Nashville’s Grand Tradition

Since its inception in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry has played host to thousands of iconic musicians including Elvis, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash.

Today, at the center of the Opry stage is a six-foot circle of well-worn oak that was cut from the stage of the Opry’s former home, the Ryman Auditorium. The circle gives visiting musicians an opportunity to sing on the exact same spot as so many of their peers.

“That circle is the most magical thing when you’re a performer,” says Brad Paisley. “To stand there and sing on the same boards that still contain dust from Hank Williams’ boots.”

The venue, which draws more than one million visitors to Nashville annually, has seen not only legendary country music stars take the stage, but also rock, blues and jazz icons plug in as well.

“We can have Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Dickens and Elvis Costello all play onstage in a single night,” says Dan Rogers, Opry’s senior marketing manager. “When artists are in Nashville for whatever reason, they come here and play a few songs.

In addition to the Opry House, the complex also contains three other entertainment venues: the Acuff Theatre, the Opry Museum and the Opry Plaza.

The main attraction, however, is the Opry itself and the 200 radio shows and 50 live television broadcasts it hosts annually. During a two-hour Opry performance, as many as 20 country, rock and bluegrass performers take the stage and play a couple of songs to the packed house.

With all those performers, the pace of the shows is fast, but production remains high. “We have 200 moving lights and three projection screens in a 4,400-capacity theater,” says Rogers. “That’s more production than a lot of other theaters in the country. We need an incredible production to support the talent that hits this stage on a regular basis.”

WEB SITE | www.opry.com