From Philadelphia to Fiji, people know that the Grand Ole Opry is synonymous with country music. How it earned that reputation -- indeed, how it became the show that made country music famous -- is quite a tale.

It began on the night of Nov. 28, 1925, when a young announcer on Nashville radio station WSM (650 on the AM dial) introduced a fiddle player, Uncle Jimmy Thompson, as the first performer on a new show called "The WSM Barn Dance."

Now more than 80 years later, the show is still going strong. Along the way, it became the foundation for a huge entertainment resort, Opryland, and led the way for Nashville to become Music City.

Today the magic of the Opry continues. Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Mel Tillis, and Carrie Underwood are among the stars who are part of the Opry family. Thousands of people make pilgrimages every year to see and hear them, while millions tune in to enjoy the Opry on TV (Great American Country), or radio via 650 AM WSM, XM Satellite Radio or syndicated radio, or on the worldwide web at opry.com.

"The Grand Ole Opry celebrates the diversity of all the musical styles under the country music umbrella. In addition, the Opry presents the many generations of artists who have formed country music's rich legacy and continues to forge its future course," says Opry Vice President and General Manager, Pete Fisher. "The continued commitment the Opry members display to regularly appear is the cornerstone of its success. The key to the Opry's longevity can be attributed to its ability to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape of the times."

• The number one tourist attraction in Nashville, Tennessee

• Grand Ole Opry House seats 4,400 guests

• There are three Opry shows each and every weekend, plus Tuesday shows from March through December

• Longest-running live radio show in the world!

• No other musical genre has a home like country music has at the Opry

Grand Ole Opry

2802 Opryland Drive
Nashville, TN 37214

Phone
615-871-OPRY

www.opry.com

Media Relations
Dan Rogers
615-458-8543