Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
10/20/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2021 10:13
Celebrate the Grand Ole Opry’s 5,000th show at Willie’s Roadhouse
The Grand Ole Opry®, the world's longest-running radio show, is counting down to its historic 5,000th Saturday night broadcast on October 30, which will be broadcast on SiriusXM at Willie's Roadhouse (Ch. 59) at 9pm ET.
Garth Brooks leads the star-studded lineup for the Opry's big 5,000th show, which will also include performances from Trisha Yearwood, Darius Rucker, Terri Clark, The Gatlin Brothers, Dustin Lynch, Chris Janson, The Isaacs, John Conlee, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and more.
To celebrate the Opry's impressive milestone, Grand Ole Opry star and Willie's Roadhouse DJ Jeannie Seely will host a one-hour special, featuring conversations with Garth Brooks and Vince Gill, along with the Opry's longest-standing member Bill Anderson, and newest member, Carly Pearce. Premiering during the final hour of her weekly show Sundays with Seely on October 24 at 3pm ET, the special will also feature vintage performances from the Opry stage, including the 1974 appearance by President Richard Nixon at the opening of the new Grand Ole Opry House.
Opry members Marty Stuart and Carly Pearce appeared at a press conference at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville to officially kick off the countdown to 5,000 and share their perspectives on the significance of the milestone.
"Country music is no stranger to hard times, and neither is the Grand Ole Opry," Marty Stuart said from the Opry stage in March 2020, the second Saturday night broadcast with no live audience. "For 95 years it has seen world wars, catastrophes, and presidential assassinations, but somehow the show has gone right along. It's an honor to stand on this stage as we get ready to celebrate the legacy of the Opry, which has brought comfort, hope, and joy to generations of listeners through it all."
WSM began to air the show that would become the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 as a radio show before expanding to television and eventually digital streaming platforms. It has been on the airwaves longer than any other broadcast program of any medium anywhere in the world. It has continued to produce original shows for 5,000 Saturday nights through the Great Depression, World War II, two Nashville floods and, most recently, the global pandemic. In March 2020, when music venues shuttered around the world, the Opry continued airing under strict health and safety protocols through its weekly 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM radio broadcasts at Willie's Roadhouse.
In addition, the Opry opened a limited-time exhibit at the Acuff House, Opry Memories: Celebrating 5,000 Saturday Night Broadcasts. The exhibit takes guests on a journey through the inception of WSM-AM radio and the first Grand Ole Opry broadcasts, and continues forward covering special moments from milestone broadcast eras of 1,000 broadcasts up to present day. The exhibit will feature artifacts and photos from current Grand Ole Opry members including Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, Trisha Yearwood, and items from some of the Opry's earliest stars including Roy Acuff, DeFord Bailey, Minnie Pearl, and more. The exhibit will also explore the history of WSM-AM radio, giving visitors a glimpse into the innovations that pioneered an industry and ultimately led to Nashville becoming Music City U.S.A.
"For 5,000 Saturday nights, the Opry has stood as a beacon not just for generations of listeners seeking top-notch entertainment, but for artists with big dreams and even bigger talent," Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group, said. "This stage has witnessed some of the most iconic moments in country music - debuts, duets, and everything in between - and it deserves celebrating. We're excited for country music fans around the world to be able to join us for this historic occasion."
Since its inception, the Opry has helped launch the careers of countless iconic artists, including Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Dolly Parton and most recently Little Big Town, Old Crow Medicine Show and Luke Combs. Today it continues to recognize and foster new talent alongside some of country music's most legendary performers.
To purchase tickets for the 5,000th celebration show and other upcoming performances, plus the Grand Ole Opry tour featuring the Opry Memories exhibit, click here. The Grand Ole Opry can be heard on SiriusXM at Willie's Roadhouse every Saturday at 9pm ET and rebroadcast on Sundays at 9pm ET. The Tuesday Night Opry can be heard every Tuesday 9pm ET and rebroadcast on Fridays at 9 pm ET.
Broadcast Schedule (all times ET):
Grand Ole Opry's 5,000th Show
with Trisha Yearwood, Darius Rucker, Terri Clark, The Gatlin Brothers,
Dustin Lynch, Chris Janson, The Isaacs, John Conlee,
Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, & Jeannie Seely
October 30 at 9pm
October 31 at 9pm
Jeannie Seely's Opry 5,000th Special
with Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Carly Pearce, & Bill Anderson
October 24 at 3pm
October 25 at 3am & 11 pm
October 27 at 12pm
October 29 at 6pm
October 30 at 7pm