Column
By
Nelson Thibodeaux
Dateline:
Grapevine
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
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Party Line |
Susie
Slaughter 1977
Click on Photos to
Enlarge
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The
Opry's Grand opening was done in grand style, with special guest
stars Ray Pillow and Charlie Walker from the Grand Ole Opry and
Jeanne Pruitt whose smash C&W hit at the time was "Satin
Sheets." Guests and performers arrived Hollywood style,
one after another, in Cadillacs. Susie, Chisai, her mother,
grandmother and husband at the time, Grapevine businessman Andy
Anderson, and High arrived in a 1904 Rolls Royce which, along with
the Cadillacs, was stored at the fire station across the street
"so people couldn't get to 'em" recalls Grapevine Fire
Marshall Bill Powers. Performers who would later perform on the Opry's stage gave an impromptu outdoor concert on the Opry's balcony overlooking Main Street. Giveaway drawings included prizes like a customized '65 Chevy Corvair with wire wheels and a chrome engine. Other, more ordinary prizes, included color and black-and-white televisions, radios, tires, clocks and so on, all donated by Grapevine area merchants. "Nashville knows about the Grapevine Opry now!," Chisai proudly proclaimed. But most of the attention that night--as it would for Opry nights to come--centered around Aunt Susie Slaughter. Susie cut pieces from a 180-pound birthday cake and took roses fro every performer who would be on the Opry's stage that evening. Susie Slaughter was a generous patron. In the next few years, she would shower Chisai and High with new homes, rings, jewelry and suits from Elvis Presley's designer. And cities in the Opry's area, to the greater extent, Grapevine itself, benefited by association. Slaughter often made endowments for the purchase of real estate and equipment. But as the Opry benefited from Susie Slaughter's interest and good graces, it also suffered when Aunt Susie periodically found other toys to fancy, or, when rumored mounting backstage rivalries between Childs and High piqued her ill will. What finally caused Aunt Susie to begin washing her hands of the Opry remains, for the most part, a favorite subject of local speculation. Chisai explains it differently on different occasions; High refuses to explain it at all. The facts are, however, that in November, 1979, with a month remaining on his Opry contract, High suddenly left the show. And little doubt exists among local Opry watchers that, when High left, he took along not only a considerable number of fans, but the benevolence of Aunt Susie Slaughter as well. |
| Chisai
claims that High courted Aunt Susie's favor whenever possible, and
missed no opportunity to cast her in a less favorable light to
their mutual benefactor. Such as the one occasion when Aunt
Susie left the show because she couldn't get into her private Opry
box, always reserved for her at stage left. According to Chisai, she had recarpeted the box and locked the door, wanting to be the one to "surprise Aunt Susie." The plan backfired, Chisai said. "Old Johnnie High slithered around the corner and said something like, "Well, Chisai doesn't need you anymore, Aunt Susie. See? She's locked you out." |
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 The original Grapevine Opry House Band. Click on photo to enlarge. |
Next Page..Johnnie High leaves the Grapevine Opry for Fort Worth..Click Here
Copyright LNO 2001 - All Rights Reserved
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