The Shadow
The slogan of the insurance company, “We shield millions,” led to the acronym that formed the call letters, WSM.
The radio station began with a small facility, Studio B, inside the insurance company’s building. Due to the increased popularity and need for a larger facility, the company built Studio C, a structure with a seating capacity of 500.
WSM gave birth to the Grand Ole Opry via the WSM Barn Dance broadcast that outgrew the two studios, and on October 3, 1934, the Grand Ole Opry moved to Belcourt Theatre near Vanderbilt University.
Dixie Tabernacle became another home for the Grand Ole Opry in East Nashville from June of 1936 to July of 1939. The facility had roll-up canvas walls and a dirt floor where plank benches were assembled into rows.
In June of 1939, arrangements were made to move the Grand Ole Opry from the Dixie Tabernacle to the War Memorial Auditorium where it staged its country music shows from June of 1939 till June of 1943.
The Grand Ole Opry moved into the Ryman Auditorium that was named for a steamboat magnate, Thomas Ryman, and the facility that was built in 1892 came to be known as the “Mother Church of Country Music” due to the Grand Ole Opry’s increasing popularity nationwide.
On March 15, 1974, the Grand Ole Opry relocated across the city into the Grand Ole Opry House seats 4,400 compared to the Ryman Auditorium’s seating capacity of 2,300.
On the opening night, March 16, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon attended the show and became the first President of the United States to sing and play a musical instrument as part of the show.
Nixon played the piano and sang one song, “God Bless America.” There were so many Nashville country music stars scheduled to perform that each one was limited to one song, the same as President Nixon.
Among the country music recording artists who shared the stage with Nixon were Stonewall Jackson, Hank Snow, and Jeannie Seely.
The Opry performed there till the flood of 2010 swamped the facility, causing the Grand Ole Opry House to close its doors till renovations were completed five months later.
While repairs were being completed, the Grand Ole Opry’s shows were held in the War Memorial Auditorium and in the Ryman Auditorium.
Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, and Martina McBride were among the country music stars who reopened the Grand Ole Opry House following renovations.
Covington’s radio station, WKEY, began broadcasting on May 23, 1941, as WJMA with 250 watts of power, and Earl M. Key purchased the radio station from John Arrington, Jr. and Marcia, his wife, in 1942.
Key changed the call sign from WJMA to WKEY on June 1, 1943, and in 1964 the 250 watts of power was upgraded to 1,000 watts of power.
Todd P. Robinson, Inc. owns WKEY (1340 AM), and the WKEY broadcast license is held by WVJT, LLC. Also, the station, WKEY, is branded along with its radio translator W278BF (103.5 FM, Covington) as 103.5 Big Country operating under the management of Highlands Media Group, Inc.
While country music was growing in popularity across America before and during World War II, performers from across America went off to war, and their influence helped spread the genre across the world as did those country music musicians and vocalists who served in the military during the Korean War that followed.
As the Grand Ole Opry edges toward its 100th anniversary, it remains as one of America’s longest-running shows that has inducted more than 200 country music stars.
The latest members who have been inducted are Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum), Jan. 21, 2021; Rhonda Vincent, Feb. 6, 2021; Carly Pearce, Aug. 3, 2021; The Isaacs, Sept 14, 2021; and Mandy Barnett; Nov. 2, 2021.
Lady A was nominated by Darius Rucker and inducted without appearing on the Grand Ole Opry show during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vincent was inducted by Dierks Bentley, and the couple sang their rendition of Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried.”
A week later on Valentine’s Day, “Grand Ole Opry 95 Years of Country Music,” a TV special, aired during which Darius Rucker announced his nomination of Alaina, and Alaina has become the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry after becoming the first inductee of 2022.
Pearce was nominated by Jeannie Seely and inducted on stage by Trisha Yearwood and Dolly Parton, her idol.
Ricky Skaggs and The Whites were on the Grand Ole Opry’s stage to induct The Isaacs.
Connie Smith and Marty Stuart welcomed Barnett as a new member of the Grand Ole Opry after Barnett had made more than 500 appearances on the show over the years, singing many of Patsy Cline’s songs along the way.
Patsy Clines’ daughter, Julie Fudge, presented Barnett with an autographed photograph of Patsy Cline along with a $50 cancelled check Cline had signed.
Alaina is the latest to be inducted, and Trisha Yearwood was there on Feb. 12, 2022, to welcome her into the troupe that currently is comprised of 67 members, seven of whom have retired from performing.
Southwest Virginia has been a hotbed of country music and bluegrass where such stars as “Tennessee” Ernie Ford from Bristol rose from humble beginnings to become a nationally prominent recording artist whose “Sixteen Tons” vaulted him into the national spotlight.
The Stanley Brothers performed till 1966 when Carter Stanley passed away. Following his brother’s death, Ralph formed Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys found as much if not more success till Ralph passed away in 2016.
The Carter Family was a powerful influence on country music and bluegrass during the 20th century, and June Carter Cash teamed up with her husband, Johnny Cash, to record a number of hits.
Others who rose to fame were The Stoneman Family from Carrol County, Moran Lee “Dock” Boggs from Norton, Jim and Jesse McReynolds from Coeburn, The Mullins Family Singers from Dickenson County, and Henry Whittier and The Virginia Breakdowners. Whitter was born near Fries in Grayson County.
On October 17, 1992, The Virginia Opry made its debut on stage at the Historic Stonewall Theatre in Clifton Forge with Ray Tucker, a singer, guitarist, and songwriter, serving as artistic director. Ray Tucker and the Country Boys performed live on WKEY after Tucker returned from the military where he had formed a country music band that performed in North Africa.
On May 2, 2019, The Virginia Opry moved from The Historic Masonic Theatre to 1047 Ingalls Street in Clifton Forge, the former WXCF Radio studio building, and WKEY 103.5 Big Country became the new Home of The Virginia Opry, providing the Opry with a contact number for booking shows.
The Virginia Opry became the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official Opry on March 31, 2020, when Governor Ralph S. Northam signed “Senate Bill 283” that Senator R. Creigh Deeds filed on Jan. 8, 2020. The Virginia Senate passed the bill by a 40-0 vote, and the Virginia General Assembly approved the bill 93-6.
Robby Meadows, a bass guitarist, and his wife, Lisa, a vocalist, brought their Pony Express Band from the Luray area to the Historic Stonewall Theatre to perform The Virginia Opry’s shows that were broadcast live over WKEY’s Radio Station during the mid-1990s.
Robby and Lisa, two of The Virginia Opry’s current 51 members, have performed as guests on The Grand Ole Opry.
Lisa and Robby will be performing on The Virginia Opry at the Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center’s Washington Hall on Sat., March 5, at 7:00 p.m. along with Nashville recording artists Keith Bryant and Glen Shelton.
