The Grand Ole Opry has canceled all shows through early April with the exception of Saturday night shows, which will be for the radio audience only. The decision was made out of public health concerns as the coronavirus spreads across middle Tennessee and nationwide.

A note from the Opry says that all Grand Ole Opry shows through April 4 have been canceled. The Saturday night shows will continue as just a live radio broadcast, without a live audience. Those with tickets for Opry shows can contact the Grand Ole Opry through their website or at 1-800-See-Opry. The radio show broadcasts live on WSM-650 AM in Nashville, on SiriusXM radio and through Opry.com.

The cancelations begin immediately with Friday night's (March 13) Grand Ole Opry show. In total 19 shows have been canceled with the next show coming on April 7.

Earlier on Friday the Country Music Hall of Fame also announced it was closing through the end of March. The CMC Rocks Festival in Australia also was canceled.

There have been about 2,000 cases of the coronavirus confirmed in the U.S., with 41 deaths as of Friday afternoon (March 13, per CNN). Worldwide over 125,000 people have been infected. Virtually all national sports have ceased play for a period of weeks, including the NBA, NHL, XFL, MLB, NCAA and most recently NASCAR.

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