Tennessee celebrated its 225th birthday on June 1 of this year. In honor of my adopted state, the June Did You Knows (as well as a couple in July) were all Tennessee-related. There were also Tennessee-related food and entertainment DYKs I wanted to share, but I decided to postpone those until now.
The Insurance Company
Next Tuesday, October 5, is a special day. It’s my Mom’s birthday. (Happy Birthday, Mom!) It’s also the birthday of a Tennessee radio station. Back in 1925, The National Life and Accident Insurance Company decided to start its own station. They produced and broadcast from their downtown Nashville offices, but they needed a call sign. Since their slogan was, We Shield Millions, they decided to use WSM.
On November 28, 1925, after almost two months on the air, they began a new one-hour radio show, The WSM Barn Dance. A little over two years later, on December 10, 1927, The WSM Barn Dance became The Grand Ol’ Opry. And the rest, as they say, is history. U.S. history, in fact, since the Grand Ol’ Opry is the longest-running radio show in the country.
Tennessee-Related Food and Entertainment
In case you need more reasons to visit Tennessee…
DYK the second most visited private home in the U.S. is in Memphis? Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland, is second only to the White House.
DYK there are hundreds of famous people who were born in Tennessee. A few you might recognize include Davy Crockett, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Morgan Freeman, Kathy Bates, Wilma Rudolph, Dinah Shore, Isaac Hayes, Justin Timberlake, Tina Turner, James Denton, Lynn Swann, Trevor Lawrence, Bill Belichick, and Mookie Betts.
DYK many famous foods and drinks originated in Tennessee. Maybe you’ve enjoyed a few of these: Mountain Dew, Krystal Hamburgers (the oldest hamburger chain in the south and second oldest in the U.S.), Moon Pies, Cotton Candy, and Goo Goo Clusters (the first-ever combination candy bar).
Thanks, Betty, for your birthday wishes!
I guess I wasn’t aware that the Grand Ol’ Opry is on the radio now. I guess that is a local station to Tennesseans!
Take care!
Yes, the Grand Ol’ Opry has always been on the radio on WSM. And although WSM is a local Nashville radio station, it’s a 50,000-watt clear-channel station. That means it can be heard by much of North American and nearby countries, especially at night. (FYI: According to Wikipedia, “A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation.”)
First, I want to wish my good friend, Margaret Unkel, a Happy Birthday (in advance).
Enjoyed getting this Margaret Unkel and Grand Ol’ Opry information!
And, Betty, I don’t always think to read your blogs, but every time I do, I tell myself to not miss them in the future. They’re always interesting and always positive and cover many different subjects…thank you for including me!
Thanks, Barbara.
Remember, as a DYK subscriber, you receive an email every Saturday morning with my newest DYK. You just have to remember to check your email. Lol
Great article my Friend! Happy Birthday to your Mom!
Thanks, Billy. I figured you were one of only a couple of people outside of Nashville who would know about how WSM got its call sign.
I learned something new today. Thank you for the enjoyable read!
Thanks, Bryan. I’m glad you enjoyed it and learned something new. (Although you live in Tennessee now, since you weren’t born here, you get a pass. Lol)