Dec 20, 2002

The Statler Brothers' Jimmy Fortune sings solo on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium

Jan 4, 2003

Hank Williams Jr., Vince Gill, Little Jimmy Dickens and The Whites sing "I Saw The Light" at the Grand Ole Opry, marking the 50th anniversary of Hank Williams' death. Hank Williams III sings "Howlin' At The Moon," but does not join his father on stage

Jan 10, 2003

Darryl Worley performs "Have You Forgotten?" publicly for the first time on the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium

Jan 18, 2003

Clint Black debuts a new song, "Spend My Time," during his performance on the Grand Ole Opry

Jan 24, 2003

Joe Nichols sets a Grand Ole Opry precedent while performing "Brokenheartsville" at the Ryman Auditorium. A green bra is tossed from the seats as he sings, supposedly the first time an undergarment has ever been thrown on stage in show history

Feb 7, 2003

Jennifer Hanson makes her Grand Ole Opry debut at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, performing "Beautiful Goodbye"

Feb 8, 2003

John Anderson performs his hit "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)" on the Grand Ole Opry with Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote it

Feb 9, 2003

Joe Diffie's annual First Steps concert at the Ryman Auditorium features his Rockin' Roadhouse tourmates Tracy Lawrence and Mark Chesnutt

Mar 7, 2003

As rock band Coldplay appears at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, vocalist Chris Martin dubs it "the coolest place we've ever played": "So many of our heroes have played here, from Johnny Cash all the way through to Johnny Cash, including Johnny Cash"

Mar 11, 2003

Dolly Parton receives a lifetime achievement honor from governor Phil Bredesen during Tennessee's 2003 Governor's Awards In The Arts at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium