The Opry Becomes The Opry - Today In Country Music History

December 10th, 1927

After a couple years on the air, the radio show The WSM Barn Dance was introduced for the first time as the Grand Ole Opry and became known as the Opry from that day on.

The WSM Barn Dance in the new fifth-floor radio studio of the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in downtown Nashville 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 in Chicago, who was also named the most popular radio announcer in America as a result of his radio work with both WLS and WMC in Memphis, Tennessee. Hay launched the WSM Barn Dance with 77-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson on November 28, 1925.

On December 10, 1927 the phrase 'Grand Ole Opry' was first uttered on-air. That night Barn Dance followed the NBC Red Network's Music Appreciation Hour, a program of classical music and selections from Grand Opera presented by classical conductor Walter Damrosch. That night, Damrosch remarked that “there is no place in the classics for realism,” In response, Opry presenter George Hay said:

"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'."

Hay then introduced DeFord Bailey, the man he had dubbed the "Harmonica Wizard", saying:

"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'."

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1996
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1973
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#1 On This Date
SINGLES
2011 – Lady Antebellum – “We Owned The Night”
2005 – Dierks Bentley – “Come A Little Closer”
1994 – John Michael Montgomery – “If You’ve Got Love”
1988 – George Strait – “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’)”
1983 – Janie Frickie – “Tell Me A Lie”
1977 – Dolly Parton – “Here You Come Again”
1966 – Eddy Arnold – “Somebody Like Me”
1955 – Webb Pierce – “Love, Love, Love”
1949 – Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely – “Slipping Around”

ALBUMS
2011 – Scotty McCreary – Clear As Day
2005 – Kenny Chesney – The Road And The Radio
1994 – Tim McGraw – Not A Moment Too Soon
1988 – Ricky Van Shelton – Loving Proof
1983 – Kenny Rogers – Eyes That See In The Dark
1977 – Elvis Presley – Elvis In Concert
1966 – Merle Haggard –Swinging Doors
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Singer Johnny Rodriguez is 63.
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Singer Kevin Sharp was born on this date in 1970. Kevin made his debut on the country music scene in 1997, with a cover of the R&B tune “Nobody Knows”, which topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks.
Having survived a rare form of bone cancer in his teenage years Kevin became actively involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Kevin died on April 19, due to complications arising from past stomach surgeries and digestive issues.
Anniversaries
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood celebrate their 9^th anniversary.

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The Opry Becomes The Opry – Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]