Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Find Out Who Are The Grand Ole Opry Members – From the 1920s to Present

Grand Ole Opry Members
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Becoming one of the Grand Ole Opry Members and joining the most illustrious family in all country music is considered a crowning achievement – after all, it is the home and birthplace of rockabilly and honky-tonk.

The longest-running live radio program traces its origin to the 1920s. Since then, it has inducted more than 200 acts into membership all through the show’s illustrious history – ranging from Hank Williams and Kitty Wells to Blake Shelton and Kelsea Ballerini.

RELATED: The 5 Most Iconic Performances at the Grand Ole Opry

But what does it take to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry? Well, unlike what most people believed, there are actually no measure of records sold or No. 1 hits needed to join the esteemed fold. “There’s no magic formula, no secret code that grants access to one of the most coveted invitations in all of music,” Opry wrote on their official website. However, factors like radio airplay, music sales, touring success, and awards are being considered.

RELATED: Why Johnny Cash Was Banned from the Grand Ole Opry

Opry also cited one more important factor to be a member: “It requires commitment — even a willingness to make significant sacrifices to uphold that commitment.”

Anyway, here are all the artists who made it into the Grand Ole Opry.

1920s

  • Humphrey Bate†
  • Henry Bandy†
  • The McGee Brothers†
  • Mazy Todd†
  • Uncle Dave Macon†
  • The Pikard Family†
  • Deford Bailey†
  • The Crook Brothers†
  • Sid Harkreader†
  • Binkley Brothers’ Dixie Clodhoppers†
  • Theron Hale and his Daughters†
  • Arthur Smith†
  • The Fruit Jar Drinkers†
  • The Gully Jumpers†
  • Kitty Cora Cline†
  • Ed Poplin and his Barn Dance Orchestra†
  • Uncle Joe Mangrum and Fred Schriver†

1930s

  • Ford Rush†
  • Hilltop Harmonizers†
  • Nap and Dee†
  • The Vagabonds†
  • Asher and Little Jimmy Sizemore†
  • Curly Fox†
  • Zeke Clements†
  • The Delmore Brothers†
  • Robert Lunn†
  • Lee White†
  • Sarie and Sally†
  • Jack Shook and his Missouri Mountaineers†
  • The Lakeland Sisters†
  • Bob Wills†
  • Pee Wee King†
  • Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys†
  • Cousin Jody†
  • Jamup and Honey†
  • Bill Monroe†

1940s

  • Danny Dill†
  • Johnnie and Jack†
  • Milton Estes and his Musical Millers†
  • Old Hickory Singers †
  • Minnie Pearl†
  • The Duke of Paducah†
  • John Daniel Quartet†
  • Eddy Arnold†
  • Cowboy Copas†
  • Ernest Tubb†
  • Curley Williams†
  • The Bailes Brothers†
  • The DeZurik Sisters†
  • The Poe Sisters†
  • Rod Brasfield†
  • David “Stringbean” Akeman†
  • Lew Childre, Sr.†
  • Bradley Kincaid†
  • Wally Fowler† and The Oak Ridge Quintet†
  • Jimmy Wakely†
  • The Willis Brothers†
  • Grandpa Jones†
  • Red Foley†
  • Lonzo and Oscar†
  • Paul Howard and the Arkansas Cotton Pickers†
  • George Morgan†
  • Little Jimmy Dickens†
  • Jordanaires†
  • Hank Williams†

1950s

  • Chet Atkins†
  • Goldie Hill†
  • Hawkshaw Hawkins†
  • Kitty Wells†
  • The Ladells†
  • Red Sovine†
  • Ray Price†
  • Hank Snow†
  • Carl Smith†
  • The Carter Sisters/Family†
  • Moon Mullican†
  • Lefty Frizzell†
  • Martha Carson†
  • Opry Square Dancers
  • Webb Pierce†
  • Marty Robbins†
  • Carl and Pearl Butler†
  • Del Wood†
  • The Carlisles†
  • Ferlin Husky†
  • Faron Young†
  • Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs†
  • Porter Wagoner†
  • The Louvin Brothers†
  • Justin Tubb†
  • Jim Reeves†
  • Slim Whitman†
  • Jean Shepard†
  • Johnny Cash†
  • Jimmy C. Newman†
  • George Jones†
  • Rose Maddox†
  • Stonewall Jackson
  • The Wilburn Brothers†
  • Wilma Lee Cooper†
  • Rusty† & Doug
  • The Everly Brothers (Phil† and Don)
  • Margie Bowes
  • Archie Campbell†
  • Don Gibson†
  • Ben Smathers and the Stoney Mountain Cloggers†
  • Billy Grammer†
  • Roy Drusky†
  • Skeeter Davis†

1960s

  • Jimmy Driftwood†
  • Tompall and the Glaser Brothers†
  • Bobby Lord†
  • Billy Walker†
  • Patsy Cline†
  • George Hamilton IV†
  • Hank Locklin†
  • Bill Anderson
  • Loretta Lynn
  • Leroy Van Dyke
  • Sonny James†
  • Marion Worth†
  • The Browns†
  • Jim & Jesse‡
  • Ernie Ashworth†
  • The Osborne Brothers‡
  • Dottie West†
  • Willie Nelson
  • Norma Jean
  • Tex Ritter†
  • Connie Smith
  • Bob Luman†
  • Ray Pillow
  • Del Reeves†
  • The Four Guys
  • Stu Phillips
  • Charlie Walker†
  • Jeannie Seely
  • Jack Greene†
  • Dolly Parton
  • Tammy Wynette†

1970s

  • Tom T. Hall
  • Jan Howard†
  • Freddie Hart†
  • Barbara Mandrell
  • David Houston†
  • Jeanne Pruett
  • Jerry Clower†
  • Ronnie Milsap
  • Don Williams†
  • Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers

1980s

  • John Conlee
  • Boxcar Willie†
  • B. J. Thomas
  • Ricky Skaggs
  • Riders in the Sky
  • The Whites
  • Lorrie Morgan
  • Johnny Russell † 
  • Mel McDaniel†
  • Reba McEntire
  • Randy Travis
  • Roy Clark†
  • Ricky Van Shelton
  • Patty Loveless
  • Holly Dunn†

1990s

  • Mike Snider
  • Garth Brooks
  • Clint Black
  • Alan Jackson
  • Vince Gill
  • Emmylou Harris
  • Travis Tritt
  • Marty Stuart
  • Charley Pride†
  • Alison Krauss
  • Joe Diffie†
  • Hal Ketchum†
  • Martina McBride
  • Steve Wariner
  • Johnny Paycheck†
  • Diamond Rio
  • Trisha Yearwood

2000s

  • Pam Tillis
  • Brad Paisley
  • Trace Adkins
  • Del McCoury
  • Terri Clark
  • Dierks Bentley
  • Mel Tillis†
  • Josh Turner
  • Charlie Daniels†
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Craig Morgan
  • Montgomery Gentry†

2010s

  • Blake Shelton
  • The Oak Ridge Boys
  • Rascal Flatts
  • Keith Urban
  • Darius Rucker
  • Old Crow Medicine Show
  • Little Big Town
  • Crystal Gayle
  • Dailey & Vincent
  • Chris Young
  • Chris Janson
  • Bobby Bare
  • Dustin Lynch
  • Mark Wills
  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Luke Combs

2020s

  • Gene Watson
  • Rhonda Vincent
  • Lady A

Latest Stories

Beyoncé smiles despite controversy over her AMA country nominations that overlooked Cody Johnson and Miranda Lambert.

The 2025 AMAs Nominated Beyoncé for Country and Snubbed Cody Johnson and Miranda Lambert

The American Music Awards just did what too many award shows continue to do: propped up a pop superstar in the country categories while ignoring the very artists keeping the ...

The Highwaymen—Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson—pose together, smiling and relaxed, showcasing their legendary camaraderie in country music.

Why The Highwaymen Refused Alcohol on Tour and What They Drank Instead

The Highwaymen were four of country music’s roughest legends, each with enough scars to write ten albums. Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson made up the outlaw ...

Maren Morris and Taylor Swift pose together in glamorous outfits, symbolizing their connection as female artists navigating major shifts in and out of country music.

Maren Morris Turned to Taylor Swift and The Chicks for Advice on Leaving Country Music

If you’re gonna walk away from country music, you better know what you’re walking into. Maren Morris didn’t just pack up and go. Before she made the jump to pop ...

Phil Robertson and Miss Kay Robertson from Duck Dynasty hold hands and sit side-by-side in a care facility, reunited after months apart due to health concerns.

Duck Dynasty’s Uncle Phil and Miss Kay Robertson Are Back Together After Months Apart

Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson has officially reunited with his wife, Miss Kay, after months of being separated due to ongoing health issues—and the family says it’s been a major boost ...

Shania Twain, Keith Urban, and LeAnn Rimes are among the bold country artists who embraced vulnerability and body confidence in the spotlight.

7 Country Stars Who Stripped Down Without Regret

In a genre that still hides behind hymns and denim, these seven artists stripped down—and what they revealed wasn’t just skin. It was ownership, defiance, grief, and freedom—and country music ...

Carrie Underwood defends her decision during a heartfelt moment on American Idol, advocating for the show's first Easter faith special.

Carrie Underwood Fought for American Idol’s Easter Episode When Others Said It Was “Inappropriate”

For the first time in its 23-season history, American Idol aired a fully faith-based Easter special. It was bold and heartfelt—and according to a report from The Sun, it almost ...

Pope Francis smiles and waves in his traditional white robes during one of his final public appearances before his passing at age 88.

Pope Francis, the First Pope from the Americas, Dies at 88 After Easter Weekend

Just one day after delivering his final Easter address and meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Pope Francis, the first pope from the Americas and a defining spiritual voice ...

Jelly Roll cracks up alongside Luke Bryan and Jennifer Hudson while sharing a hilariously embarrassing onstage story on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Jelly Roll Overshared on National TV Telling Jennifer Hudson He Once Pooped His Pants While Performing on Stage

There’s oversharing, and then there’s Jelly Roll on The Jennifer Hudson Show, telling a national audience he once trusted a fart onstage and paid the price. It happened on April ...

Luke Bryan delivers an emotional Easter performance of “Jesus' Bout My Kids” on American Idol, capturing the raw heart of a father’s prayer.

Luke Bryan Sang “Jesus’ Bout My Kids” on Easter and Brought Real Emotion to American Idol

Luke Bryan has spent the last seven seasons of American Idol being the jokester, the crowd-pleaser, the guy who hands out compliments with a grin and a wink. But on ...

Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake perform “Hard Fought Hallelujah” on American Idol’s “Songs of Faith” Easter special, bringing emotion and testimony to the stage.

Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” on Idol Felt Like a Personal Testimony

Easter Sunday on American Idol brought faith to the forefront, but when Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake took the stage to sing “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” it stopped being a TV ...