Ryman Auditorium facts for kids
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"The Mother Church of Country Music"
"The Birthplace of Bluegrass" "The Carnegie Hall of the South" "The Ryman" |
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Ryman Auditorium, facing Nashville's Rep. John Lewis Way North
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| Former names | Union Gospel Tabernacle (1892–1904) Grand Ole Opry House (1963–1974) |
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| Location | 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North Nashville, Tennessee 37219 |
| Coordinates | 36°9′40.6″N 86°46′42.6″W / 36.161278°N 86.778500°W |
| Owner | Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. |
| Type | Concert hall Theatre Broadcast venue |
| Seating type | Pews |
| Capacity | 2,362 (1994–present) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1885–1892 |
| Opened | 1892 |
| Renovated | 1901, 1952, 1989, 1994, 2010 |
| Expanded | 1897, 1994, 2015 |
| Construction cost | US$100,000 (equivalent to $3,257,037 in 2022) |
The Ryman Auditorium is a famous place for live shows in Nashville, Tennessee. It has 2,362 seats and is known around the world. People call it "The Mother Church of Country Music" and "The Birthplace of Bluegrass." It's also known as "The Carnegie Hall of the South."
The Ryman was once home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. It is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. This building is very important for country music history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. In 2001, it became a National Historic Landmark. In 2022, the Ryman was named a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark.
Contents
History of the Ryman Auditorium
Building a Special Place
The Ryman Auditorium first opened in 1892. It was called the Union Gospel Tabernacle. A Nashville businessman named Thomas Ryman (1843–1904) helped build it. He wanted a large indoor place for people to attend religious meetings.
Thomas Ryman was inspired by a speaker named Samuel Porter Jones. Ryman decided to build this tabernacle after hearing Jones speak. It took seven years to finish the building. The cost was about $100,000 in 1892.
The building was designed by Hugh Cathcart Thompson. When it opened, it still owed money. Samuel Porter Jones wanted to name the building after Ryman. But Ryman said no many times. After Ryman died in 1904, the building was renamed Ryman Auditorium. This happened during his memorial service.
The Ryman was planned to have a balcony. But there wasn't enough money at first. The balcony was built in 1897. Funds came from a group called the United Confederate Veterans. This balcony was once called the Confederate Gallery. In 2017, its old plaque was replaced with a new one. The new plaque reads "1892 Ryman Auditorium." With the balcony, the Ryman could hold 6,000 people. A stage was added in 1901. This made the seating capacity just over 3,000.
Lula C. Naff's Leadership
The Ryman was built for religious events. But it was also rented out for other shows. This helped pay its bills. In 1904, Lula C. Naff started booking events there. She was a widow and a mother. She booked speakers, concerts, and even boxing matches.
By 1920, Naff became the Ryman's official manager. She used the name "L.C. Naff." This was to avoid problems as a female leader. She was known for fighting against censorship. In 1939, she won a big court case. This helped protect freedom of expression at the Ryman.
Naff brought many famous performers to the Ryman. These included Harry Houdini in 1924 and Will Rogers in 1925. Charlie Chaplin and Bob Hope also performed. John Philip Sousa was another famous guest. These shows helped Nashville become a cultural center. The Ryman earned the nickname "The Carnegie Hall of the South."
U.S. presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft gave talks there. Famous opera singer Enrico Caruso performed in 1919. The Ryman also hosted the inaugurations of three Tennessee governors.
Many musicians played at the Ryman. These included Marian Anderson in 1932. Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys played in 1945. Hank Williams performed in 1949. Elvis was there in 1954. Johnny Cash played in 1956. Patsy Cline performed in 1960. Minnie Pearl was also a regular.
The first event to sell out the Ryman was a lecture. It was given by Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan in 1913. Lula Naff also supported diversity. The Ryman hosted the Fisk Jubilee Singers often. They were from Fisk University, a historically Black college. Even with Jim Crow laws, photos show that Ryman audiences were often mixed. Naff retired in 1955.
The Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman
The Grand Ole Opry is a famous country music radio show. It started in 1925. The show was broadcast on radio station WSM. People could hear it in many states. At first, listeners came to the studio to see the show live. When too many people came, the Opry moved to bigger places.
In 1943, the Opry needed a new home. The Ryman Auditorium was a great choice. It had wooden pews and a good location. The Grand Ole Opry first broadcast from the Ryman on June 5, 1943. It stayed there every week for almost 31 years. Every show sold out. Many fans could not get in.
While at the Ryman, the Opry featured many country music stars. The show became famous worldwide. Because it was a church building and hosted the Opry, the Ryman got its nickname. It was called "The Mother Church of Country Music."
