The Grand Ole Opry is the sacred bastion of country music. Only the finest artists are invited to become members of that rarefied group. So when a flood hit in 2010, its priceless treasures were at risk. Per thisdayincountrymusic.com, "John Fogerty, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill and Keith Urban were among those who lost guitars and other equipment that were held in a storage facility. Also destroyed was the bass used on the Hank Williams song 'Your Cheatin' Heart,' and a Stratocaster owned by Jimi Hendrix." Those items were irreplaceable. They were part of history, both musical and cultural. Suddenly, they were gone for good, destroyed by a mighty act of nature that could not be foreseen or forestalled.
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The May 2010 Flood Was Truly Catastrophic
Per The Boot, on the first two days of May in 2010, a flood of immense proportions struck Nashville. More than a foot of rain fell there. The Cumberland river overran its banks, inundating the Grand Ole Opry. The Opryland Hotel, which was in that area, had to evacuate 1,500 guests. The Opry's shows were held at other venues, among them Lipscomb University's Allen Arena, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville Municipal Auditorium, and the Nashville War Memorial Auditorium.
The Opry Was Determined To Go On With Its Shows In True Show Biz Tradition
Nothing stops the Opry, not even a historic flood! Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry VP at that time, said, "While we ourselves are shaken by the impact of the flooding of the Opry House and throughout the area, it is important that Nashville's most treasured tradition continues with this week's shows. We look forward to coming together, both as the Opry family and as a great American city, just as we have every week for nearly 85 years. Our hearts go out to all of those affected in the Middle Tennessee area."
Two feet of water inundated the Opry. The damage was truly massive and heartbreaking. Memorabilia and valuable guitars were destroyed. Nevertheless, there were things to be grateful for. Per the outlet, "...[T]he stage's famous wooden circle remained intact."
Restoring The Opry Was Expensive And Time-Consuming
It cost over $20 million to put the Opry back the way it was. Brad Paisley put the disaster and its aftermath in perspective. "For me, I always look for a silver lining when something like this happens. I think the silver lining for this is what they have done here to the Opry House. I think an extensive renovation like this would not have happened without the flood last spring."
The 2010 Flood Was Truly A Horrific Tragedy
Sadly, not all the consequences of the flood could be reversed. More than two dozen people lost their lives. There was a staggering $2 billion in damage to private property. Ten thousand residents got displaced.
But the Opry came roaring back. It re-opened on September 28, 2010. On hand for the gala celebration were Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Ricky Skaggs, Mel Tillis, and other superstars of the genre.
