Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry.

Whereas, on November 28, 1925, the Grand Ole Opry was born when the WSM Barn Dance was launched with Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddle player;

Whereas, in December 1927, the program was officially named the Grand Ole Opry when George D. Hay, a legendary announcer and program director, proclaimed on-air, “For the past hour, we have been listening to the music taken largely from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry”;

Whereas the Grand Ole Opry was housed in the Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church of Country Music” in Nashville, Tennessee;

Whereas some of the most historic moments of the Grand Ole Opry occurred inside Ryman Auditorium, including the inductions of country music legends like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Jeannie Seely, Dolly Parton, and Johnny and June Carter Cash;

Whereas the popularity of the Grand Ole Opry surged during the 1930s and 1940s, with its live radio broadcast becoming a staple in households across the United States;

Whereas, on March 15, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry broadcast its final show from Ryman Auditorium;

Whereas, on March 16, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry debuted its first show in the new 4,400 seat Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, with President Richard Nixon in attendance;

Whereas a piece of the Ryman Auditorium stage, known as the circle, was laid into the center of the new Grand Ole Opry House stage and remains a hallowed piece of country music history;

Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio show in the history of the United States, reaching millions of listeners each week;

Whereas the contributions of the artists and members of the Grand Ole Opry family have had an innumerable impact on the culture and history of the United States;

Whereas the Grand Ole Opry is more than just a concert hall or a radio show, it is a United States institution that has played a pivotal role in shaping the music landscape in the United States;

Whereas the Grand Ole Opry has continued to be the most famous stage in country music and has solidified Nashville, Tennessee, as the country music capital of the world; and

Whereas, in 2025, the Grand Ole Opry is celebrating its 100th anniversary: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry;

(2) commemorates the legacy of the Grand Ole Opry and the lasting contributions of the Grand Ole Opry to the advancement of country music; and

(3) congratulates the artists and members of the Grand Ole Opry family on 100 inspiring years.