The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered as the most respected stage in country music. For artists, receiving an invitation to perform or becoming an official member at this prestigious venue is often a significant milestone in their career.
However, not all country music stars have a perfect and harmonious relationship with the Opry for their entire careers. Throughout the years, numerous performers have been instructed to leave the stage due to various reasons. This could be because they didn't adhere to the venue's unwritten rules of behavior or because they didn't meet the official expectations for becoming a member of the Opry.
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, during the performance, Elle King, one of the performers, caused outrage because she appeared on stage visibly intoxicated. She openly admitted to the audience that she was heavily intoxicated and engaged in confrontational exchanges with the concert-goers. Furthermore, she even forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me."
The venue expressed regret to those who were upset by King's words. However, numerous fans of the Opry took to social media to assert that King should personally apologize and some even believed that her actions were serious enough to be banned from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Over the years, there have been numerous cases of artists being banned from performing at the Opry. However, is King's actions really deserving of such a drastic measure? By examining a few instances that occurred in the venue's early history, all of which took place in 1973 or before, it becomes evident that it is indeed a possibility.
The Opry made the decision to bar Johnny Cash from performing after a memorable show in 1973. During that show, Cash destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand, and alcohol played a significant role in his behavior. Hank Williams, who is widely known as one of the Opry's most famous banned artists, lost his membership due to his excessive drinking and lack of dependability. Additionally, Jerry Lee Lewis was removed from the Opry stage for various reasons, including using profanity during a live broadcast.
However, it is important to note that there is only one instance of a singer being permanently banned from the Opry, and this decision was not made by the venue itself. Therefore, it is probable that even if King's actions merit a temporary removal from the Opry stage, it will not have a lasting impact on her ability to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Continue reading to explore the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing on the Opry stage, along with the actions or conduct that led to their expulsion.
The Grand Ole Opry has banned six stars from performing, and here are the reasons why they were kicked out. The gallery credit goes to Carena Liptak.
26 Country Artists Who Have Not Yet Been Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry
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