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89-420: Other than hosting athletic events and on campus convocations, the arena hosts many events such as dinners, concerts, area-wide worship services, and graduations (the university and Nashville surrounding high schools). The facility has been host to events such as the annual Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation Concert, bringing entertainers such as former Vibe host Sinbad , Dana Carvey , and Jay Leno . Besides being

178-489: 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

267-543: 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,

356-479: A call-and-response with audiences everywhere. Pearl's often self-deprecating humor involved her unsuccessful attempts to attract "a feller's" attention and, in later years, her age. She also spun stories involving her comical "ne'er-do-well" relatives, notably "Uncle Nabob", his wife "Aunt Ambrosia", "Lucifer Hucklehead", "Miss Lizzie Tinkum", "Doc Payne", and, of course, her "Brother", who was simultaneously both slow-witted and wise. She usually closed her monologues with

445-811: A double mastectomy and radiation therapy , she became a spokeswoman for the medical center in Nashville where she had been treated. She took on this role as herself, Sarah Ophelia Cannon, not Minnie Pearl, although a nonprofit group, the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation, was founded in her memory to help fund cancer research. The center where she was treated was later named the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, and has been expanded to at least twenty other hospitals in Middle Tennessee , southern Kentucky, Richmond, Virginia, Kansas City, Missouri, Gainesville, Florida, and

534-536: 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

623-591: 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

712-583: 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

801-466: 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,

890-453: 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

979-668: 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

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1068-459: A number of single records for RCA Victor during the 1950s, including a few duets with Grandpa Jones. During this period, she also made guest appearances on records by Chet Atkins and Ernest Tubb . In the 1960s, she moved to Starday Records. At age 54, she recorded a top-10 hit for Starday, "Giddyup Go – Answer", a response to Red Sovine 's classic " Giddyup Go ". She later recorded with Sovine and Buddy Starcher in other single releases. Pearl

1157-406: A public stock worth $ 64 million, the venture collapsed amid allegations of accounting irregularities and stock price manipulation. The ensuing investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cleared both Cannon and Jackson of involvement in financial wrongdoings, but both were embarrassed by the negative publicity. After battling breast cancer through aggressive treatments, including

1246-528: 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

1335-508: 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

1424-684: 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,

1513-497: 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

1602-469: The Ray Stevens comedy single entitled "Southern Air". It charted in the top 70 of Billboard . †Honorary former member; was scheduled to be invited, but died before the invitation was extended 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

1691-697: The Southeast . Part of her work involved making brief appearances at civic organizations to promote the group's shows, and during this time she developed her Minnie Pearl routine. While producing an amateur musical comedy in Baileyton, Alabama she met a mountain woman whose style and speech became the basis for "Cousin Minnie Pearl". Her first stage performance as Minnie Pearl was in 1939 in Aiken, South Carolina . Her character's now-famous trademark hat

1780-562: The Tennessee Governor's Mansion . Cannon attended Brentwood Methodist Church, just to the south of Nashville, where she also donated the pipe organ. In the late 1960s, Nashville entrepreneur John Jay Hooker persuaded Cannon and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to lend their names to a chain of fried chicken restaurants established to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken . The chain was known as Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken . After initially reporting good results and enjoying

1869-521: 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

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1958-776: The Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville on June 13, 1936. The Opry then moved to the War Memorial Auditorium , 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

2047-608: The Grand Ole Opry. In October 2013, the arena held the nationally televised 44th GMA Dove Awards for the Christian music scene. Arena seating capacity is between 4,000 and 5,000 depending upon the purpose for which it is being used, and is officially given as 5,028, which is the capacity in the format typically utilized. Minnie Pearl Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon (October 25, 1912 – March 4, 1996), known professionally as her stage character Minnie Pearl ,

2136-694: 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

2225-536: 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

2314-410: 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

2403-439: 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

2492-405: 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

2581-490: 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

2670-657: 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

2759-501: The UK. Her name has also been lent to the affiliated Sarah Cannon Research Institute . Cannon suffered a debilitating stroke in June 1991, bringing her performing career to an end. After the stroke, she resided in a Nashville nursing home , where she received frequent visits from music industry figures, including Chely Wright , Vince Gill , and Amy Grant . Her death on March 4, 1996, at

