Women of the Grand Ole Opry: Four Execs Who Keep the 100-Year-Old Nashville Institution in Tune
There is probably nothing as synonymous with country music as the Grand Ole Opry, the iconic venue where nearly every major star has performed and paid homage to the legends who came before them. Founded in Nashville in 1925 and today the longest-running live broadcast show in the world, despite its rootsy image, the Opry is a high-class, high-tech operation, running with a smooth professionalism and a welcoming attitude.
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The venue is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with a cornucopia of concerts and other events, including last month's 'Opry 100: Live Celebration' televised concert, and welcomes legions of fans every week to experience one of the several concerts 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 much more.
As part of Variety's first-ever Power of Women Nashville event and issue — and to honor the legendary Opry on its centennial — we spotlighted four of the women who keep the venue and its businesses in tune. See the rest of Variety's POW Nashville Impact list right here.
As pictured above, from left to right:
GINA KELTNER Associate producer of talentKeltner plays a vital role in shaping each Opry show by working directly with artists and their teams to coordinate talent bookings and appearances. A member of the Opry programming team since 1999, the Missouri native is an integral part of the engine that keeps the Opry's 240-plus annual shows running smoothly.
EMILY FRANSDirector of archives and content managementFrans leads efforts to preserve and celebrate the stories, artifacts, and cultural moments that have defined the Opry and country music for generations — including authoring the new children's book, 'Howdy: Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry.'
NICOLE JUDDAssociate producer of show development Judd is a driving force behind the creative vision and strategic programming that brings each Opry performance to life — from building themes and scripting shows to maximizing the in-show experience. She joined the Opry team in 2007 with its WSM Radio.
JENN TRESSLERDirector of artist and industry relations Tressler is at the forefront of building meaningful connections between artists, labels and the Opry Entertainment Group's brands, orchestrating debut performances and growing the Opry's influence with new audiences through initiatives like Opry NextStage, which champions emerging talent.
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