Grand Old Stage at Ryman Auditorium Is Being Replaced January 30, 2012, 10:23 am Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, home of the scuffed oak stage most associated with the Grand Ole Opry, is getting an overhaul, The Associated Press reported. The stage is to be replaced by a more durable Brazilian teak, though an 18-inch lip of the blonde oak at the front will be retained for history's sake. The original hickory support beams underneath will be reinforced with concrete foundations, crossbeams and joist work that will help triple the load capacity. Work is to begin on Saturday and to continue seven days a week until Feb. 20, when The Band Perry will make its Ryman debut. "That stage has had a wonderful life," said Steve Buchanan, senior vice president of media and entertainment for Gaylord Entertainment, which owns the Ryman. The building dates to 1892, and the new stage is the first since 1951, The A.P. said. Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, the Byrds and Taylor Swift are among those who have played there. When the Grand Ole Opry moved to its own home in 1974 it took a circle of wood from the Ryman stage and put it in the stage of the new Opry House.