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Grand Ole Opry

Long-running US music show
from otrr.org

The Grand Ole Opry started as the WSM Barn Dance in the new fifth-floor radio station studio of the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in downtown Nashville, Tennessee on November 28, 1925. On October 18, 1925, management began a program featuring "Dr. Humphrey Bate and his string quartet of old-time musicians." On November 2, WSM hired long-time announcer and program director George D. "Judge" Hay, an enterprising pioneer from the National Barn Dance program at WLS Radio in Chicago, who was also named the most popular radio announcer in America as a result of his radio work with both WLS in Chicago and WMC in Memphis. Hay launched the WSM Barn Dance with 77-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson on November 28, 1925, which is celebrated as the birth date of the Grand Ole Opry.

Some of the bands regularly featured on the show during its early days included the Possum Hunters (with Dr. Humphrey Bate), the Fruit Jar Drinkers, the Crook Brothers, the Binkley Brothers' Dixie Clodhoppers, Uncle Dave Macon, Sid Harkreader, Deford Bailey, Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, and the Gully Jumpers.

However, Judge Hay liked the Fruit Jar Drinkers and asked them to appear last on each show because he wanted to always close each segment with "red hot fiddle playing". They were the second band accepted on the "Barn Dance", with the Crook Brothers being the first. And when the Opry began having square dancers on the show, the Fruit Jar Drinkers always played for them.

In 1926, Uncle Dave Macon, a Tennessee banjo player who had recorded several songs and toured the vaudeville circuit, became its first real star. The name Grand Ole Opry came about on December 10, 1927. The Barn Dance followed NBC Radio Network's Music Appreciation Hour, which consisted of classical music and selections from the Grand Opera genre. Their final piece that night featured a musical interpretation of an onrushing railroad locomotive. In response to this Judge Hay quipped, "Friends, the program which just came to a close was devoted to the classics. Doctor Damrosch told us that there is no place in the classics for realism. However, from here on out for the next three hours, we will present nothing but realism. It will be down to earth for the 'earthy'." He then introduced the man he dubbed the Harmonica Wizard - DeFord Bailey who played his classic train song "The Pan American Blues". After Bailey's performance Hay commented, "For the past hour, we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera. From now on we will present the 'Grand Ole Opry'".

As audiences to the live show increased, National Life & Accident Insurance's radio venue became too small to accommodate the hordes of fans. They built a larger studio, but it was still not large enough. After several months of no audiences, National Life decided to allow the Opry to move outside its home offices. The Opry moved, in October, 1934, into then-suburban Hillsboro Theatre (now the Belcourt), and then on June 13, 1936, to the Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville. The Opry then moved to the War Memorial Auditorium, a downtown venue adjacent to the State Capitol. A 25-cent admission was charged in an effort to curb the large crowds, but to no avail. On June 5, 1943, the Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium. It was used for Grand Ole Opry broadcasts from 1943 until 1974.

Top-charting country music acts performed there during the Ryman years, including Roy Acuff, called the King of Country Music, Red Foley, Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Faron Young, Martha Carson, Lefty Frizzell, and many, many others.