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2848-491: 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

2937-611: The age of 83 was attributed to complications from another stroke. She is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Franklin, Tennessee . She was an important influence on younger female country music singers and rural humorists such as Jerry Clower , Jeff Foxworthy , Bill Engvall , Carl Hurley , David L Cook, Chonda Pierce , Ron White , and Larry the Cable Guy . In 1992, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts . In 2002, she

3026-451: 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

3115-713: The ball fell through the net, giving the Bisons a 78–77 victory over the North Texas Mean Green. The arena hosted the 2008 and 2009 Atlantic Sun Conference men's basketball tournaments. Due to the damage incurred to the Grand Ole Opry House during the May 2010 Tennessee floods and because the Ryman Auditorium was unavailable, Allen Arena hosted the June 5 and June 15, 2010 editions of

3204-814: 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 , 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

3293-700: 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

3382-410: 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

3471-411: 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

3560-488: 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

3649-485: The exit line, "I love you so much it hurts!" She also sang comic novelty songs and often danced with Grandpa Jones . In 1956, she made a paid appearance – $ 3,000, plus expenses – at the kickoff event of the first Alabama gubernatorial candidacy of segregationist George Wallace . She also appeared at an event kicking off his 1962 candidacy for governor. Pearl drew much of her comic material from her hometown of Centerville, which she called Grinders Switch . Grinders Switch

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3738-597: 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

3827-461: 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

3916-477: The former The Nashville Network (TNN) cable channel. With Emery, she performed in a weekly feature "Let Minnie Steal Your Joke" in the Minnie Pearl character, and read jokes submitted by viewers, with prizes for the best jokes. Cannon made a cameo appearance in the film Coal Miner's Daughter , appearing at the Opry as Minnie Pearl. On February 23, 1947, Colley married Henry R. Cannon, who had been an Army Air Corps fighter pilot during World War II and

4005-555: The home of Lipscomb sports teams, it served as the home of the now-defunct Nashville franchise, the Nashville Rhythm , in the revived American Basketball Association . It was also the home of the Music City Stars , an American Basketball Association team during the 2009–10 season. The Allen Arena opened on October 28, 2001, with a local worship service called "In His Hands". The Arena and adjacent parking garage

4094-402: 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

4183-591: 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

4272-468: The late 1950s; then on the long-running television series Hee Haw , both on CBS and the subsequent syndicated version. She made several appearances on NBC 's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford . She also appeared as a celebrity panelist on game shows such as Match Game in 1977 and 1978, and Hollywood Squares in 1980. Her last regular performances on national television were on Ralph Emery 's Nashville Now country-music talk show on

4361-470: The live show increased, National Life & Accident Insurance's radio venue became too small to accommodate 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

4450-420: 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,

4539-615: 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 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

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4628-425: 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

4717-413: 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

4806-409: 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

4895-549: 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

4984-411: The program that had inspired it, National Barn Dance . The NBC segment, originally known by 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

5073-418: 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

5162-473: The radio programs, performances have been sporadically televised over 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

5251-419: The second band accepted on Barn Dance , with the Crook Brothers being the first. When 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

5340-487: The show that 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

5429-477: 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

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5518-583: 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

5607-439: The statues. A museum dedicated to Minnie Pearl was situated just outside the Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland USA (next to another museum dedicated to Roy Acuff), but the museum closed along with the theme park in 1997. Many of its artifacts were moved to the adjacent Grand Ole Opry Museum. This list includes guest appearances on other stars' albums or appearances on "various artists" compilation albums. Minnie Pearl released

5696-457: 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,

5785-522: The then-90-minute Ozark Jubilee . From 1955 to 1957, Al Gannaway owned and produced both The Country Show and Stars of 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

