Vince Gill, Brad Paisley Help Opry Celebrate 85th Birthday
Four of the Grand Ole Opry's super pickers will come together Tuesday night at the Ryman Auditorium to help launch the Opry's 85th anniversary celebration. Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner will host an all-star guitar jam, following their individual performances. The grand finale of the evening will see Brad, Vince, Ricky and Steve perform some of the best-known songs in the history of the Opry.
The kick-off for the Opry's 85th birthday goes on as scheduled, just at a different location due to the recent Nashville floods. The Grand Ole Opry House is currently under renovation after flood waters badly damaged the venue earlier this month.
This particular Opry show will be available via live stream at opry.com beginning at 8 p.m. The show will also be available at iClips.net, and will raise funds for Middle Tennessee flood relief. While the show is going on, fans will be invited to contribute to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee's flood relief efforts. While there has been an outpouring of contributions for the flood's victims through various benefit shows and through donations to organizations like the American Red Cross, much more effort is needed to help the many victims of the recent disaster.
Tuesday's event is just the first of numerous activities that will celebrate the Grand Ole Opry's birthday throughout the rest of the year. Lady Antebellum, the Oak Ridge Boys, Charley Pride and Josh Turner are already scheduled for future performances.
One of the Opry's most popular shows, 'Always...Patsy Cline,' will return to the Ryman on June 18. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the late Country Music Hall of Famer's induction into the Grand Ole Opry. Mandy Barnett will reprise her role as Patsy for the sixth season.
'Hee Haw' alumni Mike Snider has been tapped to honor the Opry's rich country comedy traditions with the series 'Pickin' & Grinnin': A Grand Ole Comedy Revue' on select dates June through October.
On June 11, there will be a Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction which will give fans the opportunity to bid on acoustic guitars decorated by some of country music's most popular stars, including Luke Bryan, The Judds and Darius Rucker. Proceeds will benefit the Opry Trust Fund, which has for more than 40 years assisted members of the country music community in need.
Various elements of the birthday celebration, such as the unveiling of the 20-foot aluminum guitar statues that were to stand in front of the Opry House, will be rescheduled. Announcements will be made as flood relief progress continues at the legendary venue.
More From TheBoot