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  1. xxxxxx 0358 - Back Pocket Money (41Mb)
  2. xxxxxx 0356 - Wondering If You're Lonesome Too (1.8Mb)
  3. xxxxxx 0355 - Little Pal %7BAFRS%7D (41.5Mb)
  4. 51xxxx 0202 - Highway to Nowhere' (25.2Mb)
  5. xxxxxx 0146 - Old Number Nine (33.1Mb)
  6. 6xxxxx xxxx - Wabash Cannonball (34.2Mb)
  7. 6xxxxx xxxx - Thank's A Lot (40.7Mb)
  8. xx-xx-xx (xxxx) - Sea Of Heartbreak (6.5Mb)
  9. xx-xx-xx (xxxx) - I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow (6.9Mb)
  10. xx-xx-xx (xxxx) - Ain't Gonna Work (6.9Mb)
  11. xx-xx-xx (xxxx) - A Lady's Man (14.3Mb)
  12. 39-10-14 (xxxx) - Ida Red (First NBC Show) (27.5Mb)
  13. 39-10-21 (xxxx) - Be All Smiles Tonight (Roy Acuff) (13.7Mb)
  14. 39-11-04 (xxxx) - Sitting On Top Of The World (13.7Mb)
  15. 391125 xxxx Call All Rattlers (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (file not found)
  16. 391223 xxxx Love Somebody (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (54.2Mb)
  17. 391230 xxxx Old Joe Clark (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (file not found)
  18. 400302 xxxx Whoa Mule Whoa (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (54.5Mb)
  19. 400309 xxxx Good Old Mountain Dew (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (54.6Mb)
  20. 400323 xxxx Greenback Dollar (Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys) (256-44) (54.3Mb)
  21. 400330 xxx MC George T Hay 'Livin' on the Mountain' Roy Acuff (file not found)
  22. 39-11-11 (xxxx) - Old Joe Clark (13.7Mb)
  23. 411004 xxx MC George T Hay 'Soldier's Joy' Roy Acuff (file not found)
  24. 411011 xxx MC George T Hay 'Just to Ease My Wearied Mind' Roy Acuff (file not found)
  25. 41-12-20 (xxxx) - Livin' On The Mountain (13.6Mb)
  26. 420711 xxx MC George T Hay 'John Henry' Roy Acuff Announced as the 1st Show on WMAQ (file not found)
  27. (file not found)
  28. 420726 xxx 1st Livin' on the Mountain, Baby Mine Guest, George D Hay, Grand Ole Opry Founder (192-44) (40.9Mb)
  29. 42-12-05 (xxxx) - Boil Them Cabbage Down (13.3Mb)
  30. 421212 xxx MC George T Hay 'Boil Them Cabbage Down' Roy Acuff WSM Aircheck (file not found)
  31. 42-12-19 (xxxx) - Greenback Dollar (13.5Mb)
  32. 1942-12-26 Livin' on the Mountain (Roy Acuff)(Prince Albert) (27.4Mb)
  33. 1943-01-02 - Take That Night Train to Memphis (Roy Acuff)(Prince Albert) (27.3Mb)
  34. 430417 Good Old Mountain Dew (Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys, Rachel Veach)(Prince Albert) (55.7Mb)
  35. 430904 Cindy (Golden West Cowboys)(Prince Albert) (1.8Mb)
  36. 43-09-04 (xxxx) - Get Along Home Cindy (13.4Mb)
  37. 430925 Columbus Stockade Blues (Curly Williams)(Prince Albert) (54.7Mb)
  38. 43-09-25 (xxxx) - Columbus Stockade Blues (13.6Mb)
  39. 44-06-17 (xxxx) - Down In Union County (5.4Mb)
  40. 44-08-04 (xxxx) - John Henry (7Mb)
  41. 441209 xxx - Branded Wherever I Go (replacing AFRS National Barn Dance 121) (256-44) (55.8Mb)
  42. 45-xx-xx (xxxx) - We Live In Two Different Worlds (6.5Mb)
  43. 450908 My Old Pal Of Yesterday (Roy Acuff)(Prince Albert) (C) (54.2Mb)
  44. 45-12-22 (xxxx) - The Last Letter (6.7Mb)
  45. 460216 Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (Roy Acuff)(Prince Albert) (C) (54.2Mb)
