The Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, returned to its roots last Saturday night holding a performance without fans at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville due to the Coronavirus scare. The show continued a streak of 4,915 consecutive Saturday night performances dating back to the 1920's.
In those early days, the Opry radio show was performed live from an office building in downtown Nashville. There were no audiences in attendance except the performers themselves. The real audience was the multitude of fans who tuned in from all across the country each Saturday night. It wasn't until the 1930's when the show was moved to a public location and fans could actually attend and see their favorites in person.
The Opry managements says, "the Grand Ole Opry stands by the motto of the Circle can’t be broken. Throughout the Opry’s history, various events have led Opry management to make difficult decisions about how to alter the show’s format. In an effort to maintain health and safety amid current COVID-19 concerns, the Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, will pause performances that include a live audience and tours through April 4."
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