Last week, I had a chance to see a benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame at which Keith Urban was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. I was a little shocked at the time to find out he wasn’t already a member. But I guess being married to Nicole Kidman is not a bad consolation prize.
Tuesday night, I was watching a rerun of the Grand Ole Opry and got to wondering who actually WAS a member of the Opry. Being perhaps the highest honor in Country Music, I figured the roster would be filled with A+++ stars and be a relatively short list. I was right…for the most part.
The more I looked at the membership the more puzzled I became. I found three or four names of modern artists that somewhat surprised me. And also found a few glaring omissions.
I won’t list the names of the ones I found surprising. But you can find a complete list of the members here.
As for the ones who are not members, I present my personal list of candidates worthy for consideration.
- Alabama
- Brooks & Dunn
- Sam Bush
- Glen Campbell
- Kenny Chesney
- Merle Haggard
- Faith Hill
- The Judds
- Toby Keith
- Tim McGraw
- Kenny Rogers
- George Strait
You could also argue for the inclusion of recent superstars like Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, and, of course, Taylor Swift. But with their relative newness to the scene, I understand their omission.
Does anyone on that list surprise you?
If you go to the Opry’s official list on their home page, you will see that people like Hank Williams and Johnny Paycheck are not official members. Neither are Waylon nor Merle.
Scott,
Hank and Johnny are. You can find them on the list of members in the link above. Hank Jr. is not…but that’s another blog post. 😉
I listed Merle as an omission but you’re right about Waylon. He should be on that list as well.
Sorry, I missed that you listed Merle above.
Also, you’re late is to a Wikipedia page and it does list Hank and Johnny. But if you reference the official Grand ol Opry members list on their website, they list Johnny as a guest and do not list Hank Sr at all.
If I recall correctly, Hank was “kicked out.” there has been a push recently to have him reinstated but apparently to no avail. I suppose his Lonesome Whistle continues to blow.
SO yes, Hank got the boot, but he was at least “in” at one point. More than we can say for the rest. Appreciate the comments
Kenny Rogers should definitely be entered. He is well deserving.
Kenny Rogers should definitely be entered. He is well deserving.
Other than George Strait I don’t consider most if them country.
Replying to Steve DeGon… I realize this comment is a couple of years old, so this may never be seen, but I can’t help but wonder what your standards are as to what is/isn’t country? Kind of boggles my mind that Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Haggard, Faith HIll, The Judds, Toby Keith, Tim Mctraw or George Strait wouldn’t make the cut in your book. I realize you said “most” but from where I sit, most of the names on that list are very DEFINITELY country. Not arguing with you at all, just curious as to what guidelines you use to determine what does/doesn’t qualify?
Hank and Johnny Cash were members they were both kicked out
I can’t believe this list of country are not members if the Grand Ole Opry. They all should be! Merle Haggard, George Strait, Alabama! Someone needs to get in the ball and induct all these past away it not. Just wrong!
I’m surprised by all of them, but especially Merle, Glen, Judds, Willie, Kenny, Earl, and George. They’re legends.
Screw the grand ol opry its full of a bunch of pop singers that wouldn’t know a good song if it bit em in the ass. What has country music come to?
Especially if they add Taylor Swift now!
I agree with your comment 100%. The Opry is a joke with lots of politics – like most things unfortunately!
Well these are all good name but I would guarantee that these names are on the petition to reinstate hank Williams sr. So there you have it in a nut shell who ever signs the petition doesn’t get into the opry.
What about Sara Evans? She is a chart topping legend as well and in my opinion is often underscored compared to Carrie, Faith, and Martina. But, when she puts out a song they can easily turn into number one hits and she has some of the most memorable songs in country music I.e “Born to Fly”, “Suds in the bucket”, “As if”, and her most current hit “A Little Bit Stronger”. I love Carrie Underwood to death and am a huge fan but she was asked to be a member only after a few years of her career. Sara has been around since the 90’s and i think is deserving of the honor to being invited to the opry.
Good thing about Carrie is every year she has always met the minimum requirement for the number of appearances as compared to her peers.
Buck Owens said that they play there little games. Why wasn’t Charley Collins ever in the membership line up ?? Why did it have to take so long for Carl Smith to get in ?? Oh yes I think it had something to do with June Carter and Johnny Cash ?? They had to be gone before Carl Smith could be let in ?? Playing games ???
Artists must “earn” it by appearing frequently, and also must maintain it by continue to appear frequently (10-12 times a year)
As Blake Shelton would say, “Holy Crap,” . . . I can’t BELIEVE George Strait isn’t a member!
George strait was asked to become a member but turned them down. He told them he does his own thing.
You mention the reason Hank Williams isn’t a member is worthy of a blog post of its own. This is something I have wondered about for years and tried unsuccessfully to determine. Could you shed some light on the issue?
That should read Hank Williams Jr. Sorry. I know Hank senior’s story
hank sr was a member so was johnny as for taylor she is not country it is a mystery why alabama ;george willie kenny are not there merle has been asked but has politely declined; why was buck or conway never members my quess to much jealousy. well known fact that certain members kept elvis and bluegrass great jimmy martin
Most of the ones mentioned. I.e George strait are not members by their own choosing.George did not want to commit to the 10-12 shows a year commitment. Even tho most of the recent opry members do not perform more than 2-3 times a year. I respect them more for bowing out the accepting and not fufilling the commitment.
I personally am a huge doug stone fan…a true country legend. I am shocked to see these that are not members. I am a country music fan from way back and have NO CLUE who some of these people or groups listed as members even are!! AND SOME that are re listed that just haven’t paid there dues for such an honor!!!
