The Ryman– Part Three

What sort of venue was the Ryman? Well it was a 19th century church and its acoustics were about what you’d expect with a flat B board ceiling.

Without a doubt, with a hot packed crowd soaking up the sound, electric guitars would need amplification which in turn meant microphones for the singer to be heard over the amps. For a while in the 40s and 50s country and bluegrass were almost the only acts playing here… until Elvis, and then other rock n’ roll acts began showing up.  Country music was one part Western music, and one part genuine country folk or bluegrass music, but rock n’ roll was a different matter.   Here’s the Ryman in its country hay day between the 1940s and 1974 when the Grand Ole Opry moved, and Minnie Pearl cried.

Today when you consider how many famous musicians have played there it’s simply staggering and the story is by no means done.  Vince Gill and his wife Amy Grant will be doing Christmas shows in December of this year at the Ryman.