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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment magazine in the UK“, travel blogger Josette Celeste shares her experience of Nashville, Tennessee, and her love of the Ryman Auditorium.
Written by Josette Celeste
Nashville, TN: My Millennial Take
Nashville, Tennessee: the name alone invokes the smell of leather boots, a warm nostalgia of bright lights, and the enticing twang of dreams being born. It’s an incredible city rooted in the solid foundation of Americana. Also known as Music City, USA, Nashville is the heart of Tennessee and, more famously, the heart of country music.
Sidenote: have you seen the show, Nashville? I grew up here, and I have yet to watch the show, but I hear it’s brilliant. I’ll put this on my list of shows that I would like to watch, but probably won’t. I do like a good show of rhinestones, but I prefer live shoes over TV dramas. Dolly Parton, anyone? #shutupandtakemymoney!
The following article is my millennial take on a landmark in a city I grew up near and always took for granted. It’s funny how we humans do this. Now that I’ve been away from the city, and America, for so long, I have a freshly sparked appreciation and fascination for this lovely city.
Buckle up for this history lesson, because I knew mostly zero of this before I started writing this article! Feel free to tell me how wrong I am! Please don’t cite me for your history papers. You could, but don’t blame me if you fail.
Concerts at the Ryman
The Ryman has a full schedule for various artists on any given day and I recommend taking a gander at their lineup on their website. I am ashamed to admit it (but I will because it’s the internet and no one ever reads what’s on the internet, right?), but I had never been inside The Ryman, not a single time, until my first ever concert that I attended solo, just recently. The emotions I felt inside that church-turned-musical-icon were indescribable, and now that I know all this stuff that I will share below, it all makes sense.
Parking was easily accessible directly across the street, for those willing to shell out quite a few bucks. If you tend to get lost, as I do perpetually, have no fear, as the police guided the traffic to the appropriate parking areas. The Batman Building towered beautifully, reminding me that I was exactly where I needed to be. That building always echoes of home.
Outside smelled of alcohol and Aqua Net hairspray, and everyone had a smile on their face. Musicians played in the shopping center and people were quite relaxed.
The venue inside wasn’t intimidating in the slightest; I felt immediately welcomed and warm and fuzzy. Various sequined dresses filled glass-lined cases, and bronze statues of forever icons sat idly on their permanent stage. Stained-glass windows lined the halls, and the auditorium seating was made of church pews, making an intimate connection with fellow concert-goers. Luckily, no one around me was wild with their drinks. However, there were a few guests down the row who helicoptered their t-shirts. So, maybe don’t wear your favourite outfit—just in case. Jeans and boots were not only accepted but were apparently a requirement! (Kidding, but… not really.)
The music, oh the music. Music is absolutely everything, isn’t it? I watched, in awe, Jason Isbel with his lovely wife and band on stage. The amount of support the audience gave him was overwhelming. His music and lyrics shared intimate details of his struggle with addiction and how recovery and prayer changed his entire life. He’s just such a legend and I adore him. When I say the audience howled when he sang those lyrics about swearing off drugs and alcohol, I mean people probably heard those howls all the way in little Grinder’s Switch, Centerville, down south. (Minnie Pearl reference and a personal shout-out to my home-town crew—if you know, you know.)
It was an incredible experience all the way down to the merchandise line and bagged popcorn.
I won’t post my photos here for two reasons: one, out of respect for the artist, because they asked us not to, and two: because I was too into the moment to take myself away. I wanted to feel every single lyric and note.
Here’s a photo post from Amanda Pearl Shires’ (Jason Isbel’s wife) Instagram. It’s them on stage at the Ryman:
The Ryman and The Grand Ole Opry
The city has changed over the decades, most certainly, from a small quaint city into one internationally recognized for its southern charm, welcoming nature, and country music stars. This popularity has ballooned its population—and its traffic!
Despite the traffic, visitors still flock to the city every day for various adventures. One destination for such adventures is the Ryman Auditorium, a popular venue for today’s country music shows, and it was home to the Grand Ole Opry for more than thirty years (Ryman.com).
For almost anyone younger than I am, here’s the scoop on the Grand Ole Opry: The Grand Ole Opry is famous throughout the world and this made Nashville famous simply by association. But what is the Grand Ole Opry? The Grand Ole Opry is now a wildly successful visitor attraction and venue that began as a radio show for Nashville’s first radio station, WSM (Nashville.com). The Grand Ole Opry plays on family radios across the country, historically promoting some of country music’s sweethearts from Minnie Pearl to Carrie Underwood.
They used the Ryman once their original location became too small. Eventually, they built their own venue elsewhere in Nashville, but the Ryman still houses the Grand Ole Opry essence in its bones and very foundation.
The Ryman History
The Ryman has become synonymous with The Grand Ole Opry, sure, but it does have a beautiful past in its own right. Nashville, and really anywhere in the American South, holds a deep connection with churches. The Ryman story wouldn’t be complete without its own connection. According to The Ryman’s venue website, the venue was built by Thomas Ryman, a downtown-partying wealthy riverboat captain who converted to Christianity and “began dreaming of a grand tabernacle for religious gatherings in the city.” His dream came true when, seven years later, he built his own church: the Union Gospel Tabernacle. It was then named The Ryman after he passed away.
After the Grand Ole Opry took root at The Ryman, they changed the name to the “Grand Ole Opry House” for eleven years. This was truly the “birthplace of bluegrass music” (ryman.com).
The Grand Ole Opry didn’t stay there forever, and its last broadcast at The Ryman was on March 15, 1974.
The Ryman Reborn
Once The Opry left, the venue sat empty and nearly died completely! It was brought back to life, after major restoration, and reopened its doors in June of 1994. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001 and is now lovingly known as the “Mother Church of Country Music” (Ryman.com).
Here’s a list of some famous artists who have performed on The Ryman’s stage since its reopening (ryman.com):
- Bob Dylan in 2007
- Ringo Starr in 2012
- Harry Styles in 2017
- The Wu-Tang Clan in 2019
- Lizzo in 2019
Although The Ryman has changed a great deal over the years, the heart of it still remains. I recommend a visit to the venue for a show and a tour on your Nashville agenda. The music in The Ryman is sure to wake you up. Take a seat, and feel a little soul come back to life.
I conclude this article and my Ryman experience with a few lessons:
- Always plan parking well in advance because… well, it’s Nashville, and parking fills up quickly.
- Go visit The Ryman.
- Visit Nashville and experience this beautiful city for yourselves because, y’all, it’s truly my favourite city in this entire country. Just, trust me on this. Maybe plan, first, because: traffic and parking.
- Have I mentioned the traffic and parking? Bring your patience and your wits with you.
Find more from Josette Celeste now:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AmericanRedDragon
Twitter: Twitter.com/JosetteCeleste
Tiktok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdSfHSsq/
Instagram (most used): Instagram.com/Josette.Celeste
Sources:
Ryman.com
Nashville.com
Opry.com
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