Grand Ole Opry

The stage of The Grand Ole Opry, aka the Ryman Auditorium, on The Jimmy Dean Show

Jim Henson waits to rehearse in October 1964.

Grand Ole Opry is a long-running radio variety series spotlighting country Western music, and at various times, rural comedy as well. The show began in 1925 at station WSM in Nashville, Tennessee as the WSM Barn Dance. It was renamed in 1927, according to anecdotes, when host George D. Hay made a remark about the classical music show that preceded it: "For the past hour we have been listening to the music largely taken from the Grand Opera, but from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry."

The series began with veteran fiddlers (often nicknamed "Uncle"), harmonica players, and groups with rustic names like the Possum Hunters and the Fruit Jar Drinkers. As the show grew in significance, rising country stars would emerge and Grand Ole Opry is credited with stimulating the development of Nashville into the country music capital. Regulars or frequent guests included Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and other future Hee Haw cast, Chet Atkins, Roy Acuff, Ferlin Husky, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and more. Apart from the live concerts and radio broadcast, sporadic TV versions have aired over the years, usually as intermittent specials.

The Jimmy Dean Show, in keeping with Jimmy Dean's own country background, occasionally broadcast from the Ryman Auditorium, usually billed as either "the stage of the Grand Ole Opry" or "The Grand Ole Opry House." The Opry show broadcast there from 1943 to 1974. Jimmy Dean's broadcasts, always with Rowlf in tow, were as follows:

• November 5, 1964
• September 17, 1965
• October 22, 1965 (The 18th Annual Billboard Country Music Awards)
• January 14, 1966

Appearances

• Elmo and Abby Cadabby performed on the Opry stage as part of the "Opry Country Classics" show on August 14, 2025, in celebration of the Opry's 100th anniversary and serving as a stop on the Sesame Street Road Trip Across America. Elmo sang "Road Less Traveled" with Lauren Alaina (YouTube), and Abby sang "You're Lookin' at Country" with Tayla Lynn (granddaughter of Loretta Lynn). Footage of Lynn on Sesame Street singing "Count on Me" was presented as well. (YouTube)

References

• A 1970 internal film for IBM features Rowlf the Dog and Baskerville the Hound presenting a country music show at the "Grand Old OP" (referring to the Office Productions division of the company).

• Polly Darton's debut on Sesame Street, performing "Wavin' Goodbye to You with My Heart," is introduced as coming from "the Grand Ol' Sesame Street Opry."

• While not mentioned on the show itself again, scripts for "Handful of Crumbs" and "Counting One to Five" specify using the same Grand Ol' Sesame Street Opry set.