performers including marian anderson, teddy roosevelt, helen keller and charlie chaplain all spoke heree game changer. ♪ the grand old opry moved here. every week country legends performed live on wsm eenrying him to eat with a fork. >> reporter: minnie pearl, bilh entertainment value and they bought popcorn for a nickel and they sat here and they were mesmerized. >> the grand old opry transformed the ryman. >> they worked for each other. song can work for a song but a song can work for a singer ♪ i fell into a burning ring of fire". >> reporter: legends include patsy klein ♪ ♪ i'm crazy for trying ♪ ♪ >> charlie pride and loretta lynn. but by 1973 both nashville and the ryman were in decline. the offering moved across the river. the cashes sang the closer. ♪ circle be unbroken >> reporter: for 20 years the ryman sat dark and crumbling. country stars emmy lou harris and matter stewart led the fight to save it. >> the ryman was the ultimate place if you had country music in your heart. it was an absolute threat to be torn down at one point. >> reporter: in 1994 the renovated ryman reopen