Ryman Auditorium – Nashville’s Mother Church of Country Music

If you visit Nashville and have even a passing interest in country music, your trip will be incomplete if you miss checking out country music’s Mother Church, The Ryman Auditorium.

The Ryman Auditorium was conceived in 1895 by a Nashville riverboat captain named Thomas Ryman, who had recently been converted to Christianity by a southern evangelist, and decided to build a church to serve Nashville’s revivals.  In 1892, the first part of the auditorium was opened, named the Union Gospel Tabernacle, which included the pews that remain there to this day.  Construction was completed in 1899, and the total cost – $100,000.

In 1943, the Grand Ole Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium, where it remained full-time until 1974, when it moved to the Opry House, which was built adjacent to the Opryland Hotel for the purpose of being a dedicated auditorium for Grand Ole Opry performances.

The Grand Old Opry returned to the Ryman in 1999, for winter season performances, which continue to this day.

Of course, there’s much more than country music performed at the Ryman.  Virtually every type of music has been celebrated and performed here, and it’s been voted one of the best places to hear music in America.

The Grand Ole Opry

It started as a radio show in 1925, and has survived to be the oldest continuous radio broadcast in the USA. It is also heard on XM Radio, and is televised on Saturdays on the Great American Country network.

From it’s simple beginnings, the Grand Ole Opry has become an American icon, and is Nashville’s Number One attraction.

Always broadcasting to live audiences, in the early years, after building a larger studio to accomodate the growing audience, in 1934 the Opry moved outside its studio to the Read more

Nashville’s Opryland Hotel

America’s largest non-casino resort, with 2,881 guest rooms, and probably the single most popular hotel in Music City, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center captures the spirit of Nashville, and is so much more than just a hotel.  It’s a great place for meetings and conventions, with an astounding 600,000 square feet of meeting space.

Opryland boasts nine acres (yes…acres) of gardens, winding pathways, waterfalls, even an indoor river, all climate-controlled underneath majestic glass atriums!

Lots of restaurants, from casual to fine dining are available – here are just a few: Read more