Ryman Auditorium

116 Fifth Avenue
+615 889 8700
www.ryman.com

Ryman Auditorium

The Ryman was founded as a church in 1892 which explains the stained glass windows and church pew seating. In the mid-twentieth century it came to house the legendary Johnny Cash television show and the weekly Grand Ole Opry concert and radio show which was broadcast on WSM-AM. The Opry, and the radio show have since moved house but the Ryman remains a must-experience concert venue for its spectacular acoustics. The Opry makes occasional returns to the Ryman, Definitely try to get tickets to a show there and skip the daytime museum tour, you can kill two birds with one stone and check out the display cases while you're at the concert.

Grand Ole Opry

2804 Opryland Drive
+615 871 OPRY
www.opry.com

Each week the Grand Ole Opry takes place as a showcase of the best country, bluegrass, and folk bands in the country. The night I caught it on a visit back to the Ryman, I saw the amazing Emmylou Harris, Carrie Underwood, and Vince Gill, just so you have an idea of the kind of all-star casts the Opry always hosts. The entire show is broadcast live every Saturday on WSM-AM at 7pm and is the longest running radio show in history. People say the Opry is touristy, and this is true, but it is at the same time absolutely authentic and the quality of the concerts is truly remarkable.