Grand Ole Opry Review

Grand Ole Opry Review

Writing Assignment 3

Micheal Flynn

Strayer University

Prof. Lilia Fontana

December 14, 2013

Abstract

        This paper is a review of the Grand Ole Opry live radio show and some of the history of the Opry and the Ryman Theater. This is the nation’s oldest live commercial radio broadcast and it is how country music went from small towns to nationwide popularity. I will talk about the history, the two main homes of the Opry show, and the show I attended on Dec. 7th, 2013. The Grand Ole Opry is like no other show and is the way that America got its own genre of music out to the masses. This paper is full of information and hopefully a description that will get you to want to listen or see the show, county fan or not.

Grand Ole Opry Review

        The Grand Ole Opry is a radio show that has been done live since it’s humble beginnings as a show on a station that was promoting insurance. It is a Nashville institution and country music stars have a musical home so to speak. It has a special history and some special buildings that have helped to shape the way for country music. The Opry still plays live broadcast shows every Sat. and they have added shows on Friday and from March to December there are Tuesday night shows as well. It has always fascinated me to know that this show is actually being watched live while being on the radio. I was excited when I found out I would have the opportunity to go see it in person for the first time. I am pretty sure it will not be my last time seeing it live.

        The history starts in 1925, when a small radio station was started by an insurance company and hired a popular announcer to be head of programming. He started a show that would feature live country music and called himself the “The Solemn Old Judge,” which was later changed to The Grand Ole Opry Show (Grand Ole Opry, 2013). The Opry moved locations as needed, mostly because it was not meant to be watched but the public would always find a way to watch. It came to the Ryman Theater in 1943 and was where the show stayed for 31 years (Grand Ole Opry, 2013). Then they built a new home just for the Opry, nine miles outside downtown Nashville, and it has been the home since 1974. The Opry does some traveling shows and does go back to the Ryman Theater from time to time. The new Grand Ole Opry House stage has a circle of dark wood in the middle of the stage that is from the stage in the Ryman Theater that is considered hallowed ground and all who touch it will be touched themselves (Grand Ole Opry, 2013). It is said that it brings the Opry ‘whole circle’ to have the old with the new and as far as they know the will not be moving again.