Show to Include Remote Broadcast Performance
as Shelton Performs From His Oklahoma Ranch
Gwen Stefani to Make Her Opry Debut From Oklahoma
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Opry members Trace Adkins, Dustin Lynch and Blake Shelton will perform on the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,923rd consecutive Saturday night broadcast Saturday, May 9. Music superstar Gwen Stefani will make her Grand Ole Opry debut that night, joining Shelton for their duet performance of his current single “Nobody But You.”
Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Opry will stage a remote broadcast performance as part of a regularly scheduled Opry show. Adkins and Lynch will perform on stage at the Grand Ole Opry House, after which Shelton and Stefani will play for fans around the world via a remote broadcast performance from Shelton’s farm in Oklahoma where the two artists are safely sheltered at home. Adkins invited Shelton to become an official Opry member in 2010 and extended the same invitation to Lynch in 2018.
Adkins and Lynch will step on the stage Saturday, May 9 at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT as Shelton and Stefani join remotely from Oklahoma. 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 Facebook and YouTube channels. TV and radio personality Bobby Bones will host the Circle telecast, while Opry announcer Mike Terry will be heard on 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM.
Those tuning into the Livestream on the Circle All Access YouTube and Facebook channels this week can watch a special Mother’s Day episode of Circle Sessions with Sara Evans at 7:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM CT immediately prior to the live Opry and catch the premiere of Circle Sessions: At Home featuring Wynonna, Sara Evans and more at 9 PM ET/ 8 PM CT after the Opry
For the past seven weeks, during this current global pandemic, the Grand Ole Opry has overcome many challenges and obstacles as the health guidelines and local/state government restrictions have evolved weekly. The Opry, with the help of its membership and wider artist and industry community, has continued to bring millions of fans around the world together to keep the music playing without an Opry House audience in attendance. Embracing today’s technology, the Opry will be broadcast and streamed with a very small production team. The show’s artists will perform acoustically.
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 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 for the show’s 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 broadcast without an audience in attendance. This week Opry members Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will perform on the 4,922nd Saturday night broadcast.