Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and other artists are celebrating the Ryman Auditorium’s milestone birthday
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Airing for one night only on Circle Network, Ryman 130: The Evolution of An Icon, features interviews with artists across musical genres. Legends Gill, Harris, Keb’ Mo,’ Mike Love and Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, along with modern country stars Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show will share personal stories of performing at the Ryman and what it’s meant for their careers. Actors Charles Esten of Nashville fame and the late Leslie Jordan, who won an Emmy Award for his role as Beverley Leslie on Will and Grace, will also appear.
“For 130 years now, Nashville has had an iconic gathering spot, a place called ‘The Mother Church,’ the Ryman Auditorium,'” Sector says in a trailer. “And there’s no place else like it on earth.”
“The Ryman Auditorium’s history is mind-boggling when you learn about the wide variety of artists, musicians and speakers who stood on that stage,” adds Jordan.
“My friends and I will share our passion for this iconic building,” Esten promises. “You may learn a few surprising facts along the way.”
The Ryman Auditorium opened in 1892 in downtown Nashville, with many historical figures gracing its stage. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., magician Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley and comedian Bob Hope appeared on stage, while former presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft hosted lectures there. For decades, the Ryman was the home of the Grand Ole Opry radio show, which broadcasts weekly on WSM-AM.
“The Ryman has a storied history that can only be told by those who have studied it and dreamed of gracing its stage throughout their lives and careers,” a press release states.
Ryman 130 airs on Wednesday (Jan. 25) at 11 p.m. ET on Circle Network.
Photo by Catherine Powell / Courtesy Essential Broadcast Media
