The People’s Choice Country Awards are coming up! 

NEWS

The People’s Choice Country Awards are coming up! 

Your votes have been tallied and now it’s time to hand out the trophies! Watch the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards, this Thursday night (9/28) at 7pm Central on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Limited tickets remain for the show if you want to be in attendance for this history-making night at the Grand Ole Opry House!

Hear the Americana Music Awards on WSM Radio

NEWS

Hear the Americana Music Awards on WSM Radio

The 2023 Americana Music Awards will honor the best and brightest in the world of Americana music over the past year. The ceremony will be held at Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 20th, and we’ll broadcast it LIVE on our Americana streaming channel: Route 650. Listen for the replay Saturday, September 23rd at 10am on WSM Radio!

Opry Community Day 2023 is right around the corner

NEWS

Opry Community Day 2023 is right around the corner

Join us for our second Opry Community Day and experience the world-famous Nashville landmark with live music, food and drinks, family fun, and a FREE backstage tour with your Tennessee I.D. or reserve your spot in advance by using your TN zip code via the ticket link.

Walk in the footsteps of past, present, and future country superstars in our themed dressing rooms and step onto country music’s biggest stage during a tour with expert guides at every stop. Don’t miss your chance to see our limited-time Famous Friends tour exhibits and hear the stories of the artists who are a part of the illustrious Opry family – all for free, all day long.

Don’t see the tour time available you’re looking to book during Community Day? Visit the Opry Box Office with your Tennessee ID on October 8th to receive a free standby line ticket.

Sara Evans Invited to Become Member of the Grand Ole Opry

NEWS

Sara Evans Invited to Become Member of the Grand Ole Opry

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (August 17, 2023) – CMA and ACM Award-winning artist Sara Evans was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry tonight by the Opry’s longest-serving member, Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson. The pair was joined by Opry members Lady A and Carly Pearce. Evans was surprised onstage during her sold-out concert at the Ryman Auditorium celebrating the release of Sara Evans Still Restless – The 20 Year Celebration – which commemorates the 20th anniversary of her platinum-selling, ACM nominated album Restless, released in August 2003.  Following an Evans/Pearce collaboration on “Suds In The Bucket,” Pearce introduced Lady A to present a Platinum plaque for the song. Immediately after that surprise presentation, Lady A’s Hillary Scott welcomed Anderson to the stage.

Anderson took the stage and recalled how he had gone to see Sara perform in a small warehouse showcase before her first album was released because she had included his song “Walk Out Backwards” in her. project. “It’s a long way from that warehouse to selling out the Ryman,” Anderson said. He went on to say he had two questions for her, beginning by jokingly asking if she would sing “Walk Out Backwards.”

Evans didn’t miss a beat, immediately kicking into an a capella version of the tune. As she finished, Anderson asked his second question. “The second question is from me and Lady A, Carly, and a bunch of other people. Would you like to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry?”

Evans acknowledged she’d hoped for Opry membership for many years and tearfully accepted. Thanking her mom in the audience for pushing her and her siblings to perform as they were all growing up, Evans said to the crowd, “God is so good.”

Evans will be inducted into the Opry on Saturday, October 7 as part of the Opry’s 98th Birthday Weekend.  Birthday Weekend shows and packages are available opry.com.

“I remember clearly watching Sara’s Opry debut live on television before I ever made the move to Nashville,” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “Like nearly anyone about to take that stage for the first time, she was both thankful and overwhelmed, and she said in an interview minutes before her performance that to help with her jitters, she was going to pretend to be Patsy Cline. Watching as a fan at home, I thought that was a pretty incredible approach. More than 25 years later, I think she was once again tonight both thankful and overwhelmed. All of us at the Opry have appreciated her great performances every time she’s visited us and look forward to celebrating official Opry membership with her during what is going to be a great October Opry Birthday Weekend.”

Jon Pardi, invited to join the Opry during this year’s Stagecoach Festival, is scheduled to be inducted into the Opry on Tuesday, October. 24.

Tickets are on sale now for all 2023 Opry, Opry Country Classics, and Opry Country Christmas shows at (615) 871-OPRY and opry.com. For more details go to Opry.com.  Tennessee residents can save on Opry show tickets year-round with our TN Friends $45 ticket offer. Visit opry.com/tnfriends for details.

