My love for radio began when I was a child. We had a floor model combination radio/record player. After school I would sit on the floor in front of that huge contraption and listen to the fifteen minute shows. These transported me from rural Ohio to the plains of the West, to New York City, to Hollywood and to Nashville. Yes, Nashville. It was the Saturday night broadcast of The Grand Ole Opry that was my first experience with live radio. The Opry came on at 8pm and lasted two hours. It wasn’t really my kind of music but I just loved the whole production. Between songs an announcer would, in dulcet tones, give his spiel for their advertisers.
So, it was anticipation when our son, Tobey, called and said he had tickets for the Opry last Saturday. Pam and I were staying at his house in Nashville for Christmas. Tobey’s girlfriend, Laura, had arrived earlier so the four of us went to the Saturday night Opry show. It has been held in the Ryman for over sixty years. It is a well-told story that the Ryman was once a church and that the pews are still being used. BTW, those pews are hard on the butt which explains the stadium pads being brought in by many patrons.
Watching the show is just as interesting as the music. We had good seats in the balcony so the entire stage was viewable. Over in the left corner, towards the back are four back-up singers with mics. They sing on almost every song. Also on the left is the announcer. He stands at a podium and reads the scripted ads. On the right side there are all sorts of musicians, both playing and just kind of standing around. A grand piano is at center stage. Each half hour there is a station break during which the audience usually stands to give themselves a break. There must have been twenty-five different acts during the show. They are introduced by the emcee.
Its a great experience to see the Opry. But don’t be confused between Opryland and the Ryman. Opryland is a bit out of town and is a destination point with hotels and convention center. Its the Ryman you want in downtown Nashville on Saturday night.
