Latest news with #Opry
UPI
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
LGBTQ country stars still overlooked as Opry hits 100
May 27 (UPI) -- On March 15, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry country music radio show closed its run at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, with Johnny and June Carter Cash leading the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." After that final show, a six-foot circle of wood was cut from the Ryman stage and moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. The next night, Roy Acuff opened the first show at the new venue. A video of Acuff singing in the 1940s played before the screen lifted to reveal Acuff himself, singing live in the same spot. The message was clear: Though the stage had changed, the story continued. The circle had not been broken. The Opry began on WSM on Nov. 28, 1925, and is celebrating its centennial with a series of concerts and tributes under the name Opry 100. On March 19, 2025, Reba McEntire stepped onto the iconic circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage and kicked off NBC's Opry 100 celebration with a verse of "Sweet Dreams." The final song of the night was "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," performed by country legends like Bill Anderson and Jeannie Seely, alongside newcomers like Lainey Wilson and Post Malone. It was a moment meant to celebrate 100 years of country music tradition and connection with a stage full of voices harmonizing across generations. A circle, unbroken. But that night in March, one group of country performers was missing. Not a single openly gay, lesbian or bisexual artist appeared onstage during the anniversary celebration. In a moment designed to honor the full sweep of the genre's past and future, a long line of country musicians was left standing outside the spotlight once again. Wilma Burgess' sexuality was common knowledge in music industry circles in the 1960s and '70s. A slowly opening circle Country music has never been without queer voices, but it regularly refuses to acknowledge them. From 1962 to 1982, Wilma Burgess had 15 songs on Billboard's Hot Country chart and two Grammy Award nominations. She recorded with legendary producer Owen Bradley and had Top 10 hits like "Misty Blue." Despite this success, Burgess never played the Opry. Though Burgess was never publicly out, her sexuality was common knowledge in recording circles. In the 1980s, she left music and opened The Hitching Post, Nashville's first lesbian bar. Like so many queer country artists, Burgess had to build her legacy outside the circle. In the 1980s and 90s, k.d. lang and Sid Spencer expanded the presence of queer artists in country music. Lang won two Grammys and performed at the Opry, but she was labeled "cowpunk" and left the genre before coming out in 1992. Spencer released albums and toured widely within the gay rodeo circuit, but he was never recognized by mainstream country before his 1996 death from AIDS-related complications. The 2000s offered small openings. Mary Gauthier became the first openly queer artist to perform on the Opry stage in 2005. Chely Wright had a No. 1 country single before coming out in 2010, but didn't return to the Opry until 2019. Ty Herndon charted 17 singles before coming out in 2014. He wouldn't appear at the Opry again until 2023. These artists established themselves first and came out later, at great professional cost. The Opry hosts 5-6 shows a week, featuring 6-8 artists each night. In that context, a nine-year absence isn't just a scheduling gap. In addition, the Grand Ole Opry currently has 76 members, a special designation indicating a level of success in country music. None of them identify as LGBTQ+. Today, there are signs of change. Lily Rose, who has been openly queer since the beginning of her career, receives radio play, has songs on the charts and tours widely. But she remains the exception, not the rule. Other openly LGBTQ+ artists like Paisley Fields, Mya Byrne and Amythyst Kiah are recording, performing and building loyal audiences, but they are still rarely featured on country radio or invited onto the Opry stage. The circle may be widening, but for many queer artists, it's still just out of reach. The importance of the circle In country music, visibility isn't just symbolic. If you're not on the radio, you don't chart. If you don't chart, you don't tour. Without that platform, you can't build a legacy. Country radio and the Opry stage serve as gatekeepers of who counts. In 2015, a radio consultant infamously compared women artists to "tomatoes in the salad," stating a few were fine, but they shouldn't dominate. That same logic has long applied to queer artists; they can be tolerated at the edges but are rarely treated as essential. Genre labeling becomes another barrier. Brandi Carlile and Brandy Clark both openly identify as lesbians and have been embraced by country audiences and critics alike, but they are routinely categorized as Americana artists. That rebranding often functions as a fence that keeps artists close enough to celebrate, but far enough to exclude. Reimagining the circle The Opry's centennial celebrations are scheduled to continue through the end of 2025 with a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall and a final anniversary show in Nashville on Nov. 28. Perhaps openly queer artists will take the stage at those events. If they do, it won't just be symbolic; it will be a long overdue acknowledgment of artists who have always been here, even if they weren't always seen. Country music's strength lies in how it braids together American traditions: gospel and blues, Black and white, rural and urban, old and new. It's not a genre built on purity, but one that relies on the mix. That mix is what makes country music American - and what makes it endure. If the circle on the Opry stage is meant to stand for country music itself, then I hope it will be like the music: honest and able to grow. If "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" is more of a promise than just a closing number, the future of country music depends on who's allowed in the circle to sing it next. Tanya Olson is an associate teaching professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The views and opinions in this commentary are solely those of the author.
