GettyCountry superstar and former Voice Coach Blake Shelton is returning to his roots to celebrate a milestone moment!
Blake Shelton Tapped to Host Grand Ole Opry’s 100th Celebration
Shelton will host the Grand Ole Opry’s centennial celebration. “Opry 100: A Live Celebration” will air on NBC live from Nashville on March 19th. The three-hour broadcast will feature performances from both the Grand Ole Opry House and the historic Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman is famously known as “the Mother Church of Country Music.” It was the Opry’s home from 1943 to 1974.
For Shelton, it’s a return to his roots. In a press statement, the singer said, “Becoming a member of the Opry is a highlight of my life and career, and 15 years later I still get that same feeling of reverence and excitement every time I walk out on that stage. The Grand Ole Opry has been connecting the country music family for 100 years, and I’m so proud to be part of this historic celebration.”
Performers include Ashley McBryde, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Clint Black, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Marty Stuart, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Eric Church, Jelly Roll and The War and Treaty. Randy Travis, who lost his ability to speak and sing in a 2013 stroke, is also expected to appear.
Die Hard Fans Can See the Show in Person
A limited number of tickets to see the show live will go on sale Friday, January 31 at the Opry’s website. But Opry subscribers will get a 24 hour jump on ticket sales. Opry subscriber sign-ups are available at http://opryent.co/Opry100.
The March show is just one of the many ways the Opry will celebrate it’s 100th birthday this year. The Opry bills 2025 its “best year yet.” Plans include giving 100 artists their debut standing in the famous Circle. And for the first time, the Grand Ole Opry will take the stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall this fall.
Grand Ole Opry’s Record Setting History
The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the Opry’s weekly radio show on WSM as the world’s longest running radio broadcast. It first aired November 28, 1925 under the name “Barn Dance.” It was changed to the Grand Ole Opry two years later, thanks to an unscripted moment by host George D. Hay on Dec. 10, 1927 as he transitioned out of a classical music program.
Hay said, “Following an NBC broadcast of Walter Damrosch’s Music Appreciation Hour, for the past hour we have been listening to the music taken largely from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the grand ole opry.'” The name change catapulted the show into an instant sensation that remains popular a century later.
In fact, many country music singers consider an invitation to become a Grand Ole Opry member the pinnacle of success. To maintain membership, an artist must perform at the Opry consistently. And membership ends when an artist dies. There are currently about 75 members of the Grand Ole Opry. But the Opry has inducted more than 200 artists in the past 100 years.
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Blake Shelton Returns to Roots at the Opry