Podcast Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Grand Ole Opry 10-04-41
Air Date: October 7, 2025 (original broadcast October 4, 1941)
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Setting: Live from the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee

Overview

This episode of "Harold's Old Time Radio" transports listeners to the warmth and camaraderie of an old-fashioned Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry, as it was heard in 1941. Filled with live music, playful banter, homespun humor, and nostalgic commentary, the show delivers a slice of Americana with folk, bluegrass, and sacred songs—while weaving in stories that celebrate rural traditions like corn husking contests.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Opening and Setting the Scene

[00:01–01:19]

• The show begins with its sponsor, Prince Albert Tobacco, setting a warm, communal scene and inviting everyone to "tune up your five string banjo, take down your fiddle and your bow."
• Judge George Hay (aka "the solemn old judge") welcomes the audience, promising “homespun fun and music," evoking the feel of a community get-together.

2. Musical Performances and Folk Traditions

“Soldier’s Joy” by Roy Acuff & Smoky Mountain Boys

[01:19–03:07]

• A lively fiddle tune, lauded as Alvin York’s favorite, gets the party going with energetic square dance calls and crowd interaction.

“My Old Kentucky Home” by Sassafras Ridge Quartet

[03:07–05:53]

• A heartfelt rendition of Stephen Foster’s classic, blending nostalgia for old America and family unity.
• Judge Hay remarks on the song’s cultural significance:

  "That's one of the most popular of the American folk songs. And that's what we deal in here on the Grand Ole Opry." (05:53)

Discussion: Corn Husking and Rural Games

[05:53–08:24]

• Judge Hay and others reminisce about harvest-time traditions, likening them to the music played:

  “The old time party huskin bee was the daddy of the many corn huskin contests being held in the Corn Belt states at this time of year.” (05:53)

• Charmingly, the hosts transition to a tobacco-rolling joke, with “Brother Oswald” describing his speedy rolling skills:

  “No trick to it now, huh, Oswald? ... I spend out makin smoke in six seconds. But with Prince Albert, though.” (07:30–07:39)

“8th of January” by Paul Wommack and his Gully Jumpers

[08:24–09:57]

• Another quintessential fiddle tune, continuing the historic, rural American theme.

“Maple on the Hill” (Vocal Ballad)

[10:21–12:38]

• A somber, sentimental ballad reflecting on love, nature, and memory.

“Fisher’s Hornpipe” by Mac McGar and Tennessee Mountaineers

[12:38–13:56]

• Quick-paced, cheerful tune, capturing the spirit of rural celebrations.

“O Mona” by Mac Pap and son Odie

[13:56–16:18]

• Playful, humorous folk number with banter between father and son, and call-and-response-style verses.

3. Corn Husking Contest Commentary

[16:22–18:43]

• The hosts continue discussing the complex rules and fairness of modern corn husking competitions, filled with gentle ribbing and folksy wordplay:

  "Huskers are set back for ears left on the stalks. Set back again if they leave ribbons extry husk on the ears. Yes, fellers. They can't have waste and come through with neat trim ends." (17:17)

• This leads into more tongue-in-cheek tobacco endorsements, drawing parallels between rolling cigarettes and cleaning corn:

  “Prince Albert does right by the rules of rolling joy... it's snug and tight as the sheath of a fresh ear of corn.” (18:11)

4. Sacred Song: “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be”

[18:43–24:57]

• Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys perform a beloved gospel favorite, with the audience’s clear appreciation leading to a repeated verse.
• Judge Hay comments:

  “We receive many requests for that each week.” (24:57)

5. Community Announcements

[25:13–25:46]

• “Cousin Louie” announces the Grand Ole Opry Army Camp Unit’s plans to visit and play for troops at several military bases, sending well-wishes to soldiers.

6. More Music and Wrap-Up

[25:46–28:40]

• Mac McGar and the Tennessee Mountaineers deliver "Ragtime Annie," a lively instrumental.
• Judge Hay ties the spirit of corn husking contests ("a real American pastime") to the enduring, communal nature of the Opry and its sponsor.
• The final number, “Idy Red,” is performed, bringing the night to a close with light-hearted lyrics and a farewell.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Judge Hay on the Opry’s mission:

  “Your Grand Ole Opry... brings you a friendly homespun evening very much like the old time get togethers of fun and frolic that our great grandparents went in for.” (05:53)

• Judge Hay, on nostalgia:

  "It's not hard to imagine our great grandpappy's digging to these Grand Ole Opry tunes." (16:22)

• On rolling cigarettes with Prince Albert:

  "I roll my Pa making neat trim with a pair of shucking gloves on." – B (17:58)

• On corn husking contests:

  “Often these local contests require a great assortment of officials... starters, score keepers, waymasters, water boys, husker deductors and gleaning's weighers.” (16:22)

• On supporting the troops:

  “We want to send our best wishes to the traveling grand ole opera unit and their audiences, the boys in army camps.” – A (25:40)

• Parting words:

  “Well, friends and neighbors, that winds up another shindig in the old Opry house. We'll have to hang up the fiddle in the bow and go home. But next Saturday night we'll take it down again.” – C (28:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:01] – Show opens, sponsor message
• [01:19] – Judge George Hay welcomes listeners
• [02:02] – “Soldier’s Joy” performance
• [03:07] – “My Old Kentucky Home” sung by quartet
• [05:53] – Commentary on folk music & corn husking traditions
• [08:24] – “8th of January” by Gully Jumpers
• [10:21] – “Maple on the Hill”
• [12:38] – “Fisher’s Hornpipe”
• [13:56] – “O Mona” with father-son banter
• [16:22] – Corn husking contest discussion
• [18:43] – “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be”
• [25:13] – Troop entertainment announcement
• [25:46] – “Ragtime Annie”
• [28:21] – “Idy Red” and show close

Tone, Style, and Experience

The overall tone is warm, inviting, and steeped in tradition, with hosts and performers using folksy language, gentle wit, and playful banter. The show evokes a sense of nostalgia for simpler times, emphasizing togetherness, rural pride, and the enduring power of music.

Listeners are treated not just to a musical variety show, but to a rich slice of Americana—where community storytelling and real-time musical performance are inseparable, and where every song and joke honors the daily lives and dreams of rural Americans in the early 20th century.