About Sara Evans:

Multi-platinum entertainer SARA EVANS is at the top of her game. As the fifth most-played female artist at country radio in nearly the last two decades — her five No. 1 singles include “No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket, “A Real Fine Place To Start,” “Born to Fly,” and “A Little Bit Stronger,” which spent 2 weeks in the top spot and was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. — Sara thrills audiences across the U.S. playing close to 100 shows each year. Sara’s “stunning, country voice” (Rolling Stone) has earned her the prestigious Academy of Country Music Top Female vocalist accolade as well as numerous American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Country Music Association, CMT and Grammy Awards nominations. In addition, the CMA awarded Video of the Year honors for her hit chart-topping single, “Born to Fly” from her double-platinum album of the same name. Evans’ discography also includes the platinum-selling studio albums Real Fine Place and Restless as well as the gold-certified projects Stronger and No Place That Far.In addition to a prolific country music career, Sara has been honored for her philanthropic work and in 2018 was presented the NAB Education Foundation’s Service To America Leadership Award. A Red Cross ambassador, Sara received the national Crystal Cross award for her work with the disaster-relief organization and has donated her time and fundraising efforts towards the CMA Foundation, ACM Lifting Lives, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Thistle Farms, and more. For more information on Sara Evans, visit SaraEvans.com and engage with her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

About the Grand Ole Opry: The Grand Ole Opry is the home of country music where artists and fans gather, in person and virtually, to celebrate and be part of country’s past, present and future. Founded in Nashville in 1925 and today the longest-running live broadcast show in the world, the Opry strengthens its roots by constantly evolving. The Opry’s members are country’s most emblematic artists, and the show regularly showcases country music’s top new talent. The Opry welcomes legions of fans to visit the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee – Music City, USA – to experience one of the 3-5 live shows it hosts per week; take a backstage tour; listen to live broadcasts on opry.com and wsmonline.com, SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse, or its flagship home WSM Radio; and watch Opry Live on Saturday nights and Opry content all week long on the Circle Network. The Grand Ole Opry is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP) and part of a strategic investment with Atairos and NBCUniversal. For more information, visit opry.com.

# # #

Contacts
Schmidt Relations
Dixie Owen    Dixie@schmidtpr.com 615-440-6171
Jessie Schmidt Jessie@schmidtpr.com 615-491-7988

For Sara Evans:
Wes Vause       Wes.vause@pressonpublicity.com

The 100 Days Of Summer Are Here!

New on WSM: Opry Star Spotlight

NEWS

New on WSM: Opry Star Spotlight

Opry Star Spotlight is the revival of a classic WSM show that immediately follows the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights. Join Zack Bennett from 9:15pm to 11pm, as he shines the spotlight on one Grand Ole Opry member each week: sharing some of their career highlights, biggest hits, and hidden gems. Plus, he previews next week’s Grand Ole Opry show and plays the wide variety of country music WSM is known for.

Tour The Ryman for free on May 28!

NEWS

Ryman Community Day is Coming Up!

Ryman Community Day

Come visit The Mother Church on Sunday, May 28 for Ryman Community Day – presented by PNC Bank! Bring your valid Tennessee resident ID for a day full of family-friendly events, food and drinks, and live music… plus, tour The Ryman for FREE and stand on music’s most iconic stage, plus see the all-new “Rock Hall At The Ryman” exhibit.

Just Announced! Old Crow Medicine Show, New Year’s Eve at the Ryman

Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman is Back for 2023!

NEWS

Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman is Back for 2023!

WSM presents another season of Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights At The Ryman this Summer! Join us every Thursday from June 22 to July 27 to see some of the biggest stars in Bluegrass on the very stage where Bluegrass was born…including Sierra Hull, East Nash Grass, The Jerry Douglas Band, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Dailey & Vincent, and Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Tickets for individual shows are on sale now, and listen to Coffee, Country & Cody every weekday through February 2 for your chance to win a pair.

New on Circle: History of Country with Bill Cody

NEWS

New on Circle TV: History of Country with Bill Cody

Join us for Circle Network’s newest series, History of Country, as our own Bill Cody walks through the best years of country music, including the biggest albums, breakthroughs, and debuts of the year! Don’t miss the premiere on @CircleAllAccess THIS Thursday, January 12 at 10:30/9:30c pm. How to watch at CircleAllAccess.com/Watch