We’re discussing the show that made country music famous! The Grand Ole Opry is the longest running radio show; turning 100 next year! With an ever changing lineup of musicians, each performance is broadcast to a global audience via WSM radio, SiriusXM and Circle. We got to sit down with our dear friend, Sean Dietrich to discuss his debut Opry experience, so join us at the table as we discuss the gem that still makes Music City grand.

Places to listen:

Circle, Facebook, YouTube, WSM and more!

Resources:

• Check out Ken Burns’ documentary “Country Music”
• Roy Acuff introduction that Lainie read on this episode is from the book, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry: The First Fifty Years 1925-1975

Sean Dietrich’s blogs about the Opry:

• Father’s Day in Nashville - https://seandietrich.com/fathers-day-in-nashville/
• He Played Fiddle - https://seandietrich.com/he-played-fiddle/
• Kid Stuff - https://seandietrich.com/kid-stuff/
• Grand - https://seandietrich.com/grand-ole-time/
• Nashville - https://seandietrich.com/nashville/

Steel Magnolias Podcast is an independent show funded solely on support from listeners like you and a few advertisers from time to time.

Are you enjoying the show? We hope you’ll text a friend or loved one to tell them about this podcast.

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Baton Rouge is the capital city of Louisiana and sits right on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. If you want to experience history and culture galore in a family friendly setting Baton Rouge is the city for you!

Big thanks to Tamara Williams at Visit Baton Rouge for making this trip so much fun!

To help plan your trip you can find great information at VisitBatonRouge.com

Connect with Visit Baton Rouge:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visitbatonrouge
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitBatonRouge/
• X: https://twitter.com/visitbatonrouge

Mentioned on this episode:

• The Capital Building (New and Old): https://louisianaoldstatecapitol.org
• Raising Cane: https://www.raisingcanes.com/
• Flower Fest (fundraiser for St. Jude’s Research Hospital): https://www.theflowerfest.com
• LSU baseball: https://lsusports.net/sports/bsb/
• Mike the Tiger: https://www.facebook.com/MikeTheTiger/
• Juban’s: https://www.jubans.com
• Mestizo (Louisiana Mexican): https://www.mestizorestaurant.com
• Parrain’s: http://parrains.com

Previous Episodes mentioned:

• Cajun Creole: https://steelmagnoliaspodcast.com/episode/cajun-vs-creole
• Gumbo: https://steelmagnoliaspodcast.com/episode/gumbo
• The Mighty Mississippi (River): https://steelmagnoliaspodcast.com/episode/the-mighty-mississippi

Steel Magnolias Podcast is an independent show funded solely on support from listeners like you and a few advertisers from time to time.

Are you enjoying the show? We hope you’ll text a friend or loved one to tell them about this podcast.

Share link: https://pod.link/1442852139

(make sure they know how to get to a podcast first!)

And we invite you to join our mailing list to be the first to know about episodes, giveaways and events….sign up at SteelMagnoliasPodcast.com

According to the Library of Congress, in 1862 President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, opened the door for African-Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Although many had wanted to join the war effort earlier, they were prohibited from enlisting by a federal law dating back to 1792. President Lincoln had also feared that if he authorized their recruitment, border states would secede from the Union. By the end of the U.S. Civil war, almost 200,000 African-American soldiers had joined the fight. They were known as the U.S. Colored Troops.

We had the privilege of sitting down with Mrs. Vivian Sims, who was an educator for many decades before finding out that there were soldiers of her race, who also bravely fought in that war.

She has lived in Pulaski, Tennessee for 50 years, and that town has a difficult part of its history having been the place where the Ku Klux Klan began. Join us at the table as we hear a redemptive story of what is now being remembered about Pulaski.

Read here about the U.S. Colored Troops statue that Vivian Sims had created and installed in June 2023 in Pulaski, Tennessee:

In the birthplace of the KKK, she spent $82,000 to erect statue of Black Civil War soldier

Steel Magnolias Podcast is an independent show funded solely on support from listeners like you and a few advertisers from time to time.

Are you enjoying the show? We hope you’ll text a friend or loved one to tell them about this podcast.

Share link: https://pod.link/1442852139

(make sure they know how to get to a podcast first!)

And we invite you to join our mailing list to be the first to know about episodes, giveaways and events….sign up at SteelMagnoliasPodcast.com