The Grand Ole Opry is widely considered as the most respected stage in country music. For artists, receiving an invitation to perform at this prestigious venue is a significant milestone in their career. It holds great importance when they eventually become official members of the Opry.
Nevertheless, not all country music stars have a completely positive and harmonious connection with the Opry throughout their entire professional journey. Over the years, several artists have been requested to step down from performing on the Opry stage for various reasons. These reasons could include breaking the venue's unwritten rules of behavior or not meeting the official requirements for membership as expected.
At the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, there was a special tribute show called Opry Goes Dolly to celebrate Dolly Parton's 78th birthday in 2024. However, one of the performers, Elle King, caused controversy by appearing on stage visibly intoxicated. She openly admitted to being heavily drunk and engaged in somewhat argumentative conversations with the audience. Additionally, she forgot the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song "Marry Me."
The location expressed remorse to the individuals who were upset by King's choice of language. However, numerous supporters of the Opry expressed on social media that they believed King should be the one apologizing and that her actions were severe enough to justify her being prohibited from performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
Throughout the years, the Opry has taken action to ban various artists. However, is King's behavior truly deserving of such a drastic measure? By examining a few instances from the early years of the venue, all occurring before 1973, it becomes evident that it is indeed possible.
Johnny Cash was forbidden from performing at the Opry after an intense performance in 1973 where he destroyed stage lights using a microphone stand. The incident was heavily influenced by alcohol. Hank Williams, who is one of the most well-known artists to be banned from the Opry, lost his membership due to his constant intoxication and unreliability. Additionally, Jerry Lee Lewis was removed from the Opry stage for various reasons, including using an offensive word live on air.
However, it is important to note that there is only one instance where a singer was 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 merit 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 explore the celebrities who have been prohibited from performing at the Opry stage and the actions that led to their expulsion.
6 Celebrities Excluded from the Grand Ole Opry (and the Reasons for Their Exclusion)
Image Credit: Carena Liptak
Here are 26 country music artists who are surprisingly not members of the Grand Ole Opry. This gallery is credited to Billy Dukes.
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