Nashville (Opry Country Classics at the Ryman)

One of the things I have wanted to do if we were able to visit Nashville was to see a show at the old Ryman Auditorium and one at the new Opryland.  Our timing or planning was right and we booked a show at the Ryman for Thursday night and one at Opryland for Saturday night.  We did this well in advance (January 2014) and were able to get center left seats 6 rows back from the front.

Thursday we went downtown on the shuttle ($10/person round trip) to get our will call tickets.  In the Ryman after picking up our tickets Linda and Marge posed with Roy Acuff and Minie Pearl bronzes.

Then it was time wander the streets to see what downtown Nashville was all about.  One thing for sure is that they have plenty of cowboy boot shops.

We have been to a lot of places and have seen some strange or different things but this was a first,  As we were walking, up rolled a vehicle called the Pedal Tavern.  Each seat at the bar had pedals and the patrons made it move.  The bartender steered the contraption.  We saw it more than once and each time it was only a very boisterous group of women at the bar and doing the pedaling.

There is no shortage of bars and all of them have live musical entertainment.  The live entertainment consists of musicians who are playing for a chance to be "noticed" and make it big in Nashville.  Also there are plenty of places to get something to eat from full restaurants to taco stands.

I think there were as many boot shops as there were bars in Nashville and am sure there are more boots than cowboys and horses in the entire state.  A lot of wannabe cowboys.  Do you know how to tell a cowboy from a truck driver?  The real cowboy wears tennis shoes.

We had dinner a Jack's Barbeque with a sign as you enter that says "Jack's is all about meat".  It has a cafeteria-style line with pork shoulder, St. Louis ribs, beef brisket, Texas sausage, smoked turkey, and smoked chicken.  Next you select your side dishes such as beans, corn, mac and cheese, apple slices, country green beans, etc.  Then you pay, find a table and enjoy.  It was very good.  I know as I had the pork, ribs, and sausage.

Don and Marge, after we had finished out meals.

It was then time to head over to the Ryman for the Opry Country Classics show.  The Ryman was built in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle and in 1904 it was renamed the Ryman Auditorium.  In 1943 the Grand Ole Opry moved into the Ryman.  In 1974 the Grand Ole Opry moved to Opryland which was built specifically for the Opry.

Our host for tonight's show was Larry Gatlin, appearing with his brothers.

He is quite a showman. He went down into the audience to dance with some of the ladies.

Larry announcing the next performer.

Janelle Arthur.

Chuck Mead

Introduced but not on the program ??

Guest Star Crystal Gayle.

After the show we proceeded out to the street to meet the shuttle in front of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville  as we were instructed.  We had ridden to town in one shuttle bus and there were a lot more people than one bus could carry returning, but thankfully two showed up. Even with the two shuttles I'm not sure everyone got on.  There was a little pushing and shoving and standing room only on the bus.  Oh well, we got back.

The streets were packed earlier as the Nashville Predators hockey team was playing the opening game of the season and the arena was right downtown where we were.  They played the Ottawa Senators and won 3-2.  Luckily we were on our way before that game let out.





It was a great experience and evening with our friends Don and Marge.