Back in 2019 I visited Nashville for the first time and secured a ticket for the legendary Grand Ole Opry, which turns 100 this week. As a quite recent convert to country music at the time I was still learning about the institution. As a music fan, however, I knew the idea that there was a venue where every week you could see a varied line up of different quality artists playing live was something to treasure.
The Opry sells a lot of tickets to tourists, like me, based on the history of the institution alone. Of course, until you arrive you don’t realise the venue is a concrete block in the car park of a shopping mall. Not quite the Ryman.
And yet…there was something just right about the place. After all isn’t the real America full of sprawling, suburban shopping malls made beautiful by the music the people make to soundtrack our journey to and from those spaces? The Opry location is as down to earth as country music itself.
The Opry’s endurance through the 20th century means it is now a big business, a brand and a tourist attraction. But the core heart of what it does is to let the musicians play. Having a stellar house band supporting each artist also elevates the musical performances, while also bringing a sense of continuity and comforting familiarity to each show.
Central to why the Opry appeals to me is how it remains respectful of its history and its elders. Here is an institution which celebrates its legends and gives them memberships and air time weekly. The eclectic mix on offer means newer artists and fans in the genre are educated too on those who came before. You learn your country music history by listening every week. In a musical world siloed by streaming, skipping and stan culture the Opry stands apart.
The show I saw featured Jeannie Seely who made the record number of appearances at the Opry with 5397, before her death earlier this year. She was a great singer but her legacy is also in how backstage she would take a photo with women playing the Opry – always back to back to show she ‘had their back’. Jeannie showed others how the Opry was different: a place of solidarity and support rather than competition.
Of course some of the true legends who are members like Dolly, Emmylou, Reba don’t need the Opry to have a regular audience or to stay relevant. But they have the comfort of knowing the Opry would be there for them if they did. There’s thousands of fans waiting on you, every week if you care to play.
And yes I wish more of the big name members played more often. Those who stay in Nashville should use the Opry as a way to give back to the fans and the city they live in. Look at Vince Gill – he played the Opry over thirty times in 2024.
The Opry also remains relevant because of its support for new music. This year for example they decided to have 100 new artists making their debut. Sure some of them were not country but the country curious were welcome too. By consistently making a big deal out of ‘debut’ artists the Opry have cemented their own status and legacy. Young and upcoming country stars see the stage as a rite of passage. And so they keep the honour alive for the stars of tomorrow.
And before I finish this post, as a music blogger, I would be remiss not to mention that the Opry also inspired one of the most dedicated bloggers out there at https://fayfare.blogspot.com. To me this kind of site is the reason I love the internet. Before social media we just had passionate people sharing their love of things for no reason other than they wanted to. So make sure to check this one often, especially his end of year round ups.
Criticisms of the Opry can be easily summed up: too many filler acts, too much pandering to tourists over music fans and not enough memberships offered beyond mainstream country stars. In terms of the actual event the tickets are expensive and the traffic’s a nightmare. The recent overseas Royal Albert Hall version was obscenely priced too. Still the fact it sold out so fast also shows there’s a demand for this type of musical variety show beyond just Nashville.
Despite all that, I hope to be back at the Opry in person one day. Until then I will enjoy the music from the comfort of my sofa, just like so many fans have done for so many years before me.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to the Opry and what you love about it! Stay tuned for my next post which will have links to some of my favourite Opry performances.
Highway Queens 
Leave a comment