Grand Ole Opry
The show that made Nashville. Broadcasting live since 1927, the Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio broadcast in American history. Catch a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday show — standing in that circle of fame still gives chills.
The Opry started as a barn dance radio show on WSM in 1927 and never stopped — it's the longest-running radio broadcast in American history, and it's still live every week from the Opry House in Music Valley (with occasional shows back at the Ryman downtown, its home from 1943 to 1974). The format hasn't changed much either: a rotating cast of country legends and current chart-toppers plays short sets back to back, usually five or six acts in one night, backed by the Opry's own house band. It's less a concert than a variety show, which is part of the charm — you might see a 25-year Opry member follow a 24-year-old streaming star.
A six-foot circle of dark wood is inlaid center stage, cut from the original Ryman stage when the Opry moved out to Music Valley in 1974. Every performer stands in it, and it's the closest thing country music has to sacred ground. New members are still formally "inducted" into the Opry in ceremonies onstage — it's a genuine career milestone, not a marketing device.
Beyond the Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday shows, the Opry runs daytime backstage tours through the dressing rooms and the Circle Room, plus a post-show tour that gets you backstage right after the final bows (you'll need a ticket to that night's show to book it). Shows sell out, especially anything billed as Opry 100 programming around anniversary dates, so buy ahead rather than hoping for day-of seats.
Highlights
- —The wooden circle center stage was cut from the original Ryman Auditorium floor
- —Regular shows run Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights
- —Five to six acts per show in a rotating variety format, not a single headliner
- —Post-show backstage tours require a ticket to that night's performance
- —Some shows still return to the Ryman downtown seasonally
Insider tip
Book the post-show backstage tour, not the daytime one, if you want to see the dressing rooms still warm from that night's performers — it sells out fast and requires same-night show tickets.