Editing Grand Ole Opry (section)

===COVID-19 pandemic response===
The Opry [[behind closed doors (sport)|closed its doors to spectators]] and trimmed its staff in March 2020 as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee]] but continued to air weekly episodes on radio and television, relying on advertising revenue to remain solvent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/grand-ole-opry-95-years-consecutive-shows|title=How the Grand Ole Opry kept the coronavirus from breaking a 95-year-old winning streak|work=Fox Business Network|first=Matthew|last=Kazin|date=June 14, 2020|access-date=June 15, 2020}}</ref> The Opry resumed allowing spectators on a limited basis in October, and resumed full operations in May 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/audience-returning-to-grand-ole-opry-for-95th-anniversary-show-in-october/ar-BB19nZoV|title = Audience returning to Grand Ole Opry for 95th anniversary show in October| website=[[MSN]] }}</ref> Due to the restrictions, the show did not move to the Ryman Auditorium in November 2020 as was customary. The Winter Ryman residency did not resume in 2021–22, partly due to scheduling conflicts from Ryman concerts postponed during the pandemic closure.

The Opry livestreams were celebrated by viewers as something to look forward to during the pandemic, with the majority of viewers being under lockdown. According to [[Pollstar]], Opry Live was the number one most-watched livestream series in 2020 across all genres and received more than fifty million viewers from over fifty countries throughout the year, with two individual episodes ([[Vince Gill]]/[[Reba McEntire]] and [[Brad Paisley]]/[[Carrie Underwood]]) placing at numbers nine and ten respectively in the top ten. President of Opry Entertainment Scott Bailey explained that "as the stewards of the Grand Ole Opry, it was never a question of if the Opry would play on, but how could it provide a safe and much-needed source of comfort during what has been an extraordinary year around the world. We are proud of this tremendous result and the numbers of viewers who have tuned in, not only for what it has meant for Circle, but also for what it says about the country music genre and country music fans. On behalf of all of us at the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Entertainment, I'd like to thank the artist community, industry and music lovers around the world for their continued support".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Opry-Live-Tops-Pollstars-Year-End-Livestream-Charts-20201216|title = 'Opry Live' Tops Pollstar's Year-End Livestream Charts}}</ref>

After seven months of performing without a live audience, in October 2020, the Opry kicked off its 95th anniversary by welcoming back 500 guests to the Opry House – and so began a month-long celebration of the Opry, country music, its artists, and its fans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley to host Grand Ole Opry 95th anniversary special |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/blake-shelton-brad-paisley-host-grand-ole-opry-95th-anniversary-t206134 |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=TODAY.com |date=January 19, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 5,000th Saturday night show on October 30, 2021, with performances by country superstars and Opry members such as Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Chris Young and several others.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rojas |first=Rick |date=2021-10-31 |title=5,000 Shows Later, the Grand Ole Opry Is Still the Sound of Nashville |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/arts/music/grand-old-opry-5000-broadcast.html |access-date=2023-04-20 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>