[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1466-H1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATING THE GRAND OLE OPRY

  (Mr. Rose of Tennessee was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true American 
treasure that I have the privilege to represent here in Congress. This 
year marks 100 years since the Grand Ole Opry first introduced 
audiences around the world to country music and to Nashville, 
Tennessee.
  My home State of Tennessee is known for many things. If I had to list 
some of the most prominent, I might think of the Great Smoky Mountains 
or Elvis Presley. I would most certainly include the Grand Ole Opry.
  Nashville is known around the world as Music City, USA. That would 
not be the case had it not been for the Opry. The longtime show isn't 
exclusive to Tennessee's story. No, it is part of American culture.
  The Opry was around before the Great Depression and World War II. It 
has seen a lot, endured a lot, and served as a beacon of hope decade 
after decade. The program's venue has moved within Nashville a few 
times, but it is primarily known for two locations. They are the Ryman 
Auditorium off Broadway, downtown, and its current location on Opry 
Mills Drive. Both locations enjoy hundreds of thousands of visitors 
every year.
  Without the Grand Ole Opry, we would likely not know names like Hank 
Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, or Willie Nelson. Heaven forbid, 
we might not even know Dolly Parton, had it not been for the show.

                              {time}  1015

  WSM, those are its call letters, was one of the first radio stations 
to connect urban and rural culture. The Opry was also a first to 
transform a hobby into a marketable and lucrative industry. Crossover 
artists are not uncommon today, but they were virtually

[[Page H1467]]

nonexistent before 1925. The Opry hosted honky-tonk, bluegrass, gospel, 
rockabilly, and many other performers. This paved the way for what we 
know today as country music.
  From music legends to up-and-comers, musicians from around the world 
rightfully revere the Grand Ole Opry as a place of prestige, history, 
and continued relevance.
  There are fewer than 100 members of the Grand Ole Opry. It is indeed 
an elite crowd of men and women who made the world better, who embody 
country music, and who are part of our shared heritage as Americans. In 
fact, that membership sits at the top of dozens of obituaries among 
some of our Nation's finest performers.
  This year, Tripadvisor ranked Nashville sixth among the best American 
travel destinations. More than 17 million people visited last year. 
That is in large part because of the influence of the Grand Ole Opry 
over the last 100 years.
  Mr. Speaker, any seat in the house will do at the Grand Ole Opry to 
bear witness to the iconic barn background behind the stage. The lights 
that look like stars above you and the acoustics around you make for an 
unforgettable evening. No matter how many chances I get to see a show 
in person, I always sense the history, the importance, and the joy that 
the Grand Ole Opry represents.
  As the United States Representative of Tennessee's Sixth 
Congressional District, I rise today to enthusiastically congratulate 
the Grand Ole Opry on a century of entertainment and a century of 
significance. I am confident that the man or woman who is in my shoes 
100 years from now will feel compelled to do the same.


                    Congratulating the Upperman Bees

  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Upperman High 
School boys' basketball team on securing the first State championship 
in program history last month. The historic matchup was a nail-biter as 
the game was tied up for much of the night. Nonetheless, it ended with 
the Upperman Bees defeating the Tullahoma Wildcats 65-55.
  This TSSAA Division 1 Class 3A BlueCross basketball championship win 
at Middle Tennessee State University puts their team at 32-3 on the 
season.
  Again, I congratulate the players and their families. I also want to 
congratulate the coaches, including Head Coach Bobby McWilliams on the 
many hours they also put into this great win. Coach McWilliams says 
that focus was the key to their win. He says that his guys were locked 
in before they arrived at MTSU and it showed. Congratulations to the 
2025 Tennessee State champion Upperman High School Bees.

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