If there is one place that is synonymous with Country Music it is the Grand Ole Opry. That iconic name will be returning to TV in 2020!

The website savingcountrymusic.com reports that thanks to a partnership between the Opry Entertainment Group and Atlanta-based Gray Television there will be a new TV network called “Cirlce.” That network will feature programming that will focus on “Country music artists and the passions, hobbies and love of music they share with their fans.”

The network is set to launch in early 2020 with programs including entertainment news, documentaries and movies, licensed programming and archival content. One program that has been revealed to be a part of the line-up is a broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry weekly. There are no details to if this will be a live broadcast, a pre-recorded broadcast of highlights from the shows on the iconic stage from the preceding week or what.

If you grew up like me watching the Grand Ole Opry on TV in the past don’t expect this to be an old-school country show. While there are iconic members of the Grand Ole Opry like Dolly Parton, John Conlee, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, The Oak Ridge Boys and more. There are also more recent superstar names from Country music like Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Reba, and Blake Shelton.

Even some of today’s hottest country music names are members of the Grand Ole Opry including Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch and Chris Young.

The list of names of guest artists that perform at the Grand Ole Opry includes Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Miranda Lambert and many, many more! You can check out the amazing list of members and guest artists here.

The point I am making with all the name is while the stage is iconic, some of the music might be “old school,” but a lot of it will be right in the middle of where country music is today.

I just hope the Circle Network is available to me where I live in central Illinois.

How about you? Will you watch if it is?

By: Buck Stevens