johnny Russell! Her new name is Cheyenne
and I think she likes it because she comes every time I call her, especially
if I have puppy treats in my hand! Shadpoke seems
to enjoy her except when he's trying to take a nap. Hamilton the cat
is another matter altogether! He is highly insulted that he must share
his domain with another canine! Needless to say this will take some
time! Thank goodness
spring is coming and we can spread out to screened porches and decks!
I'm considering screening the entire yard this summer! This year once
again I'm going to be sponsoring a girl's softball team in Donelson
called the "Seely Superstars". Good luck to all the girls
and I hope they have a wonderful season. One other item
of news is that I've been asked to join the Advisory Board for the East
Academy School here in Nashville and I'm honored to accept that position.
Well I must run...we'll
talk again soon! Thanks much. Love, P.S. I still hate
office work (and computers too). P.P.S. Oh yes,
I wanted to tell my neighbor's daughter who signed my Guestbook that
your mother is a wonderful neighbor. We just can't wait until she gets
old. We broke her leg and that still hasn't slowed her down! BIOGRAPHY:
Jeannie's bio is up and ready for viewing. DISCOGRAPHY:
See what records Jeannie has made throughout her career. APPEARANCES:
See when and where Jeannie is going to be appearing, She may be coming
to a city or town near you! GUESTBOOK:
Leave a message for Jeannie or tell everyone about a Jeannie sighting
you may have had recently. PHOTO
ALBUM: See photos of Jeannie and some of her Opry friends, and some
photos of Jeannie with friends like you. FAN
PAGE: See photos of Jeannie's Fans and read stories about their
Jeannie encounters. MERCHANDISE:
Buy some of your favorite Jeannie merchandise right here online. Please
feel free to drop us a note and let us know what you would like to see
or hear on the site by e-mailing: JSeelyWebsite@Comcast.net.
Feel
free to take a look around and be sure to come back often. Send
Jeannie an E-mail.
The organization of DECA held its convention in Nashville this spring
and there were 14,000 teens in town! They wanted to come to the Opry
so we held two shows on Sunday night, May 2nd. I was a nervous wreck
because I was the only 'senior' on the show of folks like Steve Azar,
Rebecca Lynn Howard, Buddy Jewell, and others. Mr. Fisher asked me to
open the show, explain a little bit about the Opry using their slogan
"New Stars, Super Stars, and Legends"....so I swaggered
up to the front of the stage, hand on hip, and said "I'll gonna
be your legend tonight honey!" They all cheered and we just had
fun after that! They loved the jokes....even though we had to explain
one to a little blonde down front....of course! But when I sang "Don't
Touch Me" they all turned the lights on their cell phones and waved
them in the air. It just knocked me out....see you learn something
new all the time!
The following week I flew with Jim Ed Brown out to Billings, Montana,
for the annual DARE Show with The Hagers and Moore & Moore....imagine
having to follow two sets of twins! I told them I was sorry there was
just one of me and we had a great time as usual. Of course Montana is
always beautiful and I got to visit with my nephew Keith and his family.
Then on the 18th I flew to Chicago with Steve Hall and Shotgun Red for
a show in Streator, Illinois, with Narvel Felts and the Steve Lake Band.
Traveling with the dummy is always fun (I meant Shotgun Red of course!)
and it’s always great to see and hear Narvel....he is one
of my favorite entertainers. He asked me to do a couple songs with him
so I got to "rock and roll" a little too! Then it was home
to regroup and pack for Dollywood....that means puppy baths and packing
their bags first of course. My friend Syl took her vacation again to
go with us.
I always enjoy going to Dollywood....it is a wonderful park and
I just love the feel of the mountains....I believe I could stay
there. The show with Randy Parton and all those talented young people
is super fun for me because they make it so! It’s a special bond
within the show and with Wynn Thompson who works so hard to make sure
everything goes together to make everybody happy.....wow, what a job!!
