No one in country music hates canceling a show more than the Grand Ole Opry, but that’s exactly what’s happened ahead of Saturday’s (Jan. 24) show.
There will be no live audience this weekend, as all tickets have been canceled and refunded. Friday night’s show will proceed as scheduled.
Read More: 31 Country Stars You Won’t Believe Aren’t In the Grand Ole Opry
Why Is the Grand Ole Opry Canceling?
The Saturday night radio show will still air with a mix of live performances and pre-recorded performances, but no one will be at the Opry house to witness it. Winter Storm Fern has made asking thousands to drive to the Opry House an impossible favor.
A mix of snow, sleet and ice is expected to hit Nashville early on Saturday and last through Sunday, with a steep drop in temperature to follow. Road conditions could be very dangerous, as could sidewalk conditions outside the Opry courtyard.
In a statement, the Opry encouraged everyone to stay home and listen on the radio. It’s not clear what kind of mix listeners will hear, or who will participate in the live show.
Has the Grand Ole Opry Ever Canceled Before?
Through out it’s 100 year history, the Saturday night Grand Ole Opry radio show has never taken a night off. There have been very few adjustments to the presentation, with the most recent and most obvious being a six-month period without a live audience at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
That’s over 5,000 straight Saturday night shows. It’s a streak that overcomes the death of a president and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., after which a curfew was put in place in Nashville.
The Bellamy Brothers will headline Friday night’s Opry show. Next weekend, look for the Oak Ridge Boys to headline Friday and Saturday.
31 Country Stars You Won’t Believe Aren’t Grand Ole Opry Members
That answer is often difficult to determine, but this list of stars you won’t believe aren’t members suggests reasons where appropriate.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
