NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Opry members Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will step in to the circle to perform the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,922nd consecutive Saturday night broadcast, bringing millions of fans around the world together as the Opry keeps the music playing for what will be the eighth broadcast in which the Grand Ole Opry has not had an audience in attendance amidst the COVID.
Opry members Brooks and Yearwood will step on the stage together this Saturday, May 2 at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT. The show will be broadcast live on Circle, and Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion live stream on Circle All Access and the artists’ Facebook pages. TV and radio personality Bobby Bones will host the Circle telecast, while Mike Terry will serve as radio announcer for those tuned in in 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
Embracing today’s technology, the Opry will be broadcast and streamed with a very small production team. The show’s artists will perform acoustically.
Those tuning into the Livestream on the Circle All Access Facebook channels this week can watch Circle Sessions with Scotty McCreery hosted by Bill Cody at 7:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM CT immediately prior to the live Opry and catch a special episode of Dolly Week: Backstage at the Opry at 9 PM ET/ 8 PM CT after the Opry.
With Nashvillians at home under Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s “Safer at Home” order and live shows paused at the Grand Ole Opry to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, this Saturday’s performance will once again take place without a live audience. Grand Ole Opry management has worked closely with the Nashville’s Director of Health to bring the show live to millions around the world while following strict safety protocols under the guidance of local health professionals.
Each week millions of fans in dozens of countries around the world have tuned in live over the past seven weeks to video stream or listen to legendary Opry members Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith as well as Mandy Barnett, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and Sam Williams took to the stage on March 14 as the Opry show went on the air without a live ticketed audience. On March 21, Opry members Vince Gill, Brad Paisley and Marty Stuart performed acoustically from the Opry House stage. On March 28, Gill returned to the stage to perform acoustically with members of his family: wife Amy Grant and daughters Jenny Gill and Corrina Grant Gill. The April 4 show featured Opry member Terri Clark, plus Lauren Alaina and Ashley McBryde stepping on to the stage for the 4,918th Saturday night Opry broadcast. On April 11, the Opry hosted an Easter celebration featuring Opry member Trace Adkins with Jason Crabb and T. Graham Brown. On April 18, bluegrass greats and Opry members Ricky Skaggs and Dailey & Vincent performed on the Opry’s 4,920th consecutive Saturday night. Last week, the Opry welcomed members Luke Combs and Craig Morgan to the stage to keep the circle unbroken for the seventh week of Opry shows without an audience in attendance.