On May 19, 2007, Porter Wagoner celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member. Marty Stuart kicked off the last song by saying, “Miss Dolly, there's no way in the world that we could close this show without this song." Dolly Parton replied, “I think this is something we'd all like to say to Porter, but if it hadn't been for Porter, I wouldn't have written this song." Porter sat on a stool next to Dolly, Marty, Patty Loveless, and the Opry band while Marty's mandolin played, and the audience watched one of the most memorable moments in Opry history with tears in their eyes. Porter passed away later that year.

On September 28, 2010 the Grand Ole Opry returned to the newly-restored Opry House after the devastating Nashville flood of May 2010. The audience sat in a dark auditorium to watch Brad Paisley and Jimmy Dickens walking through the brand new backstage area on their way to the famous 6-foot circle of wood, recently restored and ceremoniously returned to its home at center stage. When they got there, with the curtain still down, Brad said, “Will the circle be unbroken," and Jimmy replied, “The circle can't be broken, Brad."

On March 15, 2008, Carrie Underwood took the stage on one of many occasions to perform a few songs for the Opry audience, one of them being “I Told You So," first made popular by Opry member Randy Travis. When she finished the song, the audience just went nuts. Carrie turned around and Randy Travis was on stage with her, about to invite her to become an Opry member. A few months later on May 10, Garth Brooks and Opry management officially inducted her as a member. On her induction night, Garth said, “You will be reigned with awards from the CMA, the ACM's, GRAMMY's, all that stuff. Nothing will last as long or be more important than this award right here tonight. Congratulations."

On January 15, 2011 Rockabilly Queen Wanda Jackson played the Opry for the first time in nearly 57 years. The first time she played, in 1954, she vowed to never return after Ernest Tubb made her wear an old leather jacket to cover the dress she and her mother had made just for her Opry debut - one of her signature fringed dresses that showed off Wanda's sexy shimmy-shaking shoulders. Her backing band for her triumphant return was the 11-piece Third Man Band led by rock icon and Nashville transplant, Jack White. Together they rocked Opry at the Ryman with three songs “Right or Wrong," “Blue Yodel Number 6," and “Shakin’ All Over."

Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two graced the Opry stage way back in 1956.

Loretta Lynn took the stage at the Opry many times, this one in the 1960s. The Opry was a large part of her career, helping her expand her audience.