Ryman Auditorium

Known as the “Mother Church of Country Music,” Ryman Auditorium blends sacred roots with a legendary stage that helped shape American music. Welcome to the Ryman—one of Nashville’s most storied landmarks and the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974.

Built in 1892 by steamboat magnate Thomas Ryman, the venue began as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, inspired by a religious revival. Though created as a house of worship, it was leased for secular events from the start to help offset costs. Early programming included speeches, operas, concerts, and touring productions, making it a cultural hub long before the Opry arrived. After Ryman’s death in 1904, the building was renamed in his honor.

That same year, Lula C. Naff began booking events and later became the Ryman’s longtime manager. Known professionally as L.C. Naff, she built a national reputation while navigating a male-dominated industry. Under her leadership, the Ryman hosted a wide range of performers—from presidents and evangelists to vaudeville and classical acts. Though she booked the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the venue—like most in the Jim Crow South—was racially segregated.

In 1943, the Grand Ole Opry moved into the Ryman Auditorium. During its three-decade run here, audiences and radio listeners alike were drawn to the raw, high-energy performances of stars like Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, and Minnie Pearl. In later years—and on newer stages—the Opry evolved to include polished, genre-blending acts like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, and Garth Brooks.

The final Saturday night broadcast aired March 9, 1974. The last official Opry performance took place March 15, with George Morgan singing “Candy Kisses.” Take yourself back in time, and imagine that last night. This was the last tune on the Grand Ole Opry Stage at the Ryman:

Candy kisses wrapped in paper

Mean more to you than any of mine

Candy kisses wrapped in paper

You'd rather have them any old time

You don't mean it when you whisper

Those sweet love words in my ear

Candy kisses wrapped in paper

Mean more to you than mine do, dear

When the Grand Ole Opry moved out of the Ryman the Nashville Banner summed up the emotional moment with the headline: “Minnie Cried.”

By the early 1990s, the “Mother Church” faced serious decline. Although preservation efforts were underway, a series of 1991 recordings and TV tapings by Emmylou Harris reintroduced the Ryman’s unmatched acoustics to a new generation. Her performances helped bolster support for restoring the venue as a live music hall. Fully renovated, it reopened in 1994 as both a museum and premier concert hall—and remains one of Nashville’s top attractions.

Today, the Opry returns several times a year. Visit the Ryman by day for exhibits and backstage tours—or come at night for a show you won’t forget. Want more stories? Check out our Hidden History and Haunts, Music in Music City North, Old Time Religion, South Broadway Architecture, Woman’s Suffrage, and Women’s History Highlights tours.

Head north on Rep. John Lewis Way then turn RIGHT onto Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd and take a slight LEFT to enter James Robertson Parkway. After crossing the river, stay to the right to enter Ellington Parkway/ Highway 31E North. You’ll be on this road about 9 miles and it will become Briley Parkway/ Highway 155. Take exit 11 towards Opry Mills Drive. Drive towards the mall and find parking in one of the many lots near the Opry House. You made it!