to its 61 year old stage.

It’s time for a new stage at Ryman Auditorium. Scuffed by the heels of thousands of singers in cowboy boots and high heels, scarred by road cases and worn by six decades of music history, the Ryman’s oak floorboards have reached the end of a very long, very successful run.

The current stage is just the second in the 120-year history of the “Mother Church” after the original was installed in 1901 for a performance of the Metropolitan Opera. It was laid down in 1951 and has lasted far longer than expected. The stage was refinished during a renovation in 1993-94 and even then officials knew it would be the last resurfacing. Today it’s heavily scuffed and scarred, its age easily visible from the Ryman’s balcony.

Work will begin Feb. 4 and continue seven days a week until Feb. 20. They will retain an 18-inch lip of the blonde oak at the front of the stage, similar to the way the Ryman stage was commemorated in a circle of wood at the new Opry House. The rest of the stage will be stored and replaced with a medium brown Brazilian teak that will be far more durable and camera friendly.

Beneath the stage, the original hickory support beams will be kept and reinforced with concrete foundations, crossbeams and joist work that will help triple the stage’s load capacity.

The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center in Huntingdon is hosting auditions for their upcoming performance of “The Wizard of Oz”.  Bo Weevil got the bright idea that he wanted to audition for the role of the “Cowardly Lion”.  Kelly Green didn’t really think Bo had what it takes to land the role, so they did a pre-audition and let the listeners decide.  Here’s the wacky audio!  It’s must-hear!

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Shortly after 3:00 Saturday afternoon Trace’s two youngest daughters, Brianna & Trinity, along with their nanny and a family friend were watching a movie when they heard a loud noice. They thought maybe a shelf had fallen so the nanny went to the kitchen but didnt see anything, she then opened the door to the garage and saw that the washer and dryer had fallen over and saw smoke. At that time she ushered the kids outside where they made their way to their meeting place that they had been taught to go to incase of a fire. They called 911, firefighters were on the scene 4 minutes after the call. Trace’s wife, Rhonda, had been in Atlanta that day but was on her way home from the airport at the time. She was only about 3 minutes from home when she got the call, she said that she could see the black smoke at that time and thought “this cant be happening”. Trace was on a plane to Alaska and wouldn’t land until 11:30 that night so he had no idea what was going on. Both Rhonda and Brianna were very calm while explaining to reporters what had happened.  There were no injuries other than a neighbor who was bitten on the face by the Adkins’ dog that he was trying to recue from the burning home. Brianna also got a couple of scratches from one of the dogs. The home is a total loss. The family has a cabin on a farm in Eaglesville, just a few miles south of their Brentwood home, where they will stay.

Rhonda pleads that everyone practice fire safety, which she gives credit to saving her childrens lives. She also urges everyone to back up your photos which she had not done, now she says she has lost all her family photos as well as her wedding pictures.

Please pray for the Adkins’ family as they deal with this terrible loss and start all over.

Sara Evans celebrates the fifth No. 1 single of her career this week! “A Little Bit Stronger” holds the No. 1 position on the Billboard and Country Aircheck charts. Sara is also the first female artist to reach No. 1 this year on both charts.
 
“I am so humbled and overwhelmed that ‘A Little Bit Stronger’ made it to No. 1,” says Sara. “This song has had the biggest emotional response of any other single I’ve ever released. I think it is because almost everyone has gone through a difficult time in their life and most people can relate to the line in the song ‘even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.’”
 
“To have everything happen the way it has makes me feel like I’m on top of the world,” reflects Sara. “This is my dream and the passion and desire has never gone away; it was just put on hold for a little while. I feel very thankful and grateful to so many people right now: country radio, my fans and the music industry.”
 
“A Little Bit Stronger,” which has been certified Gold by the RIAA, was written by Hillary Scott, Luke Laird and Hillary Lindsey.