Grand Ole Opry: Country Music History
Starting off as a radio station in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry has evolved into one of the most important places in country music. Not only is it a performance hall where you go to watch a concert, but it is a place to honor all of country music from the past and present and to create the future of country music.
In 1925, the National Life and Accident Insurance Company created a radio station as a means of advertisement. George Hay was the first station director and, in 1927, renamed the show the Grand Ole Opry, causing its popularity to increase dramatically. It started off as a “barn dance program,” focused on “old – time instrumentals” but soon became much more. (History of the Opry ) Fans began to go to the station to watch the bands life,
crowding the small office building. As its popularity increased, the station had no choice but to move, and would have to move four times between 1934 and 1943. In 1934 it moved into the Hillsboro Theatre. Again in 1936, the Opry moved into the Dixie Tabernacle. This was in no way a fancy theatre for performances. It was instead a “religious revival house with wooden benches, sawdust floors, and no dressing rooms” but it did have enough room to seat up to 3,500 people making it able to accommodate a large quantity of fans. (Grand Ole Opry) It then moved to the War Memorial where, because of the much smaller seating capacity, the Opry had to start charging an admission fee of twenty – five cents. For the fourth time in ten years, the Grand Ole Opry moved again in 1943 to the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman Auditorium was the longest lasting of its homes, being in use by the Opry for 31 years. During all these changing in the Opry’s home its style was also changing, becoming more geared towards modern country singers.
During its time at the Ryman Auditorium the Opry expanded tremendously. Instead of just being a local broadcasting and having locals at its shows it was now broadcasted nation wide. Many cast members began touring the country during the week and performing shows at the Opry on weekends. Its cast not only toured the United States, but also toured Europe. The Opry had become much more than a radio station that put on shows. Its influence over music history was beginning to show as well. In 1945, Earl Scruggs performed with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys for the first time. Scruggs and the Bluegrass Boys set the foundation for bluegrass music to come about.
While they invited mostly already famous acts and solos, the Opry gave those just starting out a shot, often times turning unknowns into stars. The Opry has such a broad audience that it is the perfect spot to turn nobodies into somebody that everyone knows. Because of this it is no surprise that when the record industry in Nashville began to grow so did the number of hit records for members of the Opry.
In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved locations once again. This time, though, it was moving into a custom built theatre called the Grand Ole Opry House, which also had its own theme park. The Grand Ole Opry House was built in the suburbs rather than the urban area of the its previous homes. While it changed residence once again the Opry never forgot its roots. The Opry saw the importance of accommodating the new and changing styles of music, but made sure to always remember what started it. Along with the new styles, traditional styles were still played regularly.
In 1925, the National Life and Accident Insurance Company created a radio station as a means of advertisement. George Hay was the first station director and, in 1927, renamed the show the Grand Ole Opry, causing its popularity to increase dramatically. It started off as a “barn dance program,” focused on “old – time instrumentals” but soon became much more. (History of the Opry ) Fans began to go to the station to watch the bands life,
crowding the small office building. As its popularity increased, the station had no choice but to move, and would have to move four times between 1934 and 1943. In 1934 it moved into the Hillsboro Theatre. Again in 1936, the Opry moved into the Dixie Tabernacle. This was in no way a fancy theatre for performances. It was instead a “religious revival house with wooden benches, sawdust floors, and no dressing rooms” but it did have enough room to seat up to 3,500 people making it able to accommodate a large quantity of fans. (Grand Ole Opry) It then moved to the War Memorial where, because of the much smaller seating capacity, the Opry had to start charging an admission fee of twenty – five cents. For the fourth time in ten years, the Grand Ole Opry moved again in 1943 to the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman Auditorium was the longest lasting of its homes, being in use by the Opry for 31 years. During all these changing in the Opry’s home its style was also changing, becoming more geared towards modern country singers.
During its time at the Ryman Auditorium the Opry expanded tremendously. Instead of just being a local broadcasting and having locals at its shows it was now broadcasted nation wide. Many cast members began touring the country during the week and performing shows at the Opry on weekends. Its cast not only toured the United States, but also toured Europe. The Opry had become much more than a radio station that put on shows. Its influence over music history was beginning to show as well. In 1945, Earl Scruggs performed with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys for the first time. Scruggs and the Bluegrass Boys set the foundation for bluegrass music to come about.
While they invited mostly already famous acts and solos, the Opry gave those just starting out a shot, often times turning unknowns into stars. The Opry has such a broad audience that it is the perfect spot to turn nobodies into somebody that everyone knows. Because of this it is no surprise that when the record industry in Nashville began to grow so did the number of hit records for members of the Opry.
In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved locations once again. This time, though, it was moving into a custom built theatre called the Grand Ole Opry House, which also had its own theme park. The Grand Ole Opry House was built in the suburbs rather than the urban area of the its previous homes. While it changed residence once again the Opry never forgot its roots. The Opry saw the importance of accommodating the new and changing styles of music, but made sure to always remember what started it. Along with the new styles, traditional styles were still played regularly.