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The Porter Wagoner Show No. 286
It's time for the weekly serious song, and Porter announces it as an album track that was so popular it became a single. With minimal backing by The Wagonmasters, Porter recites "Little Boy's Prayer" as the lights dim dramatically to a single moody spot as the camera slowly creeps in from a long to medium shot. What a sad, sad three-hanky number about a little boy praying his grieving father doesn't kill himself. There couldn't have been a dry eye in the house, and even your humble researcher is touched.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 286
Porter reintroduces deep-throated baritone Dick Curless who plays guitar and sings his current hit "Big Wheel Cannonball" backed by The Wagonmasters. Nice Buck Trent guitar solo.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 286
Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, and credits roll as Mack dances and fiddles us off the air.
Football Game
Football Game. Team runs out onto the field. Shot of cheering fans. The team, in lighter colored uniforms, gives the ball to a running back (twenty?something) who scores a touchdown. In another drive, they do another running play; the defense goes after the player who goes up the middle, but he does not have the ball. Running back (twenty?something) runs by the bottom of the screen and the camera catches up with him as he runs towards the endzone. A defender knocks him out of bounds at the five yard line. Number 44 runs it in for a touchdown on the next play. In another series, the quarterback throws a bomb which is caught. The quarterback throws a touchdown pass to reciever # 80 the next play.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #289 featuring special guests Bill Anderson and Jan Howard. It's dueling duets as the spot opens with Porter and Dolly Parton singing "Run That By Me One More Time," then the camera pulls out to reveal Bill and Jan who announce the week's show and invite us to tune in. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #289. Standard pre-recorded opening begins with CU of Porter s shiny red boots walking down hallway, which cuts to rear view of Wagoner s garish green Nudie suit festooned with rhinestone wagon wheels and cacti. Montage of smiling Porter happily walking through WSM-TV studio as stage hands and technicians prep show. Don Howser s voice over reads: "Direct from Nashville Tennessee, here s The Porter Wagoner Show!" Quick shots of regulars as Howser announces them: "Starring Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Speck Rhodes, Don Howser, The Wagonmasters, and today s special guest star." Momentary pause in VO (presumably left for Howser to read the guest star s name on air), then prerecorded segment ends with Howser s "...and now, here s Porter." Cut to live portion as Porter, wearing dazzling, rhinestone-studded Nudie suit, plays guitar and sings "Shady Grove" accompanied by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, Jack Little and Speck Rhodes, all but Speck in matching green Nudie suits. Colorful shots of audience applauding. MS Mack's fiddling and Buck's twangy banjo solo. In final audience shot, woman in lower right can be seen filming the performance with a Super 8 camera! (01:01:51)
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter welcomes audience and introduces "two of my very favorite people in country music," Bill Anderson and Jan Howard, and describes how he recently made a rare appearance on another TV show (Anderson's) and Bill made it a tribute to Porter. Then backed by The Wagonmasters, Bill Anderson plays guitar and sings "Po' Folks." MS Buck Trent guitar solo. The first CU of Anderson is kinda scary as you can see how much hair dye he's using.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Leading The Wagonmasters, banjo man Buck Trent displays his fancy fret work on an instrumental version of "Wabash Cannonball."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter has Bill introduce the "two little gals" they have as singing partners, who Porter calls "Maudie and Claudie" and Bill refers to as "Cedie and Corrie, The Apple Sisters." Backed only by Dolly's acoustic guitar, Jan Howard and Dolly Parton sing "We Had All The Good Things Going," which each of them had recorded on their albums. Afterwards Porter cracks: "Don't quit your regular jobs, gals."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter performs a medley of three Bill Anderson-penned songs that he jokes were #1 hits "thanks to his beautiful writing and my beautiful singing." Accompanied by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings "I'll Go Down Swinging," "I've Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand" and "The Cold Hard Facts Of Life," the last of which has no business being reduced to part of a medley.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter introduces gap-toothed cornpone comedian Speck Rhodes. Wearing his trademark checkered suit and bowler hat, Speck makes a call on an old-fashioned wind-up crank telephones and calls Sadie, his fictional girlfriend and telephone operator. Speck tells a bunch of corny old-fashioned jokes. After first punch line there's a weird cutaway to a shot of a wildly applauding audience that's clearly taken from a different part of the show.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter asks Bill Anderson to join him on the week's sacred number, so backed by The Wagonmasters, they duet on the recitation "Skid Row Joe" with Bill taking the part of "Joe." A truly inspired moment that deserves a hallowed spot in the Sentimental Wing of the Country Hall Of Fame.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter calls Dolly in to introduce "our favorite duet," Bill Anderson and Jan Howard, saying "some people think we might be jealous of them. And we are." Jan and Bill perform "Someday We'll Be Together" backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 289
