Jason Isbell Picks School and Youth Music Programs as Openers for 10th Ryman Residency

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will mark the 10th year of their Ryman Auditorium residency this October. This time, the opening slots will go to student groups and music education programs instead of the touring artists who usually fill them.

The annual run has become one of Nashville's more cherished recent traditions, and the band has long used it to draw attention to musicians it believes deserve a wider audience. This year's lineup stays true to that habit but takes a different form. According to an Instagram post announcing the shows, the support acts will represent public schools and other music programs around the Southeast, "to highlight the educators and students working to shape the next generation of live music."

The residency opens Oct. 16 with performers from the Athens, Georgia, area, drawn from Nuçi's Space Camp Amped Program featuring Women in STEM. On Oct. 17, ForgetMeNots, a student band from the YEAH! Rocks Music Camp in Middle Tennessee, will take the stage. The Otis Redding Foundation Allstars, from the Macon, Georgia, area, follow on Oct. 18.

After a short break, the series resumes Oct. 23 with the Wright Middle School Mariachi Ensemble from Nashville. Students from Nashville School of the Arts are scheduled for Oct. 24. The LoveUnited group from The L.O.V.E. Academy in Nashville closes out the run on Oct. 25.

The choice puts a spotlight on arts education at a time when funding for such programs has become increasingly hard to find, as the Nashville Scene noted in its coverage. The publication said the educators' dedication and the students' enthusiasm deserve recognition, and it described camp showcases as among the most rewarding performances a listener can catch.

Tickets for the October residency go on sale Friday, June 20, at 10 a.m.