The Grand Ole Opry is turning 100, and it’s bringing out all the biggest names in country to celebrate!
Wednesday night, March 19, country fans can watch the live special “Opry 100: A Live Celebration” marking the Opry’s milestone. Country superstar and former Voice coach Blake Shelton is hosting the three-hour special, with performances by a who’s who of country superstars and legends.
‘Opry 100: A Live Celebration’s’ Star-Studded Line-Up
Many country artists consider being invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry the pinnacle of success. So it’s no surprise that all the big names in country are turning out to perform in the night of celebration.
The Opry is also bringing back living legends who graced the stage in decades past.
Among those performing in the three-hour show are Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ashley McBryde, Brad Paisley, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Marty Stuart, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman, Terri Clark, Travis Tritt, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Clint Black, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Marty Stuart, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Eric Church, Jelly Roll and The War and Treaty.
Legends like Barbara Mandrell, Crystal Gayle and Randy Travis are expected to attend the show.
And some of country’s current stars will pay tribute to the past.
Reba McEntire will perform a tribute to two of country’s most beloved icons, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.
Post Malone will team up with Travis Tritt to perform Tritt’s classic hit, “T.R.O.U.B.L.E.”
Husband and wife duo Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will perform tributes to both George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
Keith Urban will sing “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” Crystal Gayle is expected to be watching in the Opry audience.
And Kelsea Ballerini will cover Barbara Mandrell’s signature song, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” Mandrell is expected to be looking on at the live performance.
The Grand Ole Opry’s Rich History
Blake Shelton says it was an easy decision to take on hosting duties. In a press statement, the singer said, “Becoming a member of the Opry is a highlight of my life and career, and 15 years later I still get that same feeling of reverence and excitement every time I walk out on that stage. The Grand Ole Opry has been connecting the country music family for 100 years, and I’m so proud to be part of this historic celebration.”
In a clip released by NBC, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Barbara Mandrell, Luke Combs and Bill Anderson also share the significance of the event.
“The Opry is a family,” says singer Brad Paisley in the video.
“You just walk into the Opry House and you feel the history and the richness of the stories and the people that have made country music what it is,” Ballerini adds.
“Getting to be here and standing on the stage that everyone has dreamed of standing 1 million times, and getting to stay you’re a part of that, is a badge of honor,” says Combs in the clip.
The Grand Ole Opry Is In the Guinness Book of World Records
The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the Opry’s weekly radio show on WSM as the world’s longest running radio broadcast. It first aired November 28, 1925 under the name “Barn Dance.” It was changed to the Grand Ole Opry two years later, thanks to an unscripted moment by host George D. Hay on Dec. 10, 1927 as he transitioned out of a classical music program.
Hay said, “Following an NBC broadcast of Walter Damrosch’s Music Appreciation Hour, for the past hour we have been listening to the music taken largely from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the grand ole opry.’” The name change catapulted the show into an instant sensation that remains popular a century later.
How to Watch ‘Opry 100: A Live Celebration’
“Opry 100: A Live Celebration” will feature performances from both the Grand Ole Opry House and the historic Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman is famously known as “the Mother Church of Country Music.” It was the Opry’s home from 1943 to 1974.
The Opry will livestream red carpet arrivals starting at 6:30p.m. ET/5:30p.m. CT on YouTube and Facebook.
The live three-hour celebration begins at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on NBC and Peacock.
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