When Opry Reopens, Who Should Perform First?

After spending $17 million and months of blood, sweat and tears, the Grand Ole Opry is pretty confident they will be able to reopen on October 1. And that has me thinking about who will have the honor of being the very first country artist to take that famed Opry stage when they are back in business. I’d go with a lineup that includes Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton and George Jones, as well as Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson,Reba McEntire and Trace Adkins. I’d also like to see Martina McBride, Randy Travis, Josh Turner and Dierks Bentley on the stage. Granted, we’d be there all night, but it would be quite the grand reopening concert, right? A spokesperson for Gaylord Entertainment said the Nashville flood in May caused so much damage that the stage, dressing rooms, retail store, curtains, mechanical and power systems all needed to be replaced in the building, which has been the home of the Grand Ole Opry since 1974. But that reopening night will be such a happy ending to such a tragic story.