Grand Ole Opry to Celebrate 95th Anniversary, Invite Audience Back

When the COVID-19 shutdowns began in mid March, the Grand Ole Opry was one of the only live music institutions that endured. Receiving special permission from the mayor’s office in Nashville to continue the 95-year tradition that had never ceased despite war, unrest, and natural catastrophe, live Opry shows continued under strict protocol and without an audience, with the first non-audience show transpiring on March 14th with the evening’s regular scheduled slate of performers.
Mandy Barnett, Sam Williams, Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Jeanine Seely, and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper all took the stage that night. Since then Saturday night Opry performances have been pared down to only a few performers, and an hour-long presentation, with Opry members Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Marty Stuart performing acoustic and in-the-round the next Saturday, March 21st.
Marty Stuart played the first official show under the Coronavirus protocols, and he will play the last when he takes the stage Saturday, September 26th with wife and fellow Hall of Famer Connie Smith, along with mandolin maestro and songwriter Sierra Hull for the 29th and final Opry show without an audience.
Then on Saturday, October 2nd, Dierks Bentley, Lorrie Morgan, Vince Gill, and Terri Clark will take the stage in the first Grand Ole Opry presentation with the first live audience in 6 1/2 months. 500 attendees will be allowed to socially distance throughout the 4,372-capacity Grand Ole Opry House as another sign of a continued slow return to normal.
The October 2nd Opry presentation will also officially kick off a celebration of the Grand Ole Opry’s 95th birthday, and October 2nd will also recognize Dierks Bentley’s 15th Anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member.
“With gratitude to the artists who have visited the Opry since March, staff members and partners who have ensured the Opry went on every Saturday, and a worldwide audience for tuning in over the past six months, we are so excited as we plan to welcome fans back to the Opry House,” says Dan Rogers, Opry vice president and executive producer. “So many loyal fans make plans early to be a part of our birthday weekend every year, and I am especially excited that many of those devoted familiar faces will be in the first in-house audience since late last winter. Of course we will only be truly happy when we can return to capacity audiences and full Opry shows that are known around the world.”
The Grand Ole Opry has partnered with the Nashville Public Health Department and Vanderbilt University Health to develop operating procedures for the shows, which will include socially distanced seating that allows those in the same group to be seated together while being distanced from others, mandatory masks for all guests, enhanced cleaning, and no food/beverage service.
No word as of yet if the return of crowds will eventually mean the elimination of the weekly live feed the Opry has provided for fans throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, but it will definitely endure for this week, and likely until things return to normal, including multi-hours presentations with segments hosted by artists. The Opry’s Saturday night live feeds have been one of the most popular live feeds during the COVID-19 shutdown, ranking near the top of Pollstar’s charts of live streaming events, averaging more than one million viewers each week.
Fans can watch Saturday night’s (9-26) Opry presentation live via the embedded player below, on the new Circle Network via local affiliates of the expanding channel (check availability), on the Circle Network’s Facebook Page, or on The Circle Network’s YouTube page, or listen via WSM. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. Central.
September 26, 2020 @ 10:59 am
This is good news, I’ve watched some and they’re fine but without the energy of a crowd something’s missing.
September 26, 2020 @ 11:37 am
This and Farm Aid and the return of the SEC!
September 26, 2020 @ 11:52 am
Great news.
In the very near future all sane people will look back on the coronavirus lockdowns as the most disastrous peacetime events to ever occur in the United States.
The lockdowns are truly an example of the cure being worse than the disease.
September 26, 2020 @ 12:32 pm
Big Tex,
We’re not getting into a COVID-19 discussion here. This is a country music website. Please quit veering into contentious political subjects with your comments.
October 2, 2020 @ 8:31 am
Your fuhrer and Melania and Hope Hicks all have it gee I really hope it’s a hoax and they don’t die ????????????????
October 2, 2020 @ 10:26 am
Dee:
This is, indeed, terrible news, because, as yet, there is no evidence that Trump spat or coughed upon Joe Biden or Chris Wallace.
October 2, 2020 @ 11:53 am
Final comment here.
Dee, let’s please not go out of our way to goad fellow commenters and provoke them on divisive political subjects. Thank you.
October 2, 2020 @ 1:59 pm
Okay. You know your regulars. [please see my other comment for context . ]
September 26, 2020 @ 12:25 pm
This is Great news!
September 26, 2020 @ 1:19 pm
Hopefully this opens the door to more in audience concerts coming back. I saw the Ryman is doing the same thing along with their live streams. I also saw people like Parker McCollum have some in person concerts. Even if it means having reduced capacity and social distanced shows, it’s better than nothing. Touring is a huge source of income. I feel bad for all the guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, etc. who have been out of work.
September 26, 2020 @ 12:57 pm
Rumor has it.. that a virtual zoom Opry invitation will be presented on this night!!!
Mum’s the Word
September 26, 2020 @ 2:58 pm
I have absolutely LOVED the Opry shows that I have watched during this time- and I have seen most. They were unique, you really felt you got to know the artists a little better, experienced their personal side, and despite no audience, they were terrific! The pairings were often unique and it exposed me to a few artists I didn’t really know. To me, they were one of the positive things that happened during the pandemic.
September 26, 2020 @ 5:29 pm
Awesome show tonight!!
September 26, 2020 @ 6:00 pm
Just watched. Is there a better entertainer that Marty, a better band than the Fabs, a more eloquent female country artist than Connie? Simply the best. No wonder Connie is in the HOF and Marty a new HOF member. All artists tonight were great.
One of the best shows during this Covid crap. This is how it’s done son.
September 26, 2020 @ 6:15 pm
Exactly! Well put. Watching it all over again!
September 26, 2020 @ 6:07 pm
Only 500? At least it’s a step in the right direction…baby steps I guess.
September 26, 2020 @ 7:18 pm
I’d like to see more there as well but it is a positive development. I live in a lockdown state – Connecticut – and I can’t see any sign of live, indoor concerts coming back anytime even though serious cases of C-19 largely leveled off back in June.
September 26, 2020 @ 8:05 pm
The band at Hard Truth Hills, knocked it out of the park tonight.
They were fabulous!
September 26, 2020 @ 8:11 pm
Hey your state is still flattening the curve I guess, even though there’s been no pandemic there for months. I have some serious questions about that, but don’t want to steer too far off topic. I hope what the Opry and a others are doing is contagious. With any luck even Bobby Bones will be “performing” soon.
September 26, 2020 @ 7:01 pm
Yes what a wonderful show with such great talent, some country history lessons, and awesome music! Marty is quite the showman! Thank you Grand Old Opry for some wonderful shows getting us through the summer!
September 27, 2020 @ 5:21 am
Many artists give good performances. A select few give good experiences. The show last night was not a performance, but a great experience. One left with more than they came with.
September 27, 2020 @ 5:55 am
Even Leroy Troy thrilled! Whoever thought you could do that with a banjo???
September 27, 2020 @ 7:12 pm
That performance was fantastic. Leroy is keeping the Grandpa Jones old timey clawhammer sound alive.
That entire Opry episode was EPIC. MartY was on his game. Sierra Ferrel was great , as was Connie Smith.