Old Time Radio Westerns – New Year’s Special, Show 2 | Grand Ole Opry (12-31-50)

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Airdate: September 18, 2025
Source Material: Grand Ole Opry New Year’s Eve, Dec 31, 1950 (Second Show)
Summary by OTRW Podcast Summarizer

Episode Overview

This New Year’s Special transports listeners back to a lively Grand Ole Opry broadcast on December 31, 1950. Featuring a medley of comedy skits, homespun storytelling, gospel and old-time country music, the episode bottles the boisterous, communal feeling of early Opry gatherings. Vivid performances by Rod Brassfield, Minnie Pearl, the Jordanaires, and other Opry stalwarts conjure an evening of laughter, music, and gentle ribbing—all washed down by Southern hospitality and the spirit of the holiday.

Restored in high-quality audio by Old Time Radio Westerns, this episode offers a rich, nostalgic immersion in the American radio variety tradition.

Key Segments & Highlights

1. Comedy & Down-home Storytelling

Rod Brassfield’s Routine

• [06:17-13:59] Rod Brassfield leads the laughs with a series of stories and folksy one-liners:

  • Complains humorously about feeling “puny” since last year—a classic new year’s joke.
  • Quote (@07:04):

    “I’ve been puny since last year, plumb ‘till this year I’m still puny…”
    – Rod Brassfield

  • Recites a spoof about mixing up his morning exercise routine with his wife’s radio cake recipe, blending fitness steps with baking ingredients in escalating absurdity.
    • Quote (@12:24):

      “…Lie flat on your back and grease your pan well. Place your hands on your shoulders and inhale deeply. 1 teaspoonful of baking powder…”
      – Rod Brassfield

• Anecdotes from Hornwall, Tennessee

  • Tells a story about an uncle with a chicken farm—and a parrot standing in for a missing rooster.

2. Musical Performances & Sing-Alongs

The Jordanaires

• Barbershop, Gospel, and Spirituals
  • “Roll On, The River Deep and Wide” (@15:05)
  • “I Want to Rest” – a new record, moving gospel with high harmony (@17:14)
  • “Working on the Building” (@20:49)
• Applause Techniques:
  • Brassfield suggests cramped audience members sway up and down in acknowledgment if they can’t clap.
    Quote (@16:20):

    “…if you’re too close together now, everybody get this straight…maybe you acknowledge it up and down like this…that applause really makes us feel good…”

Grandpa Jones

• “Mountain Dew” (@25:13):

  • Grandpa Jones brings his signature banjo and humor for a rousing, comic number on homemade hooch.
  • Quote:

    “My old Aunt June bought some brand new perfume…when she had it analyzed, it was nothin’ but good old Mountain Dew.”

• Advice Song (@27:37):

  • Light-hearted warning for young men about the perils of romance:

    “Love, it is a very funny thing…makes you feel like a freshwater eel…empty your pocketbook and well, boys, keep away from the girl…”

3. Spiritual & Sentimental Moments

• “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” (@29:46):
  • Introduced by the emcee as a solemn moment for those “in a serious mood,” honoring servicemen and families gathering in churches nationwide for New Year’s Eve.
  • The entire ensemble, with the Jordanaires, delivers a soulful, harmonious rendition.
  • Quote (@33:32):

    “…I think that a sacred psalm has got a place anywhere. Anywhere…”

4. Minnie Pearl Brings the House Down

Comedy Monologue & Songs

• Classic Minnie Pearl Intro (@34:43):

  “How do? I’m just so proud to be here... I waited around over there for a while. I thought a bunch of fellers would just come over there and just make me kiss them. I tried and I tried… I made $11.85!”
  – Minnie Pearl

• Fashion & Fortune:

  • Deadpan about her dress:

    “In fact, I heard one feller say I must have got it for a ridiculous figure. My figure’s my fortune—I just got my money invested in the wrong places.”
    – Minnie Pearl (@35:50)

• Songs:

  • “Careless Love” with Rod Brassfield, playful duet (@38:42-39:36)
  • “Love Bug Itch” (brief, comic bits about love and romance)

5. Last Call – Opry Traditions and Community Wishes

• Dance Tunes & Participatory Numbers
  • “Cincinnati Dancing Pig” (@42:00) and “Tennessee Saturday Night” (@44:52). Rousing sing-alongs and comedic chaos.
  • Audience is encouraged to join the revelry: “Everybody have a big time!” (@46:43)
• Personal & Communal Blessings
  • Host offers heartfelt New Year’s wishes and acknowledges his wife in the hospital.
    Quote (@47:13):

    “…we sincerely hope that you’ve enjoyed our humble way of trying to entertain you folks…from all the gang at the Prince Albert Grand Ole Opry…we wish all of you a most happy and prosperous 1951. And God bless all of you.”

• Lost Prop Comedy
  • The show closes with a running gag about a missing celluloid leg needed for the act and instructs the “culprit” to return it before leaving.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Rod Brassfield (@07:04):

  “I’ve been puny since last year, plumb till this year I’m still puny.”

• Rod Brassfield, Cake-ercise Routine (@12:24):

  “Lie flat on your back and grease your pan well. Place your hands on your shoulders and inhale deeply…”

• Show Host/Emcee, on Sacred Songs (@33:32):

  “I think that a sacred psalm has got a place anywhere. Anywhere. It doesn’t make any difference.”

• Minnie Pearl (@34:43):

  “I waited around over there for a while. I thought a bunch of fellers would just come over there and just make me kiss them… I made $11.85.”

• Show Host/Emcee, Closing Wishes (@47:13):

  “…we wish all of you a most happy and prosperous 1951. And God bless all of you. …Come and see us, will you?”

Memorable Moments

• The audience’s interaction—laughter, applause, and banter—provides an immersive sense of community.
• The cast’s seamless weaving of comedy, music, and sentiment reflects the spirit and versatility of the Grand Ole Opry tradition.
• Minnie Pearl’s jokes about romance and rural life deliver huge reactions.
• The sacred performance of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” punctuates the celebratory mood with heartfelt emotion.

Suggested Listening Segments

• Rod Brassfield’s monologue: 06:17–13:59
• The Jordanaires’ musical set: 15:05–20:49
• “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” performance: 29:46–33:32
• Minnie Pearl’s monologue and songs: 34:43–41:31
• Closing New Year’s wishes: 47:13–49:43

Tone and Atmosphere

Warm, folksy, boisterous, and inclusive—capturing the essence of a live Opry show where humor, music, and hospitality reign. The performers address the crowd directly, taking the audience “onstage,” and the closing messages ring with sincerity and gratitude.

Whether you’re a longtime listener or a curious newcomer, this episode is a gem: a window into a vanished American moment, made vivid by the audio restoration and loving preservation of OTR Westerns.