The Ryman was not built for performances. It had only one dressing room for men. Women had to use a small restroom. Performers often waited in the narrow hallways. Many would go to nearby places like Tootsie's Orchid Lounge. They would meet fans and sometimes perform there. This made the bars on Nashville's Lower Broadway very popular.
Before 1963, the Ryman had many owners. Then, WSM, Inc., bought the building. They paid $207,500. WSM renamed it the Grand Ole Opry House. But many people still called it the Ryman.
WSM made some small updates to the Ryman. But they soon planned to move the Opry. The building was getting old. It had no air conditioning. The area around it was not very nice. The Opry was also getting too popular for the Ryman's size.
In 1969, plans were made for a new, bigger auditorium. This new place would be more comfortable. It would also have better facilities for radio and TV. WSM bought land a few miles away. The new Opry theater became part of a big entertainment area. This area was called Opryland USA. It included a theme park and a hotel.
The new Grand Ole Opry House opened on March 16, 1974. The last Opry show at the Ryman was on March 15. It was an emotional night. To keep a connection, a circle of wood was cut from the Ryman stage. It was placed in the center of the new Opry stage. The new Opry House also had pew seating, like the Ryman.
Later, the downtown building went back to being called Ryman Auditorium. This helped people tell it apart from the new Opry House.
Saving the Ryman
When the new Opryland USA was announced, some wanted to tear down the Ryman. They wanted to use its parts to build a small chapel. But many people disagreed. Famous musicians and the public wanted to save it.
Roy Acuff, a big Opry star, wanted to tear it down. He said his memories of the Ryman were "misery." He disliked the small dressing rooms. But preservation groups argued that the Ryman was important. They said it had a rich history.
The Ryman was approved for the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. In 1974, U.S. Senators from Tennessee asked WSM to save the building. The company decided not to tear it down. The Ryman was saved, but it was not improved for many years.
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Ryman Auditorium
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 Location in Tennessee
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| Location | 116 Fifth Ave. N Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | Hugh Cathcart Thompson |
| Restored | 1952, 1989, 1994 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000819 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | January 3, 2001 |
Quiet Years and Comeback
After the Opry left, the Ryman was mostly empty for almost 20 years. The area around it also became run down. But the Ryman was never fully closed. People still visited it to see its history.
In 1983, a company called American General Insurance bought WSM. The Ryman Auditorium was part of this sale. The new owner, Ed Gaylord, loved the Opry's history. His interest helped save the Ryman.
In 1986, a TV show celebrated the Grand Ole Opry's 60th anniversary. It showed some Opry stars performing at the Ryman. Even when it was quiet, movies were filmed there. These included Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) and Sweet Dreams (1985).
Bringing the Ryman Back to Life
In 1989, work began to make the Ryman look better. They fixed the roof and windows. But the inside was mostly left alone.
In 1991, Emmylou Harris played three acoustic concerts there. The building was old and worn. People could not sit under the balcony because it wasn't safe. These concerts were recorded for an album called At the Ryman. The album won a Grammy Award. These concerts helped people want to bring the Ryman back to life.
In 1992, the Ryman celebrated its 100th birthday. In 1992, plans were announced to fully renovate the building. They wanted to make it a world-class concert hall. This was part of a bigger plan to improve downtown Nashville.
Renovations started in 1993. The Ryman got air conditioning for the first time. The original wooden pews were taken out, fixed, and put back. New backstage areas were built. A new lobby, restrooms, and offices were added. The main entrance moved from the west side to the east side. A large statue of Thomas Ryman was also put outside.
The first show after the renovation was A Prairie Home Companion in 1994. After that, a musical about Patsy Cline played there for a long time.
The Opry Returns to the Ryman
On October 18, 1998, the Opry held a benefit show at the Ryman. This was the first time since 1974. Fans and performers loved it. So, the Opry started having regular shows there again.
From November 1999, the Opry played at the Ryman for three months each year. This allowed them to avoid construction at the new Opry House. It also let them use a smaller venue during slower tourist times. The Ryman was also the main place for the Opry in 2010. This was when the new Opry House was being fixed after a flood.
The yearly winter shows at the Ryman stopped in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Opry shows came back to the Ryman for a month in January 2023. They also returned for three nights in January 2024. These shows are called Opry at the Ryman.
The Ryman Today
The company that owns the Ryman is now called Ryman Hospitality Properties. The Ryman's renovation helped make downtown Nashville a popular place again.
