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89-604: The original concept for The Diamond was to emulate "ranch dances" made popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The room was set up with a farmhouse facade and the stage made to look like a large patio porch. This was similar to the Grand Ole Opry and other popular programs of the time. Elements of the original design can still be seen in the room today. The building was known as the Diamond Entertainment Center during its initial years. The Diamond Ballroom originally featured

178-485: A string bass provided the rhythm component in country music, and percussion instruments were seldom used. Electric amplification, new in the beginning days of the Opry, was regarded as the province of popular music and jazz in the 1940s. Although the Opry allowed electric guitars and steel guitars by World War II, the restrictions against drums and horns continued, causing a conflict when Bob Wills and Pee Wee King defied

267-538: A " motherfucker " at one point. In a continuous 40-minute set, Lewis played a mixture of his rock and roll hits and covers of other singers' country songs. It has been said that he was bitter about how he was treated when he first arrived in Nashville in 1955, and he supposedly used his Opry appearance to exact revenge on the Nashville music industry . Country legend Johnny Cash , who made his Opry debut on July 5, 1956, and met his future wife June Carter Cash on that day,

356-541: A downtown venue adjacent to the State Capitol , and a 25-cent admission fee was charged to try to curb the large crowds, but to no avail. In June 1943, the Opry moved to Ryman Auditorium . One hour of the Opry was nationally broadcast by the NBC Red Network from 1939 to 1956, and for much of its run, it aired one hour after the program that had inspired it, National Barn Dance . The NBC segment, originally known by

445-527: A full renovation of the Ryman, restoring it to a world-class concert hall that reopened with a broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion on June 4, 1994. On Sunday, October 18, 1998, the Opry held a benefit show at Ryman Auditorium, marking its return to the venue for the first time since its final show on March 15, 1974. Beginning in November 1999, the Opry was held at Ryman Auditorium for three months, partly due to

534-543: A house band called Perry Jones and His Diamondairs who performed original songs and country classics of the time. The band performed at the Grand Opening in 1964 and was showcased weekly for the next 10 years, having a Friday and Saturday night residency. In 1974 Ralph Russell, Sr. purchased the building from his original business partners. Ralph, Sr. became the first sole owner of the Diamond Ballroom. Russell soon after

623-674: A large salt lick , known as French Lick, where they hunted game and traded with the Native Americans. In 1765, Timothy Demonbreun , a hunter, trapper, and former Governor of Illinois under the French , and his wife lived in a small cave (now known as Demonbreun's Cave) on the south side of the Cumberland River near present-day downtown Nashville. They were the parents of the first white child to be born in Middle Tennessee. A number of

712-584: A less urbanized part of town to provide visitors with a "safer, more controlled, and more enjoyable experience". National Life & Accident purchased farmland owned by a local sausage manufacturer (Rudy's Farm) in the Pennington Bend area of Nashville, nine miles east of downtown and adjacent to the newly constructed Briley Parkway . The new Opry venue was the centerpiece of a grand entertainment complex at that location, which later included Opryland USA Theme Park and Opryland Hotel . The theme park opened to

801-567: A limited basis in October, and resumed full operations in May 2021. Due to the restrictions, the show did not move to the Ryman Auditorium in November 2020 as was customary. The Winter Ryman residency did not resume in 2021–22, partly due to scheduling conflicts from Ryman concerts postponed during the pandemic closure. The Opry livestreams were celebrated by viewers as something to look forward to during

890-466: A live episode; an induction ceremony happens several weeks later, where the inductee is presented with a trophy and gives an acceptance speech. As the Opry is a running series, membership in the show's cast must be maintained throughout an artist's career, through frequent performances, and expires when the performer dies. Only once has a member been inducted posthumously: Keith Whitley , who was scheduled to be invited three weeks after his death in May 1989,

979-449: A member. The Byrds were a notable exception. Country rock pioneer Gram Parsons , who was a member of The Byrds at the time, was in Nashville to work on the band's country rock album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo . The band's record label , Columbia Records , had arranged for The Byrds to perform at the Ryman on March 15, 1968, a prospect that thrilled Parsons. However, when the band took

