The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc.), it is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners.
In the 1930s, the show began hiring professionals and expanded to four hours. Broadcasting by then at 50,000 watts, WSM made the program a Saturday night musical tradition in nearly 30 states. In 1939, it debuted nationally on NBC Radio. The Opry moved to a permanent home, the Ryman Auditorium, in 1943. As it developed in importance, so did the city of Nashville, which became America's "country music capital." The Grand Ole Opry holds such significance in Nashville that it is included as a "home of" mention on the welcome signs seen by motorists at the Metro Nashville/Davidson County line.
Membership in the Opry remains one of country music's crowning achievements. Since 1974, the show has been broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry House east of downtown Nashville, with an annual three-month winter foray back to the Ryman from 1999–2020. In addition to the radio programs, performances have been sporadically televised over the years. The Opry's television partner is currently Circle, a digital multicast network which is partially-owned by Opry Entertainment, and broadcasts portions of the live Saturday night performance on an irregular basis.
1925Nov, 28
The Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting in Nashville, Tennessee, as the WSM Barn Dance.
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Events on 1925
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F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner's Sons. - 25May
John T. Scopes
Scopes Trial: John T. Scopes is indicted for teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in Tennessee. - 30May
Shanghai Municipal Police
May Thirtieth Movement: Shanghai Municipal Police Force shoot and kill 13 protesting workers. - 21Jul
Scopes Trial
Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100.Malcolm Campbell becomes the first man to exceed 150 mph (241 km/h) on land. At Pendine Sands in Wales, he drives Sunbeam 350HP built by Sunbeam at a two-way average speed of 150.33 mph (242 km/h).[2] - 5Nov
Sidney Reilly
Secret agent Sidney Reilly, the first "super-spy" of the 20th century, is executed by the OGPU, the secret police of the Soviet Union.