▁about ▁the ▁Hay ride ▁that ▁received ▁acc laim ▁from ▁review ers ▁such ▁as ▁Publish ers ▁Week ly ▁and ▁Kirk us ▁Re views . ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁the ▁successful ▁first ▁show ▁on ▁April ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁Louisiana ▁Hay ride ▁ranked ▁second ▁only ▁to ▁Nash ville ' s ▁Grand ▁Ole ▁O pr y ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁importance ▁until ▁ABC ▁began ▁tele cast ing ▁O z ark ▁J ub ile e ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁ ▁Tal ent - sc out ing ▁show case ▁While ▁the ▁O pr y , ▁the ▁J ub ile e ▁and ▁the ▁Hay ride ▁all ▁show c ased ▁established ▁stars , ▁the ▁Hay ride ▁was ▁where ▁tal ented , ▁but ▁virtual ▁unknown s , ▁were ▁also ▁given ▁expos ure ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁audience . ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁country ▁music ▁gre ats ▁such ▁as ▁H ank ▁Williams , ▁Web b ▁Pier ce , ▁K itt y ▁Well s , ▁J imm ie ▁Davis , ▁Will ▁Stra han , ▁S lim ▁Whit man , ▁F loyd ▁C ram er , ▁Son ny ▁James , ▁H ank ▁Snow , ▁F aron ▁Young , ▁Johnny ▁H orton , ▁Jim ▁Re e ves , ▁Claude ▁King , ▁Jimmy ▁Martin , ▁George ▁Jones , ▁John ▁and ▁The ▁Three ▁W ise ▁Men , ▁Johnny ▁C ash , ▁Frank ie ▁Miller , ▁Tex ▁Ritter , ▁Will ie ▁Nelson , ▁Bob ▁Will s , ▁Cow boy ▁Jack ▁H unt ▁& ▁Little ▁Joe ▁H unt ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ythm ▁R anch