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Home Nashville Public Library Digital Collection Lula C. Naff, Manager of the Ryman Auditorium, circa 1950

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Lula C. Naff, Manager of the Ryman Auditorium, circa 1950

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Title	Lula C. Naff, Manager of the Ryman Auditorium, circa 1950
Personal name	Naff, Lula, 1875-1960
Corporate name	Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, Tenn.)
Topical entry	Performing Arts Popular Culture Entertainment Business Industries Capital City Downtown Nashville Buildings Architecture Performances--Tennessee--Nashville Performing arts--Tennessee--Nashville Buildings--Tennessee--Nashville Historic buildings--Tennessee--Nashville Architecture--Tennessee--Nashville Central business districts--Tennessee--Nashville Business enterprises--Tennessee--Nashville Businesspeople--Tennessee--Nashville Centers for the performing arts--Tennessee--Nashville Entertainment--Tennessee--Nashville Ticket offices--Tennessee--Nashville Cultural facilities--Tennessee--Nashville
Geographic entry	Nashville (Tenn.)--History--Sources Nashville (Tenn.)--Social life and customs Fifth Avenue (Nashville, Tenn.) Nashville (Tenn.)--Buildings, structures, etc.
Description	A photograph of Mrs. Naff standing in front of the ticket booth at the Ryman Auditorium. The building is located at 116 5th Avenue North in Nashville, Tennessee. The Ryman Auditorium opened as a tabernacle in 1892, and over the years its venue changed to become an entertainment hall. This was due primarily to the efforts of Lula Naff, a widow with a small daughter to support. She came to Nashville in 1904 as the secretary/bookkeeper for the Lyceum Bureau that booked entertainment for the Ryman. When that agency dissolved, Mrs. Naff became general manager in 1920. Her keen business instincts assured her that famous names would sell tickets, and she was right. Tenor John McCormack was her first sell-out, followed by many great musical and dramatic performers of the age, including Paderewski, Anna Pavlova, and Marian Anderson. In 1943, the Ryman began Grand Ole Opry broadcasts with many of the greats of country music performing on stage and aired over radio station WSM. Lula Naff rarely saw a performance; she was too busy collecting ticket stubs in a shoebox and working at a battered kitchen table. Mrs. Naff retired in 1955 and was given the title "General Manager Emeritus". She died in 1960, after devoting more than fifty years of distinguished service to the music venue of the Ryman Auditorium. Forms part of the Naff Collection. 1 photograph: b & w ; 11 x 14 in.
Publisher	Special Collections Division of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street, Nashville, Tennessee, 37219
Contributors	Robinson, Francis, 1910- (Donor); Naff, Lula C., 1875-1960 (Collector)
Date	ca. 1950
Type	Still Image; Photographs
Identifier	Naff oversized, Lula Naff photo
Language	English
Relation	Naff Collection
Coverage	1950-1959
Rights	U.S. and international copyright laws protect this digital content, which is provided for educational purposes only and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or distributed for any other purpose without written permission. Please contact the Special Collections Division of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street, Nashville, Tennessee, 37219. Telephone (615) 862-5782.
Location	Closed Stacks-Naff oversized, Lula Naff