When I listen to music, I play tracks from hardcore rappers, classical pianists and everyone in between. But, when someone asks me what genres I’m into, I invariably answer: “Pretty much anything—except country.”

While I do adore Johnny Cash’s haunting voice, such stars as Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks leave me cold, and some country songs actually make me cringe. Needless to say, I wasn’t overly thrilled about checking out the Grand Ole Opry during a recent Nashville trip, but I figured I could live through 2 hours of Southern twangs in the line of duty.

Said to be the world’s longest continuously running live radio broadcast, the Opry launched in 1925 as the WSM Barn Dance. The show, which followed a classical music series from NBC, got its present name in 1927, when announcer George D. Hay joked, "For the past hour, we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera. From now on we will present the 'Grand Ole Opry.'" While banjo players and red-hot fiddlers continue to entertain home audiences (the Opry, still broadcast on WSM as well as on a variety of satellite radio channels, also is televised on the Great American Country network), today’s performances feature a variety of acts. Lineups include everyone from Billboard chart-topper Jewel to the multitalented Steve Martin (although admittedly, Martin’s Opry debut in May 2009 showcased his banjo-playing skills rather than the well-known comedian’s offbeat brand of humor).

In addition, the show is broken up into four parts, each of which has a different host. During my visit to the Opry, the opening portion of the program spotlighted three traditional country artists. While the woman beside me swayed blissfully to the sounds of Hal Ketchum and Connie Smith, I squirmed in my seat and even contemplated bolting. Fortunately, 30 minutes in, the second host for the evening appeared. Born in 1920, 4-foot-11-inch Little Jimmy Dickens isn’t only the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry—he’s also one of the funniest (he’s the master of the novelty song), one of the best-dressed (he sports rhinestone-studded suits that are anything but modest) and most cherished (on this particular evening, gaggles of gushing fans rushed to the stage to snap his picture). I was hooked by the 88-year-old’s randy jokes, old-school yarns delivered with impish charm: “When I asked my wife, ‘Honey, would you cheat on me?’ she replied, ‘Who else would I cheat on?’”

I also loved the Riders in the Sky, the hosts for the following segment. The Western music and comedy foursome features Ranger Doug, the “Idol of American Youth,” on guitar; Woody Paul, the “King of the Cowboy Fiddlers”; double bass player Too Slim, the “Man of a Thousand Hats”; and Joey Miskulin, an accordionist known as the “Cowpolka King.” The zany group members were entertaining even during commercial breaks (advertisers include Martha White, the show’s longest continuing sponsor, and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store), with announcer Eddie Stubbs often the target of their rascally gags.

Since the lighthearted antics of both Dickens and the Riders in the Sky helped me make it through to the final half-hour, I thankfully didn’t miss Gary Mule Deer, another longtime Opry regular who meshes comedy with music. Deer’s routine, which engages spectators with ribald one-liners and snippets of hits by such artists as Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, was, in my opinion, the highlight of the show’s closing segment.

So, despite my initial misgivings, the night wasn’t a bust. Even if you’re like me and would rather hear the Nashville Symphony or a sultry jazz vocalist, the Opry is definitely a Music City must-see. But, while this enduring American tradition can be enjoyed by just about anyone, if you groove to Shania Twain, sing along with Willie Nelson, and tear up every time you hear Tim McGraw’s lyrics, you’ll get a heck of a lot more out of the Opry experience than someone who doesn’t give a hoot about country music.