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
When is The Grand Ole Opry 100 coming to London's Royal Albert Hall and how can you get tickets?
COUNTRY music fans are incredibly excited over the news that The Grand Ole Opry will be coming to London for its 100th anniversary. The iconic live country music radio broadcast - which is based out of Nashville but famous all around the world - will be broadcasting live from London, England for the first time ever, this September. Advertisement 9 The Grand Opry will celebrate its 100th year with a historic broadcast live from London's Royal Albert Hall Credit: Opry 9 The Grand Ole Opry is a prestigious country music broadcasting venue in the United States Credit: Alamy 9 The Royal Albert Hall will be rocking on September 26 Credit: Alamy Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the broadcast will be from London's Royal Albert Hall, with a star-studded line up. Country music icon Carly Pearce - who recently crooned a Christmas hit with Michael Buble - is headlining the show alongside several other huge names. She will perform on the bill with the likes of Luke Combs, Marty Stuart, Ashley McBryde, and Darius Rucker. The beloved country stars, who are all Opry members, will headline its first-ever live international broadcast from London's iconic Royal Albert Hall on Friday, September 26, 2025. Advertisement HOW TO GET TICKETS FOR OPRY 100 IN LONDON Tickets to the show will go on sale on Friday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. BST via the Royal Albert Hall's website Not only will the event have a star-studded line up of country music icons, but Brits will be familiar with one of the hosts. BBC Radio 2 Presenter Vernon Kay and WSM Radio Personality and Grand Ole Opry Announcer Kelly Sutton are set to host the landmark broadcast. Colin Reed, the executive chairman of Grand Ole Opry parent company Ryman Hospitality Properties said of the event: "This milestone year for the Grand Ole Opry has arrived at the perfect time as country music enjoys an unprecedented rise in global popularity, especially here in the United Kingdom. Advertisement "Our first-ever broadcast outside of the United States will celebrate the influential music that has shaped this genre and pay tribute to the unique Opry show format that has entertained music lovers for 100 years. "With the help of some of our most treasured Opry members and some very special guests, we hope to give fans a taste of what goes on every week back in Nashville and inspire them to come visit the epicentre of country music." Maren Morris sets record straight after saying she is leaving 'toxic' country music HONOURING THE OPRY Wagon Wheel singer Darius Rucker said: "Being a member of the Grand Ole Opry is a great honour; it's always felt like the Opry was my home away from home. "To have the opportunity to bring such a big part of my musical roots to Royal Albert Hall is a full-circle moment for me while I work on a project with so many talented songwriters and producers based in London. Advertisement "I can't think of a better way to honour the Opry's global impact on country music as we share its magic with a new generation of fans." Reacting to the news of the Opry 100 show in London, one person said on Instagram: "Wow!! This is amazing lineup! So hoping to get tickets!!" 9 Carly Pearce is one of the headliners who will perform on the iconic night Credit: Getty 9 Luke Combs is another country crooner set to take to the stage on September 26 Credit: Getty Advertisement 9 Marty Stuart will also be rocking out with a packed audience Credit: Getty 9 Hitmaker Ashley McBryde - who has collaborated with Carly in the past - will also be taking to the stage Credit: AP 9 Darius Rucker is the final country crooner who is on the star-studded bill Credit: Getty Another said: "The excitement is real! We can't wait to welcome y'all to the UK." Advertisement While a third penned: "WHAT A CELEBRATION! GRAND OLE OPRY 100." HOW THE OPRY BEGAN The Grand Ole Opry is a legendary country music institution and a live radio broadcast and concert venue in Nashville, Tennessee. The Opry, which is world-renowned, is the world's longest-running radio show, originating in 1925. When it first came to be 100 years ago, it was called the WSM Barn Dance. Advertisement Two years later in 1927 it was renamed the Grand Ole Opry. The iconic venue is known for showcasing both country music legends and contemporary artists, along with bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music.