Porter says he's known Jan since they grew up together in West Plains, MO, then thanks Bill and Jan for performing. Mack brings his fiddle over to run though a quick breakdown on "Katie Hill" backed by The Wagonmasters, then Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, and credits roll as Mack dances and fiddles us off the air.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #290 featuring special guests The Osborne Brothers. Speck Rhodes sits in the audience with a young girl on his lap and announces the week's guests and invites us to tune in. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #290. Standard pre-recorded opening begins with CU of Porter s shiny red boots walking down hallway, which cuts to rear view of Wagoner s garish green Nudie suit festooned with rhinestone wagon wheels and cacti. Montage of smiling Porter happily walking through WSM-TV studio as stage hands and technicians prep show. Don Howser s voice over reads: "Direct from Nashville Tennessee, here s The Porter Wagoner Show!" Quick shots of regulars as Howser announces them: "Starring Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Speck Rhodes, Don Howser, The Wagonmasters, and today s special guest star." Momentary pause in VO (presumably left for Howser to read the guest star s name on air), then prerecorded segment ends with Howser s "...and now, here s Porter." Cut to live portion as Porter, wearing dazzling, rhinestone-studded red Nudie suit, plays guitar and sings "I'm Gonna Feed You Now" (from his "Thin Man From West Plains" LP) accompanied by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, Jack Little and Speck Rhodes, all but Speck in matching white Nudie suits. Colorful shots of audience applauding. MS Buck's twangy banjo solo.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Porter introduces his guests Bobby and Sonny, The Osborne Brothers, who perform "Listening To The Rain" backed by their own band Dale Sledd (guitar) and Ronnie Reno (bass). Them boys sure can play! If you can listen to those harmonies without getting chills, then you got somethin' besides blood runnin' through your veins, hoss. Afterwards Porter says he wants to see that "'37 Ford," a request that has the band in stitches. Bobby clenches his teeth in a grin that resembles the grille from the car in question and it's pretty funny, but the sadly the director chose not to go in for a close-up.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Leading The Wagonmasters, Mack fiddles us out of the commercial on a brief unidentified instrumental breakdown.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Now it's time for the beautiful little lady to sing one of the songs that she wrote, so backed by The Wagonmasters, Dolly Parton plays guitar and sings "I Couldn't Wait Forever."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Great little accidental moment where we can see Dolly rearranging the Pepsi crate she stands on when she's dueting with Porter. Once Dolly gets settled (Porter says "You're growing up fast there, kid"), she and Porter perform "Run That By Me One More Time" together, backed by The Wagonmasters. Buck Trent gets a little carried away during his solo, at one moment hammering away at the strings like a madman who can't keep up with himself. Steady there, boy!
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Porter introduces gap-toothed cornpone comedian Speck Rhodes, who ambles in wearing his usual checkered suit and bowler hat and scratching himself. When Porter asks him what he's doing scratching himself, Speck says "I'm the only one knows where I itch." Backed by The Wagonmasters, ol' Speckle sings "When It's Long Handle Time In Tennessee," an old-timey novelty number about wearing long winter underwear. Speck dances to Buck's banjo playing. Shots of audience applauding.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Porter displays a copy of the Osborne Brothers' LP "Favorite Hymns," calling it one of the greatest country albums that has ever been made. He then gives them the honor of performing the week's sacred song, and The Osbornes perform a terrific version of "How Great Thou Art" that promises to give you religion, brother. Testify!
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 290
Porter thanks the Osbornes again and plugs the Country Music Hall Of Fame, then awkwardly launches into "You Got-ta Have A License" backed by his trusty Wagonmasters before wrapping up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters and Bobby Osborne play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, and credits roll as Mack dances and fiddles us off the air.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 291
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #291 featuring special guest Stringbean. Porter brandishes a whip, saying it plays a part later in the program and that "Wagonmasters really play good when I have this." Porter cracks the whip as we fade out over art card with colorful illustration of our fearless leader.