Vince & Lainey Wilson Bring “I Will Always Love You” Back to the Opry

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When the Grand Ole Opry House hosted “Opry 100: A Live Celebration” on March 19, 2025, the event served as a high-profile intersection of the institution’s history and its current commercial direction. The evening’s centerpiece—a duet of “I Will Always Love You” featuring Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson—functioned as a practical demonstration of how the Opry maintains its relevance. By pairing a long-standing institutional steward like Gill with a contemporary chart-topper like Wilson, the broadcast successfully linked the show’s traditional foundations with its modern audience.

From Insurance Marketing to Cultural Institution

The Grand Ole Opry is currently the longest-running live radio broadcast in history, but its origins were rooted in corporate strategy rather than artistic preservation. Launched on November 28, 1925, the program was a product of the National Life and Accident Insurance Company. Using their radio station, WSM (an acronym for “We Shield Millions”), the company used the “WSM Barn Dance” to build brand trust across the American South.

The show was the brainchild of George D. Hay, a program director who branded himself as “The Solemn Old Judge.” The very first broadcast featured 77-year-old fiddle player Uncle Jimmy Thompson, an event now recognized as the Opry’s birth. The name “Grand Ole Opry” was adopted in December 1927 following a lead-in broadcast of classical music. Hay famously remarked on-air, “For the past hour we have been listening to the music taken largely from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry.”

A Map of Nashville’s Musical Geography

The Opry’s physical locations have shifted over the decades, tracking the growth of the country music industry:

Period	Venue	Operational Significance
1925–1934	National Life Building	Birthplace of the broadcast; hosted early stars like Uncle Dave Macon.
1934–1936	Hillsboro Theatre	Transitioned the show to a ticketed, commercially sponsored model.
1936–1939	Dixie Tabernacle	A rustic East Nashville site that reinforced the show’s “folk” branding.
1939–1943	War Memorial Auditorium	The location for the Opry’s national debut on NBC Radio.
1943–1974	Ryman Auditorium	Known as the “Mother Church”; the home for legends like Hank Williams.
1974–Present	Grand Ole Opry House	A 4,440-seat facility built for modern television production.

The most significant architectural moment occurred in 1943 with the move to the Ryman Auditorium. The venue provided a specific prestige that defined the genre’s “Golden Age.” Even after moving to the modern Opry House in 1974, the institution maintained a physical link to the Ryman by installing a circular section of the old stage into the new one—the “Unbroken Circle” where all performers stand today.

Vince Gill: The Institutional Anchor

Vince Gill’s involvement in the centennial celebration is a result of his long-standing role as an Opry ambassador. Inducted on August 10, 1991, Gill has consistently advocated for the importance of the institution. Born in Oklahoma in 1957, Gill grew up listening to the Opry, which influenced his development into a multi-instrumentalist proficient in guitar and Dobro.

Gill’s career is marked by a high level of technical achievement and commercial consistency:

• 22 Grammy Awards: The highest count for any male country artist.
• 18 CMA Awards: This includes a record-setting streak for Male Vocalist of the Year.
• 30+ Million Records Sold: Every album released in the 1990s achieved platinum status or higher.

Gill was personally inducted by Roy Acuff, who viewed Gill as an essential link for future generations of artists. Gill has maintained this legacy by frequently performing at the Opry House and encouraging younger stars to prioritize their Opry memberships.

Lainey Wilson: The Modern Standard-Bearer

Representing the current era of the Opry is Lainey Wilson, whose June 2024 induction was a major milestone for the centennial lead-up. Wilson’s rise involved a decade of Nashville struggle, including living in a trailer before her breakthrough with “Things a Man Oughta Know.”

Wilson’s “Bell Bottom Country” style blends 1970s aesthetic influences with traditional country songwriting. Her impact is increasingly global; Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers noted that the international media interest in Wilson’s induction played a role in the Opry’s decision to broadcast from London’s Royal Albert Hall.

During the “Opry 100” event, Wilson’s set included a collaboration with Marty Stuart, who allowed her to play a guitar originally owned by Hank Williams. This set the stage for her subsequent vocal collaboration with Gill.

The History of “I Will Always Love You”

The song chosen for the Gill and Wilson duet, “I Will Always Love You,” was written by Dolly Parton in 1973. Contrary to its popular reception as a romantic ballad, Parton wrote it as a professional farewell to her mentor and business partner, Porter Wagoner, as she departed his television show to pursue a solo career.

The song’s history includes a notable interaction with Elvis Presley. While Presley wanted to record the track, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded 50% of the publishing rights. Parton refused to sign over her copyrights—a financial decision that proved significant when Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover generated massive royalties.

The Duet Precedent

In 1995, Parton re-recorded the song as a duet with Vince Gill for the album Something Special. This version won the CMA Vocal Event of the Year and featured a high standard of Nashville session work:

• Personnel: Brent Mason and Brent Rowan (guitars), Paul Franklin (steel guitar), Matt Rollings (piano), and David Hungate (bass).
• Impact: The recording shifted the song from a solo monologue to a harmonic conversation, providing the blueprint for the Gill/Wilson performance in 2025.

Performance Analysis: Gill and Wilson

The duet at the Grand Ole Opry House was part of the “Grand Ole Opry Goes Dolly” segment on January 17, 2025. The arrangement utilized Gill’s established tenor harmonies as a foundation for Wilson’s lead vocals. Wilson’s delivery was noted for its vulnerability and “Louisiana grit,” avoiding the R&B-inflected style popularized by Whitney Houston in favor of Parton’s country roots.

The song has survived through decades of diverse interpretations:

Artist	Year	Context
Dolly Parton	1974	The original country number one hit.
Linda Ronstadt	1975	Folk-rock version that introduced the song to a pop audience.
Kenny Rogers	1983	A pop-country arrangement produced by Barry Gibb.
LeAnn Rimes	1997	A cover by a 14-year-old vocal prodigy.
Kristin Chenoweth	2019	A Broadway-pop crossover duet with Parton.

The Gill and Wilson performance concluded a segment that led into a grand finale hosted by Blake Shelton. The finale featured the full Opry cast, including Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood, performing the song as a collective anthem.

The Significance of the Centennial

The performance of “I Will Always Love You” by Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson summarizes the Opry’s primary function: the preservation of country music’s core through the collaboration of different generations. The “Opry 100” schedule included a global livestream on November 28, 2025, exactly one century after the first broadcast.

As the institution enters its second century, the “Unbroken Circle” continues to serve as a physical and symbolic center for the genre. The Gill and Wilson duet stands as a documented moment in this history, showing that the Opry’s endurance relies on artists who respect the established traditions of the stage while reaching a modern audience.