When in Pigeon Forge my puppy dogs love to go to Patriot Park just as
it’s getting dark and cooling off....so since they are so
good all day, that's how my evenings are spent. They keep me walking
and that is a good thing! In between the shows, walks, shopping, and
experiencing the mountains, I got to spend some much needed time with
my wonderful Fan Flub President, Ann Allen, and her 'brood'! We actually
try to get some work done after playing with the important people in
our lives....believe me they come first! Again I thank Ann for all the
work she puts into the club and I thank Princeton and Brittany for sharing
her with all of us!
Well they can call it the CMA Music Festival or whatever they want to....but
Fan Fair is still Fan Fair to me!!! We started out this year at the
Golden Voice Show at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Center
on Thursday morning at 9:30....it was already hot, but hey it is the
south, it is June, and it is Fan Fair!! The show was great and a highlight
for me was seeing some folks I don't get to see that often like Sonny
James, Brenda Lee and the legendary Skeeter Davis. She did not sing,
but she did get up and talk to the audience. which they obviously loved
from the ovation she received! She is truly one amazing woman and one
who sets a record for courage. We can certainly all take a lesson from
her! Those who did not attend missed a wonderful show.
It was exciting to be a part of the Opry Superstar Spectacular this
year....the proceeds of this go to the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund as
you know and so I like to see this do well. The show was held at the
Ryman Thursday night from 11:00 until 2:00 with performers like Vince
Gill, Steve Wariner, Bill Anderson, Brad Paisley, Pam Tillis, Tracy
Byrd, and Jack Greene. We followed Buddy Jewell (thanks a lot) who really
is a jewel and such a credit to our business....and he stayed around
to watch our part....he likes my jokes!
Saturday morning I attended the Opry Fan Club brunch and as always signed
autographs and visited with some of the most loyal fans ever. It is
so good to see some of them able to come back every year. One of the
reasons may be to see Wilma Lee Cooper who was there as gracious and
beautiful as ever. It is one of the few things she is able to do but
she appreciates her fans very much. It was good to hear all the compliments
on the new Opry picture book. I really like my pictures...the main
photo was taken by Carla Contreras backstage at the AFTRA Convention
which was held at the Opry House last summer. I was touching up my makeup
to go onstage....you see my back and my reflection in the mirror
and everything is black and white except me! I thought it was so creative
so I asked her to send it to Opry marketing for the book. Carla serves
on the Board Of Directors with me at AFTRA, which stands for American
Federation of Television and Radio Artists and obviously is our union
and responsible for getting us our insurance and pension. If the members
would like I can get some of the books and personally autograph them.
The book also has the newest member Terri Clark in it and we welcome
her to our Opry family!
At the Fan Fair Opry matinee which was held at the Ryman, I was asked
to go out before the show opened and make a presentation to a contest
winner, Lonnie Maines, who won for the recording he made in the new
Ryman recording studio. Then I was on the show from 3:30 to 3:45. My
friend Terri Williams sang harmony with me and we did a duet as well.
Terri was featured on my Breakfast Shows and we also spent nine weeks
doing "Always Patsy Cline" in Atlantic City together. Her
daughter Mackenzie, my godchild, just graduated from kindergarten and
will be starting school this fall....where does time go???!!
Now we are done with Fan Fair and boy are the puppy dogs glad! Shadpoke
is writing a note to the people who made the dog treats in the CMA 'goodybag'....he
said they were absolutely the best thing about the whole Fan Fair thing!!!
And he should know....he has seen more of them than any little dog
should have to see! I do hope everyone who traveled here to visit enjoyed
themselves and had a safe trip home....thank you for coming to Nashville.
Jeannie
During the holidays I once again had the pleasure of reading "The
Night Before Christmas" to a group of kids before some performances
of the Radio City Christmas Show at the Grand Ole Opry House. Maybe
they asked me because they know I’ve never grown up myself...but
watching the expressions on the children’s faces was a good reminder
to me of what the Christmas season is all about. One of the other fun
things I did to get in the spirit of the holidays was a day of caroling
with AFTRA (the American Federation of Television and Recording Artists).
