Grand Ole Opry

When it comes to the Grand Ole Opry and country music, the Q & A Lady is the first to admit she hasn’t seen and done it all. She’s equally quick, however,  to add that she’s been lucky to see and do quite a little bit, and she’s happy to share her country insight with readers each week. She knows her Con Hunley from her John Conlee and her “Your Cheatin’ Heart” from her “Achy Breaky Heart.” If you have a question about country music you’d like to submit for her to consider answering, you’re welcome to do so here. Or you can just drop by each week to read her responses to other inquiries from across the country and around the globe. You just might learn a fun fact or two along the way.

Do you have a question for the Q & A Lady? Click here to submit your question.

My husband says years ago there was a bar next to the Grand Ole Opry. Do you know what the name of it was?

Connie Greene
Kasson, MN

Dear Connie,

Your question could have several different answers depending upon how many years we’re talking about when you say “years ago” and also depending upon which direction you walk from the Opry’s various venues. I’m going to guess that perhaps you are thinking about Tootsie’s, Nashville’s most legendary honky tonk. The watering hole is located just across the alley from the Ryman Auditorium’s backstage door. The stories about Tootsie’s are legendary in Nashville. Classic songs have been written there, artists have gotten their big break there, and I’m guessing a marriage or two ended there. I still recall that when a urinal that’d hung in Tootsie’s was sold as part of a charity auction 15 years ago or so, it was widely rumored that the urinal had once been used by none other than Patsy Cline. I never verified that one! You can learn more about Tootsie’s, Connie, in a special exhibit about the establishment’s 50th Anniversary at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Come check out the exhibit… and chug-a-lug a little somethin’ just down the street at Tootsie’s!

Thanks for asking,
The Q & A Lady

This entry was posted on Friday, April 8th, 2011 at 9:15 am and is filed under Q&A Lady. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.