CMT News

Pee Wee King joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1937 and performed on the show for 10 years. "He had a great influence on the Grand Ole Opry," said Jerry Strobel, Grand Ole Opry house manager. "He was one of the first professional groups to come in. He was a member of the union; most of the members of the Opry at that time were farmers or people who lived around Nashville. Pee Wee was actually a professional musician." Strobel has fond members of the bandleader and composer. "He was a delightful, fun-loving person. We would have homecoming shows here at the Grand Ole Opry for a number of years and invite Pee Wee and DeFord Bailey and a lot of the older acts who performed here. Most of the artists of that era would congregate in Roy Acuff's dressing room, and Roy and Pee Wee had a great time together." Read a career retrospective on Pee Wee King.