America’s longest-running radio show has entertained listeners for more than 90 years. In addition to being the longest-running program in the United States, the program is also one of the oldest live radio shows in the world, trailing just behind well-known shows like the Shipping Forecast.
Though far from being the newest form of entertainment on the US landscape, radio remains a popular choice for countless Americans.
According to some studies, around 92% of US consumers listen to AM/FM radio. There are more radio listeners in the country than TV viewers (87%), smartphone users (81%) and even PC users (54%). Approximately 244.5 million American adults tune in to their favorite shows each month.
The incredible number of radio listeners in the United States has helped countless shows and programs stand the test of time. Many programs have entertained generations of listeners for decades since radio became popular in the early 20th century.
Today we explore the longest-running radio show in the US, as well as some of the second-ranked long-running programs on the landscape.
What is the longest running radio show in US history?
The longest-running radio show in the United States is “Grand Ole Opry,” which first aired on the WSM radio channel in 1925. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the show focuses primarily on country music – the most popular radio genre in the United States.
In its 96 years of operation, this show has delivered more than 5,000 broadcasts, mostly on Saturday nights.
Grand Ole Opry began as the “WSM Barn Dance” held on the fifth floor of a radio station known for being home to the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in Nashville. By 2004, the show had worked with a presenting sponsor for the first time.
Today, Grand Ole Opry is presented together with Cracker Barrel, a well-known American restaurant. Drive through Nashville on any of the city’s main thoroughfares and you’re likely to see signs highlighting the show and its incredible heritage.
Interestingly, in addition to being a well-known radio show, the Grand Ole Opry is known for having a massive impact on Nashville culture and the country music landscape.
About the longest running radio show in the US
The Grand Ole Opry show was first introduced when a radio announcer named George D. Hay introduced his very first broadcast of the WSM Barn Dance. The very first show featured an incredible performance by Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddler.
Presented from downtown Nashville, the show quickly gained popularity, with locals actually visiting the National Life & Accident Insurance Studio where it was held.
What began as a relatively modest hour-long radio program quickly grew into a phenomenal slice of Nashville culture and a large part of the country music landscape. Two years after the original program, the name “Grand Ole’ Opry” was coined by Hay.
The name of this program also has an interesting backstory. George Hay’s original radio program followed a classical music show. Hay regularly joked that audiences were migrating from grand opera to the “Grand Ole Opry,” which inspired the new name.
Although the show was popular overall, some Nashville locals were initially opposed to the style of music the Opry offered. At the time, Nashville was attempting to develop its image as a cultured place, and some local leaders felt that rural music conveyed the wrong image.
The longest running radio program in America today
America’s longest-running radio show is still popular today.
The program now features two and a half hours of live performances from established country music legends and up-and-coming artists alike. While the show is best known for spotlighting country music, it’s not strictly limited to country music.
The program has also played host to countless other celebrities over the decades, including Stevie Wonder, Kevin Costner and Richard Nixon.
Engaged listeners can even join the live audience to follow the development of the program in person. Each week, performances are open to the general public at the Grand Ole Opry Auditorium in the aptly named Opryland, about 20 minutes northeast of downtown Nashville.
While the National Life & Accident Insurance Studio is still commonly associated with the Grand Ole’ Opry, the venue quickly became too small to host such a significant live show. In fact, in its 90+ years on the air, the Grand Ole Opry has had a number of different houses.
It first moved to the Hillsboro Theater in 1934 before moving to a religious meeting hall in East Nashville. In 1939 the show was performed at the War Memorial Auditorium downtown before moving to the Ryman Auditorium in 1943.
Finally, in 1974, the show moved into a new home that was purpose-built for the show. The Grand Ole Opry House has since remained home to the show, with the exception of a small three-month field trip between November and January.
At this time, the program is hosted at the Ryman for a special show called “Opry at the Ryman”.
Some of the other longest running radio shows in America
The Grand Ole Opry is by far the longest-running radio show in the United States. However, there are a number of other well-known programs that have survived the years in the country.
For example, the KSL studio has been hosting the show “Music & the Spoken Word” from Salt Lake City in Utah for around 93 years. Although rehearsals began in 1922, official weekly programming did not begin until 1929, making this show only slightly younger than the Grand Ole Opry.
The WOR radio show in New York is also known for having one of the longest running radio programs in America. The John Gambling Show, or Rambling with Gambling, has been hosted by three generations of hosts named John Gambling for 91 years.
See also
Other long-running radio shows in America include:
Metropolitan Opera (90 years)
The Metropolitan Opera, the longest-running classical music show in radio history, has been running in the United States for over 90 years. It has appeared on various channels including the defunct NBC Blue Network, ABC and CBS Radio.
WWVA Jamboree (89 years)
The WWVA Jamboree was first started in 1933, initially as a weekly show. Today the program is limited to semi-annual specials and repeats of previous episodes.
King Biscuit Time (80 years)
Known as America’s longest-running daily radio program, King Biscuit Time has won numerous awards and still appears today on the Arkansas-based KFFA channel.
Folk song festival (70 years)
The Folksong Festival holds the Guinness World Record for the longest running weekly radio show with the same consistent host. It’s a folk-focused channel hosted on WNYC.
Midnite Jamboree (74 years)
The Midnite Jamboree has been appearing on the WSM channel for a little over 74 years. However, there have been some interruptions in its continuous run, sometimes resulting in its being omitted from longest-running US radio shows lists.
night vision (55 years)
This live call-in broadcast supports the Christian community in the United States from radio station WMUZ-FM. Best known for its Christian music and talk show format, the station is commonly referred to as “The Light”.
Learn from the longest running radio program in America
America’s longest-running radio show provides an excellent insight into just how enduring the radio landscape can be. Not only is the US home to one of the longest-running radio shows of all time, but it’s also a pivotal location in radio history overall.
Over the years, shows like the Grand Ole Opry have established themselves in radio culture and transformed the way countless Americans discover country music locally. Today it continues to attract the attention of millions of listeners and devoted fans.
Even the hosts of the Grand Ole Opry have a longstanding relationship with the program. Currently, the station’s longest-serving host is Jimmy Dickens, who stayed with the station for a staggering 67 years – radio presenters a lifetime!
In fact, no other radio presenter has spent longer at a station, perhaps not Queen Elizabeth, who has spent 69 years presenting the Queen’s Message in the UK every year.
CBNewz: For the love of radio.
