History
THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, February 7, 2013 - A5
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The Grand Ole Opry
was started November 28,
1925 and broadcast over
radio station WSM from
Nashville, Tennessee. The
region around Nashville had
many amateur country musi-
cians from which to recruit
performers and had even
more people who listened to
country music.
The radio show originated
in Studio B. After a few
months of broadcasting,
crowds of people filled the
halls to hear the show live.
The management then built
Studio C, which held 500
people. The reactions of the
audience were added to the
program.
The crowds soon outgrew
Studio C, and through those
early years, the Grand Ole
Opry had to keep finding
larger auditoriums.
The moves were to Hill-
sboro Theatre in 1934, the
Dixie Revival Tabernacle in
1936, and the War Memo-
rial Auditorium in 1939.
An entrance fee of 25 was
charged in an effect to curb
the crowd. Still the atten-
dance exceeded 3,000.
In 1943, the Opry moved
to the Ryman Auditorium
where it played regularly
for the next 31 years.
The Ryman Auditorium
was built by a riverboat
captain, Tom Ryman, in
1891. Tom attended a tent
revival meeting to heckle
the preacher, but ended up
being converted and became
a Christian. Instead of heck-
ling, he decided to help. He
built the auditorium for
evangelist, Sam Jones.
A balcony was added in
1897, because the Confeder-
ate Veterans reunion was to
meet there. Ryman Audito-
rium could then seat more
than 3,000 people.
In 1974, the Opry was
moved to the Grand Ole
Opry House which seated
4,400 persons. President
and Mrs. Richard Nixon
attended opening night,
March 16, 1974. He played
a few songs on the piano for
the audience.
A six-foot circle of oak
flooring was cut from the
original stage of the previ-
ous Ryman Auditorium and
was inlaid in the center of the
stage floor on the new Opry
House.
Every winter there are a few
weeks when the Grand Ole
Opry goes back and plays at
the old Ryman Auditorium.
In May 2010, the new Opry
House was flooded by the
Cumberland River, and the
Grand Ole Opry made sev-
eral shows that summer at
the old Ryman Auditorium
as well as other auditoriums
in Nashville.
The Grand Ole Opry and
radio station WSM put
Nashville on the map and
into the music business.
Nashville is called Music
City, U. S. A.
There are other types of
businesses and offices in
Nashville, but the music
industry had a part in the
city's economic and physi-
cal growth.
People of Nashville are
employed in the recording
studios, media process-
ing, talent agencies, trade
papers, recording compa-
nies, and performing fights
organizations.
The Grand Ole Opry is one
of the longest running radio
shows in history. It started in
1925 and is still going.
What Bill Munrow said
about Bluegrass music
would apply to country
music as well: "It's played
from my heart to your heart,
and it will touch you."
The first announcer and
director of the Opry, George
D. Hay, reassured young
comedian Minnie Pearl
before her first audience
appearance. He said, "Just
love 'em honey, and they'll
love you fight back!"
Mr. Hay also said about the
Opry: "The principal appeal
of the Opry is a homey
one." It's "Down to earth"
for those who are country
at heart.
I tried last Saturday night,
and I can still get radio sta-
tion WSN 650 AM from
Nashville just like I got it 60
years ago. The Grand Ole
Opry was on.
Back
is
Digital mammography
now available in Stillwater.
This state-of-the-art technology provides faster
and more accurate images than ever before.
On Feb. 14, 278 A.D
Valentine, a holy priest
in Rome in the days of
Emperor Claudius II, is
executed. Claudius the
Cruel had banned all
marriages and engage-
ments. Valentine defied
Claudius and continued
to perform marriages for
young lovers in secret.
York City for lecturing
and distributing materi-
als about birth control.
She was accused of vio-
lating the Comstock Act
of 1873, which made it
a federal offense to dis-
seminate contraceptive
devices and information
through the mail or across
state lines.
On Feb. 17, 1904, Gia-
como Puccini's opera
"Madame Butterfly"
premieres at the La Scala
theater in Milan, Italy.
Set in Nagasaki, Japan,
"Madame Butterfly" told
the story of an American
sailor, B.F. Pinkerton,
who marries and then
abandons a young Japa-
nese geisha, Cio-Cio-San,
or Madame Butterfly.
On Feb. 11, 1916, Emma
Goldman, a crusader for
women's rights and social
justice, is arrested in New
On Feb. 13, 1920, The
League of Nations, the
international organiza-
tion formed at the peace
conference at Versailles
in the wake of World
War I, recognizes the
perpetual neutrality of
Switzerland. The League
also established its head-
quarters in the Swiss city
of Geneva.
On Feb. 16, 1959, Fidel
Castro is sworn in as
prime minister of Cuba
after leading a guerrilla
campaign that forced
right-wing dictator
Fulgencio Batista into
exile. The United States
initially recognized the
new Cuban dictator but
withdrew its support after
Castro nationalized U.S.
assets on the island.
On Feb. 15, 1965, in
accordance with a formal
proclamation by Queen
Elizabeth II of England,
a new Canadian national
flag is raised abow Par-
liament Hill in Ottawa,
the capital of Canada.
Canada's national flag
was to be red and white
with a stylized l!-point,
red maple leaf in its
center
On Feb. 12, 1973, the
release of American,
POWs from the Vietnam
War begins in Hanoi as
part of the Paris peace,
settlement. Operation,
Homecoming was cona-
pleted on March
1973, when the last of
591 U.S. prisoners were,
released and returned to,
the United States.
(c) 2012 King Features Synd Inc.
Perkins Chamber of Commerce Sponsored 2nd Annual Chocolate Walk
Friday, February 15, 2013 from 4:00-6:00pro
Saturday, February 16, 2013 from lOam-noon
Get your card punched at participating vendors and turn in for a chance
to win prizes donated from local businesses.
Watch the Perkins Journal, Thursday, February 1 4
for a listing of participating businesses.
, :i~
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