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
When is The Grand Ole Opry 100 coming to London's Royal Albert Hall and how can you get tickets?
COUNTRY music fans are incredibly excited over the news that The Grand Ole Opry will be coming to London for its 100th anniversary. The iconic live country music radio broadcast - which is based out of Nashville but famous all around the world - will be broadcasting live from London, England for the first time ever, this September. 9 The Grand Opry will celebrate its 100th year with a historic broadcast live from London's Royal Albert Hall Credit: Opry 9 The Grand Ole Opry is a prestigious country music broadcasting venue in the United States Credit: Alamy 9 The Royal Albert Hall will be rocking on September 26 Credit: Alamy Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the broadcast will be from London's Royal Albert Hall, with a star-studded line up. Country music icon She will perform on the bill with the likes of The beloved country stars, who are all Opry members, will headline its first-ever live international broadcast from London's iconic Royal Albert Hall on Friday, September 26, 2025. HOW TO GET TICKETS FOR OPRY 100 IN LONDON Tickets to the show will go on sale on Friday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. BST via the Royal Albert Hall's website . Not only will the event have a star-studded line up of country music icons, but Brits will be familiar with one of the hosts. BBC Radio 2 Presenter Colin Reed, the executive chairman of Grand Ole Opry parent company Ryman Hospitality Properties said of the event: "This milestone year for the Grand Ole Opry has arrived at the perfect time as country music enjoys an unprecedented rise in global popularity, especially here in the United Kingdom. Most read in Music "Our first-ever broadcast outside of the United States will celebrate the influential music that has shaped this genre and pay tribute to the unique Opry show format that has entertained music lovers for 100 years. "With the help of some of our most treasured Opry members and some very special guests, we hope to give fans a taste of what goes on every week back in Nashville and inspire them to come visit the epicentre of country music." Maren Morris sets record straight after saying she is leaving 'toxic' country music HONOURING THE OPRY Wagon Wheel singer Darius Rucker said: "Being a member of the Grand Ole Opry is a great honour; it's always felt like the Opry was my home away from home. "To have the opportunity to bring such a big part of my musical roots to Royal Albert Hall is a full-circle moment for me while I work on a project with so many talented songwriters and producers based in London. "I can't think of a better way to honour the Opry's global impact on country music as we share its magic with a new generation of fans." Reacting to the news of the Opry 100 show in London, one person said on Instagram: "Wow!! This is amazing lineup! So hoping to get tickets!!" 9 Carly Pearce is one of the headliners who will perform on the iconic night Credit: Getty 9 Luke Combs is another country crooner set to take to the stage on September 26 Credit: Getty 9 Marty Stuart will also be rocking out with a packed audience Credit: Getty 9 Hitmaker Ashley McBryde - who has collaborated with Carly in the past - will also be taking to the stage Credit: AP 9 Darius Rucker is the final country crooner who is on the star-studded bill Credit: Getty Another said: "The excitement is real! We can't wait to welcome y'all to the UK." While a third penned: "WHAT A CELEBRATION! GRAND OLE OPRY 100." HOW THE OPRY BEGAN The Grand Ole Opry is a legendary country music institution and a live radio broadcast and concert venue in Nashville, Tennessee. The Opry, which is world-renowned, is the world's longest-running radio show, originating in 1925. When it first came to be 100 years ago, it was called the WSM Barn Dance. Read more on the Irish Sun Two years later in 1927 it was renamed the Grand Ole Opry. The iconic venue is known for showcasing both country music legends and contemporary artists, along with bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music. 9 It originally had a different name Credit: Alamy
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grand Ole Opry announces date, performers for international event at Royal Albert Hall
The Grand Ole Opry has finally announced the date and lineup for what will be potentially their most impactful of many 100th anniversary events. Opry members Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker and Marty Stuart will headline its first-ever live international broadcast from London's iconic Royal Albert Hall on Sept. 26, 2025. Tickets to the show will go on sale on 4 a.m. CDT May 23 on 'This milestone year for the Grand Ole Opry has arrived at the perfect time as country music enjoys an unprecedented rise in global popularity, especially in the United Kingdom. Our first-ever broadcast outside of the United States will celebrate the influential music that has shaped this genre and pay tribute to the unique Opry show format that has entertained music lovers for 100 years," said Colin Reed, executive chairman of Grand Ole Opry parent company Ryman Hospitality Properties. "With the help of some of our most treasured Opry members and some very special guests, we hope to give fans a taste of what goes on every week back in Nashville