The Gatherin' program was founded by John Lair, former producer of the "National Barn Dance", who founded the "Renfro Valley Barn Dance" and what would become the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center around it in 1939. "The Gatherin"' was first broadcast via the CBS Radio Network in September 1943. The Gatherin' was, and is, a thematic program. The original concept of the show was to recreate the atmosphere of the pioneer "getherin's" which were held in Renfro Valley "in the days of long ago." At the start, CBS wanted a Sunday morning companion program to the popular Saturday night Renfro Valley Barn Dance which would not be strictly a religious program, but would fit the Sunday morning format of the time. The "Gatherin'" was John Lair's answer to this. During this time, both shows were headquartered at WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky.