WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night. The WSM call letters are also assigned to an FM station in Nashville, and were shared by Nashville's then co-owned television Channel 4 until 1981. WSM has been nicknamed "The Air Castle of the South". Image File history File links WSM_(AM). ... In the United States (and potentially elswhere), each radio station or TV station is assigned a city of license by the Federal Communications Commission that they must serve. While this has become far less meaningful over the decades, stations are still required to post their public file somewhere within the... Flag Seal Nickname: Music City Location Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Tennessee Davidson County Founded: Incorporated: 1780 1806 Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 526. ... History and Statistics Nashville was settled in 1779 Became state capitol from 1812-1815, then permanently in 1843 Elevation 550 ft. ... AM radio is radio broadcasting using Amplitude Modulation. ... The World in Plate Carrée Projection In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is Age of Man. ... Look up Slogan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Sine waves of various frequencies; the lower waves have higher frequencies than those above. ... A kilohertz (kHz) is a unit of frequency equal to 1,000 hertz (1,000 cycles per second). ... A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) In popular music, country music, also called country and western music or country-western, is an amalgam of popular musical forms developed in the Southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, and old-time music that began... Nominal power is a measurement of a mediumwave radio stations output used in the United States. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power. ... This is the list of broadcast station classes. ... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... Gaylord Entertainment Company operates a number of hotel, resort, and media companies. ... Website - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... In broadcasting and radio communication, a callsign or call sign (also call letters) is a unique designation for a transmitting station. ... Mediumwave radio transmissions (sometimes called Medium frequency or MF) are those between the frequencies of 300 kHz and 3000 kHz. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Music City Location Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Tennessee Davidson County Founded: Incorporated: 1780 1806 Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 526. ... Clear channel stations are AM radio stations that are designated as such so that only one or two 50,000 watt powerhouses operate at night on each designated frequency, covering a wide area via sky wave propagation. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

WSM's unusual diamond-shaped tower

It first signed on in 1923 and is primarily associated with the popularization of country music through its weekly Saturday night program the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio program in history, begun as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925. WSM played a major role in the history of American music and radio by broadcasting country music's signature program over a huge area for decades. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (420x630, 27 KB)This rare diamond-shaped Blaw-Knox Tower is used as the primary antenna for Nashville, Tennessee clear channel AM radio station, WSM. It is 808 feet tall. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (420x630, 27 KB)This rare diamond-shaped Blaw-Knox Tower is used as the primary antenna for Nashville, Tennessee clear channel AM radio station, WSM. It is 808 feet tall. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) In popular music, country music, also called country and western music or country-western, is an amalgam of popular musical forms developed in the Southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, and old-time music that began... The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The station traditionally played country music in the nighttime hours, when listeners from around the United States would tune in. Before the advent of television, the station broadcast long-form radio (both local and NBC network) programs in addition to music. After television became popular (thus eliminating the audience for the old full-length radio programs of the past), WSM adopted an "MOR" (Middle of the Road) music format during the daytime hours, and continued to play country music at night. It was not until about 1979 that WSM adopted a 24-hour country music format, which it continues to program to this day. NBC, (Formerly an acronym for the National Broadcasting Company until 2004), is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Its unusual diamond-shaped antenna (called a Blaw-Knox Tower) is visible from Interstate 65 just south of Nashville (in Brentwood) and is one of the area's landmarks. At 808 feet, it is the tallest of eight such towers that remain in use in North America. As a tribute to the station's centrality in country music history, the diamond Blaw-Knox antenna design was incorporated into the new Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's design in 2001. Masts of the Rugby VLF transmitter in England Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas (also known as aerials in the UK) for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. ... This 808-foot-tall Blaw-Knox tower is the tallest in the United States, and belongs to WSM. It is located in the Nashville, Tennessee suburb of Brentwood. ... Interstate 65 (abbreviated I-65) is an Interstate Highway in the United States. ... Brentwood is a city in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. ... This official history of the Country Music Hall of Fame skirts the scandals well-documented by veteran Music Row historian Stacy Harris. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

WSM's companion station, WSM-FM, was the first to broadcast on the FM band in the United States, beginning in the late 1940s, but has not been on the air continuously ever since nor always under the 'WSM' callsign (the current WSM-FM began in 1968, an acquisition from another broadcaster); hence other FM stations have a longer history of continuous operation. Current logo for WSM-FM Nashville, Tennessee WSM-FM is a Nashville, Tennessee FM radio station. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

Until 1981, the radio stations, an associated television station, and the Grand Ole Opry were owned by the former National Life and Accident Insurance Company and the call letters derived from the company's motto, "We Shield Millions". The television operation was sold to Gillett Broadcasting and changed callsign to WSMV; however, there was still a considerable overlap in the on-air personnel of the two operations in the years immediately following this change. The proceeds from this sale were used to finance the launch of The Nashville Network (now Spike TV). In 1983, the American General Corporation (now part of the American International Group) bought NL&AIC. American General, which had no desire to operate broadcasting outlets, soon decided to sell the NL&AIC entertainment assets, including Opryland Hotel, Opryland USA, The Grand Ole Opry, WSM-FM, and WSM to Gaylord Entertainment Company. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Life and Accident Insurance Company is a former life insurance company which was based in Nashville, Tennessee. ... WSMV-TV is the NBC affiliate serving the Nashville, Tennessee area. ... TNN logo 1983-1997. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... American International Group, Inc. ... Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel and convention center located in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Current logo for WSM-FM Nashville, Tennessee WSM-FM is a Nashville, Tennessee FM radio station. ... Gaylord Entertainment Company operates a number of hotel, resort, and media companies. ...

