Towering figures in country, including Johnny Cash and Kitty Wells, stopped at Hay’s memorial when they were in Hampton Roads to pay respects to the man whose vision made their careers possible.
The Grand Ole Opry, originally known as the Barn Dance, made its first broadcast on Nov. 28, 1925, at WSM radio in Nashville. It was dubbed the Grand Ole Opry two years later.
Sherwin and Pam Linton and The Cotton Kings will perform Friday, Sept. 23, at Great River Arts in Little Falls in a tribute to the stars of the Grand Ole Opry. Sherwin Linton will also share stories of the Grand Ole Opry performers he has shared the stage with starting in the 1950s.
Nashville broadcaster George D. Hay created the Grand Ole Opry in 1927, popularizing the performances of small-town musicians who rose from the hills and hollers of America's heartland.