Opry Notes

by Judy Mizell

December 13, 1997 Performance --

Marty Stuart Gets An Early Christmas Present From Johnny Cash

Opry star Marty Stuart said last Saturday night one of his Christmas presents is hearing that Johnny Cash feels good again.

Stuart told the audience during Saturday's late show that he had talked with his former boss by phone and Cash sounded really good. The Opry star, noting he wanted to do a song for his friend, sang Cash's 1959 No. 1 hit "Don't Take Your Guns To Town."

"We tried to come up with a Christmas song but we don't know any," Opry star Marty Stuart told the audience on Saturday's early show. He and the Rock 'n' Roll Cowboys even thought of the Elvis song "I Can't Help Falling In Love," but added, "We don't know the words." So the multi-talented Stuart continued, they decided to play the Elvis song and call it "I Can't Help Falling In Love With Your At Christmastime." The Opry star outdid himself on mandolin on his instrumental version.

Actually, Stuart did know a Christmas song of sorts. He played "Even Santa Claus Gets The Blues" on the early show and the Opry star got in some mean blues licks on the guitar.

The Midnight Choir Reassembles And Isn't So Silent

Segment host Jeannie Seely wanted to end last Saturday's late show with Christmas music, so she called on some of her Opry friends to stay around and help sing "Silent Night." Among those gathering on stage to sing the traditional Christmas carol were Jan Howard, The Whites, Marty Stuart, the Carol Lee Singers, Eddie Stubbs and Opry President and GM Bob Whittaker and other Opry staff members. Even the audience got into he act, singing along to close out the show.