The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered to be the most respected stage in country music. For musicians, receiving an invitation to perform at this prestigious venue or becoming an official member is a significant milestone in their career.
Nevertheless, not all country music stars have a consistently positive association with the Opry throughout their entire professional journey. Over the years, numerous artists have been requested to leave the stage due to various reasons. These include either breaching the venue's unwritten standards of behavior or falling short of the official membership criteria.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, there was a tribute show called Opry Goes Dolly to celebrate Dolly Parton's 78th birthday in 2024. However, there was a controversy during the show when Elle King, one of the performers, appeared on stage visibly intoxicated. She openly admitted to being heavily drunk and engaged in confrontational conversations with members of the audience. To make matters worse, Elle King forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me." This incident sparked anger and disappointment among the attendees.
The establishment expressed regret to those who were upset by King's choice of words. However, numerous supporters of the Opry on social media believed that King should be the one to apologize and some even felt that her actions were serious enough to justify her being banned from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
There have been multiple occasions where artists have been banned from performing at the Opry. However, is King's actions really deserving of such a drastic measure? If we consider a few instances that occurred before 1973, it is evident that his behavior could indeed justify the ban.
Following a tumultuous performance in 1973, Johnny Cash was prohibited from performing at the Opry. During this show, he angrily destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand, with alcohol playing a significant role in fueling the incident. Hank Williams, widely recognized as one of the Opry's most renowned banned artists, lost his membership due to his consistent drunkenness and lack of reliability. Similarly, Jerry Lee Lewis was expelled from the Opry stage for various reasons, including the inappropriate use of explicit language during a live broadcast.
However, it is important to note that there is only one instance of a singer being permanently and completely 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 justify a temporary absence from the Opry stage, it will not have any lasting impact on her ability to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Continue reading for an in-depth exploration of the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing on the Opry stage, along with the actions or conduct that led to their expulsion.
6 Celebrities Forbidden from Performing at the Grand Ole Opry (and the Reasons for Their Exclusion)
Image Source: Carena Liptak
26 Country Artists Who Are Surprisingly Not Members of the Grand Ole Opry
Credit for Gallery: Billy Dukes
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