Okla-homey
11/28/2006, 07:32 AM
Nov. 28, 1925 : The Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting
81 years ago, on this day in 1925, The Grand Ole Opry, one of the longest-lived and most popular showcases for western music, begins broadcasting live from Nashville, Tennessee.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6280/oooooooooo991022fhh8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The building was originally a gospel mission. The Opry is now broadcast most of the year from its new studios owned by the Gaylord family. If you decide to go, go between Thanksgiving and the middle of January when the show is broadcast from the Ryman for "old time's sake."
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1285/oooooooooooograndoleoprvu1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Opry in its new digs pwn3d by the Gaylord family
The showcase was originally named the Barn Dance, after a Chicago radio program called the National Barn Dance that had begun broadcasting the previous year.
Impressed by the popularity of the Chicago-based National Barn Dance, producers at WSM radio in Nashville decided to create their own version of the show to cater to southern audiences who could not receive the Chicago signal.
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/6850/oooooooooooooooooooo188pz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Little Jimmy Dickens. The Opry's "Mini Me." Your correspondent and his family had the pleasure of meeting Mr Dickens once. He's about 4'9" or so and extremely gracious. He gives the fans a ton!
Both the Grand Ole Opry and the National Barn Dance aired on Saturday nights and featured folk music, fiddling, and the relatively new genre of country-western music.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7059/oooooooooooooooooooxroyfb2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Opry greats Roy Acuff, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl and Ernest Tubb
Both shows created a growing audience for a uniquely American style of music and were launching grounds for many of America's most-loved musicians--the singing cowboy Gene Autry got his first big break on the National Barn Dance.
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/635/ooooooooooooooooooooosqva6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Random acts of square-dancing often break out during Opry broadcasts
The WSM producers recognized that Americans were growing nostalgic for the rural past, so all live performers at the Grand Ole Opry were required to dress in hillbilly costumes and adopt old-time names.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/689/ooooooooooooooooomaxinecy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chicks dig Opry stars. Here's "Grampaw Jones" getting kissed by an enamored fan...and no, that woman is not Porter Waggoner in drag
BTW, "WSM" radio was originally owned by a life insurance company. That company's tagline was "We Shield Millions," hence the call letters they chose for their station.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3896/ooooooooooooooolynnmcbrlw8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Opry goddesses Loretta and Martina
The four-and-a-half-hour Grand Ole Opry program became one of the most popular broadcasts in the South, and like its Chicago cousin, helped make country-western an enduring part of the popular American musical landscape.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2019/oooooooooooooooooooogayfw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Immerse yourself in hillbilly glory at the Gaylord's Opryland Hotel in Nashville
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/6706/insane7zovj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
81 years ago, on this day in 1925, The Grand Ole Opry, one of the longest-lived and most popular showcases for western music, begins broadcasting live from Nashville, Tennessee.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6280/oooooooooo991022fhh8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The building was originally a gospel mission. The Opry is now broadcast most of the year from its new studios owned by the Gaylord family. If you decide to go, go between Thanksgiving and the middle of January when the show is broadcast from the Ryman for "old time's sake."
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1285/oooooooooooograndoleoprvu1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Opry in its new digs pwn3d by the Gaylord family
The showcase was originally named the Barn Dance, after a Chicago radio program called the National Barn Dance that had begun broadcasting the previous year.
Impressed by the popularity of the Chicago-based National Barn Dance, producers at WSM radio in Nashville decided to create their own version of the show to cater to southern audiences who could not receive the Chicago signal.
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/6850/oooooooooooooooooooo188pz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Little Jimmy Dickens. The Opry's "Mini Me." Your correspondent and his family had the pleasure of meeting Mr Dickens once. He's about 4'9" or so and extremely gracious. He gives the fans a ton!
Both the Grand Ole Opry and the National Barn Dance aired on Saturday nights and featured folk music, fiddling, and the relatively new genre of country-western music.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7059/oooooooooooooooooooxroyfb2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Opry greats Roy Acuff, Red Foley, Minnie Pearl and Ernest Tubb
Both shows created a growing audience for a uniquely American style of music and were launching grounds for many of America's most-loved musicians--the singing cowboy Gene Autry got his first big break on the National Barn Dance.
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/635/ooooooooooooooooooooosqva6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Random acts of square-dancing often break out during Opry broadcasts
The WSM producers recognized that Americans were growing nostalgic for the rural past, so all live performers at the Grand Ole Opry were required to dress in hillbilly costumes and adopt old-time names.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/689/ooooooooooooooooomaxinecy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chicks dig Opry stars. Here's "Grampaw Jones" getting kissed by an enamored fan...and no, that woman is not Porter Waggoner in drag
BTW, "WSM" radio was originally owned by a life insurance company. That company's tagline was "We Shield Millions," hence the call letters they chose for their station.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3896/ooooooooooooooolynnmcbrlw8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Opry goddesses Loretta and Martina
The four-and-a-half-hour Grand Ole Opry program became one of the most popular broadcasts in the South, and like its Chicago cousin, helped make country-western an enduring part of the popular American musical landscape.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2019/oooooooooooooooooooogayfw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Immerse yourself in hillbilly glory at the Gaylord's Opryland Hotel in Nashville
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/6706/insane7zovj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)