Along with friends like Jan Howard and the Hager Twins, we sang at several
places in the Nashville area and ended up with a performance at the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
We're going to be placing some new photos of my pets on our 'Fan Page'
of the web site and I'm inviting you all to send in photos of your pets
as well...we’ll be glad to feature some of them. There will be
details of how and where to send the photos on the page itself so be
watching for that. Also, on the 'Merchandise' page of the site we've
added a new item which is a numbered, limited-edition print. The original
copy of this drawing was displayed for many years in the Magnolia Lobby
of the Opryland Hotel and is now on display in the lobby of the recently
redecorated Grand Ole Opry House.
This is our last month for the Opry to be at the Ryman...we move back
to the Opry House on March 5th. I have really enjoyed performing on
the Ryman stage and since the dressing rooms are limited, I've been
able to share time with some folks I wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity
to spend time with so that was good. And it’s always fun to spend
a little time downtown on Broadway...kinda like the good ole days! Somehow
that 'closeness' makes the holidays even more special. However, I will
be very happy to get back home to the Opry House because, although I
joined the Opry at the Ryman, like the new artists of today, I was on
the road so much that by the time I settled in, we were in the new Opry
House so that's home to me...and there is no place like home!!
Speaking of that...I just returned from the Grand Ole Opry Cruise
and what a great time we had! I don't think any of the fans had more
fun than I did attending the shows of Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, Brad
Paisley, and Trace Adkins...and just hanging out with everyone.
It was also so good to have Eddie Stubbs along and girls, his legs were
even better than I remembered....I think he worked hard on getting
them nice and tan just for me! It had been two years since I was on
the cruise so it was delightful to see some old friends that I hadn't
seen in awhile as well as meeting the new fans who have joined. Grand
Ole Opry fans are just the best! The weather was wonderful until the
last day, and then Mother Nature showed us how it could be and took
over serving dinner that night! We were all relieved to make that turn
into the Mississippi River!
My friend Ann Allen tells me she is up for another year of taking care
of my Circle Of Friends Club and that's great news! She does such a
super job with my fan club and would love to hear from any of you who
would like to join us. Ann lost her mother recently and I'm sure you
would want to add you condolences to Ann, her family and many friends.
Millie was a beautiful lady and a great supporter of all of us in country
music and especially at Dollywood. She will be greatly missed.
As always, I appreciate you visiting our site and your continued interest
in my life and career...there is no higher compliment. Stay in touch,
stay happy, stay well and take care of those "little people"
in our lives! If yours are like mine, they would add STAY HOME!
I hope everyone got to see the Grand Ladies photo in the July issue
of GQ. First Jan Howard and I are the centerfolds for the 2003 Ernest
Tubb Catalog and then we make GQ magazine. It's kind of scary to think
what might be next, huh?
On Saturday, October 25th, I plan to participate in a special panel
discussion and autograph session at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The moderator will be music critic and journalist Robert K. Oermann
who wrote the book titled "Finding Her Voice: Women In Country
Music" which was just recently reissued. A few of the other ladies
who are scheduled to appear on the panel include my girlfriends Jan
Howard, Sharon White, and Cheryl White.
Hopefully you have your reservations made for the Opry cruise coming
up in January. We’re going to have a good time and I want you
to be part of the fun too. I get to be in the company of quite a lineup
of "country hunks" – Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson,
Brad Paisley, Eddie Stubbs – and the "biggest country hunk
of all time", Little Jimmy Dickens!!!
Jeannie, Shadpoke, Cheyenne, and Hamilton
Jeannie, Shadpoke, Hamilton, and Cheyenne
Jeannie
Take care of yourself...
Love,
Jeannie (Seely, not Shepard, Pruett, or C. Riley)
Jeannie & Family
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