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1068-605: A month-long celebration of the Opry, country music, its artists, and its fans. The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 5,000th Saturday night show on October 30, 2021, with performances by country superstars and Opry members such as Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Chris Young and several others. NBCUniversal and Atairos acquired a combined 30% stake in the Grand Ole Opry and its parent company Opry Entertainment Group in 2022. The crossover allows for NBCUniversal's television outlets, including NBC , to carry several Opry television specials. A memorial concert

1157-627: A program featuring "Dr. Humphrey Bate and his string quartet of old-time musicians." On November 2, WSM hired long-time announcer and program director George D. Hay , an enterprising pioneer from the National Barn Dance program at WLS in Chicago, who was also named the most popular radio announcer in America as a result of his radio work with both WLS and WMC in Memphis, Tennessee. Though only 29 when he

1246-465: A sponsor in September 2007, was the presenting sponsor by no later than January 2010, and still holds that top sponsorship level as of May 2023. †Honorary former member; was scheduled to be invited, but died before the invitation was extended Davidson County, Tennessee Davidson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee . It is located in the heart of Middle Tennessee . As of

1335-515: A year prior shouting a racial slur, and the Opry had previously made stances against racism on social media. In response to the latter, music writer Holly G. founded the Black Opry as a means of raising awareness of black artists in country music. The company has enforced its trademark on the name "Grand Ole Opry", with trademark registrations in the United States and in numerous countries around

1424-508: Is broadcast live on WSM-AM at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday nights, changed from a previous time start of 6:30. A similar program, Friday Night Opry , airs live on Friday nights. From February through December, Tuesday Night Opry is also aired live. Wednesday shows are typically presented in the summer months, while an "Opry Country Classics" program sporadically airs on Thursdays, devoted solely to older artists. Additional Christmas-themed shows, entitled Opry Country Christmas , began production during

1513-540: Is distinct from the larger metropolitan area. Davidson County has the largest population in the 13-county Nashville-Davidson– Murfreesboro – Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area , the state's most populous metropolitan area . Nashville has always been one of the region's centers of commerce, industry, transportation, and culture, but it did not become the capital of Tennessee until 1827 and did not gain permanent capital status until 1843. Davidson County

1602-590: Is land and 22 square miles (57 km ) (4.2%) is water. The Cumberland River flows from east to west through the middle of the county. Two dams within the county are Old Hickory Lock and Dam and J. Percy Priest Dam , operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers . Important tributaries of the Cumberland in Davidson County include Whites Creek, Manskers Creek, Stones River , Mill Creek, and

1691-591: Is the oldest county in the 41-county region of Middle Tennessee . It dates to 1783, shortly after the end of the American Revolution , when the North Carolina legislature created the county and named it in honor of William Lee Davidson , a North Carolina general who was killed opposing the crossing of the Catawba River by General Cornwallis 's British forces on February 1, 1781. The county seat, Nashville,

1780-553: Is the oldest permanent European settlement in Middle Tennessee, founded by James Robertson and John Donelson during the winter of 1779–80 and the waning days of the Revolutionary War. The first white settlers established the Cumberland Compact to establish a basic rule of law and to protect their land titles. Through much of the early 1780s, the settlers also faced a hostile response from Native American tribes such as

1869-456: The 2020 census , the population was 715,884, making it the 2nd most populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Nashville , the state capital and most populous city . Since 1963, the city of Nashville and Davidson County have had a consolidated government called the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County", commonly referred to as "Metro Nashville" or "Metro". This

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1958-495: The Cherokee , Muscogee (Creek), and Shawnee who used the area as a hunting ground; they resented the newcomers moving into the area in violation of treaties and competing for its resources. As the county's many known archaeological sites attest, Native American cultures had occupied areas of Davidson County for thousands of years. The first white Americans to enter the area were fur traders . Long hunters came next, having heard about

