Opry 100 celebrates the past, present and future of the Grand Ole Opry

Photographs courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry

The inside of the famed Opry House auditorium is still before welcoming thousands of guests for a show.

On Nov. 28, 1925, a prominent radio announcer and a 77-year-old fiddle player went live on the “WSM Barn Dance”-— debuting the show that would soon make country music famous.

“People were tuned in that Saturday night and wrote in, saying, ‘That’s the kind of music we hunger for. Keep it up,’” said Dan Rogers, senior vice president and executive producer at the Grand Ole Opry. “Truly from that point forward, that was what would become the Grand Ole Opry.”

How the Opry came to be

A month before that show, the National Life and Accident Insurance Company decided to launch its own radio station. It was the still-well-known WSM radio, named for the company’s slogan, “We Shield Millions.” Initially it was an effort to sell more insurance, but soon it became much more. The company built a small studio with a window in its downtown Nashville office, and the station went live for the first time on Oct. 5, 1925. Its most famous show, “WSM Barn Dance,” which was soon renamed the “Grand Ole Opry,” kicked off that November night with George D. Hay and Uncle Jimmy Thompson.

Radio announcer George D. Hay stands at the microphone, and Uncle Jimmy Thompson sits with his fiddle for the first show of “WSM Barn Dance” in 1925.

Stewarding the Opry

While Rogers was obviously not there 100 years ago when this story began, he’s had quite the hand in the journey over the past two decades.

“I have been a Grand Ole Opry fan all my life,” Rogers shared.

Many might make the same claim, but Rogers has truly lived this statement. When he was in kindergarten, his parents left their hometown of Xenia, Illinois, and brought him to Music City for his very first Opry show.

Singer and songwriter Taylor Swift performs on the Opry stage on April 7, 2007.

Stars crowd the stage at the grand opening of the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974.

The Opry House celebrates its 50th anniversary on March 16, 2024.

“I remember Dolly Parton being on that night,” Rogers recalled.

The Rogers family made several trips back to the Opry House throughout his childhood, and when he couldn’t make it in person, he would tune in to 650 AM every chance he had.

“I had the Opry on a huge pedestal,” Rogers said. “I still do today.”

Rogers moved to Nashville in 1998 for the start of his career with the Opry as an intern. Since then, he has held several positions in marketing, communications and strategic partnerships.

“Today, I help steward the Opry toward its future,” Rogers said. “We try to make every show the very best it can be with nods to the past, present and future of country music, and while we’re doing that night after night, we hope to be building upon this incredible legacy that has become the Grand Ole Opry.”

As the red curtain goes up

The legacy of the show and how it has changed would amaze any country music fan.

“It’s almost unrecognizable from 1925, but then at its heart it remains the show that, fortunately, people around the world want to play and the show that people around the world want to visit and tune in to,” Rogers said.

One of the many changes for the show is its location. The National Life Company’s downtown office was soon filled with fans trying to watch the show. That ultimately led to the move to the Hillsboro Theater in October 1934. Performances were also held at the Dixie Tabernacle and War Memorial Auditorium. Popularity of the Opry really took off when the show moved to the Ryman Auditorium in June 1943. Shows were put on there through March 1974 — and some still are today — before moving to the Grand Ole Opry House. Now, 4,400 people can enjoy Nashville’s ultimate live music experience.

One of the biggest changes for the Opry, though, has been how the audience can enjoy that experience. What was once a program broadcast on a small radio station is now available on Sirius XM satellite radio. You can even watch the show on Opry’s Facebook page and YouTube channel and via Circle Country digital streaming partners.

“Today someone can be listening on their phone in South Africa, Iceland and Iowa, but in terms of things staying the same, you could also be tuned into the very device that your great-, great-, great-grandmother was listing to and still pick up that signal today on WSM radio,” Rogers said.

No matter how fans tune in, though, the same country music genre the world has come to love is still being played every time the big red curtain goes up.

“You’re still going to hear a great fiddle tune and the sounds of square dancers on the stage, but you’re also going to hear songs that have just been released, but those are right beside songs that very well could have been played on the early days of the Grand Ole Opry,” Rogers explained.

Rapper turned country music artist Post Malone makes his Opry debut on Aug. 14, 2024.

Opry 100

Over 100 years, the Opry has become country music’s biggest stage, meaning a celebration is in store.

“Every show will include things that help propel us into our next century while also taking a look back and celebrating the great people that have walked through these doors and have sung on our stages for 100 years now,” Rogers said.

More than 230 shows are already on the calendar for Opry 100, and the performances are going to be more memorable than ever. Opry 100 will be included in every show and began with Bill Anderson, the longest-serving member in Opry history, taking the stage in January to kickstart the anniversary.

“Opry 100 Honors” shows will be hosted throughout the year to salute iconic artists who have helped make the show what it is today, including Roy Acuff, Johnny and June Carter Cash, Patsy Cline, Charlie Daniels, George Jones and more. As the Opry looks to the next century, 100 Opry debuts will be made this year, too, with the first of the year being Shaboozey. The Opry will also be naming country music’s 100 all-time greatest songs, chosen by none other than the fans. Those songs will be showcased throughout shows this year.

Another highlight for the anniversary will be the first time the Opry goes international. At a time where country music is growing in global popularity, the show will stage a performance outside the United States this fall from the renowned Royal Albert Hall in London.

Also, this fall, the Opry will celebrate its birthday all throughout October. For decades, the Opry has marked its birthday with a special weekend in October. This year, every show in the month will be a birthday party in the Opry House lobby with a larger-than-life birthday cake on the Opry stage.

The Opry will also celebrate in a big way on its exact anniversary.

“Nov. 28 will be the exact 100-year anniversary since the first time Uncle Jimmy Thompson sat down with his fiddle and played ‘Tennessee Wagoner’ on what would become the Grand Ole Opry,” Rogers said.

This special show will take a walk down memory lane, beginning with that first performance and building toward a look to the Opry’s next century.

Aside from performances, there will also be merchandise available for purchase to commemorate the anniversary, including the first-ever book that will feature every Opry member and their contributions to country music’s most revered stage. “100 Years of Grand Ole Opry” by Craig Shelburne will be available this April. Other apparel, home goods and even an Opry-themed children’s book are also available for purchase.

Country music artists Brad Paisley and Little Jimmy Dickens return the Circle to the Opry stage after the 2010 Nashville floods.

‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’

As celebrations this year reflect over the past century and point forward to the next, one thing for certain is that the circle will be unbroken.

“I am looking forward to opening the door to the next 100 years,” Rogers said. “I know I won’t be here to celebrate all those 100 years, but I’m looking forward to all of us who work at the Opry, all the fans of the Opry and the artists of the Opry coming together to celebrate the past but linking arms and forging this great path to the future.”

Visit the Opry!

Grand Ole Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Drive • Ryman Auditorium, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North

For more information: opry.com
615-871-6779





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