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.

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 Hillsboro Theater (now the Belcourt in Green Hills). Next it moved to the Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville, then to the War Memorial Auditorium next to the State Capitol.

In 1943, still needing more room, the Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium, where it stayed until 1974, when it moved to its current home, the 4,400 seat Grand Ole Opry House, adjacent to the Opryland Hotel, where you can see performances several times each week, except for several weeks in winter when the Opry returns to the Ryman Auditorium.

The Opry’s artists and music have defined country music in America. Hundreds of musicians have performed as members through the years. Being honored with membership in the Grand Ole Opry, country’s most enduring “Hall of Fame”, is to be tapped as one of the most elite musicians of country music.

Membership in the Opry is not just earned, but must be maintained with frequent performances during the musician’s career.

Here are the Opry members as of this writing.

A

Trace Adkins
Bill Anderson
Ernie Ashworth

B

Dierks Bentley
Clint Black
Garth Brooks
Jim Ed Brown

C

Roy Clark
Terri Clark
John Conlee
Wilma Lee Cooper

D

Charlie Daniels
Diamond Rio
Little Jimmy Dickens
Joe Diffie

G

Larry Gatlin
Vince Gill
Billy Grammer
Jack Greene

H

Tom T. Hall
George Hamilton IV
Emmylou Harris
Jan Howard

J

Alan Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
George Jones

K

Hal Ketchum
Alison Krauss

L

Hank Locklin
Charlie Louvin
Patty Loveless
Loretta Lynn

M

Barbara Mandrell
Martina McBride
Del McCoury
Mel McDaniel
Reba McEntire
Jesse McReynolds
Ronnie Milsap
Lorrie Morgan

N

Jimmy C. Newman

O

Osborne Brothers

P

Brad Paisley
Dolly Parton
Stu Phillips
Charley Pride
Jeanne Pruett

R

Riders in the Sky

S

Bobbejaan Schoepen
Jeannie Seely
Jean Shepard
Ricky Skaggs
Connie Smith
Ralph Stanley
Marty Stuart

T

Mel Tillis
Pam Tillis
Randy Travis
Travis Tritt
Josh Turner

U

Carrie Underwood

V

Ricky Van Shelton

W

Charlie Walker
Steve Wariner
The Whites

Y

Trisha Yearwood

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:

• Old Hickory Steakhouse Restaurant
• Ristorante Volare (fine Italian dining)
• Cascades Seafood Restaurant
• Water’s Edge Marketplace Buffet Restaurant
• Jack Daniel’s Saloon

There is a 27,000 square foot spa, with indoor and outdoor pools, and a 24 hours/day fitness center offering individual workouts, group classes or personal trainers.

If that’s not enough, the Opryland Hotel is adjacent (easy walking distance) to Nashville’s number one attraction, the Grand Ole Opry.

Also nearby is the General Jackson Showboat, offering musical entertainment on its lunch and dinner cruises up and down the Cumberland River in Nashville.

And another short walk leads to Opry Mills, featuring nearly endless shopping, dining, and entertainment possibilities.