and inspire them to come visit the epicenter of country music." Grand Ole Opry member Darius Rucker said, 'Being a member of the Grand Ole Opry is a great honor; it's always felt like the Opry was my home away from home. To have the opportunity to bring such a big part of my musical roots to Royal Albert Hall is a full-circle moment for me while I work on a project with so many talented songwriters and producers based in London. I can't think of a better way to honor the Opry's global impact on country music as we share its magic with a new generation of fans.' "I've been to Europe several times, but I feel like in the last year or two, country music has connected there in a really impactful way. The growth of my music over there blew my mind," noted Opry member Carly Pearce in a 2025 Tennessean feature. Country music has doubled its streaming market share in the United Kingdom year-over-year from 2023 to 2024, where, over the past decade, interest in Opry members, including Dierks Bentley, Combs, Vince Gill, Ashley McBryde, Pearce, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson, has expanded. United Kingdom-specific flourishes will be added to the Opry's traditional presentation at Royal Albert Hall. BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay and WSM Radio host Kelly Sutton will be co-hosts for 'Grand Ole Opry: Live in London.' The pair will honour the show's radio roots by creating a lively atmosphere at the Royal Albert Hall and over the airwaves for listeners worldwide. Sutton, the first woman to hold a regular Opry host role, is also the host of Absolute Radio Country's The Nashville Show. This show will also feature a lineup of notable UK guest artists, which will be announced later this year. The all-star cast will showcase contemporary and classic country music hits in a format similar to the Opry's regular shows in Nashville, where artists appearing on the show will each perform two to four songs. Fans unable to experience the show in person can listen to a live broadcast on WSM Radio and UK-based fans can also hear a full broadcast replay on BBC Radio 2 at a later date. Leading up to the show, fans in the United Kingdom can catch up on the latest Grand Ole Opry performances as Opry Live begins airing on Sky Arts starting May 30. The show will air weekly for 26 weeks, allowing viewers to experience the program before the Opry's debut at Royal Albert Hall. Dan Rogers, senior vice president and executive producer of the Grand Ole Opry, added, 'The magical thing about the Opry is how many lives it's touched over the past 100 years. No matter where you live, when you listen to country music, all roads eventually lead to the Grand Ole Opry and its members both past and present. This show, like the others we are fortunate to program during this special year, will be a celebration of all that has come before it, a moment to embrace something that's never happened before and preview of what lies ahead.' The Grand Ole Opry's 100th birthday year will feature an impressive series of events throughout 2025 and 2026. "Our 2025 plans represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the Opry more accessible than ever before," says Opry owners Ryman Entertainment Properties' CEO Patrick Moore. "For decades, people will look back on this year as the one they first discovered or deepened their connection with the show that made country music famous. We've packed our calendar with moments so everyone, from casual fans to super fans, can enjoy the magic of the Grand Ole Opry from wherever they are in the world." An official Abrams Books-published "100 Years of Grand Ole Opry" book has been recently released and other limited-edition "Opry 100" merchandise will be released throughout the year. It is part of a series of events, limited-edition releases, special performances, exhibits, book publications and merchandise celebrating the Opry's milestone. For more information, visit This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Grand Ole Opry announces date, lineup for UK live event: What we know
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Q&A: Songwriting legend Steve Earle discusses legacy ahead of Long Center appearance
Genre-bending, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steve Earle is coming to Lafayette this summer for the first time. Earle has included the stop at the Long Center for Performing Arts on June 18 among 49 others on something of a legacy tour called 'Fifty Years of Songs and Stories.' 'I'm 70,' he said. 'You start thinking about that kind of stuff.' Earle was surprised in late April by an invitation to become just the 76th living member of the Grand Ole Opry. 'This is kind of the biggest thing that has ever happened to me in my life,' he said on stage. The upcoming solo show will feature Earle's country and rock hits throughout the 50 years since he moved to Nashville from Houston at 19, and all the stories that accompany a career and life of wide-spanning musical accomplishment as well as failed relationships and a drug addiction that once made him essentially homeless. Though he's never visited, Earle isn't without a Lafayette connection. His fifth ex-wife (there have been six total), Teresa Ensenat, signed Guns N' Roses to its first record deal, discovering Lafayette native and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Axl Rose. "It was pretty crazy,' Earle said. 