June 13, 2017
The Ryman Auditorium celebrated its 125th anniversary this past week. Stars everywhere dream of performing at the “Mother Church of Country Music.” As part of the celebration, the Ryman honored musical legend Little Jimmy Dickens and Bill Monroe with bronze statues.
“This is a man who could get up and make you laugh and make you cry because of the way he embraced who he was,” said country star Brad Paisley about his friend, Dickens. “We forget how important he was to country music as we know it. By the time that Jimmy left us, he had become The Grand Ole Opry.”
Bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs had the honor of revealing the statue of Bill Monroe.
“I don’t know if you ever get another Bill Monroe in a century,” he said. “I am so proud of this day, so proud for Mr. Monroe, I am honored that they asked me to come and unveil this wonderful statue.”
Ricky and Monroe’s son, James, revealed the statue in front of the “birthplace of bluegrass.”
For more information, visit ryman.com.