GRANVILLE -- When Sam Stout of Cookeville stepped into the T.B. Sutton General Store in Granville with his friends in 2007, he was merely trying to escape the heat of summer during the annual Heritage Day in the small town. Little did he know that a few years later he would be the managing director for a radio show based in the store built in 1880.

"It was terribly hot, and Granville sits right there next to the lake, so the humidity was terrible that day," he said. "I walked in, and Mr. Harold Sutton was in there. At that time, he owned the store. He and his wife Beverly had refurbished the store. I introduced myself and asked, 'Do you mind if we get some straight-backed chairs and come in? We'll stay out of the way. We're just needing somewhere to maybe pick a little bit.'"

Sutton agreed, so Stout and his friends Mike Garrison and Brents Pearson set up and started to play. To the musicians' surprise, the acoustics of the store worked perfectly with the instruments. It sounded so good, in fact, that Sutton agreed to let the three come in to play once in a while on Saturday nights for tips.

When Sutton and his wife Beverly later donated the store to the town of Granville, they wanted the place to still continue to help promote bluegrass. Stout suggested a radio show featuring bluegrass and old-time music. Because of his 10 years of experience in Nashville as a demo singer, he had much of the equipment such a show would need.

"(As a demo singer,) the songwriter would write a song, and they would give me a rough copy of it. I would get the song one week, learn it, go in the next week and record it for them to actually pitch to an artist," he said.

While working in Nashville, Stout met Dean Dillon, who has written several number one hits for George Strait. He also did a few opening shows with Chet Atkins before the famous guitarist and record producer passed away with cancer in 2001.

"The last time I saw him, it was in Nashville -- I was always in awe of him anyway -- and he talked to me a few minutes and said, 'I really wish my health would hold out. I would really like to help you.' ... Even though he didn't get to help me and push me, it really meant a lot for him to say that," Stout said.

Now Stout concentrates his time and energy as the managing director of the Sutton Ole Time Music Hour, which brings music to a live audience both in the store and on WPTM 780 AM in Cookeville in 15 minute segments, as well as to WANT in Lebanon, WTKY in Tompkinsville, Ky., and through several websites.

During each weekend performance, Sutton's General Store can hold a fairly large crowd of music lovers for an evening of homemade meals at 5 p.m., a free warm-up show at 6:30 p.m. and the free live radio show at 7 p.m. They feature both local and big name musicians.

"(We've had) Eddie and Martha Adcock -- they are mainstays in bluegrass music," said Stout. "We've had Roland White -- he is huge. ... Those are legends in bluegrass. And believe it or not, they called us."

Stout has even had listeners from France and England make the trip to the United States and come all the way to Granville to see the show for themselves.

"It's amazing that this little show goes all over the world," he said.

T.B. Sutton General Store also functions as both a museum and a working store that provides various types of old-time goods like food and kitchen equipment during the week. It is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays, as it gives visitors a glimpse of what life was like "way back when."

"It's like stepping back in time. It was the Walmart of the day. They sold everything from plow points to overalls and pocketknives and sewing machine parts," Stout said. "I've never seen anything like it around here. I don't know if there's any other store like that in existence in Tennessee."

Those planning on visiting the store for Sutton Ole Time Music Hour are asked to call ahead for reservations at 931-653-4151, even if they don't plan to attend the meal, to ensure there is enough space available.

Those unable to make the trip to Granville can also catch the Sutton Ole Time Music Hour at www.smokingbluegrass.com or www.supercountryradio.com, while military personnel can tune in to www.armedforcesradionetwork.org.