Lester Holt Shows Off His Guitar Skills at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium Alongside Michael Ray

Lester Holt showed off his impressive guitar skills when he was in Nashville recently for his recurring NBC Nightly News series, Across America.

"Music is the soul of Nashville," said Holt in the special while talking about his visit to the Ryman Auditorium, which was built in 1892 as a place of worship. Since then it has evolved into a venue that has featured legendary musicians including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Duke Ellington.

Those who have performed there attest, there is no experience quite like it.

Holt, 62, sat down with country music star Michael Ray during the special, and the singer recalled the first time he performed at the famed Ryman.

"You feel that energy from the men and women that made this room what it was back in the day," said Ray, 33.

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Later on, the pair performed a rendition of the song "Today I Started Loving You Again."

"You just witnessed your next duo of the year," Holt jokingly told Ray.

For the special broadcast, Holt also sat down with country star Brad Paisley and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley about The Store, the couple's free referral-based grocery store in Nashville that works to help people lift themselves out of food insecurity.

In addition to Nashville, the five cities Holt will visit throughout the week are: Austin, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona.

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt airs 6:30 p.m. ET.