2047-648: The Grand Ole Opry , the shows there are billed as Opry at the Ryman . From 2002 to 2014, a traveling version of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular took up residence at the Grand Ole Opry House each holiday season while the Opry was away. It was replaced by Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical from 2015 in 2017 and by Cirque Dreams Holidaze in 2018. In May 2010,

2136-532: The Harpeth River . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 715,884 people, 289,427 households, and 152,833 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 569,891 people, 237,405 households, and 138,169 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,135 people per square mile (438 people/km ). There were 252,977 housing units at an average density of 504 units per square mile (195/km ). The racial makeup of

2225-497: The Opry as its flagship program when it launched in 2020, and former WSM radio sister station WSMV-DT5 is the network's flagship station . Initially simulcasting the radio version, since 2021, the television Opry Live has been pre-recorded live to tape telecasts of recent Opry shows (the show's time slot often coincides with intermission and less demographic-friendly radio segments such as square dancing and audience participation bits). Circle ended its over-the-air operations at

2314-521: The 2021 holiday season. The Opry provides a fourteen-piece house band for performers should they not have a band of their own. The Opry can also be heard live on Willie's Roadhouse on channel 59 on Sirius XM Satellite Radio , and the program streams on WSM's website. ABC broadcast the Grand Ole Opry as a monthly series from 1955 to 1956, and PBS televised annual live performances from 1978 to 1981. In 1985, The Nashville Network , co-owned by Gaylord, began airing an edited half-hour version of

2403-639: The Crook Brothers, the Binkley Brothers' Dixie Clodhoppers , Sid Harkreader , DeFord Bailey , Fiddlin' Arthur Smith , and the Gully Jumpers . Judge Hay liked the Fruit Jar Drinkers and asked them to appear last on each show because he wanted to always close each segment with "red hot fiddle playing". They were the second band accepted on Barn Dance , with the Crook Brothers being the first. When

2492-471: The Grand Ole Opry is one of the highest achievements within the country music community." Since 1974, the show has been broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry House east of downtown Nashville, with an annual three-month winter foray back to the Ryman from 1999 to 2020, and again for shorter winter residencies beginning in 2023. In addition to the radio programs, performances have been sporadically televised over

2581-410: The Grand Ole Opry, both filmed programs syndicated by Flamingo Films. Gannaway's Stars of the Grand Ole Opry was the first television show shot in color. On October 2, 1954, a teenage Elvis Presley had his only Opry performance. Although the audience reacted politely to his revolutionary brand of rockabilly music , Opry manager Jim Denny told Presley's producer Sam Phillips after the show that

2670-680: The Opry House was flooded, along with much of Nashville, when the Cumberland River overflowed its banks . Repairs were made, and the Opry itself remained uninterrupted. Over the course of the summer of 2010, the broadcast temporarily originated from alternate venues in Nashville, with Ryman Auditorium hosting the majority of the shows. Other venues included TPAC War Memorial Auditorium , another former Opry home; TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall ; Nashville Municipal Auditorium ; Allen Arena at Lipscomb University ; and Two Rivers Baptist Church. Much of

2759-524: The Opry and collaborated on the 1989 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two . Another artist that ran afoul of the Opry's stringent standards was Jerry Lee Lewis , who made his first appearance on the show on January 20, 1973, after several years of success on the country charts. Lewis was given two conditions for his appearance – no rock and roll and no profanity – and he proceeded to disregard both, even referring to himself as

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2848-518: The Opry began having square dancers on the show, the Fruit Jar Drinkers always played for them. In 1926, Uncle Dave Macon, a Tennessee banjo player who had recorded several songs and toured on the vaudeville circuit, became its first real star. The phrase "Grand Ole Opry" was first uttered on radio on December 10, 1927. At the time, the NBC Red Network's Music Appreciation Hour , a program with classical music and selections from grand opera ,

