After nearly a life-long career in country music and more than two decades with the most famed country station in the world 650 AM WSM, iconic radio personality Eddie Stubbs said farewell Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Stubbs final show included in studio visits with Connie Smith and Marty Stuart and well wishes via phone from Loretta Lynn, Too Slim of Riders in the Sky and for the first time in his 25-year career, a chat with Dolly Parton; listen to the final show HERE. Check out additional star-studded well wishes for Stubbs from Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and more in the video HERE.
In addition to the interview with Parton, Stubbs checked another bucket list subject off his list with legendary journalist Dan Rather joining him on Monday, July 27. Rather shared his love of country music and recounted listening to the Opry on WSM as a child sharing, “It was like an adventure. When the program was over you felt like you’d been on a trip.” He also offered his well wishes to Stubbs and declared, “if you get in trouble and need bail money don’t hesitate to call me.”
Stubbs wry wit and humor ever on display, he concluded his final broadcast telling listeners simply, “This is Eddie Stubbs saying so long for now,” before ending the night with The Bailes Brothers' “Goodbye Hallelujah I’m Gone.”
On July 8, 1996, Stubbs began hosting the evening shift on WSM and now holds the distinction of being the longest-serving broadcaster in the 7 p.m. to midnight slot in WSM’s 95 years of operation. With a different theme each night, ‘Hall Of Fame Monday,’ ‘Two For Tuesday,’ Way Back Wednesday,’ ‘Classic Opry Thursday’ and ‘WSM By Request’ on Fridays, Stubbs’ unique insight into the stories and the people behind the music always gave listeners a reason to tune in.
Stubbs came to Nashville on March 21, 1995 to play fiddle with the Queen of Country Music Kitty Wells and her husband Johnnie Wright. A week later he was hired part-time at WSM. Just seventeen days after his arrival in Music City, Eddie auditioned for the announcer’s position on the Grand Ole Opry show.
In addition to his roles at WSM and Opry, Stubbs served six seasons as the on-camera announcer for The Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV. He has served on committees with the Country Music Association, the International Bluegrass Music Association, as well as The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
Stubbs earned the Country Music Association’s Large Market Broadcast Personality of the Year award in 2002. In 2012, he received country radio’s highest honor by becoming one of the youngest living inductees into the Country Radio Hall of Fame.
WSM will soon announce plans for the 7 p.m. - midnight shift. In the meantime, Jeff Hoag, who has worked with Eddie over the years, will serve as host.
About WSM:
650 AM WSM is the most famed country music station in the world. Each day, the station shares country, bluegrass and Americana as well as the excitement of Music City with friends in Middle Tennessee and listeners around the world. WSM debuted on Oct. 5, 1925, and less than two months later, the station would birth its most famous show (and the show that would make country music famous), the Grand Ole Opry. WSM has gone on to become a broadcasting giant and a friend to hundreds of thousands of fans. The station has won hundreds of broadcasting awards and was named Country Radio Station of the Century by “Radio & Records” in 2000. WSM’s personalities are nationally recognized figures in country music, and its listeners range from U.S. Presidents to Country Music Hall of Famers, to artists climbing the charts toward their first number one hit. You never know when a famous listener might drop in for a visit or to take the studio’s reigns for a while. For more information, visit wsmonline.com.
About Ryman Hospitality Properties:
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) is a leading lodging and hospitality real estate investment trust that specializes in upscale convention center resorts and country music entertainment experiences. The Company’s core holdings* include a network of five of the top 10 largest non-gaming convention center hotels in the United States based on total indoor meeting space. These convention center resorts operate under the Gaylord Hotels brand and are managed by Marriott International. The Company also owns two adjacent ancillary hotels and a small number of attractions managed by Marriott International for a combined total of 10,110 rooms and more than 2.7 million square feet of total indoor and outdoor meeting space in top convention and leisure destinations across the country. The Company’s Entertainment segment includes a growing collection of iconic and emerging country music brands, including the Grand Ole Opry; Ryman Auditorium; WSM 650 AM; Ole Red and Circle, a country lifestyle media network the Company owns in a joint venture with Gray Television. The Company operates its Entertainment segment as part of a taxable REIT subsidiary.
*The Company is the sole owner of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center; and Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. It is the majority owner and managing member of the joint venture that owns Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.