The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
The Porter Wagoner Show #216 featuring special guests Donna and Sandy Rhodes, aka The Lonesome Rhodes.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #216 featuring special guests Donna and Sandy Rhodes, aka The Lonesome Rhodes. Spot opens with Dolly Parton singing "I'll Oilwells Love You." Camera pulls out to reveal Porter at mic announcing guests and regulars, and inviting us to tune in. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #216. 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, Mel Tillis, 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, in aquamarine Nudie suit, plays guitar and sings "Uncle Pen" from his 1962 LP "A Slice of Life," backed by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, and Speck Rhodes (all except Speck wearing matching peach western outfits).
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter welcomes the audience, then introduces "the old stuttering lad from Pahokee, Florida," Mel Tillis. Backed by The Wagonmasters and accompanied on harmony vocals by George McCormick, Tillis plays guitar and sings "A Violet And A Rose." At one point George intentionally sings "red noses." After the song, Porter returns and he and Tillis exchange humorous anecdotes about a recent fishing trip they took together.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Backed by The Wagonmasters, Buck Trent plays us out of the commercial break with a banjo solo on a quick instrumental.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter introduces Dolly Parton, who plays guitar and sings "I'll Oilwells Love You," from her 1968 LP "Just Because I'm A Woman," backed by The Wagonmasters. The song seems to crack up everybody including Dolly herself.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter introduces Speck's nieces Donna and Sandy Rhodes, aka The Lonesome Rhodes. Accompanied only by Sandra's guitar, the duo harmonizes gorgeously on "Devoted to You." Afterwards Porter says he was so wrapped up listening that he almost forgot he was supposed to come back again, and who can blame him.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Accompanied by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings an abbreviated version of "One Way Ticket To The Blues" from his 1962 LP "A Slice Of Life."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter introduces gap-toothed cornball comedian Speck Rhodes, who enters wearing his usual garb of black and yellow checkered suit with red bow tie and bowler hat. Speck makes an unbelievably corny joke about picking up chicks; for the punch line Speck pulls a rubber chicken out of his pocket and gets the biggest laugh he's had in months. Porter says "You lost your mind, man." Then backed by The Wagonmasters, Speck sings the novelty number "I Like Mountain Music."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter introduces the week's serious song, then accompanied by The Wagonmasters plays guitar and sings "Beautiful Wings," dedicating it to his mother in West Plains, Missouri.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Porter calls in announcer Don Howser to reintroduce The Lonesome Rhodes. Again accompanied only by Sandy's nimble guitar picking, the sisters harmonize exquisitely on Keith Sykes' "I'm Missing You."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
Mel Tillis sneaks in a snappy version of the great early 1900s chestnut "Alabama Jubilee," backed by The Wagonmasters. Terrific picking and fiddling by Buck and Mack. Afterwards Mel makes a point of breathlessly saying "Hey uh, don't those Rhodes Sisters... (long pause) ...they good, ain't they?"
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 216
To fill up the last little bit of time, Porter and the Wagonmasters perform a little bit of Tillis' song "The Snakes Crawl At Night." Then Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, the credits roll, and Mack fiddles and dances us off the air.