Photos: THE APPALACHIAN ROAD SHOW to Perform at Grand Ole Opry

The Appalachian Road Show has been added to the Grand Ole Opry lineup for Sunday, October 18, at 7 p.m. The appearance caps a remarkable month for the acclaimed bluegrass band, arriving two weeks after GRAMMY-winning fiddler and founding member Jim VanCleve was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame, and four days before the 37th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, where the group is nominated for Album of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year.

Sunday's Opry lineup also features Opry members Riders In The Sky, Caylee Hammack, The Steel Wheels, Kylie Morgan, Tia Sillers, Wyatt McCubbin and Ryan and Rory. Tickets are available at Opry.com.

A Hall of Fame Night in the Mountains

VanCleve was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 4, during an Appalachian Road Show concert at the historic Appalachian Theatre of the High Country in Boone, North Carolina. Newgrass pioneer Sam Bush was also inducted and performed during the evening. Fellow Hall of Fame member Stuart Duncan, a major influence on VanCleve's playing, made an unannounced appearance to present VanCleve with his award, surprising both the honoree and the audience. The night closed with an encore that brought VanCleve, Bush and Duncan together onstage, fiddles in hand.

'To receive this honor back home in the North Carolina mountains, with Appalachian Road Show and my family beside me, meant the world to me,' said VanCleve. 'Being there with Sam Bush, and then having Stuart Duncan walk out to present the award, I can't imagine anything being more meaningful. Having two of my biggest heroes there and getting to make music together at that moment made an already special night absolutely magical.'

He added, 'I'm so grateful to the National Fiddler Hall of Fame, my family, my bandmates and everyone who has encouraged me along the way.'

Two IBMA Nominations

The Appalachian Road Show's latest album, Della Jane's Heart (Billy Blue Records), is nominated for 2026 IBMA Album of the Year, and the band is nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year. Winners will be announced Thursday, October 22, at the 37th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The nominations build on the band's 2021 IBMA wins for New Artist of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year.

Featuring Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Darrell Webb, Zeb Snyder, and Jeff Partin, The Appalachian Road Show brings the music, history and storytelling of Appalachia to audiences across the country.

For more information, music and tour dates, visit TheAppalachianRoadShow.com. For more on the Hall of Fame, visit NationalFiddlerHallofFame.org.

Upcoming Appalachian Road Show Performances

Oct. 18 Nashville, Tenn. / Grand Ole Opry (7 p.m.)

Oct. 24 Maggie Valley, N.C. / Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival

Oct. 29 Nashville, Tenn. / The Station Inn

Oct. 31 Ellijay, Ga. / First Baptist Church, Ellijay Fall Festival

Nov. 21 Easton, Md. / A. Curtis Andrew Auction

Dec. 12 Leesburg, Va. / Luckett's Bluegrass

Dec. 13 Prince Frederick, Md. / Southern Maryland Bluegrass Concert Series at the Calvert Elks Lodge

About Jim VanCleve

GRAMMY-winning musician, producer, composer and recording engineer Jim VanCleve has spent nearly three decades in bluegrass as a founding member of Mountain Heart and The Appalachian Road Show. Born in Sarasota, Florida, and raised in Canton, North Carolina, he was touring nationally with Lou Reid & Carolina by 16 and joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at 18. He helped found Mountain Heart in 1998 and spent 17 years with the group. His 2006 solo album, No Apologies, earned a GRAMMY nomination for his original composition 'Nature of the Beast' and produced the single 'Let the Big Dog Eat,' which spent three months at No. 1. VanCleve has performed or recorded with Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, James Taylor, Carrie Underwood, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Zach Top, among many others. He was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame on October 4, 2026.

About The Appalachian Road Show

Formed in 2018, The Appalachian Road Show celebrates the music, history, culture and enduring spirit of Appalachia through musicianship, harmonies and storytelling. Featuring Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Darrell Webb, Zeb Snyder, and Jeff Partin, the group has earned multiple No. 1 recordings, numerous IBMA nominations and 2021 IBMA Awards for New Artist of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year. Its latest Billy Blue Records album, Della Jane's Heart, is nominated for 2026 IBMA Album of the Year, with the band also nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year.

For more information, visit TheAppalachianRoadShow.com.

Photo Credit: Erick Anderson / eafoto