NASHVILLE, Tenn. (November 28, 2025) – The Grand Ole Opry celebrated the 100th anniversary tonight of its November 28, 1925 inaugural broadcast with two shows and more than 25 Opry members commemorating 100 years since the evening a single fiddle tune performed by Uncle Jimmy Thompson launched a legacy which now includes over 15,000 broadcasts, countless stars, millions of fans, and one enduring unbroken circle. The show ran on the Opry's flagship radio station, WSM, and also aired on SiriusXM as well as around the world via livestream on Opry social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
The milestone 100th anniversary show looked back on the past 100 years celebrating what makes the Opry country music’s greatest family and what has helped the Opry stand the test of time while keeping it evolving into the next century. Highlights of the milestone Opry 100 celebration included: - Former longtime Opry executive EW “Bud” Wendell raised the curtain to kick off the Opry’s 100th Anniversary night. Mr. Wendell is 98 years old and is the oldest member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Ricky Skaggs (Opry member since 1982) opened the show with a performance of “Tennessee Wagoner,” while playing the very fiddle with which Uncle Jimmy Thompson started it all 100 years ago tonight. Tonight’s cast of more than 25 Opry members appeared on stage as Skaggs kicked off the show.
- At the top of the show, Vince Gill (Opry member since 1991) introduced and played the new exclusive Opry 100 guitar that Martin Guitars designed for the centennial anniversary and in celebration of all the music to be made in the future on the Opry. This marks the first time this limited-edition guitar has ever been played publicly.
- Bill Anderson (Opry member since 1961) and Kathy Mattea (Opry member since 2025) took to center stage to lead the cast in “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”
- Scotty McCreery (Opry member since 2024), Mandy Barnett (Opry member since 2021), T. Graham Brown (Opry member since 2024) and Mark Wills (Opry member since 2019) stepped to the circle to lead the cast on the George Jones classic “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes.”
- McCreery introduced Vince Gill, Dailey & Vincent (Opry member since 2017) and Marty Stuart for a performance of Roy Acuff’s “Wabash Cannonball” before Charlie McCoy (Opry member since 2022) took it away on “Orange Blossom Special.”
- Mandy Barnett performed “Crazy” (a song written by Hall of Famer Willie Nelson, produced by Hall of Famer Owen Bradley, and sung by Hall of Famer Patsy Cline).
- Scotty McCreery returned to the stage to perform his No. 1 hit “5 More Minutes.”
- Jamey Johnson (Opry member since 2022) stepped into the circle to perform his hit “In Color” which helped also pay tribute to the legendary Opry photographer Les Leverett who captured hundreds ofhistorical and iconic Opry moments over the course of 32 years.
- Dustin Lynch (Opry member since 2018) performed his song “Cowboys And Angels” after the Opry band and singers who are part of each and every Opry show were introduced.
- The Opry kicked off the spirit of celebrating America’s 250th birthday in 2026 with Riders In The Sky (Opry members since 1982), Dailey & Vincent, The Gatlin Brothers (Opry members since 1976) and T. Graham Brown performing a medley spotlighting uniquely American music styles and celebrating some special spots on the US road map.
- The Opry’s longest serving member of all time, Bill Anderson, was celebrated before his performance of “Thankful.”
- Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury (Opry member since 2003) and The Whites (Opry members since 1984) paid homage to bluegrass legend Bill Monroe and the Carter Family respectively with performances of “Uncle Pen” and “Keep on the Sunny Side”
- Don Schlitz (Opry member since 2022) represented the foundation of country music – the songwriters – with a performance of his own signature “The Gambler” which became an iconic song for Kenny Rogers.
- Pam Tillis (Opry member since 2000) celebrating her 25th anniversary as an Opry member performed “Maybe It Was Memphis.”
- Lorrie Morgan (Opry member since 1984) whose father was beloved Opry member George Morgan, represented tonight what the Opry has always been – a family. Including her own along with the Carter Family, the Osborne Brothers, The Whites, The Isaacs, Mel and Pam Tillis to Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Connie Smith and Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites. Morgan performed her song “Something In Red.”
- Gary Mule Deer and Henry Cho (Opry members since 2023) each paid homage to the important role comedy has played in the history of the Opry.
- Marty Stuart (Opry member since 1992), accompanied by the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band and later the Opry Square Dancers, saluted the Opry’s string band roots after the Opry celebrated the fans who helped make each show possible throughout the show’s 100-year history.
- The story and history of the Grand Ole Opry is not complete without the influence of Gospel music. The Isaacs (Opry members since 2021), John Conlee (Opry member since 1981) and Mark Wills (Opry member since 2019) performed a medley of “It Is Well,” “Amazing Grace,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and “I Saw The Light.”
- Over the past 100 years, the Opry has built a family through Opry debuts, surprise Opry member invitations, and inductions. The Opry’s newest member Kathy Mattea (Opry member since Oct. 2025) and Opry member-elect Suzy Bogguss joined onstage to perform Mattea’s “18 Wheels & A Dozen Roses” and Bogguss’ “Outbound Plane.”
- All year long, as part of the Opry 100 celebration, fans around the world have been voting for the Opry’s all-time greatest songs to honor the songs that built country music. Vince Gill returned to reveal the winning song, performing “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
- The milestone 100 Anniversary show concluded with Steven Curtis Chapman (Opry member since 2024) returning to the stage to perform “Grand Ole Opry Stage,” a song he wrote for his Opry induction.
- The Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary night was hosted by current Opry announcers Charlie Mattos, Kelly Sutton and Mike Terry.
Opry members who appeared included both its longest-serving member, Bill Anderson, and the show’s most recent inductee, Kathy Mattea. Those appearing span four generations across genres under the country umbrella and have won more than 50 Grammy Awards. The evening’s cast features seven members of the Country Music Hall of Fame as well as inductees into numerous others Hall of Fame, including Bluegrass, Comedy, Gospel Music, Musician, Songwriter, and Western Music. The shows included Anderson, Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, Steven Curtis Chapman, Henry Cho, John Conlee, Dailey & Vincent, The Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, The Isaacs, Jamey Johnson, Dustin Lynch, Mattea, Charlie McCoy, Scotty McCreery, Del McCoury, Gary Mule Deer, Lorrie Morgan, Riders In The Sky, Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, The Whites and Mark Wills. Suzy Bogguss, invited to become an official Opry member last month, also appeared. She will officially become a member on January 16. The show will continue its 100th celebration well into 2026 with numerous Opry 100 Honors shows, a performance at Carnegie Hall, and other special shows. For a full Opry 100 schedule, tickets, and more info on the Opry’s anniversary year, visit opry.com and follow the Opry on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Tickets for all 2026 shows on sale NOW. |
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