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It’s been 26 years since Dan Rogers, the Grand Ole Opry’s newly promoted senior vp/executive producer, began working at the hallowed institution, and in that time, he’s seen thousands of shows.
But the Opry has experienced a particularly fertile time since he became vp/executive producer in 2019, and his highlights range from the shivers he experiences every time a new member gets invited to join the Opry to some significant milestones for artists like Dolly Parton, a big anniversary for the Opry itself and seeing new artists like Lainey Wilson claim the stage as their own.
He’s also part of the team that kept the Opry up and running for its Saturday night broadcasts through the COVID pandemic, even when artists had to social distance and no audiences were allowed in the Nashville venue. “We just assumed the flood of 2010 would be the most devastating thing and the most challenging time in our careers,” Rogers says, referencing the historic flood that devastated Nashville as the Cumberland River rose over its bands and filled the Grand Ole Opry House with 10 feet of water. “But it was truly the uncertainty and just the sadness of COVID that made it so difficult for us.”
The highs have been far more than the lows, and the only issue Rogers had with picking his top 10 moments since he became executive producer five years ago was narrowing it down.
Below, he picks some of his favorite moments. (While they are unranked, as he notes in his comments, one night stands a little above the rest.)
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Inviting New Members
“Each of our 17 member invitations since 2020: Every single one has been just as we hope and plan: unique and incredibly special. Lumps in throats, for sure.”
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Dolly’s Big Anniversary
“October 18-19, 2019: Dolly Parton’s 50th Opry anniversary. I got to share with Dolly that weekend that my only memory of my very first Opry visit when I was in kindergarten was of her being introduced and the flashbulbs lighting up the Opry House. President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter also made a surprise Opry appearance that weekend after having helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity all weekend with Opry stars providing lunchtime 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 the moment Vince Gill, Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley opened the show with their guitars sitting six feet apart and with an empty Opry House. [It was] our first television show after the pandemic shutdown had begun. I left the stage right before the show began to watch via the livestream in my office. I knew almost immediately something very special was happening as comments thanking those three Opry members for their music began pouring in from around the world. As the weeks went on, it was amazing to see artists including Carrie Underwood, Reba, and so many more connect with each other and with fans every Saturday night.”
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A Joyous Welcome Back
“October 3, 2020: The return of a limited, social distanced audience. 500 people can make a lot of noise for Dierks Bentley when they’ve been denied their Opry for more than six months!”
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Leslie Jordan Spreads Happiness
“May 22, 2021: Our more than 200 debuts in the past two years, 131 last year alone, if you made me pick a favorite, it would be Leslie Jordan’s 2021 debut appearance. He was somehow in awe of the Opry and also strutting confidently around like he owned the place all at the same time. Everyone who watched him or met him that night felt better about the world after their interaction with him.”
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A Major Milestone
“October 30, 2021: The Opry’s 5,000th Saturday night broadcast. Coming on the heels of our uninterrupted Saturday night broadcasts during the pandemic, this show felt like an even bigger feat. Plus Darius Rucker had a great suit, 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 a single acoustic guitar.”
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The Opry Takes a Road Trip
“Easter Weekend, 2022: Taking an Opry troupe to Nissan Stadium as an opener for Garth Brooks. Unforgettable.”
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Honoring an Icon
“October 20, 2023: Keith Whitley tribute shows. It was amazing to see a show that began being planned over a Las Maracas lunch with [Whitley’s widow] Lorrie Morgan come to fruition in a way that from my standpoint truly honored an artist who would have no doubt become an iconic Opry member had he only lived to do so.”
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A Rising Star Leads the Way
“December 6, 2023: Weeks after being named CMA entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilson, an alumnus of our young Opry NextStage program, hosted our Opry NextStage Live show, completely personifying how fast “it” can happen for an artist when all the pieces fall in place.”
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Our House is A Very, Very Fine House
“March 16, 2024: Our celebration of the Opry House 50th anniversary saluted Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely and Connie Smith, all of whom had been onstage when the Opry house opened on March 16, 1974. The entire crowd sang along to ‘Country Roads, Take Me Home,’ and I believe that’s where everyone felt they were.”