I was wondering why the Statler Brothers are not members of the Opry.
How on God’s green earth is the artist with the most number one records in the entire world not a member of the place. George Strait.
He didn’t want to be.
If the song connects with the listener? Then the singer has done his/her job. We don,t need the oprey.
Absolutely absurd that Merle Haggard, George Strait, Alabama, Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers aren’t members of the GOO… You should be ashamed of yourselves…. Keith Urban? Wow! I used to trust you guys, who is in charge… Someone should make a song about, where has the Chet Adkins, Tom T. Hall, Little Jimmy Dickens, Grand Pa Jones of the GOO gone… Who is in charge.. Is this a political thing… Good grief, don’t you think it’s time? Seriously?
no one has mentioned Gene Watson who should absolutely be a member
Gene Watson is truly my favorite singer after The Late Great Glen Campbell! With so many it is pure political! I watched many who aren’t say the didn’t want to live in Nashville and play the political games that many of the members do! Many of the members are residents of Tennessee! Gosh Glen Campbell’s songs Rhinestone Cowboy and Wichita Lineman are GREAT! Gene Watson’s Farewell Party Super A question how many times a year do you have to perform on the Oprey to be a member?
One other thing, you shouldn’t have to appear, except by the discretion of the artist, in order to get into the Opry… If you did this, then singers would show up all the time… You don’t have trust in your on legend of the GOO, to believe that people will show up just because it is the greatest music legend of all time, The GOO is the king of Country Music… When you’re forced to do things, it just begins to be a job, instead of something fun and great to be a part of….
It’s all political they require their members can too much obligation Merle Haggard live in California he could not commit to 10 to 12 shows per year it’s ridiculous the rules need to go and some members I have noticed have not earned their dues I don’t know the selection process but it sucks
Is Slim Whitman a member ?
I strongly believe Hank Williams, Sr. should be reinstated as a member of the Grand ‘Ole Opry. He was the greatest country songwriter of all time; PERIOD. Not to mention his unbelievable popularity to this day in country music. This “exception” to the rule(s) should be granted ASAP.
Sincerely, Donald C. “Don” Pruitt
Miranda Lambert is the most awarded female in country music and she is on that stage all the time what is wrong.
How come Conway Twitty is not a member of the Hall of Fame
Shania Twain is the number one selling female country music singer in history. Why is she not a member?
I don’t think it ever offended Buck that he was not an official member, but it offends me. I recognize the importance of the Opry as it relates to Country Music. But to be honest I would have rather seen a show at the Blackboard in Bakersfield back in the 50s than one at the Opry.
This is just another ridiculous political game organization I thought it was credible screw that view now
Conway Twitty? Come on man!
The Grand Ole Opry is NOT the Country Music Hall of Fame…it is a continued weekly live show. Some of the artist you all are talking about have really busy lives, live further away from TN, are getting older in age, etc. and cannot meet the commitment requirements that qualify a Opry member. It’s not an invitation you get just for being one of the best artist in country music, that’s what the Country Music Hall of Fame is for and a lot of the people you all have mentioned that are not on the Opry list are in the Hall of Fame. Not being an Opry member doesn’t mean you were shunned or are not viewed as one of the best.
That last comment by C explaining the difference between the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ol’ Opry is a very good reminder and explains some things well. And I’m less irked now, LOL! Thank you! ;-D
The Statler Brothers? Gene Watson? Mel McDaniel? What kind of a joke is the list that eliminates
them?
Although your post is 8 years old, very dated, yet some of the things you mention have reasons.
Prior to the last two administrations of management, and even today, there were country artists that chose not to take the commitment of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It used to be that an artist was required to perform on the Opry a certain amount of Saturday nights per year to maintain memberships. That gave value to the artist who promoted the Opry by advertising themselves as a member and it also gave value to the Opry getting bookings through the Opry Artists Bureau for their members. It also insured the fans could have a good chance of seeing the member of the Opry on the show if they spent their hard earned money to come and see it in person.
Many artists, including Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Conway Twitty, and virtually all of the artists you mentioned did not want to make a commitment like that because for them it was all about the $$$$ and had nothing to do with anything else. Merle appeared on the Opry numerous times through the 1960s and 1970s, many times making a surprise appearance when he was in Nashville, but those appearances stopped after 1978. Buck Owens also appeared on the Grand Ole Opry a couple of times, but he was based in California and could not commit to the minimum amount of appearances he would have had to make. George Strait made one appearance on the Opry in the 1980s but he also lived in Texas and did not want to be a member of a show he could not commit himself to.
Granted, membership has absolutely no value to an artist as it did thirty or more years ago. There are no performance requirements anymore, and many of the new members they have made in the last twenty five years do not perform regularly. In fact many members made after 1975 rarely are there at all – Dolly, Loretta, Reba, and others especially.
You must understand what membership required and meant to an artist before today – it required a commitment to play it, it required a membership in the Bureau as well and a commitment for bookings through that bureau. Many did not and would not commit that time.
There was a time when Opry membership had value beyond a name on a list. Many who were members were there every week despite heavy touring schedules.
The Opry today only has eight slots on Saturday and fewer on Friday – in those days there were thirty to thirty five slots to put performances in and two shows year around on Saturday night with many other opportunities through Opry Star Showcase performances during the summer time Opryland seasons (which are also gone).
Just making an artist a member with no commitment to what the Opry stands for is ludicrous at best and would very detrimental to the success of the show, since many fans who come to the Opry expecting to see their members there would not return if they consistently continued to never see them on the Opry.