In 1925, National Life and Insurance Company Launched its own WSM radio station—named after its slogan "We Shield Millions"—and built a small studio with a window in its downtown Nashville office. On October 5, 1925, WSM went live for the first time. A month later, George D. Hay was hired to launch the WSM Barn Dance with fiddle player Uncle Jimmy Thompson. The show's debut, November 28, 1925, is widely known as the day the Grand Ole Opry was born.
In the 1930s, the Opry show expanded to four hours, reaching homes in nearly 30 states. In 1939, the Opry debuted nationally on NBC Radio. Seen here in 1935 with Uncle Dave Macon, the Delmore Brothers—Rabon (left) and Alton (right)—were highly popular in their time, composing and performing many songs still being recorded by modern artists.
On June 5, 1943, the Opry moved to the iconic Ryman Auditorium, where it remained for 31 years until March 15, 1974. The Music performed on those time-worn floorboards forever changed both music history and Nashville itself. Here, Hank Williams took the stage for the first time, and Earl Scruggs debuted with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (seen here in the 1960s), completing the legendary lineup that became the blueprint for the bluegrass sound.
The Opry became a platform for the evolution of the country music genre, where it wasn't uncommon to see honky-tonk, bluegrass, and rockabilly artists perform in succession of each other. The decade set the stage for some of country music's biggest moments. In 1954, Elvis Presley made his debut and only performance on the Opry stage. Two years later, Johnny Cash joined the Opry, meeting his future wife, June Carter, backstage.
The decade introduced a bevy of new, young country music talent. Patsy Cline, Hank Locklin, George Hamilton IV, and Billy Walker all became Opry members on the Ryman stage. Seen here, Patsy Cline on the Opry stage in May 1962.
On March 15, 1974, the Opry broadcasted its last Friday show from the Ryman. The following evening, Roy cuff opens the first show in the new 4,440-seat Grand Ole Opry House with a performance of "The Wabash Cannonball," and President Richard Nixon leads the Opry audience in singing "Happy Birthday" to First Lady Pat Nixon. Later that spring, former member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney, makes his first appearance at the Opry.
On the big screen, the 1980 biopic film Coal Miner's Daughter told the story of Opry member Loretta Lynn's rise to fame. A year earlier, the film's Academy Award-winning actress, Sissy Spacek, was introduced on the Grand Ole Opry stage by none other than Loretta Lynn herself. On the small screen, the Opry began regular television broadcasts in 1985 following its TV debut in 1978 as part of a CBS fundraising special.
The 90s brought some of the Opry's most monumental moments: Minnie Pearl and Jimmy Dickens celebrated their 50th anniversary with the show; Roy Acuff made his final Opry performance one month before he passed; Charley Pride, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Vine Gill, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, Diamon Rio, and Trisha Yearwood were all welcomed into the family. Jackson joined the Opry cast on June 7, 1991. At the time, he had just released his second album, Don't Rock the Jukebox. He would go on to sell nearly 60 million albums and achieve 35 No. 1 hits. But this wasn't Jackson's first go-round at the Opry. He actually delivered mail to the Grand Ole Opry complex before earning his own Opry member mailbox in the Opry House post office.
Throughout the 2000s, the show and its cast paid tribute to fallen members Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, and Minnie Pearl, and the family continued to grow by adding Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, and Montgomery Gentry, among others. On June 10, 2005, Carrie Underwood made her unforgettable Opry debut just two weeks after winning American Idol. The following year, on September 1, 2006, Taylor Swift made her Opry debut. Dolly Parton closes out the decade by celebrating her 50th Opry anniversary on October 18, 2019.
On May 3, 2010, the Opry House was ravaged by a historic flood, which forced the venue to close its doors for five months for restoration. The show continued at other venues across Nashville, including two former homes: War Memorial Auditorium and the Ryman. Following a beautiful restoration, the show triumphantly returned to the Opry House on September 28 of that same year. The Opry celebrated 40 years at the Opry House on March 16, 2014, with an all-cast opener led by Old Crow Medicine Show and performances by some of country music's biggest names. In 2015, the show celebrated its 90th anniversary with a star-studded weekend-long birthday bash. The 2010s brought Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, Old Crow Medicine Show, Little Big Town, and more into the Opry family.
On March 21, 2020, COVID-19 forced the Grand Ole Opry to temporarily cancel live audience shows. In a historic moment for the Opry, the Saturday Night Opry broadcasts continued without an audience via live stream and WSM Radio, keeping the music playing and the Circle unbroken. After seven months of performing without a live audience, the Opry kicked off its 95th anniversary by welcoming back 500 guests to the Opry House - and so began a month-long celebration of the Opry, country music, its artists, and its fans. The Opry family continued to grow, with Rhonda Vincent, Lady A, Carly Pearce, Lauren Alaina, and many more inducted in the last few years. On October 30, 2021, the Opry celebrated its 5,000th straight Saturday night broadcast. On August 14, 2024, Post Malone made his Opry debut.