2937-410: The Opry management in 2007 alleging that manager Pete Fisher was trying to purge older members of the Opry from its membership and committing age discrimination . Jackson settled the lawsuit in 2008 and resumed appearing on the program until retiring in 2012. In early 2022, Morgan Wallen performed on the Grand Ole Opry alongside Ernest . This move was criticized, as Wallen had been taped less than

3026-439: The Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass , Americana , folk , and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits . It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners. In the 1930s, the show began hiring professionals and expanded to four hours. Broadcasting by then at 50,000 watts , WSM made

3115-405: The Opry were going to have a dress code, it should enforce it upon the audience as well, and that she was only wearing what most young women of the time were wearing. Seely's actions effectively caused the fall of a "gingham curtain" . Despite her disputes with the dress code, Seely would remain loyal to the Opry, setting the record for most appearances on the program over 55 years (and ongoing) as

3204-485: The Opry would go on. It took years after that before drums became commonly accepted at the Opry; as late as 1967, an item in Billboard claimed that "[a] full set of drums was used on the 'Grand Ole Opry' for the first time in history when Jerry Reed performed last week. Jerry's drummer, Willie Akerman, was allowed to use the entire set during his guest performance there." Stonewall Jackson , an Opry member since 1956, sued

3293-643: The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board granted summary judgment that the term "Opry" is a generic term (and thus no more protected than the words "Grand" or "Ole"), but the Federal Circuit court reversed this decision. As recently as 2009, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board granted judgment against Texas Opry House, LLC, which had filed a trademark application for TEXAS OPRY HOUSE. In 2004, the Grand Ole Opry sold naming rights to its first "presenting sponsor", Cracker Barrel . Insurance company Humana became

3382-434: The absence of performances, the building remained a tourist attraction throughout the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1991 and 1992, Emmylou Harris performed a series of concerts there and released some of the recordings as an album entitled At the Ryman . The concert and album's high acclaim renewed interest in reviving Ryman Auditorium as an active venue. Beginning in September 1993, Gaylord Entertainment initiated

3471-420: The age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under

3560-465: The age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 39,797, and the median income for a family was $ 49,317. Males had a median income of $ 33,844 versus $ 27,770 for females. The per capita income for

3649-451: The auditorium's main floor seating, the backstage areas, and the entire stage—including the six foot inlaid circle of wood from Ryman's stage—was underwater during the flood. While the Grand Ole Opry House's stage was replaced, the Ryman circle was restored and again placed at center stage in the Grand Ole Opry House before shows resumed. The renovations following the flood also resulted in an updated and much-expanded backstage area, including

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3738-634: The construction of more dressing rooms and a performer's lounge. The Opry returned to the Grand Ole Opry House on September 28, 2010, in a special edition of the Opry entitled Country Comes Home that was televised live on Great American Country . The Opry closed its doors to spectators and trimmed its staff in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee but continued to air weekly episodes on radio and television, relying on advertising revenue to remain solvent. The Opry resumed allowing spectators on

3827-410: The country music genre and country music fans. On behalf of all of us at the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Entertainment, I'd like to thank the artist community, industry and music lovers around the world for their continued support". After seven months of performing without a live audience, in October 2020, the Opry kicked off its 95th anniversary by welcoming back 500 guests to the Opry House – and so began

3916-420: The county by double-digit margins since. However, Davidson County has trended even more Democratic in recent years while most of the state has shifted Republican. In 2020, Joe Biden won Davidson county with 64.5% of the vote and a 32.1% margin of victory, the best Democratic performance in the county since Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide victories. In local elections, the county is equally Democratic. Since

4005-413: The county was $ 23,069. About 10.0% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over. Davidson County is a Democratic stronghold, due to it comprising the liberal bastion of Nashville. It last went Republican when George H. W. Bush won the county in 1988 , and Democratic presidential candidates have handily won

4094-454: The county was 67.0% White , 26.0% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 2.3% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.4% from other races , and 2.0% from two or more races. 4.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2005 the racial makeup of the county was 61.7% non-Hispanic white, 27.5% African-American, 6.6% Latino and 2.8% Asian. In 2000 there were 237,405 households, out of which 26.7% had children under

