Old Crow Medicine Show, Brothers Osborne and More Booked for Grand Ole Opry’s Bonnaroo Show
When Bonnaroo takes over Manchester, Tenn., in June, the Grand Ole Opry will be staging their first-ever show at the annual festival. The country music institution has lined up Opry members Bobby Bare, the Del McCoury Band, Old Crow Medicine Show and Riders in the Sky as well as Brothers Osborne, Lanco, Nikki Lane, Lucie Silvas and more for the big event.
The Grand Ole Opry has seldom hosted shows outside of its home venues -- the Grand Ole Opry House and the Ryman Auditorium -- in its 92 years of performances, so bringing the Opry to Bonnaroo is a big moment. Exceptions to that rule include prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
“We’re really excited about this incredible opportunity to take the Grand Ole Opry to Bonnaroo,” Sally Williams, senior vice president of programming and artist relations for Opry Entertainment Group, shares in a press release. “In Nashville, we host up to six Opry performances a week. Each one showcases 8-12 artists ranging from straight-ahead country to bluegrass to Americana. I think the diverse, multi-generational shows that we create on a regular basis will really resonate with the Bonnaroo music aficionados.”
Bonnaroo, the music festival that has established itself as a can't-miss summer destination, has traditionally showcased rock, alternative, country and Americana music. Sturgill Simpson is near the top of the lineup for the 2018 festival, planned for June 7-10, and the event will also feature performances from Margo Price, the Revivalists, Brothers Osborne, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Tyler Childers, Midland, the Texas Gentlemen and Jade Bird, among others. The Opry's broadcast will take place on Saturday night (June 9).
“Celebrating the rich cultural legacy of Tennessee and the region has been an important part of the Bonnaroo experience from the beginning,” Ashley Capps, president of AC Entertainment, says. “It’s hard to imagine anything more iconic and exciting in that regard than the Grand Ole Opry … it’s like the ultimate … a profoundly historic moment for all of us at Bonnaroo and something we’ll be talking about -- and building upon -- for years to come.”
The Grand Ole Opry's show from Bonnaroo 2018 will be able to be heard at Opry.com and WSMOnline.com; the Opry and WSM mobile apps; and the shows’s flagship home, 650 AM-WSM. Station personality Bill Cody will serve as show announcer.
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