  46. 46-02-23 (xxxx) - My Old Pal Of Yesterday (Roy Acuff) (6.4Mb)
  47. 46-12-21 (xxxx) - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (7Mb)
  48. - 47xxxx - AFRS 50 - 1st Detour Sign (34.3Mb)
  49. 47-03-15 (xxxx) - Freight Train Blues (13.5Mb)
  50. 47-12-14 (xxxx) - Roly Poly (5.5Mb)
  51. 48-01-08 (xxxx) - Just Come On Back (10.5Mb)
  52. 480510 0032 - Just Because (22Mb)
  53. 48-05-29 (xxxx) - Easy to Please (10.3Mb)
  54. 4806xx xxxx - John Henry (22.5Mb)
  55. 48-07-24 (xxxx) - Rock On Down The Line (13.6Mb)
  56. 48-12-xx (xxxx) - Down By The Old Mill Creek (0.3Mb)
  57. 48-12-05 (xxxx) - Never Trust A Woman (4.3Mb)
  58. 48-12-12 (xxxx) - I'm So Easy To Please (10.3Mb)
  59. 49-xx-xx (xxxx) - Aunt Jemima's Plaster (Red Foley) (5.5Mb)
  60. 490101 xxxx Red Foley, Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield (192-44) (40.4Mb)
  61. 490115 xxxx 'I Believe I'm Entitled To You' (Home Recordings) (file not found)
  62. 420718 xxx MC George T Hay 'Charming Betsy' Roy Acuff WMAQ (file not found)
  63. 49-02-23 (xxxx) - On The Tennessee Border (10.3Mb)
  64. 49-04-02 (xxxx) - John Henry (10.7Mb)
  65. 49-04-05 (xxxx) - Night Train To Memphis (10.5Mb)
  66. 490423 xxxx - On The Tennessee Border %7BAFRS%7D (21.5Mb)
  67. 49-04-30 (xxxx) - Shortnin' Bread (Red Foley) (5.9Mb)
  68. 490910 094 1st Detour Sign Montana Slim 'My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby' %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.3Mb)
  69. 49-10-01 (0097) - Roly Poly (5.5Mb)
  70. 49-11-19 (xxxx) - (unknown) (from Rhine-Main Air Base) (3.3Mb)
  71. 49-11-26 (xxxx) - Freight Train Boogie (from Berlin) (9.6Mb)
  72. 49-12-03 (xxxx) - Sunday Down In Tennessee (10.8Mb)
  73. 49-12-10 (xxxx) - Night Train To Memphis (6Mb)
  74. 500107 115 1st They All Go Native in a Saturday Night Tennessee Ernie Ford's 1st Appearance %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.8Mb)
  75. 500114 114 1st The Sugarfoot Rag Guest, Jimmie Wakely %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.5Mb)
  76. 50-02-15 (0117) Guest - Ernest Tubb (11.4Mb)
  77. 50-02-16 (0116) Guest - Hank Williams (11.5Mb)
  78. 500218 116 1st Aunt Jemima's Plaster Guest, Hank Williams %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.6Mb)
  79. 50-02-20 (0127) Guest - Leon McAuliff (34.1Mb)
  80. 500225 117 1st Tennessee Baby Ernest Tubb Subs for Red Foley %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.4Mb)
  81. 500520 127 1st Sugar Foot Rag Guest, Leon McAuliffe %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.1Mb)
  82. 500715 135 1st On a Sunday Night in Tennessee Guest, Elton Britt %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.4Mb)
  83. 500722 136 1st The Birmingham Bounce Guest, Merle Travis %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.4Mb)
  84. 50-08-05 (0559) - Aunt Jemima's Plaster (Red Foley) (2) (10.2Mb)
  85. 500916 143 1st Memphis Tennessee Guest, George Morgan %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.2Mb)
  86. 501007 147 1st Cincinnati's Dancing Pig Guest, Tennessee Ernie Ford %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.6Mb)
  87. 501014 148 1st The Sugar Foot Drag Guests, Molly Darr and Bud Messner %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.6Mb)
