Welcome back to Country Music 4 Ever! Have you ever wondered what the requirements are for a member of the Grand Ole Opry to keep their membership active? This has actually changed a lot over the years. 

Beginning in 1963, the Opry made a rule stating that members must make at least 26 appearances on the show to keep their membership active. A year later, in 1964, they dropped the number to 20, which still seems like a lot for a touring musician to commit to, but the number stayed the same until 2000. In 2000, they dropped the number again to 12. Since then, the number has dropped to 10, which is the current number. Artists can also receive extra performance credit by appearing on a weekend show. Friday and Saturday appearances count as three appearances. So, with the extra credit rule, the least amount of shows a member has to play is four per year.

I understand how it would be difficult for an artist to play a lot of shows at the Opry due to their touring schedule, but I also think it is an honor for an artist to become a member, so they should be able to fit it into their schedule.

The Opry pays each performer $140 per show, which is nothing for most stars, who can easily make around $1,000,000 per show. Money definitely isn’t the reason for an artist to want to play the Opry. The Opry is all about the history and the experience, and for a lot of artists, money doesn’t matter when it comes to playing the Opry.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back soon!