As I mentioned Friday, I spent some time in Nashville recently and while I was there I toured the Ryman Auditorium, a.k.a. the Mother Church of Country Music. I'm not exaggerating when I say that visiting this building was a bit of a religious experience for me. I was raised on country music, and while, like many kids, I had a period where I rebelled against my parent's music for a time, I came to my senses. I turn to country music for its storytelling, its talented musicians and the way it connects me to my small town roots.
The Ryman was originally a church and is said to have some of the best acoustics in America (second only to the Mormon Tabernacle.) For 30 years the Ryman was the home of the Grand Ole Opry, a show I grew up watching with my parents and grandparents, and which is the world's longest running radio show.
In recent years the Opry moved to its own, larger location (but is currently back at the Ryman, more on that tomorrow.) After the move of the Opry the Ryman has continued to host some of the world's best musicians. The tour guide told us they have approximately 250 shows a year at the Ryman. I think I might go broke buying tickets if I lived closer.
The list of my heroes who have played from that stage would fill volumes. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, June and Johnny Cash, George Straight, Keith Whitley, Trisha Yearwood, I could go on for days. The best part of the tour for me was the fact that they allow you to walk right up and stand there on that stage right in front of the microphone. To stand in that spot, where my heros have stood, literally produced cold chills.
There really is only one song to accompany this post, the classic, "Will the Circle be Unbroken." The problem was picking the version to share because there are millions of versions of this one. Check out YouTube for proof. In the end I went with a recent version performed at the Ryman by a some of my favorite pickers (Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Steve Wariner and Brad Paisley) these guys can PLAY.
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11 comments:
Very cool. I was admiring the floors, woodworking, applied molding doors. LOL! That's me a cabinet person at heart. ♥
What an incredible space. The windows alone have me in awe...
I've never been to Nashville. Looks interesting. Great post.
Oh how very, very cool! Thank you so much for sharing this with us through these amazing pictures!
My brother lives in Clarksville when he is not in Iraq. I hope to make it out there when he comes home. Very cool!
Nashville is a fun place to visit. You took some great photos of a beautiful old building. And I agree, I would love to hear Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn on that stage.
I really love the way you described this place.
Fun tour!!! What a neat place to visit.
it looks like such a great place and i love the photo of you at the microphone!
I love hte first pic of the corridor. I'm glad you had such a nice time there.
I grew up listening to county music,especially on Sundays(cleaning house) ,and am not a fan of it today but I love the photos- the building looks amazing,such soothing colors--great photos,makes me want to go there
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