2026 May 9, Day trip to Nashville Ryman Autidium and Backstage at the Grand Ole Opry

 We were up by 5 AM, dressed, and rode to Madison. 

We stopped at Burger King in Madison for 2 cinnamon apple pies, a choice A/G/C, and a Diet Coke. Spent $10.06 

The bus arrived around 8:30 AM. Everyone loaded onto bus 1047, driver Mr. B (Basil) on Eagle Christian Tours, Rome, GA. Our guides were Kelley Wolfe and Veronica Woodall.

Our first stop was the Tennessean in Cornesville, TN, where I bought a Diet Coke and a bag of Cheetos. Spent $10.

Our next stop was to tour the backstage area of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Our guide told us stories about the Grand Ole Opry and entertainers who have graced the great stage. 

We watched a film narrated by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. 

We got to walk on stage where the performance once stood and looked out over the empty seats of the audience. 

We took pictures outside with the famous signs and quitars.

I visited WSM, a commercial AM radio station that broadcasts country music. The former home of Roy Acuff. 

We loaded onto the bus and rode to downtown Nashville to eat lunch at the Pharmacy located at Broadway Place next door to the Ryman Auditorium.

Hubby and I split a Pharmacy Burger with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, yellow cheddar, and yellow mustard. Served with tater tots.

After lunch, we walked to the Ryman, stopping to take photos of the statues of entertainers outside. 

At 2:30, we entered the Ryman Auditorium & watched "Soul of Nashville" in the theatre.

After the movie, we were taken on a guided tour led by Mason, a very knowledgeable guide who kept us entertained the entire time.  Thank you, Mason!

We got to see the Ryman the way entertainers see it when they perform. We got our picture taken standing in front of the microphone.

After touring the Ryman, we began our journey home. We stopped once again at The Tennessean for a restroom break and a cup of Moose Tracks Ice cream. 

We arrived at Gabes in Madison around 6:30 PM and shopped, where I bought a tablecloth and some socks. 

We stopped at Dollar General in Rogersville, where we bought 6-12 packages of canned Diet Cokes for $27.95. at 8:04 PM and arrived home around 8:30 PM.

Photos:

6434-6437 The Tennessean Cornersville, TN @9:15 AM-9:26 AM

6438-6509 Grand Ole Opry Backstage 10:35-11:56 AM

6510-6514 Nashville Traveling 12:35 PM

6515- Lunch at Pharmacy  Burger in the Mall near the Ryman (Assembly Place, Broadway Place, Nashville, TN)

6516-6518 Mall Near the Ryman

6519-6558 touring the Ryman Auditorium Backstage 1:32-3:40 PM

6559-6578 Leaving Nashville @4PM

6579-6580 The Tennessean Cornersville, TN @5:07-5:28 PM 

Tickets Opry Backstage Tour Grand Ole Opry House Sat 9, 2026 at 10:30 AM 

Account 10750300

order # 5578672 

ticket # 171323159318620

Ryman Guided Tour Ryman Auditorium Sat May 9, 2026 at 2:45 PM 

ticket #15461850200023

1993 ~June 4-5 Festival of Lights in Nashville, Tennessee

Day 1: Friday, June 4, 1993

We went to the Festival of Lights in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. We met up with some of my husband's co-workers, Nelson Richardson Junior, Phillip Ritter, and their wives. 

We stayed at The Hermitage Hotel in Downtown Nashville, 231 6th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219, (615) 244-3121, which overlooked the Festival of Lights on Church Street.

City of Lights Festival 

Performing that weekend was Alison Krauss with her band Union Station. 

When Alison came on stage to sing a couple of songs, the stage was almost blown away by a thunderstorm. 

 Information about Alison Krauss: I found on the internet:

"This was the year that she joined the Grand Ole Opry. She also signed with an independent record label, Rounder Records. Performing at the East end of the park is Martina McBride."

 We walk down Printer's Alley, located between Third and Fourth Avenues, stretching from Union to Church Streets. The Alley began as the location of many of Nashville's first Publishing and printing companies before the turn of the century. 

Without the Country Music influences that started in the 1930s, Nashville could not have possibly been known as the Printing Capitol of the World. 

Nashville's first entertainment hotspot has long gone, but the World Famous Printers Alley remains, providing a Flair of Bourbon Street for those in search of Wine, Women, and Song. 

Printers Alley

Printers Alley

I took several pictures of Printer's Alley, the Capitol Building, and Church Buildings. 

I was wearing a cute white embroidered short set that I bought in Cancun, Mexico. 

For dinner, we had plans to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory, but it was booked solid.

 History of the Spaghetti Factory: I found on the internet:

The Old Spaghetti Factory is a historic Victorian structure filled with period antiques.

Classy enough for a business lunch and casual enough for a family dinner. Long Island iced tea flows like water from the romantic bar with love seats and intimate seating for couples. Families can have an entire pasta dinner with salad and bread for about $8.00 per person. Altogether, it is a formula for success even in the touristy climate of Second Avenue. "

 Information about The Music Queen:

"The Music City Queen was a dinner cruise that we had planned to take, but minors could not go aboard. It holds about 250 passengers. The Music City Queen offers exciting and unusual cruises on the beautiful Cumberland River departing from the Nashville Old Steamboat Dock (four blocks from the downtown Convention Center). Nashville is Tennessee's State Capital. "

To take the dinner cruise, you have to be twenty-one, and my daughter was only sixteen.

We shopped at the mall and at the downtown square.

 "

 The Music Queen

Shopping

Day 2: Saturday, June 5, 1993

We went to the Ryman Auditorium and Museum, which is located at 116 Fifth Ave. North, which was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until March 16, 1974.

My daughter and I walked upon the stage, where many a Grand Ole Opry Star once stood and belted out singing. 

The seats were empty, but that was okay because we were stars in our own right.

Singing at the Grand Ole Opry

We stopped in at Music Valley Village where we saw "The Car Museum" Featuring cars of country music stars including Elvis' Cadillac, Marty Robbins' limo, Louise Mandrell's MG, Webb Pierce's "Silver Dollar" car, Roy Acuff's last touring car, Barbara Mandrell's Rolls Royce, Hank Williams Jr.'s Cadillac and many more - 45 cars in all!  

On June 5, 1993, as we were listening to the radio, the announcer said, "We are sad to announce that Conway Twitty has gone to meet his maker."  

Conway will be greatly missed, and he will live on in his music.