The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered to be the most prestigious stage in country music. When artists receive an invitation to perform at this revered venue, and later become official members, it is a significant milestone in their career.
Nevertheless, not all country music artists have a consistently positive experience with the Opry over the course of their careers. Throughout the years, several performers have been requested to leave the stage due to various reasons, such as disregarding the venue's unwritten rules of behavior or not meeting the official membership criteria.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, there was a tribute show called "Opry Goes Dolly" dedicated to celebrating Dolly Parton's 78th birthday in 2024. However, during the show, one of the performers, Elle King, caused controversy by appearing on stage clearly intoxicated. She openly admitted to being heavily drunk and engaged in mildly confrontational conversations with the audience. Additionally, she forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me."
The place where the incident occurred expressed regret to the individuals who were upset by King's choice of words. However, numerous supporters of the Opry expressed on social media that they believed King should be the one to apologize, and some even went as far as suggesting that her actions should result in her being banned from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Throughout the years, there have been multiple occasions where artists were prohibited from performing at the Opry. However, is King's actions truly deserving of such a drastic measure? By examining certain instances that occurred in the venue's early days, specifically in 1973 or prior, it becomes apparent that it is indeed a possibility.
In 1973, Johnny Cash was prohibited from performing at the Opry due to an incident during his show where he destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand. Alcohol played a significant role in this occurrence. Hank Williams, who is widely known as one of the Opry's most notorious banned artists, had his membership revoked due to his consistent drunkenness and unreliability. Jerry Lee Lewis, on the other hand, was removed from the Opry stage for various reasons, including his use of inappropriate language live on air.
However, it is important to note that there is only one instance of a singer being permanently banned from the Opry, and it was not the decision of the venue to enforce this ban indefinitely. Therefore, it is probable that even if King's actions result in her taking a break from performing at the Opry, it will not have a lasting impact on her ability to play at the Grand Ole Opry.
Continue reading to explore the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing on the Opry stage and the actions that led to their expulsion!
Six celebrities were prohibited from performing at the Grand Ole Opry and the reasons behind their banishment are explored in this article. The credit for the gallery goes to Carena Liptak.
26 Country artists who are surprisingly not members of the Grand Ole Opry. Photo credit goes to Billy Dukes.
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