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 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

Tags: country music fans, grand ole opry, wsm radio