5. Richard Nixon
He’s certainly not the most popular president in history, but Richard Nixon is the only president to ever perform onstage at the Grand Ole Opry.
When the Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to its “new” home at the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, Mr. Nixon came to Nashville. Roy Acuff invited the president onstage to perform a piano rendition of “God Bless America.” Later, Acuff famously gave the president an onstage yo-yo lesson.
Two years earlier, Nixon invited Johnny Cash to the White House. While Nixon expected a lighthearted visit and a free concert, Cash had another plan in mind. While Nixon requested Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee” and Guy Drake’s “Welfare Cadillac,” Cash opted for a few more somber songs.
Cash performed “Man in Black” and “What is Truth,” a protest song that criticized the Vietnam War.
Cash used his moment to speak his mind and stand up for what he believed in. What’s more American than that?