1From its construction in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium, named for riverboat captain Thomas G. Ryman, has been an integral part of America's cultural fabric. Today this National Historic Landmark, lovingly called the Mother Church of Country Music, enjoys present-day status as both a beloved piece of Americana and a dynamic venue for contemporary artists.

With photography and text by Jim McGuire, Historic Photos of the Opry rediscovers a fascinating chapter in the history of the Grand Ole Opry and its most famous former home. Few of them ever published, more than 100 photographs taken by McGuire in 1974 are showcased here, brought to life through McGuire's insightful captions. With a foreword by Garrison Keillor and opening remarks by Marty Stuart, Historic Photos of the Opry sheds light on a crucial period in the history of the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry, and country music.

"For those of us who were serious country music fans who spent many Saturday nights on those Ryman pews, the fact that the Opry was moving from that building was a very big deal," McGuire says.

Historic Photos of the Opry takes us through every facet of the Opry and Ryman in 1974 through scenes onstage, backstage, and from its gritty neighborhood surrounding. In glimpses of bluegrass legends, famous country duos, bona fide American musical icons, and the Opry's ardent fans, country music's most celebrated phenomenon shines in glorious black-and-white photography, displayed in a large format.