The circle in the middle of the stage of the Grand Ole Opry is considered sacred ground in the country music world. The greatest players of that genre have stood in the six-foot circle and performed for millions of adoring fans. The circle was cut from the stage of the hallowed Ryman Auditorium in 1974 and placed in the newly constructed Grand Ole Opry stage, located a few miles outside of downtown Nashville. The Ryman, the original home of the Opry, had fallen on hard times. It needed significant repairs. And the show needed to go on.