GAC Exclusive - 'Opry At Carnegie Hall' - Brings Viewers Historic Performances By Country Music Greats

NASHVILLE, TENN (Carnegie Hall official website) - It is a historic moment in the history of country music, with some of the industry's greatest artists performing together on the legendary stage of Carnegie Hall, and viewers can see it only on Great American Country (GAC) network.

GAC will premiere the two-hour special, The Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall, on Sunday, March 12 at 8 pm ET. The program, taped last November during the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards week, captures the Opry's first return to Carnegie Hall in 44 years and includes memorable performances from some of the Opry's biggest names. Vince Gill hosts the special and performs. Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss sing their duet, 'Whiskey Lullaby,' which claimed song of the year honors at the CMA Awards the following evening. Other artist performances featured in the special include Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Little Jimmy Dickens, Bill Anderson and Charley Pride.

"I don't think there's anything that'll happen to top that first impression of walking onto that stage and looking around," says Gill.

GAC recently renewed its agreement with the Grand Ole Opry, ensuring its exclusive rights to the popular Saturday primetime series, Grand Ole Opry Live for several years while extending the deal to include additional Opry-related programming.

'For GAC, broadcasting a special edition of the Grand Ole Opry from Carnegie Hall is a no-brainer,' said Ed Hardy, president of the network. 'Our viewers are huge fans of the Opry, so we know this is a programming event that will be very special to country music enthusiasts all over the country. And when they tune in, they will see just how special it was for the artists who performed there.'

For the finale, all the artists gathered on stage to sing "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," "I'll Fly Away" and "I Saw The Light." In addition to the on-stage performances, The Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall also features exclusive back-stage interviews with the artists.

'To be here is amazing,' Yearwood shares with the GAC cameras. Adds McBride, 'Everybody dreams of playing Carnegie Hall.'