Since its 1925 inception, country music artists have dreamed of receiving their invitation to the Grand Ole Opry. The stately Nashville institution has welcomed the genre’s best and brightest for the last century, offering listeners an opportunity to experience country music in its purest form. However, due to the impending landfall of Winter Storm Fern, the Opry shocked fans when it canceled its scheduled Saturday (Jan. 24) live performance.
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The Grand Ole Opry Will Still Broadcast Live
“The safety of our fans, our artists, and our staff is our top priority, and we truly appreciate your understanding,” read a statement posted to the Grand Ole Opry’s social media accounts on Friday (Jan. 24).
Ticketholders can request refunds from their original point of purchase.
However, the show will still go on in some form. In keeping with the Opry’s tradition of consecutive Saturday night broadcasts, Saturday’s program will still air at 8 p.m. Eastern on WSM Radio, as well as the Opry and WSM websites. The broadcast will feature a mix of live performances and recorded highlights from past Opry shows.
“History is made with every Opry broadcast, and Saturday night’s show will be no exception,” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “I’d be lying if I said we knew exactly what was going to happen throughout the show tomorrow night, but with so many fans and friends in Fern’s path, we invite everyone to stay home and safe, to put another log on the fire, and to tune in with us and weather the storm together, accompanied by great country music.”
Currently, Nashville residents are under a winter storm warning from the National Weather Service until 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. More serious than a winter storm watch, a warning indicates a high possibility of heavy snow, heavy sleet, ice storms, blowing snow or any combination of these events.
With temperatures expected to hover below freezing for several days, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has also declared a state of emergency for all 95 counties.
[RELATED: 4 of the Most Unique Grand Ole Opry Invitations in the Last 20 Years]
How Rare is an Opry Cancellation?
Throughout its 100 years of existence, the Grand Ole Opry has only gone silent a few times. A 1945 broadcast paused following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1968, the Opry aired a prior broadcast after the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left Nashville residents under a city-wide curfew. And in more recent history, ticket performances were canceled for more than six months beginning in the spring of 2020, although the Saturday night show continued airing via livestream and radio.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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