4183-411: The departure of the Opry, Ryman Auditorium sat mostly vacant and decaying for 20 years. An initial effort by National Life & Accident to tear down the Ryman and use its bricks to build a chapel at Opryland USA was met with resounding resistance from the public, including many influential musicians of the time. The plans were abandoned, and the building remained standing with an uncertain future. Despite

4272-481: The end of 2023, with Opry Live being moved to syndication . RFD-TV carries reruns of Opry telecasts under the title Opry Encore . Sky Arts simulcasts Opry Live in the United Kingdom . Regular performers at the Grand Ole Opry can be inducted into the organization as a member. Opry management, when it decides to induct a new member, directs an existing member to publicly ask them to join, usually during

4361-509: The end of the Civil War , Nashville has mostly been in the 5th district, however, between 1875 and 1933, and 1943 and 1953, it was located in the 6th district. Before 2023 no Republican had represented Nashville in the US House of Representatives since Horace Harrison left office in 1875. In 2022, Tennessee's Legislature passed a new map for Tennessee's congressional districts to account for

4450-592: The first major updates to the set in over two decades – in February 2023. Opry NextStage, a program that spotlights a select number of up-and-coming country artists each year, began bringing younger and more diverse acts to the Opry stage in 2019. Artists from more genres like Folk, Americana, Gospel, Blues, and Southern Rock frequently appear on the show. And in 2022, Opry management invited two new comedians – Henry Cho (the Opry's first Asian American member) and Gary Mule Deer – to become Opry members. The Grand Ole Opry

4539-461: The first-ever member of the Opry inducted for his songwriting and not as a performer, having begun regular appearances only after Travis's incapacitation, performing songs he had written for Travis and for non-Opry member Kenny Rogers . The Opry also has a history of inviting comedians to join the cast, though none were invited to join between Jerry Clower 's induction in 1973 and when Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer became members in 2023. Following

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4628-647: The hordes of fans. They built a larger studio, but it was still not large enough. After several months with no audiences, National Life decided to allow the show to move outside its home offices. In October 1934, the Opry moved into then- suburban Hillsboro Theatre (now the Belcourt) before moving to the Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville on June 13, 1936. The Opry then moved to the War Memorial Auditorium ,

4717-402: The hospital the third time I broke my nose." Cash was accepted back in 1968, after the success of his At Folsom Prison album and his recovery from addiction. Ryman Auditorium was home to the Opry until 1974. By the late 1960s, National Life & Accident desired a new, larger, more modern home for the long-running radio show. Already 51 years old at the time the Opry moved there, the Ryman

4806-577: The induction of Jon Pardi —the only Opry member to hail from the state of California—in October 2023, there are 71 active Opry members, plus the Opry Square Dancers, who enjoy sui generis membership status and open every Saturday show. In April 1963, Opry management mandated that members had to perform no less than 26 shows a year in order to maintain their membership. WSM decreased the number of those required performances to 20 in January 1964, and

4895-511: The line of marked trees run by the commissioners for laying off land granted the Continental line of this State intersects said river (which said line is supposed to be in thirty-five degrees fifty minutes north latitude) thence east along said line to the top of Cumberland mountain, thence northwardly along said mountain to the beginning" However, four more counties were carved out of Davidson County's territory between 1786 and 1856. Following

4984-508: The mid 1980s Ralph Russell, Sr. entrusted ownership and operations of the Diamond Ballroom to his son Ralph Russell, Jr. Ralph Russell, Jr. expanded the Diamond Ballroom's days of business by opening its doors during weeknights. Ralph Russell, Jr. also began to bring more types of music to the venue. Traditionally a home for country-western swing music, the Diamond began to associate with local promoters who booked notable rock n' roll and metal acts of

5073-420: The minimum number was 12 in 2000. Although the minimum number of performances has been reduced over the years, artists offered membership are expected to display their dedication to the Opry with frequent attendance. Another controversy raged for years over permissible instrumentation, especially the use of drums and electrically amplified instruments. Some purists were appalled at the prospect; traditionally,

