Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry is the beating heart of country music, a live radio show broadcasting since 1925, the longest-running in American history. On its Nashville stage, legends and rising stars perform in the same show, keeping alive the tradition that made the city Music City, and a circle of wood from its old home is set into the stage.

Background

George D. Hay launched the show on November 28, 1925, as the WSM Barn Dance, with the 77-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson, in a new fifth-floor studio belonging to the National Life & Accident Insurance Company. Uncle Dave Macon, a Tennessee banjo player, became its first real star in 1926, and the name Grand Ole Opry was first heard on air on December 10, 1927. During the 1930s the show hired professionals and grew to four hours, and in 1939 NBC Radio carried it nationally. It moved into the Ryman in 1943 and since 1974 has been broadcast from the Opry House east of downtown Nashville. Just over 225 acts have been members.

Source: Wikipedia, "Grand Ole Opry"

Highlights

• A live Opry show - the multi-act variety show of country stars and newcomers.
• The famous stage circle - the wooden circle from the Ryman set into the floor.
• The Ryman Auditorium - the historic downtown home, still hosting winter shows.
• Backstage tours - the daytime tours of the dressing rooms and stage.

When to go

Year-round; shows run through the week, with the historic Ryman Auditorium hosting the Opry in winter. Book tickets ahead for popular nights.

Practical notes

It is a show, so you buy a ticket for a performance rather than visit a museum, and the line-up is a variety bill rather than a single headliner. The main Opry House is a modern venue outside downtown; the historic Ryman is the atmospheric alternative. It suits country fans most.

Nearby

Downtown Nashville's honky-tonks on Broadway and the Country Music Hall of Fame are nearby.

Key facts