Two More Legends - A Tribute to Grant Turner & George D Hay Grand Ole Opry

Lisa Marie & Melody (My Cuz)

A tribute to Grant Turner and George D. Hay and the Grand Ole Opry


Originally called the WSM Barn Dance. Named the Grand Ole Opry by announcer George D. Hay (the Solemn Old Judge) in 1925. The show consisted of performances of country stars of the day, and was carried by WSM radio up until 1939, when NBC carried the show.


The Grant Turner Story
Jesse Granderson Grant Turner, Texas-born Voice of the Grand Ole Opry, served on that shows announcing staff for forty-seven years and is currently the only announcer/disc jockey to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Growing up in Baird, Texas, near Abilene, Turner was the son of a banker and grandson of a rancher. While still in high school, he performed on Abilenes KFYO as Ike And His Guitar in 1928 and first announced for that station in the same year. Turner majored in journalism at college and worked for Texas and Louisiana newspapers during the 1930s, but he returned to radio announcing in 1940 at KFRO in Longview, Texas. In Sherman he held his last Texas radio job, and then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1942.

Turner rode an all-night bus to Nashville and auditioned for WSM, where he joined the staff on D-Day, the day the Allies invaded Europe in World War II, June 6, 1944. There he first announced early-morning programs, but a few months later joined George D. Hays staff of Saturday night Grand Ole Opry announcers. Turner got what he called the big prize when he became announcer for R. J. Reynoldss NBC network half hour of the Grand Ole Opry, in the late 1940s: the Prince Albert Show, piped weekly to some 170 stations and some 10 million listeners by 1953. In the early 1950s he hosted WSMs Mr. DJ, USA program, featuring guest DJs from around the nation, and in the mid-1950s became the third regular announcer for Ernest Tubbs WSM Midnight Jamboree, a job Turner held until 1977

Turners musical recordings were few and forgettable: four duets with Helen Carter for the Nashville-based Tennessee and Republic labels in 19511952, and four solo numbers for Chart Records in 19641965. Turner also made spoken-word LP recordings, including one personal Opry memoir in 1980 for CVS Records.
The genial Turner for years hosted the pre-Opry Grand Ole Opry Warmup Show—spinning records and taking requests on the Opry House stage—and worked Friday and Saturday night Opry shows, besides the summer matinees, until the night before he died. Known for his diction, ingratiating personality, and professionalism, Turner was one of three original members to join the Country Disc Jockey Hall of Fame, in 1975, operated by the Federation of International Country Air Personalities. He joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1981. - Ronnie Pugh

- Adapted from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museums Encyclopedia of Country Music, published by Oxford University Press.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Melody
• Opry

[topman12here]

Great video and music.

Is this available for download?

[JimQualls]

Thanks Topman,

"DVDVideoSoft" has a free downloader that will save this to your computer in several different formats.

Jim

[melodymaemackiney]

Hey, Cuz Jim...love you so much for doing this for me, it brought back many memories and your video production was perfect!!! Cuz Melody

[JimQualls]

Hey Cuz, You guys were great. I'm PROUD of you!!

LuvYa

Cuz Jim

[lotis333]

Now, that's what I'm talking about. LOL Great video! Many familiar faces. Thanks for sharing.

[JimQualls]

Thanks Lotis, I had forgotten we had that until my cousin wrote looking for a copy.

[JimQualls]

Thanks, Mumzy, I really had fun with these,

[JimQualls]

Thanks, These girls should have kept on singing!

[HymnTimeGospelSongs]

GREAT GREAT video...enjoyed much 5***** stars on this one.

[MumzyTube]

Loved it brother Jim, you just can't stop your toes from tappin and your hands from slappin the knees to this music...it's so uplifting...God bless and keep you and the family always my dear brother 5*s