5162-441: The name of its sponsor, The Prince Albert Show , was first hosted by Acuff, who was succeeded by Red Foley from 1946 to 1954. From October 15, 1955, to September 1956, ABC-TV aired a live, hour-long television version once a month on Saturday nights (sponsored by Ralston-Purina) that pre-empted one hour of the then-90-minute Ozark Jubilee . From 1955 to 1957, Al Gannaway owned and produced both The Country Show and Stars of

5251-663: The new 2020 census data. The Republican Party had total control of the Tennessee government at the time, giving it full control of the redistricting process. The new map that was passed gerrymandered Davidson County into three congressional districts, resulting in Republicans winning them all in 2022 . All of Davidson County is encompassed under the consolidated Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. However, several municipalities that were incorporated before consolidation retain some autonomy as independent municipalities. These are: For U.S. Census purposes,

5340-425: The ongoing construction of Opry Mills. The Opry returned to the Ryman for the three winter months every year until 2019–20, allowing the show to acknowledge its roots while also taking advantage of a smaller venue during an off-peak season for tourism. Following a COVID-19 pandemic -related hiatus after the 2020 season, the show has returned to The Ryman for shorter winter residencies since 2023. While still officially

5429-590: The outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, the voters of Davidson County voted narrowly in favor of seceding from the United States : 5,635 in favor, 5,572 against. However, the Union Army occupied the county in February 1862, which caused widespread social disruption as the state's governing institutions broke down. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 526 square miles (1,360 km ), of which 504 square miles (1,310 km )

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5518-413: The pandemic, with the majority of viewers being under lockdown. According to Pollstar , Opry Live was the number one most-watched livestream series in 2020 across all genres and received more than fifty million viewers from over fifty countries throughout the year, with two individual episodes ( Vince Gill / Reba McEntire and Brad Paisley / Carrie Underwood ) placing at numbers nine and ten respectively in

5607-551: The portions of Davidson County that lie outside the boundaries of the six independently incorporated municipalities are collectively treated as the Nashville-Davidson balance . Before consolidation occurred, there were several other communities that were previously unincorporated, while others relinquished their municipal charters . Now neighborhoods of Nashville, they maintain historical identities to varying degrees. These include: Metropolitan Nashville Public School District

5696-467: The program a Saturday night musical tradition in nearly 30 states. In 1939, it debuted nationally on NBC Radio . The Opry moved to its most famous former home, the Ryman Auditorium , in 1943. As it developed in importance, so did the city of Nashville, which became America's "country music capital". The Grand Ole Opry holds such significance in Nashville that it is included as a "home of" mention on

5785-539: The program as Grand Ole Opry Live. The show moved to Country Music Television , also owned by Gaylord, where it expanded to an hour, and then to the Great American Country (GAC) cable network, which no longer televised its Opry Live show after both networks channel drifted towards generic Southern lifestyle programming. Circle , a new over-the-air digital subchannel network operated by Gray Television and Ryman Hospitality Properties, resumed telecasting

5874-418: The public on June 30, 1972, well ahead of the 4,000-seat Opry House, which debuted nearly two years later, on Saturday, March 16, 1974. The last show of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium was held on March 15, 1974. Opening night was attended by sitting U.S. President Richard Nixon , who played a few songs on the piano. To carry on the tradition of the show's run at the Ryman, a six-foot circle of oak

5963-577: The purchase retired from his legal career and turned the Diamond Ballroom into a family business. He employed his son and son-in-law as staff members and had his wife handle the bookkeeping. Notable performances in the 1960s and 1970s included: Willie Nelson , Merle Haggard , Waylon Jennings , Loretta Lynn , George Jones , Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys , Wanda Jackson , Conway Twitty , Charley Pride , Buck Owens , Hank Williams, Jr. , David Allan Coe , Jerry Lee Lewis along with many others. In

