Dec 23, 1928

Drummer Buddy Harman is born in Nashville. A member of the "A-Team" of session musicians, his credits include The Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love," Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter" and Patsy Cline's "Crazy," among others

Dec 29, 1928

Uncle Jimmy Thompson, the first person to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, makes his final appearance on the show, just three years after its debut

May 4, 1929

Banjo player Kirk McGee makes his Grand Ole Opry debut

Jul 3, 1929

William "Gil" Wright is born in Nashville. As a member of The Anita Kerr Singers, he provides backing vocals on Bobby Helms' "My Special Angel," Skeeter Davis' "The End Of The World" and Jim Reeves' "He'll Have To Go"

Oct 11, 1929

Vocalist Hugh Jarrett is born in Nashville, Tennessee. A member of The Jordanaires during the mid-1950s, he appears on numerous Elvis Presley hits as well as the Jim Reeves single "The Blizzard"

Oct 26, 1929

Neal Matthews is born in Nashville. As a member of The Jordanaires, he sings background on hits by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Horton, Elvis Presley and others, propelling the quartet into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001

Nov 29, 1930

Henry Whitter, best known for recording "The Wreck On The Southern Old 97," makes his lone Grand Ole Opry appearance

Feb 17, 1931

Uncle Jimmy Thompson dies of pneumonia in his home outside of Nashville. The fiddle player was the first musician to perform on what became the Grand Ole Opry

Aug 6, 1931

Steel guitarist Billy Robinson is born in Nashville. He appears on hits by Carl Smith, Webb Pierce and Ernest Tubb

Sep 5, 1931

The male trio The Vagabonds makes its Grand Ole Opry debut, becoming one of the show's most popular acts during the decade