TN Day 6 – The Grand Ole Opry and more – The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys

It all started in 1925 when the National Life and Accident Insurance Company started a radio station with country music for barn dances on Saturday nights. They called the show We Save Millions, the company’s slogan with the initial WSM and it broadcast on 650 am. In November 1927, when the show was coming on after some grand opera music, the announcer introduced the country music as the grand ole opry, and the name stuck. They started off at the company’s office but outgrew it, and several other locations, until they built the Grand Ole Opry house in 1974, which we visited. For those that don’t follow country music , this is a really big deal for country music lovers. I was extremely impressed by how well the building had been built for performers, its classiness, its recognition of history, and the way membership worked, a rare honor by invitation only.

We did the backstage tour which included the dressing rooms, the green room, a studio, and the stage and auditorium. The tour followed the route that a visiting artist would follow.

There were eighteen themed dressing rooms.

In the green room, the painting has a brown stain at the level of the floodwaters from the 2010 flood, with the iron railing on the wall marking the same. The venue had to close for 6 months but the show did not stop by finding alternatives. It has broadcast continuously on Saturday nights, and many other nights, for nearly 100 years. COVID prevented live audiences but the show went on!

The wooden circle came from the previous venue, The Ryman.

We look forward to coming to a show later in the week.

After lunch at home, we headed to a nearby park and nature reserve, Shelby Bottom, for some exploring and geocaching.

The cicadas were at full volume. It’s difficult to describe the racket they make!

The Decim Periodical Cicadas emerge every 17 years!

One of the geocaches was inside the visitor center. The 2010 floodwaters came up to the first deck.

A narceus anericanus, also known as as the giant American millipede.

Mulberries. They were out of reach so we did not get a snack.

It appears this couple had had an argument.

Driving back to our house, this wild turkey was happily wandering through someone’s front yard.

We had a bit of downtime, and wildlife loved our back fence.

Some baby starlings. There were many more but they did not like the camera.

This group were hanging out on the neighbor’s fence.

This might also have been why the baby starlings were skittish.

For the evening, we took a dinner cruise in the General Jackson along the Cumberland River. The high water meant that we could not get down to Broadway as the boat would not fit under a bridge. It was a fun peaceful ride with a great dinner and then a show recognizing the history of country music.