The Listening Room Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Sold-Out Show at the Historic Ryman Auditorium

Epic Night included HARDY, Jo Dee Messina, Blessing Offor, and Surprise Performances by Drew Baldridge, Boyz II Men, Old Dominion, Brett Young, and many more!

CHRIS BLAIR, Courtesy The Listening Room, Credit Eric Ahlgrim

Nashville, TN — March 9, 2026 —The Listening Room’s 20^th anniversary show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on March 3, 2026 was an epic celebration! The sold-out crowd joined the party for over 3 hours of performance by more than 25 songwriters and artists and featuring a slew of very special surprises.

Joining the beloved brand and venue’s Owner and Founder, Chris Blair, on the iconic stage were (in order of appearance/surprise guests not previously announced italicized) were: Matt Jenkins, Rachel Thibodeau, Victoria Shaw, Jordan Feliz, Jordan Walker, Brian White, Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, Blessing Offor, James Slater, Old Dominion, Jo Dee Messina, Brett Young, Boyz II Men, Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley, Brian Davis, Drew Baldridge, J.T. Harding, Phil Barton, Rob Williford, Liz Rose and HARDY.

The surprises did not stop with the performances, as Baldridge brought Blair to tears with an ask from the Grand Ole Opry for him to serve as a Guest Announcer later this month (March 24). There was also a presentation of a Proclamation from Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s Office, officially declaring March 3, 2026, as The Listening Room Day in Music City. The night was truly about the songs, with stripped down performances from over two dozen songwriters and artists including an emotional memorial tribute to Brett James, HARDY debuting an unreleased song, a Brett Young and Boyz II Men collab, J.T. Harding gifting his guitar to a young concertgoer from the stage, capped off by an all-sing finale.

CHRIS BLAIR and DREW BALDRIDGE, Courtesy The Listening Room,

“20 years ago, I had this crazy dream to build a place that I could come and play songs with my friends that actually paid songwriters for what they do. If you had told me that we would be standing right here in the mother church 20 years later, to a sold-out show, I would have told you that you were crazy, but here we are,” shares Blair, whose inspiring entrepreneurial story was recently featured in Billboard, Nashville Scene, Music Row, American Songwriter, Nashville Lifestyles, and more!

Since 2006, The Listening Room has passionately championed hit songwriters and emerging talent, offering an intimate space that emphasizes the real rapport between artist and listener, paired with top-notch sound, food, and service.

In 2024 and 2025, The Listening Room supported Nashville songwriters by selling over a quarter million tickets to fans from 53 countries across the globe and all 50 U.S. states. The Listening Room hosted over 1,500 shows featuring over 2,000 songwriters on its stages. Additionally, The Listening Room’s monthly “Sound Good Do Good” shows have raised over $177,000 for worthy causes in the past two years.

Located in Nashville’s historic International Harvester building at 618 4th Avenue South, The Listening Room prides itself on original music performances with two main stage live shows a night throughout the week along with two Saturday shows featuring an exclusive brunch menu. The iconic stage praised by some of Nashville’s most prolific writers has hosted talent such as: Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Stapleton, Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson, HARDY…and more!

Not in Nashville but want in on the unique experience at The Listening Room? Check out Stories Behind The Songs with Chris Blair. The podcast features in-depth interviews with the true stories behind the songs and the struggles in the industry with the biggest names in music, including Liz Rose, Sarah Buxton, Kristian Bush, Hannah Ellis, Walker Hayes, Trannie Anderson, Sony CEO – Rusty Gaston, Mae Estes, Pam Tillis, and many more. Find episodes on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

For tickets or more information, visit ListeningRoomCafe.com and join us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.