The Grand Ole Opry and the Oak Ridge Boys

When I was a little girl Sunday afternoon drives were a common event in our family. Most of the time our drives took us into the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada. My Dad would have the country music playing through the radio and I would spend hours looking out the window and using the background music to imagine what cowboy adventures took place there many years ago. I loved the ballads of Marty Robins and the up beat music of the Oak Ridge Boys.  At times we would all sing a long and belt out the words at the top of our lungs.  My brother and I were fond of John Denver’s soulful lyrics that made us laugh as kids who weren't mature enough to understand the emotions behind the content.  Country music was a part of our family.

This past Summer when I was at the MOPS Convention in Nashville Tennessee a friend and I walked over to the Grand Ole Opry from the Gaylord to see if there was anyone we might want to see. I couldn't believe it when they showed us the schedule and told us that the Oak Ridge Boys were on the agenda for that Saturday and there were still tickets available if we wanted to purchase them. They were slated to be inducted into the Opry Family that evening. I was excited to get the opportunity to see them but even more shocked that my friend was just as excited as I was to go to the show.

It was an exciting night for us. We rushed over to our seats which, of course, were high in the stands and gleefully looked forward to ORB taking the stage.

After the show we took the backstage tour where walked through the backstage entrance and saw the band's bus parked close to the door. We entered into the lobby and saw Mini Pearle's shoes and the name plates of all the members of the Grand Ole Opry family. We browsed through the various backstage dressing rooms that the Stars for the that evening had even used and then finally got to walk on stage and stand in the center where there is a circle of wood from the original stage. It was a surreal moment for this little ole country girl.

 

Starting it off with “Bobby Sue”, “Elvira”, and wrapping it up with “Amazing Grace.” A short but but awesome performance.