Pop! Goes the Country

Pop! Goes the Country
Geri Reischl with show host Ralph Emery. Genre Musical variety Starring Ralph Emery
Tom T. Hall
Jim VarneyCountry of origin United StatesLanguage(s) English Production Location(s) Nashville, TNRunning time 30 minutes Broadcast Original channel First Run Syndication Audio format Mono Original run September 7, 1974– January 1, 1982External links IMDb profile TV.com summary

Pop! Goes the Country was a weekly half-hour syndicated variety country music television series between September 7, 1974 and January 1, 1982 [1]. Originally hosted by Ralph Emery, the series was recorded at the Grand Ole Opry and featured comedy sketches, performances by and interviews with country music singers, both established celebreties and up and coming singers and musicians. In 1980, Tom T. Hall replaced Emery as the host, and the show was moved from the Opry house to the Gaslight Theater of the Opryland theme park. In the final year of the series, comedian Jim Varney hosted the show[2].

The series' title referenced the influence pop music was having on country music in the works of era's country music performers such as Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, and Anne Murray, all of whom appeared as guests on the program, although performers with more traditional styles such as Loretta Lynn and Mel Tillis were also featured during the show's run [3].

The pop influence on country music was not without controversy. Although the Statler Brothers made at least one guest appearance [4], in a possible reference to the high-rated show the group released the song "Nobody Wants To be Country" that contains the opening line:

Nobody wants to be country;

Everyone wants to go pop.

They've traded in the saddle,

And they all try to straddle,

The road that'll take 'em to the top.[5]

As of early 2007, the show is being rebroadcast on the cable network RFD TV.