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| Ryman Auditorium |
Nashville is named the music city, because of Queen Victory. But I will get to that tomorrow.
In Nashville, it all comes down to two major music venues, actually one sprung out from the other.
We are really talking about the Ryman Auditorium, previously the original Grand Ole Opry House,
The Ryman Auditorium started as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, built by a Nashville business man, Thomas Ryman, and a influential revivalist Samuel Porter Jones. Therefore the name of the Mother Church of Country Music.
When Ryman died in 1904, a widow, Lula C. Naff began booking the place for concerts, theatrical performances and speakers to keep the place open. When the owner of the building went bankrupt, she took over the business and ran it successfully. She made this place so renowned, that not only the Ryman became famous, but Nashville itself was put on the map as one of the best cities for entertainment. Caruso, Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Hellen Keller, Johnny Cash, Doris Day, Dolly Barton, the list goes on and on of artists that performed here through the years.
On June 5, 1943 a famous local country music radio program known as the Grand Ole Opry started to broadcast from the Ryman Auditorium. People would come to watch the show as it was broadcast live to 30 states. In 1963, the radio station bought the auditorium and that is when it took on the new name. When the crowds got bigger for this building, in 1972 the radio show moved to a new and bigger Grand Ole Opry building outside town, which is were it is now.
The Ryman auditorium was abandoned but never forgotten. In the early 90's, it underwent major renovations and one of the first shows was Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion.
We took the self guided tour, where we followed a map around the theater and in some stations we got to listen to some of the original performers telling the story of this auditorium.
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| Spring has sprung |
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| Some of the performances' posters |
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| Tourists can pay to record their own songs in the original recording booth |
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| Standing on the famous stage |
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| the original pews |
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| Dolly Parton outfit |
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| The balcony was built with money from a confederate group. The sign has been replaced a couple year ago. |
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| Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum |
As we were saying, it's a musical city... this may be the only way you can drink and drive, given that the actual driver is sober.
Inside the Country Music Hall of Fame there were some pictures of Johnny Cash in Italy and Paris.
In front of the Hall, there is the Walk of Fame, paved with stars of famous performers
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| Convention Center |
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| Inside the Convention Center |
We walked to Printer's Alley, between third and fourth street. This used to be the location of newspapers, printing and publishing companies, later replaced in the 40's by nightclubs, even during prohibition. Here there are the oldest music venues of Nashville.
We also got tickets for concerts to see performances in both venues. Tonight we went to the Grand Ole Opry in Opryland. Parking was easy and free. This theater is larger and more modern than the Ryman. The seats are in the same style as pews but they are covered with cushions.
I had never been at a show that is broadcast live. I chat on Whatsapp with my mother and sister in law and they could tune in on 650 AM and listen to what I was watching. Pretty cool!
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| the line up for tonight show |
The show was divided into four segments. The first performer had the duty to keep the audience entertained and present the following performers. In between there was another presenter that announced the sponsors and did some advertising.
The funniest group was the Riders in the Sky: four guys in nudie suites.
Mark Willis and Crystal Gayle sang in a duet 'Just you and I'.
Scott Mulvahill of the Ricky Skagg group, sang his original song Himalayas just with his bass and got a standing ovation. I liked Charlie Worsham very much.
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| I am wearing my boots for the occasion |
