| Lesson One: Different Types of Country | |
WSM's Barn Dance
The name was originally the "WSM Barn Dance" when the program debuted in 1925, but would later become known as the Grand Ole Opry. In 1939, the show was picked up by NBC radio, and was sponsored by R.J. Reynolds, makers of Prince Albert Smoking Tobacco, and hosted by the Opry's Roy Acuff. The NBC broadcasts raised the Opry's profile and by 1946, it was reported that the weekly show was seating 4,000 or more people at every performance, some from distant states.
Roy Acuff was born in Maynardsville, TN on September 15, 1903. His original interest was in sports, not music, and he aspired to be a baseball player, and successfully tried out for a major league baseball team when disaster struck. Roy suffered sunstroke and had several fainting spells afterwards in the next few months. Because of this, a career outdoors was not going to work out, and while recuperating he spent hours listening to the fiddling tunes of Fiddlin' John Carson, Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers, and tried to emulate them.
From there he went to work for a medicine man, providing entertainment as the Dr. pitched his medicines. After this he formed his band, the Tennessee Crackerjacks, which soon became a popular local act. He was approached by American Record Company to cut some sides, and at that time the group changed their name to the Crazy Tennesseans. Their first session included an odd type of gospel song called "The Great Speckled Bird."
By 1938, his single of the Carter Family favorite "Wabash Cannonball" was one of the year's most popular releases. He became an Opry favorite, and even became more popular than Uncle Dave Macon, the original superstar of the show. In the 1940 Republic film Grand Ole Opry, Acuff was considered the star of the movie. In 1939, at the urging of the Opry management, Roy changed the name of his band to the Smoky Mountain Boys. This was a name that stayed with the band.
Acuff was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961, and his plaque read, in part:
Roy Acuff remained active until the time of his death in late 1992 at the age of 89.
Early Country Music Suggestions:
"The Smoky Mountain Boy... fiddle(d) and sang his way into the hearts of millions the world over, often times bringing country music to areas where it had never been before. 'The King of Country Music' ... has carried his troupe of performers overseas to entertain his country's armed forces at Christmas time for more than 20 years. Many successful artists credit their success to a helping hand and encouraging word from Roy Acuff."