After nearly 50 years in country music, John Anderson is finally headlining the Ryman

Believe or not, John Anderson spent nearly five decades in country music without headlining the historic Ryman Auditorium.

That streak ends Sunday.

Anderson — a crisp-voiced neotraditional hitmaker known for influential 1980s and '90s cuts like "Straight Tequila Night," "Swingin'" and "Seminole Wind" — steps inside the so-called Mother Church of Country Music this weekend for a night of acoustic strumming and throwback country storytelling. Tickets to the one-night Sunday show start at $39.50 before fees.

After playing a handful of outlaw country tribute concerts and popping backstage for occasional one-off appearances, Anderson described his overdue headlining debut as "personally, a special deal for me." It's a self-described full-circle moment for a singer-songwriter who cut his teeth inside Nashville clubs in the 1970s.

"The Ryman is one of my favorite places to perform, period," Anderson said last week via phone. He later added, "We don't play Nashville very much these days."

Anderson brings with him a songbook spanning from stand-alone singles released in the late 1970s to his 2020 Dan Auerbach-produced effort, "Years." A new generation of country favorites — including Luke Combs, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers and Eric Church — celebrated Anderson's ongoing influence by releasing a 2022 tribute album covering his collection of well-worn tunes. Along with "Seminole Wind" and "Straight Tequila Night," fans of nostalgic country songs likely recognize the 68-year-old Anderson for "Would You Catch A Falling Star," "Wild and Blue" and "Money In The Bank."

At the Ryman this weekend, show-goers can expect Anderson to play the hits; he can't get off stage without playing "Swingin'," after all. He'll also dig into a few songs from "Years," the retrospective 10-song effort he cut with Auerbach at Nashville's Easy Eye Sound.

Anderson began playing acoustic shows about five years ago, he said. A stripped-down performance alongside longtime bandmate Glenn Rieuf, no two gigs sound the same.

For Anderson, playing acoustic "puts the song under the spotlight," he said.

"I never do the same thing twice, but generally I'll tell a little story [before] this song or that one, just depending on how the night's going," Anderson said. "A big part of it is just the simplicity. ... just the song and very little production behind it."

As for if he'll enlist a surprise guest or two on stage Sunday night?

"This particular time, just because I've never been asked to do my own show at the Ryman," Anderson said, "I told Glenn going in, 'We better keep this one to ourselves and hope we do good.'"

John Anderson in Nashville

• Where: Ryman Auditorium, 116 Fifth Ave. N.
• When: Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
• Cost: Tickets start at 39.50 before fees
• More information: ryman.com