Day 30 Nashville

What a day! Several people had mentioned that we should go to see the Opryland Hotel. Now that sounded like a dumb way to spend a day of vacation to me, but when enough people mention it, it’s across the street and we wanted to check out a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry, so we thought, let’s give it a try. Oh My Goodness!!!

We started at the Opry and booked an early backstage tour. This morning, with far fewer people around this morning it was a perfect opportunity to appreciate the grounds. The amount of effort that clearly goes into appearance is astounding. The only place I have ever seen that demonstrates that much care is Disney.

Mary came out and interrupted our serenity with an invitation to join her backstage. The Grand Ole Opry has a rich history dating back almost 100 years. I learned so much today that I hadn’t understood before that adds to the whole charm of the Opry! I knew that the current location was not the original spot but I didn’t realize that Ryman Auditorium was really only a stop along the way. In 1925 WSM was broadcasting a radio show from various locales around Nashville. The call letters WSM, as they still are today, were because the sponsor National Life and Accident Insurance Company’s motto was We Shield Millions. In November of that year the host, George Hay, was cornered when an act didn’t show and asked Uncle Jimmy Thompson, an old-time fiddler, to play to fill the spot. The overwhelming positive response shocked everyone! As it followed an Opera show, the host began to refer to the program as the Nashville Opry and the name stuck!  Increasingly large crowds led to a move to the Ryman in 1943. In 1974 the ever increasing crowds led to a move to its current location at the Opryland complex in Music Valley. In an interesting twist, the current location was destroyed by the Nashville flood in 2010. The Grand Ole Opry was back to finding sites around Nashville that would accommodate the show. Since the show began in 1925 it has not missed a week – not matter what!

We also learned that while the Opry hosts many guest appearances there is very much a coveted club that makes up the actual members of the Grand Ole Opry. While the Oscars seem to be the ultimate in recognition for actors, an invitation to join the Opry is the coveted prize for country music stars.

Our backstage tour explained all that with Blake Shelton (on video) as our host. We walked through the star entrances, toured the dressing rooms, learned the history and the culture, and then we stood in the famed wooden circle! When they moved from the Ryman, a circle of the wooden floor at centre stage was also moved. During the flood of 2010 much of the theater was under several feet of water and destroyed. The circle though was rescued and lovingly restored to still mark the spot where so many legends have stood!

The Opry has also hosted many a famous guest over the years. When it moved to the current location Richard and Pat Nixon attended and there is video and memorabilia recounting the visit. Apparently Roy Acuff tried to teach Nixon how to work a yo-yo. When Nixon failed horrible he quipped, “Roy I’ll stay here and learn the yo-yo. You go learn how to be the President.” There were countless stories like these weaving a rich history at the Opry.

The stars entrance!

The iconic Miss Minny!

Member mailboxes. They are in alphabetical order except Little Jimmy Dickens whose mailbox had to be moved closer to the bottom so he could reach it!

The last three inductees. I was surprised by how small the actual membership is.

Nixon and the yo-yo!

If you look closely you can see the watermark (runs through the bottom half of the yellow dress). That was created by the flood in 2010.

One of the countless dressing rooms we visited. This one was Porter Wagner's favourite and has been decorated as a tribute to him. Interesting side note - Roy Acuff was of course instrumental in establishing the Opry. It is referred to as The House that Roy Built. He was so well loved here that in the later year's of his life a home was built for him right beside the entrance. He was the first one there in the morning and the last to leave at night. His dressing room is considered a very special place around here but is now used by Vince Gill, known to be just a nice a gentleman as Roy!

Our seats (right by the closest chair) shot from the stage. Even from here they look like great seats!

Standing on the iconic circle!

Following our morning tour we thought we would head over to Opryland. We could at the very least find someplace in the hotel to have some lunch. After all, how interesting could a hotel lobby be? Famous last words!

This hotel is the largest non-casino hotel in the US, weighing in at 172 acres all under one roof! They have almost 3,000 rooms, restaurants and entertainment, pubs and clubs, but the really unbelievable part is the walkways! I lost count of the number of waterfalls! There is a river with a riverboat that can float you move than ¼ mile through what amounts to a tropical paradise. The Delta River was created with a blend of water from more than 1,700 sites worldwide, including the Credit River not far from where we live!

I kept thinking as we spent hours walking through the many paths that this would be a great place for a March Break get-away! The General Jackson Riverboat Dinner Cruise, Wild Horse Salon dancing and live music, Grand Ole Opry spectacular shows, etc., etc., etc., all on site! Cliff and Liz? Charlie and Anna Marie?  Anyone else? I’m thinking a guaranteed good time!

The boat on the Delta River.

The shops!

I lost count of the number of waterfalls!

They are even growing bananas in here for crying out loud!

Dancing fountains abound!



Lunch at Jack Daniels. Don't get the fuss about fried green tomatoes. They're OK just nothing to get excited about?

The hotel rooms.



Flowered gazebos also house fountains.

Under another fountail.

Taken from behind a fountain!

The giant dome that gathers the place together into one climate controlled space - a little science fictiony!

A restaurant amid a lake of fountains.



Multi-waterfalls! I am telling you this place is amazing!

One of the staff keeping everything Disney perfect! Super friendly too as he greets people along the walkways. He invited us to, "Come on in. The water's great!"

Not under the same roof but no need to find another parking spot (all day and we didn’t move the truck), there  is a massive shopping mall with loads more restaurants, IMAX theaters and enough stores to exhaust me quickly! Even with another new dress (I know, can you believe the shopping I’ve done? Me? Mary-Kate I know you are shocked...and proud!) I am ready to call it a day. Who knew visiting a country music concert hall and wandering through a hotel lobby could provide a great day’s entertainment?!!