Edward K. Gaylord
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Edward King Gaylord (March 5, 1873 - May 30, 1974) was the founder and publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper, as well as a radio and television entrepreneur.
His son, Edwald L. Gaylord (May 28, 1919 - April 27, 2003) inherited the Daily Oklahoman and other family assets worth 50 million dollars in 1974. Stanford University educated in business, Edward L. increased the family fortune forty-fold, increasing it to 2 billion dollars at the time of his death in 2003. He also purchased the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee when it was in dire financial straits and kept it operating. He created The Nashville Network TV Channel, and also the Country Music Television, or CMT, which is similar to the MTV.
The Daily Oklahoman newspaper, now named The Oklahoman, remains in the family. It is led by Edward's daughter, Publisher Christy Gaylord Everest. Mrs. Everest had led a major modernizing of the newspaper in recent years. Mrs. Everest is assisted in the operating of the newspaper by her sister, Louise Gaylord Bennett.
The Gaylord Family of Oklahoma City is very generous. They have founded the world-famous National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, and has given the University of Oklahoma contributions totaling over 50 million dollars in the last three decades. They have founded the Gaylord School of Communications which has a brand new facility constructed with large Gaylord donations to that effort. The citizens of the State of Oklahoma are very grateful for their generous giving.