Maybe we didn’t know what we had until it left a theme park-size hole in Nashville’s heart. A documentary premiering at the Nashville Film Festival, called “A Circle Broken,” gives us a good excuse to reopen that wound and hear the story of Opryland like we’ve not heard before, a story about how perhaps Opryland saved the Grand Ole Opry itself. We’re talking to the characters who are keeping the memory alive and hearing your memories of Opryland USA.
This episode originally aired on July 22, 2025.
Guests:
- Brandon Vestal, filmmaker
- David Ewing, historian
- Bob Whitaker, former Opryland General Manager
- Michael-Demby Cain, Opryland performer who went to Broadway
- Jennifer Roberts, performer
- Lynn Wright, half of first couple married at Opryland
- Sean Hughes, "The Balloon Guy"
Further reading:
- To submit footage for "A Circle Broken"
- Opryland VR
- Nashville Scene: Taking a Look Back at the Rushed 1997 Closure of Opryland
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.