6052-458: The settlers came from Kentucky and the Upper South. Since the land was fertile, they cultivated hemp and tobacco , using the labor of enslaved African Americans, and also raised blooded livestock of high quality, including horses. Generally holding less land than the plantations of Western Tennessee , many Middle Tennessee planters nevertheless became wealthy during this period. Davidson County

6141-469: The show's ban on drums. Wills openly flouted the rule. King, who performed at the Ryman in 1945 after Franklin Delano Roosevelt's death, did not technically defy the ban. He did not use his drums on the Opry, but this particular Saturday night, the Opry was cancelled due to FDR's death. He and his band were asked to perform their theater show (with their drummer) because a number of fans showed up assuming

6230-473: The singer's style did not suit the program. In the 1960s, as the hippie counterculture movement spread, the Opry maintained a strait-laced, conservative image with "longhairs" not being featured on the show. Artists were expected to dress conservatively, with women regularly wearing gingham country dresses; Jeannie Seely , upon joining the Opry in 1967, fought management to wear more contemporary attire such as miniskirts and go-go boots , arguing that if

6319-572: The stage the audience's response was immediately hostile, resulting in derisive heckling, booing, and mocking calls of "tweet, tweet" and "cut your hair" The Byrds further outraged the Opry establishment by ignoring accepted protocol when they performed Parsons' song " Hickory Wind " instead of the Merle Haggard song "Life in Prison", as had been announced by Tompall Glaser . Two decades later, long after Parsons' death, members of The Byrds reconciled with

6408-457: The term 'Opry', standing alone as defendant has used it, is constantly used in country and western music circles in referring to plaintiff's 'Grand Ole Opry'". The court also stated "the defendant has appropriated, at its peril, the dominant or salient term in the plaintiff's mark, a term which identified the 'Grand Ole Opry' in the mind of the public many years before the inception of 'Opry Records'—the name adopted by defendant". In another case,

6497-460: The time of year. It was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as the WSM Barn Dance , taking its current name in 1927. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a joint venture between NBCUniversal , Atairos and majority shareholder Ryman Hospitality Properties ), it is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history,

6586-470: The time. Artists included: Pantera , Slayer , Megadeth , White Zombie , Sepultura , The Cramps , Alice In Chains , Steve Vai , Stone Temple Pilots and countless others. The Diamond Ballroom continues to book shows and private events to this day. Grand Ole Opry The Grand Ole Opry is a regular live country-music radio broadcast originating from Nashville , Tennessee , on WSM , held between two and five nights per week, depending on

6675-453: The top ten. President of Opry Entertainment Scott Bailey explained that "as the stewards of the Grand Ole Opry, it was never a question of if the Opry would play on, but how could it provide a safe and much-needed source of comfort during what has been an extraordinary year around the world. We are proud of this tremendous result and the numbers of viewers who have tuned in, not only for what it has meant for Circle, but also for what it says about

6764-554: The welcome signs seen by motorists at the Metro Nashville/Davidson County line. Membership in the Opry remains one of country music's crowning achievements. Just over 225 acts have been members of the Grand Ole Opry out of the thousands of acts that have existed during the history of country music. At present (2024), about 75 acts are members. As Tina Benitez-Evans wrote in American Songwriter, "Membership in

6853-492: The world. It has taken court action to limit use of the word "Opry"—not directly trademarked—to members of the Opry and products associated with or licensed by it and to discourage use of the word in ways that would imply a connection to the Grand Ole Opry. In late 1968, for instance, WSM sued Opry Records, a record label that was independent of WSM, and the court decided that "the record is replete with newspaper and magazine articles and clippings which demonstrate conclusively that

6942-565: The years. Video compilations of previous Opry performances are distributed digitally every Saturday evening on FAST network Circle Country as well as the Opry ' s YouTube and Facebook outlets, and syndicated to a number of television stations across North America. The Grand Ole Opry started as the WSM Barn Dance in the new fifth-floor radio studio of the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in downtown Nashville on November 28, 1925. On October 17, 1925, management began

