COVER STORY
10–9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1. . .
Happy New Year!
By Dan Rogers
The countdown is over and 2007 is upon us. But it doesn’t mean the counting is over. It seems these first few weeks of the year are all about numbers— 365 days left in the year, the number of unwanted pounds gained over the holiday season when we WEREN’T counting calories, number of wins and losses amassed by our favorite football teams on their way to the playoffs, the number of consecutive days we’ve kept our new year’s resolutions, and more.
In honor of this counting time of the year, the opry.com staff have assembled a number (pun intended) of Opry facts all about numbers. We hope you enjoy and that all 365 days of 2007 make you feel like number 1!
OPRY BY THE NUMBERS
8
Homes the Opry has had in Nashville since its birth in 1925. The Opry has been stationed at its present home, the Grand Ole Opry House, for 32 years—longer than at any of its former residences. The Opry can be found at its most famous former home, the historic
Ryman Auditorium, through February.
4,200+ (and counting)
Consecutive Saturday nights the
Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running live radio show, has rung out on the airwaves.
65
Current official
Opry members.
Garth Brooks says, “The Grand Ole Opry is the pinnacle of what I do. Nothing will ever match being a member of the Grand Ole Opry.”
Martina McBride adds, The Opry’s going to be here for hundreds and hundreds of years, and I’m proud to have my name on that list.”
300+
Opry members throughout its history. The Opry has called the names of country music’s all-time greats, from Hank Williams and Patsy Cline to
Vince Gill and
Trisha Yearwood. (To check out the names of some of the greats who have joined the Opry in each of its eight decades, visit the opry.com
Opry Timeline.
1948
Year
Little Jimmy Dickens, currently the Opry’s most senior member, joined the Opry cast. 2005—Year CMA award-winner
Dierks Bentley became the Opry’s newest addition.
88
Average number of singers, musicians, and dancers who appear on any one Saturday night
Opry show.
6,024
approximate number of songs performed during Opry shows each year.
June 10, 2005
Date Carrie Underwood made her debut on country music’s most famous stage, fifteen days after having been named an American Idol.
$1.98
Price on the tag of the famous hat worn by one of the Opry’s most beloved members of all time, Minnie Pearl. In reaction to a videotape message from
Dolly Parton on the night of Minnie’s 50th anniversary as an Opry member, Pearl quipped “I wear a hat so folks can tell us apart.”
4,400
Seats at the Grand Ole Opry House. The Opry’s former home, the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, seats 2,200. The Opry returns to the Ryman each year for a wintertime run.
19
Inches height difference between Country Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Dickens and country superstar
Trace Adkins. The difference led Dickens to scale a kitchen ladder on stage in 2003 when inviting Adkins to become an official Opry member. “I wanted to look him in the eye,” Dickens said.
February 17, 2001
Date
Brad Paisley was inducted into the Opry with a contingent from his home state of West Virginia in attendance.
7
U.S. Presidents have visited the Opry House since its opening in 1974. During the first show at the Opry House, President Richard Nixon led the audience in “Happy Birthday” in honor of First Lady Pat Nixon. President and Mrs. Barbara Bush celebrated their 50th anniversary at the Opry House in 1995.
6
Number of Opry members who are married to other Opry members. Bluegrass great
Ricky Skaggs is married to Sharon White of Opry family act
The Whites, while
Marty Stuart is married to Opry legend
Connie Smith. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are the newest members of the Opry’s betrothed club, having wed in 2005.
53,400 (and counting)
Times the Opry House’s big red curtain has been raised and lowered during Opry performances since the Opry House opened.
1
Number of times Elvis Presley played the Opry. The King of Rock N’ Roll received a thumbs-up from Bill Monroe on October 2, 1954 after performing Monroe’s bluegrass standard “Blue Moon Of Kentucky.”
15.8 Million
Feet of audio, video, and lighting cable on the Opry House complex helping take country music to the world.
1,700+ and counting
Consecutive weeks loyal Opry fan Paul Eckhart has bought a ticket for and attended an Opry performance.
345
Moving lights help illuminate the Opry’s world-famous barn stage set.
13
Age of Opry member
Lorrie Morgan when she made her Opry debut. I thought, “This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life,” she says.
4
Opry members have been honored with their own U.S. postage stamp.