On November 28, 1925, the "Grand Ole Opry" was born as the "WSM Barn Dance" on WSM-AM Nashville. Hosted by George D. "Judge" Hay, the Barn Dance was originally followed by an NBC music apperication hour until, after two years, Hay opened the program by 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!’” The show went on to make a national radio debut on NBC Radio in 1939, and is the longest-running radio broadcast in American history.
The Library of Congress: Grande Ole Opry
November 2, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the first commercial radio broadcast. To celebrate this special anniversary, we’re shining a spotlight on 100 key moments in radio's history.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating your favorite radio memories throughout 2020. Use the hashtag #Radio100 across social media to share these moments with the world. Here’s to 100 wonderful years of radio, and to at least 100 more!
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