The History of the Grand Ole Opry
- The National Life and Accidental Insurance Company built radio station WSM in Nashville in 1925. The station's call letters stood for the company's motto: "We Shield Millions."
George Hay was hired as WSM program director in October 1925. One month later, on Nov. 28, 1925, Hay and championship fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson launched "The WSM Barn Dance."
George Hay renamed the show the Grand Ole Opry in 1927. - Crowds began to flock to the WSM studio to see the performers. The station built a
500-seat auditorium, but this was inadequate. In 1934, the Grand Ole Opry moved to Hillsboro Theater.
The Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville and War Memorial Auditorium served as home to the Grand Ole Opry. - In 1943, the Grand Ole Opry moved to the Ryman Theater. The Ryman was the home of the Grand Ole Opry for the next 31 years.
In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved into the larger Grand Ole Opry House at Opry Land, USA. This is the modern home of the Grand Ole Opry. - NBC radio began carrying the Grand Ole Opry in 1939. By 1943, the show was aired on 140 NBC affiliates.
The Grand Ole Opry two-hour weekend syndicated radio program currently airs in 200 markets.
The PBS TV network began televising the Grand Ole Opry on March 4, 1978.
In April 1985, the Nashville Network began airing the "Grand Ole Opry Live" on Saturday nights.
This show can now be seen on the Great American Country music cable TV network. - Before 1938, the Grand Ole Opry emphasized instrumental groups, but this changed when Roy Acuff joined the cast and performed the song "The Great Speckled Bird."
Country stars such as Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams Sr., Webb Pierce, Lefty Frizzell and Faron Young are some of the country stars who performed there. - Since the 1980s, the Grand Ole Opry began to include modern performers such as Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Lorrie Morgan, Ricky van Shelton, Steve Wariner, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson.