The Grand Ole Opry is a country music concert and radio show, held between twice and five times per week, in Nashville, Tennessee. The show began as a radio barn dance on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay and has since become one of the genre's most enduring and revered stages. Each performance consists of multiple guest artists as well as Opry members, sometimes called "Opry stars". Members are selected by Opry management (with input from existing members) based on several factors including critical and commercial success, respect for the history of country music and commitment to appearing on the program. Opry members have permission to perform at any Opry show they wish. A typical Opry performance will feature seven to nine artists, including (but not limited to) at least three members.
Publicly, once a new member is chosen, an existing member will ask the new member to join the Opry live on-air during the broadcast, usually when the new member is performing as a guest. In recent years, invitations have been delivered in other public settings. Prior to 1999, membership was effective immediately upon invitation. Currently, artists who accept the invitation will return on a later date for a scheduled performance and induction ceremony. Being invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry is considered one of country music's crowning achievements.[1]
Over its history, the Opry has featured a large, rotating ensemble of members ranging from all-time greats and neotraditionalists to contemporary stars. As the Opry is a running series, membership requires that the performer appear regularly on the program to remain a member of the show. As late as the 1960s, an artist was required to perform on at least 26 shows per year, though this requirement has been significantly relaxed in the years since. If a performer ceases appearing at the Opry altogether or runs afoul of management, they can be stripped of their membership; if the exiled performer reconciles and renews their commitment to the show, they can be reinstated. Membership expires when the performer dies; if a single member of a duo or group retires or dies, the surviving members may continue to maintain Opry membership on the group's behalf. The Opry, in general, allows performers who retire, or are no longer physically able to perform on a regular basis to stay as members. The Grand Ole Opry House maintains a member gallery backstage that contains an engraved brass nameplate for every act who has ever been a member of the Grand Ole Opry (including those whose membership has lapsed or have been asked to leave).
Excluding the Opry Square Dancers, who have sui generis membership status, there are currently 74 Grand Ole Opry members. Solo music artists make up 60 of the members, seven of whom have mostly retired from performing (Stu Phillips, Barbara Mandrell, Jeanne Pruett, Randy Travis, Ricky Van Shelton, Patty Loveless and Ronnie Milsap), but may make occasional appearances. Two of the members are stand-up comedians (Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer). Twelve duos and groups hold membership. Among them, one (Rascal Flatts) has disbanded, and one (Montgomery Gentry) has a deceased member. Three groups (Old Crow Medicine Show, Diamond Rio and The Oak Ridge Boys) have each replaced group members since being inducted, but maintain their Opry membership; of these, the Oak Ridge Boys have been inducted twice, under two completely different lineups. One artist (Steven Curtis Chapman) has been invited and is awaiting an official induction.
In addition to several family acts who've held membership over the years, two sets of siblings have been invited to join the Opry separately: Loretta Lynn and her younger sister, Crystal Gayle; as well as Darrin Vincent (half of Dailey & Vincent) and his older sister, Rhonda. Likewise, there have been three instances of parents and their children being inducted separately: Ernest Tubb and his son Justin, George Morgan and his daughter Lorrie, as well as Pam Tillis and her father Mel. Among the current members are four married couples: Marty Stuart and Connie Smith, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White (of The Whites), Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, as well as Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild (both of Little Big Town).
Over the course of the program's history, 227 acts have held Opry membership. The oldest living member is Buck White of The Whites, born in 1930; the youngest is Lauren Alaina, born in 1994. Bill Anderson is the longest-serving active member, as well as the longest-serving member in the show's history, as his membership has not lapsed since his induction in 1961. Jeannie Seely is the Opry's most frequent performer, having appeared on over 5,300 Opry shows since her 1967 induction.
Acts with a † are deceased; ‡ indicates a member of the group is deceased.