Grand Ole Opry Members Reunite to Celebrate First Broadcast
Grand Ole Opry members reunited to mark the anniversary of the very first Opry broadcast on November 28, 1925, and it was iconic, as you would expect. This wasn’t your average let’s gather some of…
Grand Ole Opry members reunited to mark the anniversary of the very first Opry broadcast on November 28, 1925, and it was iconic, as you would expect. This wasn’t your average let’s gather some of the biggest names in country music kind of event. This was the Opry, which means you had country music icons brushing shoulders and mingling with young members in celebration of Opry’s history.
A Tribute to the Grand Ole Opry's First Broadcast
Ricky Skaggs started the night’s festivities by performing “Tennessee Wagoner,” using the same fiddle Uncle Jimmy Thompson used during the Opry’s inaugural broadcast. Two dozen Opry members performed with him. Younger and relatively newer members, Scotty McCreery, Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, and Mark Wills also performed with a classic song, George Jones’s “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes.”
Other performers include Jamey Johnson, who performed “In Color” paying tribute to Opry photographer Les Leverett; Bill Anderson, who sang “Thankful” after being honored as the Opry’s longest-serving member; and Vince Gill, who performed “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the all-time greatest song fans voted for.
'A Tremendous Honor'
In an interview with Country Now, some members expressed their appreciation for being part of the Opry. Skaggs said, “It was a tremendous honor. My mother was a Thompson, no relation that I know of, but it’s just really special as a fiddler to get to bring notice and bring light back to his life. He fought in the Civil War… He was 77 when he played on the Opry that first night in 1925. I’m 71, so not too far away in age.”
McCreery, on the other hand, appreciates what the Opry has done for country music: “I just love the Opry. I love what it stands for. I love the history behind it, and I hope folks realize the Opry has played such a huge role in making country music what it is today. I’m just proud to be part of the family.”
Marty Stuart emphasized the milestone the Opry achieved this year. “It’s a big night. I mean, come on, nothing lasts a hundred years, especially in show business.”
He added, “This show has never been off the air in a hundred years. I was raised listening to this show, and I got here when I was 13 and got a job. I love the Grand Ole Opry, and the cast members are like family. The minute I got here, I was treated like family. This is an extended family to me.”
