Why the Grand Ole Opry remains country music’s most iconic stage

• The Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
• Starting as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925, the Opry was instrumental in making Nashville the center of the country music industry.
• Artists like Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, and Reba McEntire are among the show’s esteemed members.

As Carrie Underwood sang the final notes of her hit song, “Wasted,” the sound was drowned out by applause from a packed audience. The song appeared on her debut album, kicking off a 20-year career that has solidified her place among country music legends – but on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry stage in late October, the singer took a moment to acknowledge the history around her.

Underwood remarked on the photographs of iconic musicians just outside the 4,400-seat theater, and the stage’s famed circle of wood – cut from the stage of Ryman Auditorium, the radio show’s former home – where she stood that night.

“It’s always just a beautiful night,” Underwood told the crowd of performing there. “So, it is an honor to be with you all.” The Opry, which turned 100 on Nov. 28, helped elevate country music’s profile in the U.S. – and became a destination of its own.

Why it matters

The Grand Ole Opry is the world’s longest-running radio show, but it premiered as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925 (founder George D. Hay coined its new name a couple of years later).

Over time, the show’s broadcasting capabilities grew and management booked increasingly big stars to play, according to Paul Kingsbury, senior director of editorial and interpretation at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. While the Opry wasn’t the only force bringing country music to the masses – there were other country variety shows, the music was spread around during World War II as soldiers traveled far and wide – it became “the premier show” thanks to its reach and the caliber of its talent.