It's been 26 years since then Dan Rogersthe recently promoted senior producer/executive producer of the Grand Ole Opry, began working at the hallowed institution and in that time, has seen thousands of performances.
But the Opry has had a particularly fruitful time since becoming vp/executive producer in 2019, and his highlights have ranged from the thrills he gets every time a new member is invited to join the Opry to some major milestones for artists like Dolly Parton, big anniversary for the Opry themselves and seeing new artists like Lainey Wilson claim the stage as their own.
He's also part of the team that kept the Opry open for Saturday night broadcasts through the COVID pandemic, even when performers were required to social distance and audiences were not allowed in the Nashville venue. “We just assumed the flood of 2010 would be the most devastating thing and the most challenging moment in our career,” Rogers says, referring to the historic flood that devastated Nashville as the Cumberland River rose above its banks and filled the Grand Ole Opry House with 10 feet of water. “But it was really the uncertainty and just the grief of COVID that made it so difficult for us.”
The highs far outweighed the lows, and the only problem Rodgers has had in choosing his top 10 moments since becoming executive producer five years ago was narrowing it down.
Below, he picks some of his favorite moments. (While unranked, as he notes in his comments, one night stands a little above the rest.)
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Invitation of new members
“Each of our 17 member invitations since 2020: Each one has been exactly as we hope and plan: unique and incredibly special. Lumps in the throat, for sure.'
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Dolly's big anniversary
October 18-19, 2019: Dolly Parton Opry's 50th Anniversary. I had to share with Dolly that weekend that my only memory of my first visit to the Opry when I was in kindergarten was her introduction and the flashbulbs lighting up the Opry House. President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter also made a surprise appearance at the Opry over the weekend after helping build homes for Habitat for Humanity all weekend with Opry stars providing midday entertainment for volunteers.”
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A very special, but quiet, evening
March 21, 2020: If I had to name just one moment, it would be when Vince Gill, Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley opened the show with their guitars sitting six feet apart and an empty Opry House. [It was] our first post-pandemic TV show had started. I left the stage right before he started watching the show via the live stream in my office. I knew almost immediately that something very special was happening as comments praising these three members of the Opry for their music began pouring in from around the world. As the weeks went by, it was amazing to see artists like Carrie Underwood, Reba and so many more connect with each other and the fans every Saturday night.”
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A happy welcome back
October 3, 2020: The return of a limited, socially distanced audience. 500 people can make a lot of noise for Dierks Bentley when they've been denied the Opry for over six months!”
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Leslie Jordan spreads happiness
“May 22, 2021: Of our more than 200 debuts in the past two years, 131 last year alone, if you had me pick a favorite, it would be Leslie Jordan's 2021 debut. She was kind of in awe of the Opry and also running confidently strutting around like he owns the place all at once. Everyone who watched or met him that night felt better about the world after their interaction with him.”
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An important milestone
“October 30, 2021: The Opry's 5,000th Saturday night broadcast. After non-stop Saturday night broadcasts during the pandemic, this show felt like an even bigger feat. Plus, Darius Rucker had a great costume, Terri Clark sang for Loretta Lynn, Jeannie Seely sparkled, Vince Gill honored the past, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood brought it home with their combined voices and an acoustic guitar”.
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The Opry is taking a road trip
“Easter weekend, 2022: Taking an Opry troupe to Nissan Stadium to open for Garth Brooks. Unforgettable.”
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Honoring an image
“October 20, 2023: Keith Whitley Tribute Shows. It was amazing to see a show that started planning over a meal at Las Maracas [Whitley’s widow] Lorrie Morgan came to fruition in a way that in my view truly honored an artist who would undoubtedly have become an iconic member of the Opry had he lived to do so.”
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A rising star leads the way
“December 6, 2023: Weeks after being named CMA's Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson, an alumna of our young Opry NextStage program, hosted Opry NextStage Live, fully embodying how quickly it can happen for an artist when all the pieces fall into place their”.
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Our house is a very, very nice house
March 16, 2024: Our Opry House 50th Anniversary Celebration saluted Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith, who were all on stage when the Opry House opened on March 16, 1974. The entire crowd sang along to 'Country Roads , Take Me Home, and I think that's where everyone felt they were.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/grand-old-opry-top-10-moments-dan-rogers-dolly-parton-lainey-wilson-garth-brooks/