The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered to be the most prestigious stage in country music. For artists, receiving an invitation to perform at this iconic venue and eventually becoming an official member is often seen as a significant milestone in their career.
Nevertheless, not all country music stars have a flawless and harmonious connection with the Opry throughout their entire career. Throughout the years, numerous artists have been requested to step down from the stage for various reasons. These reasons can range from breaching the venue's implicit code of conduct to not meeting the official criteria for membership.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, there was a special show called Opry Goes Dolly, which aimed to honor Dolly Parton on her 78th birthday in 2024. However, one of the performers, Elle King, caused a lot of controversy during her performance. She appeared on stage clearly intoxicated and openly admitted to being heavily drunk. She engaged in somewhat confrontational conversations with the audience and even forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me."
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 that her actions were severe enough to justify being prohibited from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Throughout the years, there have been numerous cases where artists were prohibited from performing at the Opry. However, is King's conduct truly deserving of such a severe consequence? When examining a few instances from the early years of the venue, specifically 1973 or earlier, it becomes evident that it is indeed a possibility.
After an intense performance in 1973, Johnny Cash was prohibited from performing at the Opry due to his destructive behavior of breaking stage lights with a microphone stand. Alcohol played a significant role in this incident. Hank Williams, who is widely known, also faced a ban from the Opry because of his constant drunkenness and lack of reliability. Another artist, Jerry Lee Lewis, was removed from the Opry stage for various reasons, including using explicit language 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 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 is unlikely to have any 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 due to their inappropriate conduct!
6 Celebrities Disallowed from Performing at the Grand Ole Opry (and the Reasons for Their Exclusion)
Image Credit: Carena Liptak
26 Country Artists Who are Surprisingly Not Members of the Grand Ole Opry
Credit for the Gallery: Billy Dukes
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