George Dewey Hay

American music promoter

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June 29, 2026

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George Dewey Hay, often called "the Solemn Ol' Judge," was an American radio announcer and program director instrumental in the development of country music radio. He was a key figure in establishing the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, which began as a radio broadcast on November 28, 1925. Hay also helped organize the WLS National Barn Dance in Chicago. The Grand Ole Opry, which he renamed in 1927, became the longest-running weekly radio program in the world and was pivotal in making Nashville the center of country music.1

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Grand Ole Opry
…radio announcer and program director George Dewey Hay—who had helped organize a similar program, the WLS National Barn Dance, in Chicago—the show was originally known as the WSM Barn Dance. It acquired its lasting name of the Grand Ole Opry in 1927.
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…radio announcer and program director George Dewey Hay—who had helped organize a similar program, the WLS National Barn Dance, in Chicago—the show was originally known as the WSM Barn Dance. It acquired its lasting name of the Grand Ole Opry in 1927.
Read More