NASHVILLE, Tenn. –– Opry members Luke Combs, who was officially inducted into the Opry last summer, and Craig Morgan, a member since 2008, stepped into the unbroken circle tonight for the 4,921st broadcast of the Opry. Tonight’s show was also broadcast live on Circle Television.
“I really was excited about doing this because I think this is such a historic time,” Morgan said. “We will one day be able to look back and say we got to do the show when no one was here,” he added before kicking into a show in which he and Combs exchanged classics, recent hits, and newly-penned tunes including Morgan’s “Mask” and Combs’ “Six Feet Apart.”
For the past seven weeks, amidst the current COVID-19 crisis and without an audience in attendance, the Grand Ole Opry has remained on the air as it has for 4,921 consecutive Saturday nights for nine decades.
The Grand Ole Opry was broadcast live on Circle, on Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion live stream on Circle’s Facebook and YouTube. TV and radio personality Bobby Bones hosted the Circle telecast, while Opry announcer Bill Cody joined the Opry’s 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM radio audiences at the announcer podium. Embracing today’s technology, the Opry was broadcast and streamed with a very small production team. The shows artists continue to perform acoustically at the recommended social distance across the Opry stage.
Opry fans are invited to contribute to the Opry’s #UNBROKEN charitable campaign which raises money for the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund benefits artists and musicians struggling through the pandemic– some of the very people who write, make and create the music that has kept the music alive on the Opry stage for almost 95 years. Fans can donate via text UNBROKEN to 41444.
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 again took place without a live audience. Amid current COVID-19 concerns, the Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, has paused all shows with a live Opry House audience. Fans are invited to follow the Opry on social media and visit opry.com for show and tune in updates. Grand Ole Opry management has worked closely with 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.