Rumsfeld appearance a hit with Opry fans

AP ^ | 4/23/5

[SmithL]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - As members of the U.S. military watched on television via satellite from Iraq, Dolly Parton invited their boss, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, onstage at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday.

The audience applauded as Rumsfeld appeared and thanked the troops serving in the military.

As people entered the auditorium for Saturday's show they were given postcards with "America supports you," printed on them. Audience members waved the cards and shouted their support to the troops watching on television.

Rumsfeld was sitting in the front row as Parton sang her hit "Coat of Many Colors" before he was introduced.

[xsmommy]

i was just going to say, why didn't you tell me!!!!

[tang-soo]

Nice story about your son. Sounds like you have many memories. Mine include going to visit my grandparents in Kentucky (we lived in COlumbus, Ohio) and Saturday evenings. Ricky and his family lived next door to my grandparents and during the cool of Summer evenings after the sun would dip below the mountains, everyone from around that area would come around and play their guitars. Usually eight or more. THis was around the late 1960s when I was 8-10 years old. Ricky is about three years older than me, so he would have been maybe 12 or 13. He was wowwing everyone back then.

[gidget7]

She was attending Vanderbilt at the time, and yes, she plays violin, flute, guitar, some piano, and yes fiddle, which is what she did on stage. Ricky Skaggs went to the University and chose a bunch of students to play for him. It was indeed awesome!