WSM and the Grand Ole Opry’s national radio reach

WSM (650 AM), licensed in Nashville in 1925, became one of the United States’ early 50,000-watt clear-channel radio stations. Its high-power signal carried the Grand Ole Opry broadcasts long distances at night, helping make live country music accessible to listeners across much of the U.S. The Grand Ole Opry continues to be associated with WSM and its historic national radio legacy.