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Country music television network Great American Country (GAC) will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the undisputed home of country music, The Grand Ole Opry, with a month of Opry-themed programming slated to run on the network throughout October.
The 'Opry Month' of special programming kicks off October 1 with the premiere broadcast of the final episode of GAC's five-part series The Opry: 8 Decades of Great Country, as well as the first of five all-new live episodes of Grand Ole Opry Live! airing every Saturday night in October. The live presentations during the month will feature several history-making moments, including the induction of the Opry's newest member and a star-studded Opry 80th birthday bash October 15.
"The Grand Ole Opry is the longest and most revered tradition in country music and it is beloved by both the artists and country music fans," said Sarah Trahern, vice president of programming at GAC. "The 80th anniversary is a huge milestone in Opry history, and as the official television home of the Opry, Great American Country will salute it with an entire month of special programming built around our flagship series, Grand Ole Opry Live!"
The lineup of October's 'Opry Month' programming includes premieres of the following specials, series and program marathons:
Saturday, October 1 ------------------- Conclusion: The Opry: Eight Decades of Great Country Music 7:30 pm ET Every Saturday night from September 3 to October 1, Great American Country is premiering five, half-hour specials about the Opry and its rich history. The topical episodes, including "Opry Firsts" (9/3), "Connections" (9/10), "Backstage" (9/17), "Great Moments" (9/24) and "Inductions" (10/1), feature interviews with country music insiders and artists such as Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, and Terri Clark, each of whom will share personal stories and recall their favorite Opry memories and performances.
Grand Ole Opry Live! - Dierks Bentley Induction 9 pm ET/PT The first episode of GAC's all-new, live presentations of Grand Ole Opry Live! will be a memorable episode featuring the induction of the newest and youngest Opry member, Dierks Bentley.
Saturday, October 8 ------------------- Grand Ole Opry Live! Program Marathon 5-8 pm ET/PT It's all-Opry, all the time during GAC's Saturday evening marathon programming block of Grand Ole Opry Live!. The four encore presentations of the Opry will feature memorable performances by artists such as Dolly Parton, Travis Tritt and Joe Nichols.
Grand Ole Opry Live! - All-New Live Episode! 9 pm ET/PT After the Opry Live! marathon, GAC viewers will want to stay tuned for the network's broadcast of an all-new Opry show live from Nashville.
Sunday, October 9 ----------------- Grand Ole Opry Live! Program Marathon 5-9 pm ET/PT It's another marathon programming block of memorable Opry Live! episodes on GAC, including encore performances from hot acts such as Sugarland, Keith Urban and Alan Jackson.
Week of October 10-14 --------------------- CRL - A Salute to The Grand Ole Opry Weeknights, 8 pm ET/PT In the week leading up to the Opry 80th celebration on October 15, GAC's series CRL will feature music and interviews with several of The Grand Ole Opry's contemporary artists.
Saturday, October 15 -------------------- Grand Ole Opry Live! - Live 80th Anniversary Special 9pm ET/PT The Opry is turning 80, and GAC will celebrate the milestone birthday of The Grand Ole Opry live from Nashville, along with country music's biggest superstars and legends. It will be an evening filled with unforgettable music and plenty of surprises when a who's who of country music comes together to honor country music's longest tradition.
Saturday, October 22 -------------------- Grand Ole Opry Live! - Martina McBride Live Special 9 pm ET/PT For the third Saturday in October, GAC will broadcast an all-new, live episode of Grand Ole Opry Live!, with this episode featuring a special hourlong performance by Martina McBride showcasing music from her album "Timeless," which is due in stores October 18. The album features McBride's take on some of her favorite country classics.
Saturday, October 29 -------------------- Grand Ole Opry Live! - All New Live Episode! 9 pm ET/PT 'Opry Month' on GAC comes to a close with a showcase of country acts in the final live airing of Grand Ole Opry Live!.
About Great American Country
Great American Country (GAC) is America's country music source, with its music-intensive format and the latest in country news and events. As the home of the legendary Grand Ole Opry, GAC is best known for its mix of current and past country music hit videos, original programming, special performances and live concerts, as well as country music's only daily request show, CRL. GAC engages its viewers in a unique way, allowing them to pick their favorite videos each week at GACtv.com for the on-air series, GAC Top 20 Country Countdown.
GAC is a property of Scripps Networks, which is headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, and Nashville, Scripps Networks is the leading developer of lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet, including Home & Garden Television (HGTV), Food Network, DIY Network, FINE LIVING and electronic retailer Shop At Home. Scripps Networks is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks, interactive media, and television retailing. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations, Scripps Howard News Service, United Media and Shopzilla.com.