5874-508: The time Nashville's most prestigious school for young ladies, where she majored in theater studies and dance. She taught dance for the first few years after graduating. Her first professional theatrical work was with the Wayne P. Sewell Production Company, a touring theater company based in Atlanta. She produced and directed plays and musicals for local organizations in small towns throughout

5963-404: 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,

6052-513: The time, the NBC Red Network's Music Appreciation Hour , a program with classical music and selections from grand opera , 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

6141-453: 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

6230-498: 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. 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

6319-492: 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

6408-601: Was a community just outside Centerville that consisted of little more than a railroad switch. Those who knew her recognized that the characters were largely based on actual Centerville residents. So much traffic resulted from fans and tourists looking for Grinders Switch that the Hickman County Highway Department eventually changed the designation on the "Grinders Switch" road sign to "Hickman Springs Road". Cannon portrayed Minnie Pearl for many years on television, first on ABC 's Ozark Jubilee in

6497-529: 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 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

6586-642: 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

6675-648: Was an American comedian who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years (1940–1991) and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991. Sarah Colley was born in Centerville in Hickman County, Tennessee , 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Nashville . She was the youngest of five daughters born to a prosperous sawmill owner and timber dealer in Centerville. She graduated from Ward-Belmont College (now Belmont University ), at

6764-477: Was back on RCA in 1974 when Archie Campbell and she released a parody record of Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty 's hit "As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone" which received airplay, but did not chart. In 1977, she appeared with a number of other Opry members on Dolly Parton 's New Harvest...First Gathering album, singing on the song "Applejack". In 1986, she was a featured guest vocalist, along with Jerry Clower , on

6853-401: 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

6942-460: 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

7031-462: 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

7120-621: 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

7209-518: Was friends with performers outside the country genre, including Elvis Presley , Dean Martin (she appeared on an episode of The Dean Martin Show ), and Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman). In 1992, Reubens made what would be his last appearance as Pee-wee Herman for 15 years at a Minnie Pearl tribute show. Bronze statues of Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff are displayed in the lobby of the Ryman Auditorium . Chely Wright and Dean Sams (of Lonestar ) posed for

7298-448: Was gentle satire of rural Southern culture, often called " hillbilly " culture. She lived in the fictional town of Grinders Switch. Pearl always dressed in frilly "down home" dresses and wore a hat with a price tag hanging from it, displaying the $ 1.98 price. Her signature greeting to her audience was an elongated "Howdy! I'm just so proud to be here!" delivered in a hearty holler. After she became an established star, her greeting became

7387-405: 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

7476-432: 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 –

7565-420: Was purchased downtown at Surasky Bros. Department store before the show. The following year, executives from Nashville radio station WSM saw her perform at a bankers' convention in Centerville and gave her an opportunity to appear on the Grand Ole Opry on November 30, 1940. The success of her debut on the show began an association with the Grand Ole Opry that continued for more than 50 years. Pearl's comedy

7654-700: Was ranked as number 14 on CMT 's 40 Greatest Women in Country Music list. According to Barney Hoskyns , the Band 's 1975 song " Ophelia " was based on Pearl. Pearl is also mentioned in the lyrics of the 1988 song " Punk Rock Girl " by the Dead Milkmen . In 1988, Pearl received the American Academy of Achievement 's Golden Plate Award, presented by Johnny Cash , alongside fellow awardee Roy Acuff , at an awards ceremony in Nashville. She

7743-530: 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

7832-472: Was the site for the school's old McQuiddy Gym name after J.C. McQuiddy Part of the McQuiddy Gym was retained along with the adjacent Student Activities Center (SAC). Yearwood Hall, a women's dormitory, was torn down for construction of the arena. In the first Lipscomb Bisons home game at Allen Arena, Bison Clayton Osborne made an inbounds shot from three-quarters of the court away. With no time remaining,

7921-443: Was then a partner in an air charter service. After the wedding, Cannon set up his own air charter service for country music performers and took over management of the Minnie Pearl character. His clients in the charter service included Eddy Arnold , Colonel Tom Parker , Hank Williams , Carl Smith , Webb Pierce , and Elvis Presley . The couple had no children. In 1969, they purchased a large estate home in Nashville next door to

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