# Drums at the Grand Ole Opry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-grand-ole-opry/280904>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 21, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-grand-ole-opry/280904 "2004-12-21T02:29:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-grand-ole-opry/280904/1 "2004-12-21T02:29:39Z")

</div>

I’ve heard over-and-over how drums weren’t allowed at the Grand Ole Opry for many, many years. I know that there were a few isolated (surreptitious) incidents of an actual drumkit on stage with artists such as Bob Wills and Hank Thompson, but I am wondering if anyone knows when an actual drumkit began a regular presence (drums on stage at all times) during Opry broadcasts?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-grand-ole-opry/280904/2 "2004-12-21T03:48:33Z")

</div>

I have nothing to back this up except for a dim memory of something I once read, but I believe Hank Williams was the first act to regularly have drums at the Opry.