WSM’s Barn Dance debuted on January 7, 1924. The program was later renamed “The Grand Ole Opry.”

On October, 5, 1925, at 7:00 PM, WSM was born when Edwin Craig spoke the following words into the microphone; “This is WSM, ‘We Shield Millions.’  The National Life and Accident Insurance Company.”

November 28, 1925 George D. Hay presented the debut broadcast of  “The WSM Barn Dance,” later to be re-named “The Grand Ole Opry.” The broadcast originated from the WSM studio.

WSM increased their power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts in 1927. The new power brought WSM into many more homes. Later in 1927, WSM became affiliated with the brand new National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network.

The Grand Ole Opry began paying their performers in 1930. Every Saturday night, each member received five dollars apiece.

WSM’s Artists’ Bureau was formed in 1930. It served as the Booking Agency for the stars of the Grand Ole Opry. The artists were charged fifteen percent of the money they received for their road shows.

In 1932 WSM became one of the superstations of the radio industry. The power was increased from 5,000 watts to 50,000 watts, and they were assigned a clear-channel frequency. The Grand Ole Opry could now be heard on 650 WSM everywhere in America, east of the Rocky Mountains.

October 27, 1934 the Grand Ole Opry moved from WSM’s Studio C, to Nashville’s Hillsboro Theatre. The Hillsboro seated 2,400 people, and for the first time the stars would have dressing rooms. At this time the artists were instructed to wear costumes on the show.  The opening night at the Hillsboro Theatre was Vito Pellettiere’s debut as the Opry’s first stage manager. Mr. Pellettiere’s contribution to the success of the Opry over the next forty years cannot be over stated.

The Grand Ole Opry moved again in 1936, from the Hillsboro Theatre, to the Dixie Tabernacle, on Fatherland Street in East Nashville. The Tabernacle seated one thousand people. The Opry audience was removed at the end of every hour, to make room for another audience. The Opry consisted of three one-hour segments. As always, the tickets were free.  The National Life and Accident Insurance salesmen handed out all of the tickets to the Opry, the week prior to the show. The Grand Ole Opry tickets came in three different colors. One color for each of the three segments of the Saturday night show.

In July of 1939, the Grand Ole Opry moved from the Dixie Tabernacle, to the 2000 + seat War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Nashville. For the first time, the audience was charged an admission fee of twenty-five cents per ticket.

In 1943, the Grand Ole Opry moved into the Ryman Auditorium, where they would remain for the next thirty-one years.  The Ryman was, and remains today, the finest showcase for the art form we know as Country Music.  On July 25, 2001, the National Park Service officially named the Ryman Auditorium a National Historic Landmark.

During a sixteen-month period ranging from March 5^th, 1963 to July 31^st, 1964 the Grand Ole Opry Family lost the following:

3-5-63      Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Randy Hughes, died near Camden, Tennessee in a plane crash.

3-7-63      Jack Anglin of “Johnny & Jack,” was killed in a car wreck en route to Patsy Clines funeral.

7-31-64  Jim Reeves and Dean Manuel were killed in a plane crash near Nashville.

November 12, 1971, construction began on a new Grand Ole Opry House just off Briley Parkway in Nashville.

March 16, 1974, with the President and First Lady of the United States in attendance, the first show at the New Grand Ole Opry House was presented to the world. Thirteen large dressing rooms were used for the first time. Dressing Room #1, permanently assigned to Roy Acuff, displayed a small plaque on the door. The plaque, hung on the door by Mr. Acuff stated, “Ain’t nothin’ gonna come up today that me and the Lord can’t handle.”

One Opry member refused to make the move to the new Opry house. Tom T. Hall resigned from the Grand Ole Opry rather than make the move. Sixteen years later, in the parking lot at the rear of the Opry House, Tom T. was approached by Ernest Tubb who told him to get back to the Opry, because he belonged there. Tom T. Hall rejoined the Grand Ole Opry in 1980.

The National Life and Accident Insurance Company, in Nashville, Tennessee, owned WSM. The WSM stood for “We Shield Millions.”

The Grand Ole Opry was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1992.

WSM fm broadcast the Opry for the very first time on February 9, 2002.

In 2004 Country Music seldom makes it’s way to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

Bill Morrison ©2004