WSM's "fishbowl" studio inside the Gaylord Opryland hotel

In recent years, the operations have been reorganized again. In 2003, WSM-FM and WWTN, sister stations to 650 WSM, were sold to Cumulus Media. Cumulus intended to purchase 650 WSM as well, but Gaylord decided to maintain ownership at the eleventh hour. Through a joint sales agreement, however, Gaylord pays Cumulus a fee to operate WSM's sales department and provide news updates for the station. Gaylord Entertainment continues to control WSM and operate all other departments, including programming, engineering, and promotions. Image File history File links WSMs fishbowl studio inside the Gaylord Opryland hotel in Nashville, Tennessee Photographer: Zack Bennett Date: June 23, 2005 License: File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links WSMs fishbowl studio inside the Gaylord Opryland hotel in Nashville, Tennessee Photographer: Zack Bennett Date: June 23, 2005 License: File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel and convention center located in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Current logo for WSM-FM Nashville, Tennessee WSM-FM is a Nashville, Tennessee FM radio station. ... WWTN is a 100 kW FM radio station serving the Nashville, Tennessee media market. ... Cumulus Media, Inc. ...

The Opry, WSM, and its hotel division are now Gaylord Entertainment's core holdings. A rumor circulated in the press in 2001, indicating that WSM might convert to a sports talk format, as many AM stations across the country have done in recent years. This prompted a serious outcry from country artists and local listeners alike, some of whom went so far as to protest outside the station's offices. The company eventually reaffirmed its commitment to retaining the country format, and it is now earning respectable ratings among the Nashville listening public.

Since October 2002, the station had been a choice on Sirius Satellite Radio, which carried a full-time simulcast of WSM's AM 650 signal, except during NASCAR races. In 2006, the Sirius channel programmed by WSM ceased carrying the AM simulcast. WSM still programs the channel known as WSM Entertainment (Channel 111) as a separate satellite radio feed, and it carries the same classic country music format as the AM signal. WSM personalities voice announcements on WSM Entertainment. Some programs on AM 650 are still carried on WSM Entertainment, such as the evening request program and the Grand Ole Opry. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Sirius Satellite Radio NASDAQ: SIRI is a satellite radio (DARS) service based in New York City that provides 68 streams (channels) of music and 55 streams of sports, news and entertainment to the United States and Canada. ... The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... WSM Entertainment is an entertainment channel on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 117). ... The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee. ...

WSM continues to reach a worldwide audience, through both its powerful 50,000 watt clear channel AM signal and via its Internet simulcast. Clear channel stations are AM radio stations that are designated as such so that only one or two 50,000 watt powerhouses operate at night on each designated frequency, covering a wide area via sky wave propagation. ...

WSM currently operates out of the former Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl museums adjacent to the Grand Ole Opry House. The studio itself is located within the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, and visitors to the hotel may look into the studio 24 hours a day, provided the curtains are open, which they usually are. Roy Claxton Acuff (15 September 1903–23 November 1992) was an American country musician. ... Minnie Pearl was the stage name of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon (October 25, 1912 - March 4, 1996). ... Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel and convention center located in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company. ...

Country and bluegrass legend John Hartford parodied the distinctive style of WSM DJs on the album Aereo-plain, humorously changing the station's nickname to "The Bath Tub of the South". John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937– June 4, 2001) was an American bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics and unique vocal style. ... DJ or dj may stand for Disc jockey, dinner jacket The DeadJournal website, or Djibouti. ...

Famous station alumni

• Ralph Emery served as the overnight host of WSM from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. Because of his time slot, listeners all over the U.S. could hear Emery spin country music records. This and the Grand Ole Opry solidified WSM's central role in the history of country music. In the 1980s, Emery gained further national fame as the host of Nashville Now! on The Nashville Network; before then, he hosted syndicated radio and television country music interview shows, and a long-running, highly-rated morning show on WSMV-TV.
• Pat Sajak (host of TV's "Wheel of Fortune") served as the afternoon air personality on WSM during the mid-1970s. He was also employed by WSM as the announcing voice and weekend weathercaster on WSM-TV during this period.

Walter Ralph Emery (born on March 10, 1933) is a famous country music disk jockey and television host. ... The 1950s were the decade that traditionally speaking, spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee. ... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive, informally sometimes including the years 1979, 1990 and 1991. ... TNN logo 1983-1997. ... WSMV-TV is the NBC affiliate serving the Nashville, Tennessee area. ... Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune. ... Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show originally devised by Merv Griffin which runs in local editions around the world. ... WSMV-TV is the NBC affiliate serving the Nashville, Tennessee area. ...

See also

• List of Nashville media

This is a list of print, television, and radio media in Nashville, Tennessee. ...

External links

• Query the FCC's AM station database for WSM
• WSM online
• WSM music player
• WSM's train signal signature
• A visit to WSM
• Gaylord notes WSM's role in creating the Opry
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Traditional Country Hall of Fame-particularly strong on early WSM history
• Information on WSM's unusual tower
• WSM Entertainment on Sirius