Highlights the Many Connections Between Rock & Roll and Country Music
Tickets Available Now at ryman.com for March 1 Event
CLEVELAND, OHIO (Wednesday, February 15, 2023) – The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Nashville’s Historic Ryman Auditorium continue to expand their inaugural “Rock The Ryman” event. As the date for the once-in-a-lifetime show draws closer, they are pleased to announce the addition of the three-time Grammy winning, six-time Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town, ACM-nominated songwriter/genre-bending stylist Caitlyn Smith, and outlaw country/classic Southern rock trio The Cadillac Three.
Celebrating the intersection of rock & roll and country, this special night of music will honor the legacy and impact of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees who have graced the Ryman stage. Each artist will perform songs by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees that have moved them or influenced them in some way. Powered by PNC and sponsored by Gibson Gives, “Rock The Ryman” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT, on Wednesday, March 1.
For Little Big Town, currently headlining an arena tour, the quartet of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook, has been a dynamic force on radio since their harmony-forward sound arrived with 2006’s “Boondocks.” They’ve since delivered celebratory hits “Pontoon,” “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” and “Smokin’ and Drinkin’” with Miranda Lambert, as well as more provocative fare including the Taylor Swift-penned “Better Man,” “Girl Crush” and the acclaimed “The Daughters.”
“The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Ryman hold so much music and so much history, it’s exciting to be part of bringing these places together for one special night. So many of the Rock Hall members are the soundtrack of everyone’s life,” says Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town.
Caitlyn Smith, a native of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, is a songwriter’s songwriter. A genre-defying artist in her own rite, she has written for Miley Cyrus, Aviici, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, as well as the No. 1 “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” for Meghan Trainor and John Legend and the Critics’ Choice Awards winner “Glasgow (No Place Like Home),” the theme song from the acclaimed indie film Wild Rose.
“Being part of such a special evening, honoring so many of the Rock Hall members’ influences on all of us is just such an incredible honor,” Smith says of the one night only concert. “And to do it at the historic Ryman Auditorium adds a whole other level of highlighting what makes Nashville’s music community so special.”
For The Cadillac Three, known for both their swagger onstage and songwriting savvy, their kind of country has always rocked. Lead vocalist/guitarist Jaren Johnston has written cutting edge hits for Steven Tyler, Jake Owens, and Keith Urban and Eric Church, as well as Tim McGraw’s Country Song of the Year Grammy-nominated “Meanwhile Back at Grandma’s.” Joined by Kelby Ray on lap steel, bass and vocals, and Neil Mason on drums and vocals, the power trio has created a ballast all their own.
This diverse group of artists join previously announced 2020 Folk Alliance Artist of the Year and 2022 Americana Honors Duo or Group of the Year The War and Treaty; multi-platinum, multiple BMI Pop Awards winner Gavin DeGraw; groundbreaking country duo Maddie & Tae, and noted guitarist/songwriter Charlie Worsham, who will host the event and perform.
“More than 100 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees have performed on the Ryman’s hallowed stage throughout its 130-year history,” said Greg Harris, President & CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with the Ryman by bringing together artists and fans for one incredible night to experience the power of rock & roll through some of Nashville’s great talent.”
Among the many Inductees who’ve graced the Ryman stage are Hank Williams, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, R.E.M., Linda Ronstadt, Ray Charles, Chet Atkins, Neil Young, the Everly Brothers, the Staples Singers, Joni Mitchell, Carl Perkins, B.B. King, Jackson Browne, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roy Orbison, Blondie, Pete Seeger, Ricky Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Bill Monroe, James Taylor, Mahalia Jackson, Bonnie Raitt, the Byrds, Foo Fighters, Brenda Lee, and more.
Tickets are on sale now at ryman.com. Proceeds from the event will help preserve and celebrate the history of rock & roll at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Ryman Auditorium.
Last May, the Ryman was designated as an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark, joining 11 other rock & roll institutions throughout the country.
In November, the Ryman opened a major exhibition Rock Hall at the Ryman to celebrate the Ryman’s mark on rock & roll history. The interactive exhibit is housed in the venue’s newly transformed 5th Avenue vestibule and features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees including James Brown, The Byrds, Eric Clapton, Foo Fighters, Joan Jett and Dolly Parton in addition to country music icons like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Hank Williams, who were early practitioners of what would become rock & roll music.
PNC Bank has a history of supporting the communities it serves through music sponsorships and programming. In addition to The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Ryman Auditorium, PNC has sponsorship agreements with Austin City Limits and ACL Live, in Austin, Texas. The addition of three female-led artists also aligns with PNC’s emphasis/focus on driving awareness and support for gender equality and economic inclusion in traditional male-dominated industries such as music. Rock The Ryman is certain to build on PNC’s legacy of investing in music and advocating for broad engagement in the arts as a powerful avenue for advancing education, diversity and inclusion, and economic development by showcasing iconic women artists paying tribute to other women trailblazers in music.
More information about the Rock The Ryman concert, Rock Hall at the Ryman exhibit, daytime tours and shows can be found at ryman.com.
