28th November 1925: The Grand Ole Opry broadcast for the first time

The Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio show in U.S. history that began as a weekly stage concert broadcast known as the WSM Barn Dance. The show was the brainchild of George D. Hay, an experienced radio personality who was hired to be station manager at the newly-established WSM-AM in Nashville, Tennessee. The station was owned by the National Life and Accident Insurance Company and broadcast from the company’s office in downtown Nashville.
Hay had previously been the announcer for the National Barn Dance program at WLS in Chicago, and created a version of the station’s successful old-time music program when he took up his new position in Nashville. On 28 November 1925 the show was launched with a performance by Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddler, who had been recommended by his niece who worked at the station as a piano accompanist.
Thompson’s performance began at 8pm and saw him take requests from the public who flooded the station with phone calls and telegrams. His appearance was an immediate hit but, as the program adopted a more formal structure, Thompson’s involvement declined. Hay began to feature a roster of string bands and singers, and after the broadcast was given a regular Saturday night slot it was renamed the Grand Ole Opry in May 1926.
As the radio show developed a variety format, live audiences were invited to watch the show. Due to demand, the Grand Ole Opry was soon forced to broadcast from a procession of larger venues outside the studio, and moved to its current home at the 4,000-seater Grand Ole Opry House in 1974.

[@bigbossman7991]

Wow!!!! Thanks!!!!

[@JJohnston4Life]

What's crazy is the picture at 2:00 literally looks almost the same. I walk that street every night on my way home from work.

[@malachidragula3585]

The name change occurred in December of 1927 when in a transition from Grand Opera music to what was then known as the WSM barn dance George D Hay said over the air "For the past hour we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera; from now on we will present the...... Grand Ole Opry."

[@bchristian85]

Anywhere to find any of these early broadcasts? They should be in the public domain by now. The farthest back I can find on KZbin is 1939.

[@historypod]

Very few early radio recordings exist because of the lack of a suitable recording medium. Broadcasts had to be recorded onto phonograph disks, which made it incredibly expensive. Special broadcasts would be recorded, but most radio shows weren't. There's some interesting stuff about recording early radio at en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Radio#Electrical_transcription_discs

[@northsofa5520]

I thought the first one was in the 50s. I was very wrong.

[@historypod]

Incredible to think it will soon be celebrating its 100th anniversary

[@timstamps5281]

The Waltons were known to listen to the Grand Ole' Opry, set in the 1930s.