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The Grand Ole Opry will stand as one of the out- was appointed chief announcer of Radio Station WLS. standing attractions of all times in the field of Here he was voted America's most popular radio an- entertainment.-Edwin W. Craig, founder of WSM. nouncer in a nationwide contest conducted by The Radio Digest. Here, also, he originated the WLS Barn Dance, later to become known as the National Barn Dance. It began in the early fall of 1925. The headlines in the Nashville papers read: "Construction of Radio Sta- tion Here is Begun. ... Call Letters WSM Assigned On October 5, 1925, Hay came to Nashville for the to National Life." dedicatory ceremony inaugurating WSM. One month later he joined the station as its first director.

In those days of crystal sets-and very few at that-it Then at 8:00 P.M. on November 28, 1925, he an- was hard to visualize that this event would have such nounced himself as "The Solemn Old Judge" (although a profound effect on the character and international he was only 30 years old) and launched the WSM Barn image of the city it serves. Dance. Two years later he gave it the title "The Grand Ole Opry."

That Nashville should be known as "Music City, USA" is a result of WSM and the Grand Ole Opry, which have always been the nerve center of the industry.

For almost half a century, The Opry and the radio station have directly influenced the city's economic and physical growth. Without its dedication to country music and its nurturing of talent, it is doubtful the industry would have centered in Nashville.

The Opry had its beginning on November 28, 1925, in the fifth floor WSM Studio of the National Life and Accident Insurance Company. Two men shared the stations only microphone. The featured performer was Uncle Jimmy Thompson, an eighty -year -old fiddler who boasted that he could fiddle the "taters off the vine." His early appearance, however, was restricted to one hour. Not quite enough time to prove his reputation of knowing a thousand fiddle rounds.

The announcer was one of America's pioneer show- men. George D. Hay, a reporter for the Memphis Com- mercial Appeal, started his radio career when he was appointed radio editor for the newspaper. He first went

on the air over the Commercial Appeal's station, WMC, THE BEGINNING-George D. Hay and Uncle Jimmy Thompson on in June of 1923. A year later he went to and the first Opry Show November 28, 1925

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