Opry 100 Honors: Charley Pride with Darius Rucker, Pam Tillis, Dion Pride, and more

The Read

Pride was the first Black member of the Grand Ole Opry and one of the most successful country artists of his era, with a voice — a warm, unhurried baritone — that made the material sound easier than it was. The label famously released his early singles without a photo. Honoring him properly means acknowledging both the songs and what it cost to get them heard. Darius Rucker, who navigated a version of the same terrain a generation later, is on the bill, along with Pam Tillis and Dion Pride. Tribute nights can flatten a person into a plaque. The better version lets the songs do the arguing and keeps the speeches short. On the Opry stage, with the broadcast clock running, brevity is at least structurally enforced.

The Room

Grand Ole Opry House

2804 Opryland Dr

The Opry left the Ryman on March 15, 1974. President Nixon played piano on opening night. Roy Acuff supervised the installation of the circle of wood cut from the Ryman stage.