  88. 501021 149 1st The Smoky Mountain Boogie Guest, Elton Britt %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.3Mb)
  89. 501025 146 1st Spread Ash Tennessee Guest, Little Jimmie Dickens %7BAFRS%7D (192-44) (34.5Mb)
  90. 50-11-25 (0153) The 25th Anniversary Program (10.7Mb)
  91. 51xxxx 0202 - 'Highway to Nowhere', by Jim Reeves Pet Milk (128-44) (12.5Mb)
  92. 510106 0199 - Tater Pie %7BAFRS%7D (21.5Mb)
  93. 51-01-27 (xxxx) - Tennessee Polka (5.8Mb)
  94. 51-05-05 (xxxx) - Me And That Mercury (10.8Mb)
  95. 51-09-22 (xxxx) - Crawdad Hole (5.5Mb)
  96. 511013 xxxx - Giles County in The State of Tennessee (25.3Mb)
  97. 51-10-24 (0202) - Smoky Mountain Boogie (25.1Mb)
  98. 511215 0195 Guest - Red Foley (23.5Mb)
  99. 52-01-12 (xxxx) - Night Train To Memphis (6Mb)
  100. 52-01-19 (xxxx) - Giles County (6.6Mb)
  101. 52-03-15 (xxxx) - Giles County (6.6Mb)
  102. 52-03-22 (xxxx) - Honky Tonk Blues (13.5Mb)
  103. 52-08-02 (xxxx) - Polka Dot Boogie (13.5Mb)
  104. 52-09-20 (0247) - Freight Train Boogie (13.5Mb)
  105. 55-12-24 (xxxx) - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (13.4Mb)
  106. 53-03-21 (xxxx) - Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (5.8Mb)
  107. 53-04-25 (xxxx) - Easy Rockin' Chair (13.4Mb)
  108. 53-06-06 (xxxx) - Down At The Foot Of The Mountain (13.5Mb)
  109. 53-07-18 (0291) - My Little Red Wagon (5.9Mb)
  110. 53-08-22 (0299) - Hillbilly Fever (5.9Mb)
  111. 53-11-22 (xxxx) - Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (5.8Mb)
  112. 53-11-23 (xxxx) - I'm Walking The Dog (5.9Mb)
  113. 53-11-28 (xxxx) - Walkin' the Dog (13.5Mb)
  114. 53-12-05 (xxxx) - Dark-Faced Filipino (6Mb)
  115. 54-xx-xx (0002) episode 2 (10.5Mb)
  116. 54-03-27 (xxxx) - Its Been Nice, Guest - Helen Traubel (26.8Mb)
  117. 54-10-30 (0343) - Love Me Now (5.9Mb)
  118. 55-07-09 (xxxx) - Down in Nashville Tennessee (13.4Mb)
  119. 55-07-23 (xxxx) - Kansas City Blues (13.4Mb)
  120. 55-08-06 (xxxx) - Go Back You Fool (26.8Mb)
  121. 55-08-13 (xxxx) - Hillybilly Fever (13.4Mb)
  122. 55-08-20 (xxxx) - Down in Nashville Tennessee (13.3Mb)
  123. 55-09-03 (xxxx) - Don't Tease Me (27.4Mb)
  124. 55-09-10 (xxxx) - Ain't Love Grand (13.2Mb)
  125. 55-09-17 (xxxx) - Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes (13.3Mb)
  126. 55-09-24 (xxxx) - Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young (26.7Mb)
  127. 55-10-01 (xxxx) - Yellow Rose of Texas (9.5Mb)
  128. 55-10-08 (xxxx) - Down in Nashville Tennessee (26.9Mb)
  129. 55-10-29 (xxxx) - Salty Boogie (13.4Mb)
  130. 55-11-05 (xxxx) - Pretty Little Sweetheart (13.4Mb)
  131. 55-11-12 (xxxx) - Don't Tease Me (13.4Mb)
  132. 55-11-19 (xxxx) - Don't Tease Me (26.7Mb)
  133. 55-11-26 (xxxx) - I'll Baby Sit with You (26.8Mb)
  134. 55-12-03 (xxxx) - Gone & Left Me Blues (13.4Mb)
  135. 55-12-17 (xxxx) - Run Boy (26.8Mb)
  136. 55-12-31 (xxxx) - Call Me Up & I'll Come Callin on You (13.4Mb)
  137. 56-01-07 (xxxx) - Caribbean (13.4Mb)
  138. 56-01-14 (xxxx) - Don't Tease Me (26.7Mb)
  139. 56-01-21 (xxxx) - I'm Walkin the Floor Over You (13.4Mb)
  140. 56-01-28 (xxxx) - Cold Feet (13.4Mb)
  141. 56-02-04 (xxxx) - John Henry (2) (13.3Mb)
  142. 56-02-11 (xxxx) - Run Boy (13.4Mb)
  143. 56-02-18 (xxxx) - Little Red Wagon (13.4Mb)
