As Carrie Underwood sang the final notes of her hit song, “Wasted,” the sound was drowned out by applause from a packed audience. The song appeared on her debut album, kicking off a 20-year career that has solidified her place among country music legends – but on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry stage in late October, the singer took a moment to acknowledge the history around her.
Underwood remarked on the photographs of iconic musicians just outside the 4,400-seat theater, and the stage’s famed circle of wood – cut from the stage of Ryman Auditorium, the radio show’s former home – where she stood that night.
“It’s always just a beautiful night,” Underwood told the crowd of performing there. “So, it is an honor to be with you all.” The Opry, which turned 100 on Nov. 28, helped elevate country music’s profile in the U.S. – and became a destination of its own.
The Grand Ole Opry is the world’s longest-running radio show, but it premiered as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925 (founder George D. Hay coined its new name a couple of years later).
Over time, the show’s broadcasting capabilities grew and management booked increasingly big stars to play, according to Paul Kingsbury, senior director of editorial and interpretation at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. While the Opry wasn’t the only force bringing country music to the masses – there were other country variety shows, the music was spread around during World War II as soldiers traveled far and wide – it became “the premier show” thanks to its reach and the caliber of its talent.
The Opry developed a kind of gravitational pull by the 1940s.
“So, you have musicians base themselves here, so they can play with Opry stars and go out on tour with them,” Kingsbury said. “And by the mid-50s, we have actual dedicated recording studios in Nashville, and then we have record companies opening their offices on what we now call Music Row by the 1950s and music publishers coming here. So, it’s like the Opry is a magnet, because of the star power of the show, drawing all these other elements of the music industry that make Nashville the unofficial capital of country music.”
Artists who receive a coveted invitation to become an Opry member are in good company: The list includes names like Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire and more (Underwood was inducted in 2008).
“I think one thing that makes the Opry special for artists and fans alike is the Opry’s celebration of the past, present and future of country music,” said Dan Rogers, the Grand Ole Opry’s Senior Vice President and Executive Producer. “So, when you are standing in that circle of wood as an artist, you’re lending your voice to something that really matters and mattered to your heroes, to Loretta Lynn, to George Jones and Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash and Bill Monroe and Patsy Cline. By virtue of being on that show, you’re building a bridge to the future.”
The Nashville Palace is a honky tonk and local institution located about a 20-minute drive from the frenzy of lower Broadway – and just a mile from the Opry. The venue, which opened in 1977 and has hosted performances from country legends (including Randy Travis, who used to wash dishes there), offers live music, country dancing and more.
The Opry operates year-round, but also has special events such as Christmas broadcasts in November and December. A show calendar is available on its website, including select dates held at the Ryman.
The Opry has a dedicated parking lot, but those who want to forgo searching for a spot can also take a rideshare such as a Lyft, or take WeGo bus Route 34 to the nearby Opry Mills mall.
Getting there: The closest major airport is Nashville International Airport (BNA), about 10 minutes from the Grand Ole Opry by car. The Opry is located about a 20-minute drive from downtown Nashville.
Where to stay: The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and The Inn at Opryland, a Gaylord Hotel, are among the closest accommodations, but there are a range of other hotels and vacation rentals elsewhere in Nashville. The downtown area in particular boasts a wide selection at various price points, from the historic Hermitage Hotel to the newer Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown.
Rogers said the Opry’s audience is made up of both tourists from around the world and locals. In his nearly 30 years there, he said, historically about half of the attendees have been big country music fans.
“And then truly, almost exactly (the) other half is there because they enjoy music, and they’re in Nashville, Tennessee, and they’re supposed to go to the Grand Ole Opry when they’re in Nashville.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
Grand Ole Opry turns 100, but this Nashville stage still inspires – USA Today
