The Grand Ole Opry is considered to be the most respected stage in country music. For artists, receiving an invitation to perform at this prestigious venue or becoming an official member is often a significant milestone in their career.
However, not all country music stars have a consistently positive relationship with the Opry throughout their entire career. Throughout the years, several performers have been requested to leave the stage for various reasons. These reasons could include breaking the venue's unwritten rules of behavior or not meeting the official requirements for membership.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, there was a special tribute show called Opry Goes Dolly, which was held to celebrate Dolly Parton's 78th birthday in 2024. However, one of the performers, Elle King, caused a lot of controversy during the show. She appeared on stage clearly intoxicated and openly admitted to being heavily drunk. She engaged in a slightly confrontational exchange with some of the audience members and even forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me." This behavior generated outrage 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 even suggested that her actions were deserving of being banned from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Throughout the years, there have been multiple occurrences where artists were prohibited from performing at the Opry. However, is King's conduct truly deserving of such a drastic measure? When examining a few instances from the venue's early days, specifically those that occurred in 1973 or prior, it becomes evident that it is a possibility.
Johnny Cash was prohibited from performing at the Opry following a highly energetic concert in 1973, during which he destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand. Alcohol played a significant role in this incident. Hank Williams, who is widely known as the most famous artist banned from the Opry, had his membership revoked due to his excessive drinking and lack of dependability. In addition to various other transgressions, Jerry Lee Lewis was removed from the Opry stage for uttering an explicit word live on air.
However, it is important to note that there is only one instance of a singer being completely and permanently banned from the Opry, and this decision was not made by the venue itself. Therefore, it appears that even if King's actions result in her being temporarily absent 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 discover the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing on the Opry stage, and the actions or conduct that led to their removal!
6 Celebrities Prohibited from Performing at the Grand Ole Opry (and the Reasons for Their Exclusion)
Photo Credit: Carena Liptak
These 26 country stars will surprise you as they are not members of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry. Credit for the gallery goes to Billy Dukes.
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