10 things to know about the Grand Ole Opry, a country music institution since 1925

Note: This story was originally published on Oct. 1, 2015. It has been lightly edited for timeliness.

If live country music has a home, it lives on the "Grand Ole Opry."

In November, the Opry will turn 94. And just because it's nearly a century old, that doesn't mean it is slowing down. Steve Buchanan, president of the Opry Entertainment Group, said a few years ago the Opry is "at one of the healthiest points in our history." It hasn't let up.

"That is driven by the artists and their dedication and commitment to the Opry," Buchanan said. "We have new generations of artists that are committed and engaged and passionate about the Opry and … that's wonderful to see because there isn't anything else like it."

Here are 10 things you may not know (but should) about the "Grand Ole Opry."

1. Live performances

The "Grand Ole Opry" is a live radio show that features performances from a different set of country singers each show. The shows are presented in front of a live audience, and Opry broadcasts can be heard on WSM-AM on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, on Willie's Roadhouse on SiriusXM Channel 59 on Friday and Saturday nights and online at www.opry.com.

2. The Opry has had six homes in 90 years

The Opry has had six homes in its 90 years. The Opry started out at National Life & Accident Insurance Company in November 1925, moved to Hillsboro Theatre in October 1934, to Dixie Tabernacle in June 1936, to War Memorial Auditorium in June 1939 and then the Ryman Auditorium in June 1943. It settled in its current Grand Ole Opry House in March 1974. The Opry has resided at The Grand Ole Opry House longer than any previous home, and the building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

3. Preserving the Ryman's stage

When the "Grand Ole Opry" moved from the historic Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, a six-foot circle of oak was cut from the stage at Ryman Auditorium and inserted into the new stage at The Grand Ole Opry House. By preserving a piece of the Ryman's stage, generations of country music singers can perform on the wood where the genre's legends, including Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, once stood.

4. The transmission tower

The large radio tower on Concord Road in Brentwood was once the tallest radio tower in the nation and has been responsible for transmitting the "Grand Ole Opry" across the country since its construction in 1932. The signal is sent through a low-power transmission from the Opryland complex to the large WSM tower, which then sends the "Grand Ole Opry" to radios throughout the United States.

"In AM radio, if you have a 50,000-watt radio signal and you have clear channel status, meaning no other station in the country has the 650 frequency, that signal when the sun goes down will skip across the atmosphere and can be heard on a good night in upwards of 35 states," said Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry general manager. "That's how country music rose to prominence with WSM, the Grand Ole Opry and that strong radio signal."

5. A New York visit

An Opry troupe's first visit to New York's Carnegie Hall inspired "Billboard" magazine to report: "Such screaming and wild applause after each number hasn't been heard in town since Frank Sinatra brought out the bobbysoxers at the Paramount." Later Opry visits to the famed venue included performers Marty Robbins, Patsy Cline, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Martina McBride and more.

If that weren't enough, the Opry drown down to the farm in Manchester to perform during the 2019 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

6. ABC's 'Nashville'

Steve Buchanan, executive producer of ABC's "Nashville," conceived the TV show with the "No. 1 goal" of it having a positive impact on the Grand Ole Opry.

"I also knew that if we did a show that made people more curious about Nashville and, thus, had an impact on visitation to Nashville, then that would have a positive impact on the Opry, the Ryman and hopefully countless other businesses," Buchanan said in an interview with The Tennessean.

7. Not just country

Country singers aren't the only celebrities who have graced the Grand Ole Opry's stage. Other famous faces on the show have included President Richard Nixon, Jack Black, Kevin Bacon, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Alice Cooper, newsmen Bob Schieffer and Charles Osgood, and Academy Award winners Kevin Costner, Sissy Spacek and Robert Duvall.

8. Opry membership

The Opry has welcomed more than 200 members throughout its history ranging from legends Roy Acuff and Patsy Cline to contemporary country singers Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks.

"The Grand Ole Opry is the pinnacle of what I do," Brooks said. "Nothing will ever match being a member of the Grand Ole Opry."

Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood are one of four Opry member married couples. Others on the list include Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild of Opry group Little Big Town, Marty Stuart and Connie Smith, and Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White of Opry group The Whites.

9. 50 years at the Opry

Opry legend Loretta Lynn celebrated 50 years as an Opry member in 2012 on the same night Miranda Lambert's trio, the Pistol Annies, made its Opry debut. On Minnie Pearl's 50th Opry anniversary, the comedienne received 50 dozen roses from her friend Dwight Yoakam. Later that night, she reacted to a videotape message from Dolly Parton by quipping, "I wear a hat so folks can tell us apart."

10. Grand Ole feature film

The Grand Ole Opry had its own feature-length film that hit theaters in December 2015. Called "American Saturday Night: Live From The Grand Ole Opry," the movie featured Opry House performances from Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, The Band Perry and Brett Eldredge, as well as include footage from the country singers hanging out backstage.