Grand Ole Opry

OPRY NEWS

650 AM WSM to Premiere Mr. Stubbs Goes to Washington Radio Special Tonight

650 AM WSM air personality and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs is scheduled to take listeners inside the White House during the two-hour Mr. Stubbs Goes To Washington radio special to premiere on 650 AM WSM and wsmonline.com Thurs., Aug. 13 at 9:00 p.m. Central. The special will chronicle the history-making day earlier this summer when Stubbs along with Opry members Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, and Charley Pride visited the White House and performed for the President, First Lady, their family, and an East Room filled to capacity with VIPs from the worlds of music, government, and media. The White House show was part of the second installment of a new music series hosted by the First Lady.

The Mr. Stubbs Goes To Washington special will include performances by all the artists on hand as well as interviews recorded on the White House lawn and Stubbs’ personal reflections on the day following his return to Nashville.

“That was a truly anointed day for country music,” Stubbs said. “I am excited to be able to share the magic of the day—the impeccable musicianship and the emotion felt by everyone who played a part in it—for listeners. I hope that by tuning in Thursday night, they’ll feel the pride in our genre of music and in our country we all felt that night.”

Among the live performances featured in the special are Krauss’ Grammy-winning “Every Time You Say Goodbye;” Paisley’s current single “Welcome To The Future,” a portion of which was inspired by the events of Nov. 4, 2008, the evening Obama was elected President; Pride’s signature classic “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’;” and the Krauss/Paisley award-winning collaboration “Whiskey Lullaby.”

Additionally, wsmonline.com will debut prior to the special Mr. Stubbs Goes To Washington online pages containing exclusive photos and video content from the day as well as written reflections on the occasion by Stubbs, Paisley, and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen.

Among the highlights of Stubbs’ reflections is his account of a conversation with the President as he was preparing to exit toward the White House’s Green Room. “I’ve got to stop and talk to you,” Stubbs recalls the President having said. “I promise you that I will be coming down to Nashville and to the Grand Ole Opry.” Stubbs recalls “the President was genuinely sincere in all that he said to me, and I feel every confidence that he will in fact be coming to Nashville. I also got a strong sense from what I observed and what he said that there will be more country music shows taking place at The White House during his administration.”

Plus on GAC, fans can see the "Country at the White House" special on Saturday, August 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET.