Ryman Auditorium

When you walk through the doors of historic Ryman Auditorium, one thing becomes clear right away: this isn’t just another nightly music venue, and it’s so much more than a daytime tourist stop. This place is hallowed ground. This is the exact spot where bluegrass was born—where Johnny Cash met June Carter, where souls were saved and a slice of history was nearly lost. It was right here that country music found an audience beyond its own back porch, and countless careers took off as deals were signed on napkins and paper scraps backstage. This is a building where anything is possible: a soul can find redemption, a crumbling building can find salvation, and an unknown kid with a guitar can find his or her name in lights.

Ryman Auditorium (also known as Grand Ole Opry House and Union Gospel Tabernacle) is a 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee. It is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 and is owned and operated by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Ryman Auditorium was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was later designated a National Historic Landmark on June 25, 2001, for its pivotal role in the popularization of country music. Think the Ryman is just for country music hotshots and fanny-packed tourists? Think again. This venue draws artists from all corners of the globe and all entertainment genres, eager to experience the privilege of facing the pews. The outstanding acoustics, intimate atmosphere and the ghosts of legends past have beckoned to artists from Elvis to Emmylou Harris, from Paul Simon to the Pixies, and from Kings of Leon to B.B. King. It’s one of the reasons a Ryman show is unlike any other—the artists, authors and comedians on the bill are truly humbled to take the stage.

Why does the Ryman sound so good? It was born this way. Built to project the booming voices of evangelists and enhanced by cutting-edge technology, this room of century-old, wrap-around church pews and the signature curves of the room create a warm, clear sound environment like no other room on the planet. The Ryman was originally built for people to experience something transformative together, and it continues to provide that with backstage tours by day and incredible performances by night. The Ryman is a testament to all the ways a stage can connect people to one another, and when you visit us, you become a part of that story. This place still welcomes all of us to take a seat in the pews, just as the steamboat captain intended. We preserve its legacy by sharing it with the world, so that the next generation can tell good stories about the things we did together when it was ours. Ryman Auditorium celebrates all genres, backgrounds and people on its hallowed stage and in every sacred pew. This place is where fans, artists and employees come together to experience music, performances and the arts. The Ryman and Opry Entertainment Group are committed to working every day to provide a platform for diverse music and entertainment in an environment that is welcoming and free of discrimination for all.

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