Experts say the Ryman has some of the best acoustics in the world. The Ryman was not harmed by the 2010 Tennessee floods or the 2020 Nashville bombing.
In 2012, the Ryman got a new stage floor. It was made of Brazilian teak. A small part of the old stage was kept at the front. The stage's support beams were also made stronger.
In 2015, the Ryman had another big renovation. It cost $14 million. The lobby, restrooms, and shops were expanded. A new restaurant called "Cafe Lula" opened. It was named after Lula C. Naff. The cafe closed in 2020. A bigger retail shop opened in its place in 2023.
The 2015 renovations also added a 100-seat theater. Here, a short holographic film is shown. It tells the Ryman's history. The film features artists like Darius Rucker and Sheryl Crow.
The Ryman hosts many different types of shows. These include Opry Country Classics and Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman. During the pandemic, the Ryman started online concerts. Artists like For King & Country performed for digital audiences. Bluegrass Nights returned in 2021.
The Ryman has welcomed many different artists. Wu-Tang Clan was the first hip-hop group to headline there. Drag queens Trixie and Katya also headlined. Comedian John Mulaney had a comedy residency in 2022.
The Ryman has hosted many special events. Little Big Town had 10 shows in 2017. Vince Gill and Amy Grant also had residencies in 2022.
In 2018, Architectural Digest called the Ryman the most iconic building in Tennessee. It has won "Theater of the Year" awards many times. The Ryman also hosts many music award shows.
The Ryman is featured in Alan Jackson's 2021 music video "Where Have You Gone."
On May 26, 2022, the Ryman became a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. A new exhibit called "Rock Hall at the Ryman" opened in November 2022. It shows items from artists like Elvis Presley and Joan Jett.
The Ryman has also been a place for memorial services. Many famous country music stars have been remembered there. These include Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, and Naomi Judd.
Notable Events and Performances
The Ryman hosts many kinds of music. These include alternative rock, bluegrass, blues, country, classical, folk, gospel, jazz, pop, hip hop, and rock concerts. It also hosts musical theater and stand-up comedy.
- From 1922 to 1942, the Hardeman Tabernacle Sermons were held at the Ryman. These were very popular.
- The Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. Many famous country artists made their first Opry appearances there. These included Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, and Patsy Cline.
- The Country Music Association Awards shows were held and broadcast live from the Ryman from 1968 to 1973.
- Most episodes of The Johnny Cash Show were filmed at the Ryman. This was from 1969 to 1971. The show featured Johnny Cash and other artists like Carl Perkins.
- In 1999, Bill Gaither recorded a farewell video and album for The Cathedrals there.
- On January 30, 2003, Patty Griffin recorded her live album, A Kiss in Time, at the Ryman.
- In 2005, Neil Young recorded the concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold at the Ryman.
- In 2009, Jonny Lang recorded Live at the Ryman. It was a top album on the Billboard Blues chart.
- On July 7, 2012, Ringo Starr recorded his 72nd birthday concert, "Ringo at the Ryman."
- In 2014, Foo Fighters performed at the Ryman for their TV series Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways.
- On September 8, 2016, Garth Brooks performed at the Ryman for the first time in his career.
- On June 9, 2019, Wu-Tang Clan performed the first concert made only of hip hop music at the Ryman.
- On April 4, 2021, Carrie Underwood performed her album My Savior in a live online concert from the Ryman stage.
- On June 8, 2021, Miley Cyrus headlined a special concert for Pride Month from the Ryman stage.
- In August 2022, comedian John Mulaney had the Ryman's first comedy residency. He did four shows in three nights.
Images for kids
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Ryman Auditorium, facing Nashville's Rep. John Lewis Way North
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Statue of Thomas Ryman, outside the entrance to the auditorium which bears his name
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The stage at the Ryman Auditorium where many legendary artists have performed
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A country music fan on Ryman Auditorium stage in 1990
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Alley between Ryman Auditorium and the rear of Broadway "Honky Tonks", including Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
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Tennessee Historical Commission marker outside Ryman Auditorium, signifying the site as the birthplace of Bluegrass music
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Stained glass windows on the north-facing exterior of Ryman Auditorium
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Statues of Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl seated on a pew in the lobby of Ryman Auditorium
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The interior of Ryman Auditorium before a show, as seen from the balcony behind section 15
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At the rear of the building, adjacent to 4th Avenue North, is an outdoor entry plaza leading to the building's main entrance and Cafe Lula. Constructed in 1994, this part of the property was renovated and expanded in 2015.
See also
In Spanish: Auditorio Ryman para niños
- Academy of Country Music
- Country Music Hall of Fame
- List of country music performers
