Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium hosted its 6th annual Community Day, where Tennessee residents experienced the venue’s daytime tour experience free of charge.
Presented by PNC Bank and supporting partners Farm Bureau Health Plans, Hiller and Nissan, guests from across the state enjoyed self-guided tours of the “Mother Church” as well as family-friendly activities. The Ryman and PNC, in conjunction with 650 AM WSM, the National Museum of African American Music and Jefferson Street Sound Museum, also provided free live music throughout the day on PNC Plaza at the Ryman, the venue’s new outdoor stage located on the 4th Avenue PNC Plaza. Performers included 50 Shades of Hay, Bizz & Everyday People, The Magi, Miss Tess and Saaneah.
Guests were also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items as part of a community-wide food drive in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. In lieu of food items, guests without a Tennessee ID also donated $1 with any daytime tour ticket purchase. Between the food drive which kicked off April 7, donations from guests and matching donations by Ryman Hospitality Properties and PNC, $10,000 was raised for Second Harvest.
The self-guided tours included admission to the Turn It Up! Ryman’s Rock Legacy exhibit, which focuses on the history of rock ‘n’ roll music at the Ryman. The exhibition showcases the Ryman’s rich and rockin’ cross-genre past that extends far beyond country music. The exhibit features artifacts from Elvis Presley, Peter Frampton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, John Mellencamp, Wilco, Neil Young, Steve Miller Band, Grace Potter, Drive-by Truckers, Bruce Springsteen and more.
Tours also included a stop in the state-of-the-art Soul of Nashville experience and four additional star-studded exhibitions: Workin’ on a Building, Roots Run Deep, Showplace of the South and Ryman Renaissance as well as newly added artifacts from Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson from his 2006 taping of Precious Memories at the Ryman. Fans were also able to jump on stage and have their picture taken where so many legends have stood before them.
For upcoming shows or to purchase daytime tour tickets, visit www.ryman.com.
About PNC Bank:
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit http://www.pnc.com.
About Ryman Auditorium
A National Historic Landmark, Ryman Auditorium was built by Captain Thomas G. Ryman in 1892. Ryman Auditorium is a 12-time winner of the prestigious Pollstar Theatre of the Year award. The historic venue is well-known as the Mother Church of Country Music and is the most famous former home of Grand Ole Opry (1943-1974). The Ryman has been featured in numerous film and television projects including Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Johnny Cash Show, American Idol, Nashville, and more. While offering a diverse lineup and thriving concert schedule (with over 200 shows per year), the venue is also open for daytime tours year-round. A coveted under-play for many, her iconic stage has seen the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Mumford and Sons, and Tom Petty in recent years. Ryman Auditorium is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP), a Nashville-based REIT that also owns and operates the Grand Ole Opry, 650 AM WSM and Ole Red. For more information, visit www.ryman.com.
About Ryman Hospitality Properties:
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) is a leading lodging and hospitality real estate investment trust that specializes in upscale convention center resorts and country music entertainment experiences. The Company’s core holdings* include a network of five of the top 10 largest non-gaming convention center hotels in the United States based on total indoor meeting space. These convention center resorts operate under the Gaylord Hotels brand and are managed by Marriott International. The Company also owns two adjacent ancillary hotels and a small number of attractions managed by Marriott International for a combined total of 10,110 rooms and more than 2.7 million square feet of total indoor and outdoor meeting space in top convention and leisure destinations across the country. The Company’s Entertainment segment
includes a growing collection of iconic and emerging country music brands, including the Grand Ole Opry; Ryman Auditorium; WSM 650 AM; Ole Red and Circle, a country lifestyle media network the Company owns in a joint venture with Gray Television. The Company operates its Entertainment segment as part of a taxable REIT subsidiary.
*The Company is the sole owner of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center; and Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. It is the majority owner and managing member of the joint venture that owns Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.