The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered to be the most respected stage in country music. For artists, receiving an invitation to perform at this prestigious venue, and later becoming an official member, is often seen as a significant milestone in their career.
Nevertheless, not all country music stars have a perfectly harmonious association with the Opry throughout their entire professional journey. Throughout the years, several artists have been requested to exit the stage for various reasons, either due to breaching the venue's unwritten code of conduct or for not meeting the official membership criteria.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, a tribute show called Opry Goes Dolly was organized to celebrate Dolly Parton's 78th birthday in 2024. However, one of the performers, Elle King, caused controversy during the show. She appeared on stage clearly intoxicated and openly admitted to being heavily intoxicated. Furthermore, she engaged in slightly 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 voiced their belief on social media that King should be the one to apologize and some even suggested that her actions were serious enough to result in a ban from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Throughout the years, the Opry has banned numerous artists on multiple occasions. However, is King's behavior truly deserving of such a drastic measure? By examining a few instances from the venue's early years, specifically all from 1973 or before, it becomes evident that it is indeed a possibility.
Johnny Cash was prohibited from performing at the Opry following a memorable and tumultuous show in 1973. During this particular performance, he destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand, and alcohol played a significant role in fueling this incident. Hank Williams, who is widely recognized as one of the Opry's most renowned banned artists, had his membership revoked due to his consistent inebriation and lack of dependability. Another artist, Jerry Lee Lewis, was also removed from the Opry stage for various infractions, with one notable offense being his use of an explicit word during a live broadcast.
However, it is important to note that there is only one singer who has been permanently and completely banned from the Opry, and this decision was not made by the venue itself to maintain the 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 a lasting impact on her ability to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Continue reading to get a detailed exploration of the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing on the Opry stage, along with the actions that led to their removal!
6 Celebrities Excluded from the Grand Ole Opry (and the Reasons for Their Exclusion)
Acknowledgement: Credit goes to Carena Liptak for the gallery.
26 Country Artists Who Are Surprisingly Not Members of the Grand Ole Opry
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
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