The Grand Old Opry and Mark Chestnutt

I’ll always remember going to the Grand Old Opry as a child. It was the highlight of one of our family vacations and the focus of today’s Southern Quote.

The GRAND OLD OPRY was born in 1925 when one of radio’s pioneer announcers, George D. Hay, who proclaimed himself “The Solemn Old Judge” at the ripe age of 30, launched the WSM Barn Dance in Nashville, TN. Legend has it that the featured performer for that show was Uncle Jimmy Thompson, an 80-year-old fiddler who had the reputation of knowing a thousand fiddle rounds. Three years later, the Judge gave the show a new name, one that would last through generations. Eighty-five years and millions of happy fans later, the Grand Old Opry is still going strong.

The Opry entertains with music, comedy and pageantry, bonding artists and audiences like no other show has ever done. Bill Anderson once said, “The Grand Ole Opry, to a country singer, is what Yankee Stadium is to a baseball player. Broadway to an actor. It’s the top of the ladder, the top of the mountain. You don’t just play the Opry; you live it.” –Bill Anderson

If you can’t plan a trip to Tennessee, I encourage you to check out the website. You can hear performances recorded live on the Opry Stage from stars like Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Travis Tritt and Vince Gill, and of course, one of my personal favorites— Loretta Lynn, singing her hit song, “Country in My Genes”. There’s also a journal section from various stars and a flashy virtual tour.

Today’s Southern Quote is a testament to the respect the Grand Old Opry has always enjoyed in the entertainment industry. Country Music star Mark Chesnutt once said, “The first time I played on the Opry stage, I met Roy Acuff…He asked me, “Were your knees shakin’? Were you scared to death? Were you shakin’ in your boots?” I said, “Yessir, I was.” He said, “Good. When you lose that, I ain’t got nothin’ for you.” – Mark Chestnutt