George D. Hay

George Dewey Hay (b. Attica, November 9, 1895 – d. Virginia Beach, May 8, 1968) -- Radio announcer and newspaper reporter. Hoosier-born George D. Hay was a newspaper reporter in Memphis for Commercial Appeal , which started its own radio station, WMC-AM in 1923. There, Hay worked as a late-night host. In the following year, he moved to WLS-AM in Chicago, where he was the announcer for the "National Barn Dance." In 1925, he ended up back in Nashville, this time on WSM-AM. It was there that he hosted the "WSM Barn Dance," for which he invited live country and old-timey musicians onto the show. The "Barn Dance" was aired after NBC's music appreciation hour, which included some recordings of Grand Opera. Known as the "Solemn Old Judge," George Hay introduced his show one evening in 1927 as the "Grand Ole Opry," trying to make a connection to the "Grand Opera" from the previous hour. Hay continued to host the Opry on the radio into the 1940s. Hay was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966.