Episode 2: Holly G & Kelle Jolly

For close to a century, the Grand Ole Opry has been at the heart of country music. Despite country music’s roots in African American culture and traditional African instruments, Black musicians only represent 1% of the Grand Ole Opry…but the Black Opry is changing that. In this episode, we sit down with Holly G, the founder of the Black Opry, and East Tennessee’s own Kelle Jolly to learn more about their experiences (good and bad), inspirations, and hopes for the future of the industry.

Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change provides an opportunity for artists from marginalized and underserved communities to share their art with others. Through concerts/performances, visual art displays, discussions and panels focusing on important issues, and educational opportunities, artists have the chance to engage with the community. The Tennessee Theatre is proud to provide a space for audiences and artists to better understand one another.

This podcast is brought to you by the Historic Tennessee Theatre, produced by Becky Hancock and Cecilia Wright, and engineered and edited by Ben McLaughlin. Music composition, sound design, and additional production assistance is provided by William Wright. This project is being supported in part by The Tennessee Arts Commission. Graphics by Danica Thompkins.