'I met (Rose) at a club show in Brooklyn. I run into Slash every once in a while.' Earle, still making music, has also lent his talents to acting, playwriting and book writing. 'That's what I am,' he says. 'I'm a writer.' Right now he lives in New York, waking at 6 a.m. to drive his son, who has autism, to school before 'desperately' working on the last three songs of a musical of the 1983 film 'Tender Mercies.' He hopes to have a draft done by the time his tour finishes. Earle recently discussed his reasons for planning the tour and some of the roads he's travelled along the way. The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity. Q. You mentioned thinking about legacy. When and how does that come up for you? A. The Opry was that. I campaigned pretty hard to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I started going, and it's not like you make any money. I'm living here in New York. I lost money every time I played the Opry over the last three years, but I went pretty much once a month, and they were appreciative of it. By the time I made (1986 hit album 'Guitar Town'), I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to make credible country records, and that's what I did. My second record, 'Exit Zero,' is every bit as good a record as 'Guitar Town' is. There's some great songs on there I still play, songs I'm proud of. By the time I got to (1988's 'Copperhead Road') I consciously made my idea of a rock record, because I was dead at country as long as I was on that label, and I had seven more albums according to my contract. So it was sort of a desperation move and a survival move. After I got sober and got back (in 1996) I made that acoustic record, and then I made what were essentially rock records, and they were sort of based on Beatles records. And I just missed having steel guitar and fiddle on records. So later I added steel guitar, which I hadn't had in a long time. And I love those instruments. I love those sounds. It was unapologetically a country rock band, which is kind of what I've always been about. You're talking about country, rock, and all these genres in between. Where do you want your name to fit in? I'm always going to kind of be in the cracks. I'm never going to be in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Never going to be in the Rock Hall. I'm in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame. I'm in the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame. And those things are more important to me than they probably would have been if this was 20 years ago, I probably wasn't thinking about that. But now I'm 70 and I am. I'm a writer. I've got some musical talent, but lyrics is what I always did better than anything else. After I got sober, I started writing stuff outside of songs. I started writing some nonfiction stuff, a novel, 11 short stories, some poetry and one play, and now I'm doing the music for the one I'm working on now. Your tour includes big cities like Chicago and Dallas. Any particular reason for stopping in Lafayette and Anderson, Indiana? No, your agency lets the word out that you're going to be touring, and you get offers, and you start trying to put together something that you can actually reach. I've toured my bus in the States and Europe. Here, it makes a difference on shows I can do, because we sleep on the bus nearly every night and sometimes we're running 500 miles after a show. It just came up that was interesting, you know, my ex-wife signed Guns N' Roses. So I've always known (Lafayette) is where Axl Rose was from, right? So I knew those guys before their first record came out, because my ex-wife worked with them. How much time have you spent in Indiana in general? A fair amount. I know a lot of that whole Seymour crowd just because John Mellencamp was a thing when I came along, and I played Farm Aid from the beginning. So I played the center of the state, I've also played the Chicago part of Indiana a little bit, too, because Chicago has been a pretty good market for me. And, you know, I spent some time chasing Yank Rachel around, who's the monster mandolin player, originally from Mississippi, but he lived most of his life in northern Indiana. Do you truly enjoy playing your hits again and again? I know not every artist does. Look, I don't understand why somebody has a song that's successful, and I've got a few songs that have become important to people. I've got two that are definitely going to be around after I'm gone. Copperhead Road, a Tennessee State Song now, one of several, because there's about 15 of them. There's a whole generation of people in the Southeast, in the Southwest, that that song is part of their lives. And (2000's) Galway Girl is a very big deal in Ireland, and it's played at every wedding – it's Galway City Football Club's team song, which it took over for 'My Dear Old Galway Bay' after 150 years. 'It's just, I have some songs that people care about; why wouldn't I play those songs every night? Look, it pisses me off when Radiohead doesn't do 'Creep.' Why would they not play that? It's a great track. To have a song that means so much to people, and being able to see that as you play it, what's that feeling like? Back to legacy. It makes you feel good. It's as close to immortal as you're gonna get, Hoss. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Q&A: Songwriting legend Steve Earle talks legacy, plans Long Center show