7031-612: Was also the home of the Country Music Association Awards from 1974 to 2004, and hosted three weeks of tapings for the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune in 2003. The venue has also been the site of the GMA Dove Awards on multiple occasions. On December 21, 2018, the backstage band room was officially named the Jimmy Capps Music Room in honor of Capps's 60th anniversary on the Opry . Following

7120-401: Was banned from the program in 1965 after drunkenly smashing the stage lights with the microphone stand. Cash commented on the incident years later: "I don't know how much they wanted me in the first place," he says, "but the night I broke all the stage lights with the microphone stand, they said they couldn't use me anymore. So I went out and used it as an excuse to really get wild and ended up in

7209-460: Was beginning to suffer from disrepair as the downtown neighborhood around it fell victim to increasing urban decay . Despite these shortcomings, the show's popularity continued to increase, and its weekly crowds were outgrowing the 2,362-seat venue. The Opry's operators wanted to build a new air-conditioned theater, with greater seating capacity, ample parking, and the ability to serve as a television production facility. Their ideal location would be in

7298-462: Was cut from the corner of the Ryman's stage and inlaid into center stage at the new venue. Artists on stage usually stood on the circle as they performed, and most modern performers still follow this tradition. The theme park was closed and demolished following the 1997 season, but the Grand Ole Opry House remains in use. The immediate area around it was left intact, even throughout the construction of Opry Mills , which opened in May 2000. The outside

7387-606: Was decorated with the commemorative plaques of country music Grammy winners, formerly of Opryland's StarWalk , until the display was retired, reconfigured, and moved downtown to become the Music City Walk of Fame in 2006. The Grand Ole Opry continues to be performed every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and occasionally Wednesday and Sunday at the Grand Ole Opry House. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 27, 2015. The Grand Ole Opry House

7476-429: Was followed by Hay's Barn Dance . That evening, as he was introducing DeFord Bailey, the show's first performer of the night, George Hay said the following words: For the past hour, we have been listening to music largely from Grand Opera, but from now on, we will present 'The Grand Ole Opry'. As audiences for the live show increased, National Life & Accident Insurance's radio venue became too small to accommodate

7565-405: Was granted similar accommodation from 2017 until her 2022 death. The Opry maintains a wall of fame listing every member of the Opry in the show's history. Receiving Opry membership is considered an honor that is similar in prestige to a Hall of Fame induction, with the caveat that a number of prominent country musicians never received it. When Don Schlitz was inducted on August 30, 2022, he became

7654-432: Was held for longtime member Loretta Lynn a few weeks after Lynn's death in October 2023; the concert featured performances by George Strait (who himself has only appeared once, in 1982, on the Opry radio show), Tanya Tucker, Wynonna, and several other artists. Thousands of Lynn's friends, family, and fans were in attendance at the Opry House. The Opry unveiled a new, upgraded stage with all-new, advanced audio technology –

7743-486: Was hired by WSM and turned 30 a week later, Hay (known as the "Solemn Old Judge") launched the WSM Barn Dance with 77-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson on November 28, 1925, and that date is celebrated as the day the Grand Ole Opry began. Some of the bands regularly on the show during its early days included Bill Monroe , the Possum Hunters (with Humphrey Bate ), the Fruit Jar Drinkers with Uncle Dave Macon ,

7832-461: Was much larger when it was created in 1783. Its initial boundaries were defined as follows: - "[A]ll that part of this State lying west of the Cumberland mountain and south of the Virginia line, beginning on the top of Cumberland mountain where the Virginia line crosses, extending westward along the said line to Tennessee River, thence up said river to the mouth of Duck River, then up Duck River to where

7921-530: Was retroactively classified as a member in October 2023. Duos and groups remain members until all members have died; following the death of a member, the others maintain Opry membership. More recent protocols have allowed performers who are incapacitated or retired (such as Barbara Mandrell , Jeanne Pruett , Stu Phillips and Ricky Van Shelton ) to maintain Opry membership until they die. Randy Travis has maintained his Opry membership largely through non-singing appearances since his 2013 stroke, while Loretta Lynn

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