  144. 56-03-10 (xxxx) - Time Goes By (13.4Mb)
  145. 56-03-24 (xxxx) - Salty Boogie (13.4Mb)
  146. 56-03-31 (xxxx) - I've Changed (26.8Mb)
  147. 56-04-07 (xxxx) - If You Were Mine (13.4Mb)
  148. 56-04-14 (xxxx) - Saturday Night (13.4Mb)
  149. 56-04-21 (xxxx) - Any Ol' Time (13.4Mb)
  150. 56-04-28 (xxxx) - You Done Me Wrong (26.8Mb)
  151. 56-05-05 (xxxx) - Aladdin (13.3Mb)
  152. 39-10-28 (xxxx) - Whoa Mule, Whoa (27.2Mb)
  153. 56-05-19 (xxxx) - Long Tall Sally (13.3Mb)
  154. 560526 xxxx Ernest Tubb and Hank Snow (192-44) (40.5Mb)
  155. 56-06-02 (xxxx) - Send For My Baby (26.9Mb)
  156. 56-06-09 (xxxx) - Yonder Comes A Sucker (26.9Mb)
  157. 56-06-16 (xxxx) - Night Train To Memphis (26.9Mb)
  158. 56-06-30 (xxxx) - Hula Rock (13.4Mb)
  159. 56-07-07 (xxxx) - You Are the One (26.7Mb)
  160. 56-07-14 (xxxx) - Sweet Dreams (13.4Mb)
  161. 56-07-21 (xxxx) - Tennessee Central No (13.4Mb)
  162. 56-07-28 (xxxx) - You Call That Waitin' (26.8Mb)
  163. 560731 xxxx Guest Cowboy Copas (26.9Mb)
  164. 56-08-04 (xxxx) - Any Old Time (26.9Mb)
  165. 560807 xxxx Guest Marty Robbins (27.2Mb)
  166. 56-08-18 (xxxx) - The Women Make a Fool Out of Me (13.4Mb)
  167. 56-08-25 (xxxx) - You All Come and See Us (13.4Mb)
  168. 56-09-01 (xxxx) - You Are the One (13.4Mb)
  169. 56-09-08 (xxxx) - Waitin' (13.4Mb)
  170. 56-09-15 (xxxx) - Any Old Time (26.8Mb)
  171. 56-09-22 (xxxx) - Turn Her Down (13.4Mb)
  172. 56-09-29 (xxxx) - I Don't Hurt Anymore (26.8Mb)
  173. 56-10-06 (xxxx) - Cornbread & Buttermilk (13.4Mb)
  174. 56-10-13 (xxxx) - According To My Heart (2) (13.4Mb)
  175. 56-10-20 (xxxx) - Before I Met You (13.4Mb)
  176. 56-10-27 (xxxx) - Singin' The Blues (26.8Mb)
  177. 56-11-10 (xxxx) - I Couldn't Believe It Was True (26.9Mb)
  178. 56-11-03 (xxxx) - Mississippi Gal (13.4Mb)
  179. 56-03-03 (xxxx) - I Feel Better All Over (13.4Mb)
  180. 590508 xxxx - I'll Sail My Ship Alone (27Mb)
  181. 590515 xxxx - You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry (26.7Mb)
  182. 590522 xxxx - Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms (26.5Mb)
  183. 590529 xxxx - I'm Walking My Blues (26.8Mb)
  184. 590605 xxxx - You're An Educated Mama (27.2Mb)
  185. 590612 xxxx - Roll On Buddy, Roll On (26.6Mb)
  186. 590619 xxxx - Here To Get My Baby Out of Jail (27.1Mb)
  187. 590703 xxxx - Tell Her Lies And Feed Her Candy (26.8Mb)
  188. 59-07-31 (xxxx) - Those Gone And Left Me Blues (12.1Mb)
  189. 59-08-07 (xxxx) - I'll Step Aside (12Mb)
  190. 59-08-14 (xxxx) - I Hear You Talking (12.1Mb)
  191. 59-08-21 (xxxx) - So Long Misery (12Mb)
  192. 41-10-04 (xxxx) - Soldier's Joy (27.2Mb)
  193. 55-07-16 (xxxx) - Candy Kisses (13.4Mb)
  194. 45xxxx xxxx - Couldn't Believe It Was True (26.8Mb)
  195. 56-03-17 (xxxx) - Movin' On (13.4Mb)
  196. 39-11-18 (xxxx) - Ida Red (13.6Mb)
  197. 59-12-24 (1054) - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (7.1Mb)
  198. 60-xx-xx (xxxx) - Summer's Gone, Winter's A Comin' (12.5Mb)
  199. 60-02-05 (0202) - Highway to Nowhere (25.1Mb)
  200. 65-xx-xx (xxxx) - Tomorrow I'll Be Flying South And Home (12.5Mb)
  201. 65-xx-xx (xxxx) - There's A Room In The Corner (1.3Mb)
  202. 690823 xxxx - Woman of The World (65.2Mb)
  203. 700206 xxxx - Ride In My Little Red Wagon (50.5Mb)

MP3 files hosted by otrr.org.