The Grand Ole Opry Is Tennessee's Best Music Venue, According To Our Readers

“I can’t imagine what Uncle Jimmy Thompson, who sat down at the microphone with his fiddle almost 100 years ago, would think if he saw what he helped build,” says Dan Rogers, vice president and executive producer of the Grand Ole Opry. Thompson was the first performer on the radio broadcast that would become the beating heart of country music, and his first notes kick-started a legacy that still brings together a passionate community of artists and fans in Nashville. That’s why it’s no wonder the Grand Ole Opry House was named the South’s Best Music Venue in Tennessee in our reader-voted 2024 South's Best awards.

History of the Grand Ole Opry

Country music’s best-loved show wasn’t always known as the “Opry.” The program known today as the Grand Ole Opry got its start in 1925 when National Life and Accident Insurance Company flipped the switch on a new Nashville radio station they named WSM in a nod to their slogan, “We Shield Millions.” It began hosting the “WSM Barn Dance” radio program which, in 1927, was re-named the “Grand Ole Opry.” 

In 1943, the Opry moved to the storied Ryman Auditorium, where it featured artists such as Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton. Even Elvis Presley graced the Opry stage. In the 1970s, the Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry House, taking a 6-foot circle of the Ryman stage with it. (It’s still embedded in the platform beneath performers’ feet.) Its new home continued to welcome the greats while also introducing audiences to up-and-coming stars. 

Visiting the Grand Ole Opry

These days, the Opry’s future continues to look bright. The program will turn 100 years old in 2025, and the Opry House celebrates its 50th anniversary in March 2024. There is a calendar full of special events planned to celebrate these milestones, and there are plenty of surprises in store too. There are also opportunities for backstage tours of the venue. “On a tour of the Opry House, you get to walk in the footsteps of your favorite stars and see into dressing rooms that have been occupied, in some cases, minutes before. There is so much history everywhere you look, and there are so many great stories to find around every corner,” says Rogers. 

 Whether you experience the Grand Ole Opry from the front row or are tuning into a broadcast from the comfort of your own home, you’re seeing the long legacy of country music and glimpsing a venue with decades of history. During a concert, there is a palpable sense of community—and country music history in the making—as surprise guests drop in for unexpected duets and connect with old friends while covering country classics or debuting new tunes. 

“Being at the Opry is a dream come true for the artists onstage, but it’s also a dream come true for people in the audience,” says Rogers. “It’s great to see your favorite artist in concert, but it’s also very special to see them on what so many artists call their favorite stage.” Everyone agrees: There’s no place like the Opry.