We woke up very early again this morning because there is WAY more to see here than we will be able to in a day! After a short drive just a few blocks away, we parked the RV and ran across two very large parking lots to buy tickets and run for the shuttle. Our first stop was the historic Ryman Auditorium. The building was built in 1882, and the Grand Ole Opry called it home in 1943. They remained here until 1974 when the new auditorium was built. The Opry still uses this as their venue for 4 months every year. It is also used for concerts when any groups, country or not come to town. This was the stage that almost all of the country legends performed on. The first show of Hee Haw was filmed on this stage, and the set remains at the radio station WSM. When they built the new Opry house, they took a small circle of the Ryman stage and inlaid it into the center of the new stage. Country singers, famous and aspiring, come to perform every Friday and Saturday night. During their performance, they never stand on that circle unless they have performed at the Ryman in the past out of respect for the original venue and its history.
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