Grand Ole Opry Stages A Show For The Century

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The Grand Ole Opry celebrated the 100th anniversary tonight of its November 28, 1925 inaugural broadcast with two shows and more than 25 Opry members. Photo: Grand Ole Opry, by Rachael Black

The Grand Ole Opry marked its 100th anniversary on Friday (Nov. 28) with a mammoth showcase of its past, present and future.

More than two-dozen acts, including seven members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, gathered to perform. The three-hour show drew laughter, tears, standing ovations and audience sing-alongs as video screens illustrated and punctuated performances with historic footage, vintage portraits and dynamic graphics.

Vince Gill introduced and played the new exclusive Opry 100 guitar that Martin Guitars designed for the centennial anniversary and in celebration of all the music to be made in the future on the Opry. Photo: Grand Ole Opry, by Rachael Black

Backstage, John Conlee, Dailey & Vincent, The Isaacs, Marty Stuart and others tuned up with their dressing room doors open for visiting well-wishers. Vince Gill, who occupied Roy Acuff’s old Dressing Room No. 1, recalled that Acuff always kept his door open to greet folks, and said that he feels honored to continue that tradition. At 6:55 p.m. the call went out to take places on stage.

At 7:00 p.m. retired Opry executive Bud Wendell, 98, raised the curtain to reveal an assembled group of cast members. Ricky Skaggs began the show by playing “Tennessee Wagoner” on the same fiddle that Uncle Jimmy Thompson played. The song was one of the tunes that Thompson played on the show’s inaugural broadcast on WSM on Nov. 28, 1925.

Bill Anderson, the Opry’s longest tenured cast member in history, joined with Kathy Mattea, the cast’s newest member, to lead the assembled stars in “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Scotty McCreery, Mandy Barnettt, T. Graham Brown and Mark Wills sang the nostalgic “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” as the screens filled with images of legendary cast members who have passed on.

Gill, Stuart and Dailey & Vincent treated the fans to a spirited version of Acuff’s “Wabash Cannonball.” Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy dazzled us with his dazzling harmonica performance of “Orange Blossom Special.” Country diva Barnett (“Crazy”), McCreery (“Five More Minutes”), Dustin Lynch (“Cowboys and Angels”) and a particularly moving Jamey Johnson (“In Color”) were next.

Other highlights included Riders in the Sky harmonizing on “Ghost Riders in the Sky” and “Happy Trails” and The Gatlins and Brown leading audience sing-alongs to “All the Gold in California” and “Mustang Sally,” respectively. Anderson reappeared to deliver his touching elegy “Thankful” and was bathed in a long, loving standing ovation from the crowd, which moved the 88-year-old legend deeply.

Bluegrass music took the spotlight as Skaggs and Del McCoury romped through Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Pen.” Then Skaggs joined The Whites on The Carter Family’s “Keep on the Sunny Side,” which The Whites re-popularized in the hit film O Brother Where Art Thou. They were followed by droll, witty Don Schlitz (“The Gambler) and torch stylists Pam Tillis (“Maybe It Was Memphis”) and Lorrie Morgan (“Something in Red”).

Country comedy took the spotlight via crowd-pleasing sets by Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer.

Stuart reminded the crowd of the old-time string-band tradition that was the backbone of the Opry’s early years by bringing out The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band and Uncle Dave Macon disciple Leroy Troy. The group then backed The Opry Square Dancers who clogged to wild audience applause.

Ricky Skaggs opened the show with a performance of “Tennessee Wagoner,” while playing the very fiddle with which Uncle Jimmy Thompson started it all 100 years ago. Photo: Grand Ole Opry, by Rachael Black

The Isaacs performed a stunning, a cappella, harmony-drenched treatment of “It Is Well With My Soul” to kick off a gospel segment that also featured Conlee (“Amazing Grace”) and Wills (“I’ll Fly Away”), plus a group-sung rendition of the Hank Williams classic “I Saw the Light.” Mattea joined forces with her good friend Suzy Bogguss. The latter represented the Opry’s future, since she will be inducted into the cast on Jan. 16, 2026. The two pals treated the crowd to “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses” and “Outbound Plane.”

The 100th-anniversary night was hosted by Opry announcers Charlie Mattos, Kelly Sutton and Mike Terry. Sutton related that Opry fans were polled to choose the 100 best country songs of all time. Twenty of these are on a commemorative new double LP, Opry 100: Country’s Greatest Songs Recorded Live on the Opry Stage. The fans’ all-time favorite is “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” which Gill performed, augmented with a recitation by Anderson. Gill then brought out Sonya Isaacs to harmonize with him on an angelic “When I Call Your Name.”

Gospel superstar Steven Curtis Chapman, an Opry member since 2024, sang his “The Grand Ole Opry Stage” composition at the piano. All the stars reassembled around him to perform “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” as the finale while the audience rose in a standing ovation.

A post-show, VIP reception found the cast mingling with dignitaries and family members backstage in Studio A. Opry chief Dan Rogers greeted everyone and offered slices of 100th-birthday cake. Bill Anderson asked us to raise our glasses high for his toast, “To 100 years ago and what has been. To 100 years from now and what will be. Long live the Grand Ole Opry.” Amen to that.

Robert K Oermann
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