Grand Ole Opry Members: Complete List
Who are the current Grand Ole Opry members? See the complete list by induction year, find out who is joining next, and learn how Opry invitations and inductions work.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Date Published: September 15, 2026
Becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry is a milestone that has been extended to more than 200 artists and groups during the show’s history, but performing on the Opry stage does not automatically make an artist a member.
As of September 15, 2026, the Grand Ole Opry has 76 current member acts, ranging from Bill Anderson, who joined in 1961, to Jelly Roll, who was inducted in March 2026.
Below is the complete current roster, along with answers to some of the most common questions about how Grand Ole Opry membership works.
Grand Ole Opry Members: Quick Facts
Current Grand Ole Opry member acts: 76
Longest-tenured current member: Bill Anderson, 1961
Newest member: Jelly Roll, inducted March 10, 2026
Next scheduled induction: Rhett Akins, October 13, 2026
Current members inducted during the 2020s: 22
Who selects new members? Grand Ole Opry management
Who Is a Member of the Grand Ole Opry?
Here is the current Grand Ole Opry membership roster, organized by the year each artist or group was inducted.
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 1960s
Bill Anderson — 1961
Connie Smith — 1965
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 1970s
Barbara Mandrell — 1972
Jeanne Pruett — 1973
Ronnie Milsap — 1976
The Gatlin Brothers — 1976
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 1980s
John Conlee — 1981
Riders In The Sky — 1982
Ricky Skaggs — 1982
Lorrie Morgan — 1984
The Whites — 1984
Reba McEntire — 1986
Randy Travis — 1986
Patty Loveless — 1988
Ricky Van Shelton — 1988
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 1990s
Mike Snider — 1990
Garth Brooks — 1990
Clint Black — 1991
Vince Gill — 1991
Alan Jackson — 1991
Travis Tritt — 1992
Marty Stuart — 1992
Emmylou Harris — 1992
Alison Krauss — 1993
Martina McBride — 1995
Steve Wariner — 1996
Diamond Rio — 1998
Trisha Yearwood — 1999
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 2000s
Pam Tillis — 2000
Brad Paisley — 2001
Trace Adkins — 2003
Del McCoury — 2003
Terri Clark — 2004
Dierks Bentley — 2005
Josh Turner — 2007
Craig Morgan — 2008
Carrie Underwood — 2008
Eddie Montgomery — 2009
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 2010s
Blake Shelton — 2010
Rascal Flatts — 2011
The Oak Ridge Boys — 2011
Keith Urban — 2012
Darius Rucker — 2012
Old Crow Medicine Show — 2013
Little Big Town — 2014
Dailey & Vincent — 2017
Crystal Gayle — 2017
Chris Young — 2017
Dustin Lynch — 2018
Bobby Bare — 2018
Chris Janson — 2018
Mark Wills — 2019
Luke Combs — 2019
Kelsea Ballerini — 2019
Grand Ole Opry Members Inducted in the 2020s
Gene Watson — 2020
Lady A — 2021
Carly Pearce — 2021
Mandy Barnett — 2021
Rhonda Vincent — 2021
The Isaacs — 2021
Lauren Alaina — 2022
Jamey Johnson — 2022
Ashley McBryde — 2022
Charlie McCoy — 2022
Jon Pardi — 2023
Henry Cho — 2023
Gary Mule Deer — 2023
Sara Evans — 2023
Steven Curtis Chapman — 2024
Scotty McCreery — 2024
T. Graham Brown — 2024
Lainey Wilson — 2024
Steve Earle — 2025
Kathy Mattea — 2025
Suzy Bogguss — 2026
Jelly Roll — 2026
Who Are the Newest Grand Ole Opry Members?
Four artists have joined the Grand Ole Opry since the beginning of its centennial celebration.
Steve Earle was inducted on September 17, 2025, becoming the first artist inducted during the Opry’s 100th year.
Kathy Mattea followed on October 11, 2025.
The first new member of 2026 was Suzy Bogguss, who was inducted by Reba McEntire on January 16.
Jelly Roll became the newest Grand Ole Opry member on March 10, 2026.
Who Is Joining the Grand Ole Opry Next?
Rhett Akins is scheduled to become the next member of the Grand Ole Opry on October 13, 2026. His induction night will include appearances by Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Jon Pardi, Jamey Johnson, and others.
Charlie Worsham has also been invited to become a Grand Ole Opry member. Vince Gill surprised Worsham with the invitation on August 7, 2026, during a performance at the Ryman Auditorium.
The invitation came nearly 30 years after Worsham first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry as a 12-year-old Junior National Banjo Champion in 1997. His official induction date has not yet been announced.
Read more about Charlie Worsham’s Grand Ole Opry invitation.
How Do Artists Become Grand Ole Opry Members?
There is no fan vote that determines who becomes a Grand Ole Opry member. New members are selected by Grand Ole Opry management.
Commercial success alone does not guarantee an invitation. The Opry considers an artist’s career accomplishments along with factors such as their connection to the show, country music history, fans, other members, and their willingness to maintain a relationship with the Opry.
Once an artist has been selected, the process generally includes an invitation followed by an official induction at a later Opry show.
Opry Debut vs. Invitation vs. Induction: What’s the Difference?
These three terms are often used when talking about an artist’s relationship with the Grand Ole Opry, but they mean very different things.
An Opry debut is simply an artist’s first performance on the Grand Ole Opry. It does not make that artist a member.
An Opry invitation is the moment an artist is asked to become part of the Opry family.
An Opry induction is the ceremony that officially makes the artist a Grand Ole Opry member.
How Does a Grand Ole Opry Invitation Happen?
There is no single format for an Opry invitation, which has led to some memorable surprises over the years.
Kelsea Ballerini received hers while performing “Girl Crush” with Little Big Town in 2019. Instead of finishing the song normally, the group used the final line to ask Ballerini to join the Opry.
Carly Pearce thought she was filming a promotional segment for Dollywood in 2021 when Dolly Parton appeared and surprised her with an invitation.
Ashley McBryde was not even at the Grand Ole Opry when she received hers. She was appearing on CBS Mornings in New York in 2022 when the program connected her with Garth Brooks, who was standing in the Opry’s famous circle in Nashville and asked her to join.
What Happens at a Grand Ole Opry Induction?
Inductions are held during Grand Ole Opry performances and officially mark the beginning of an artist’s membership.
A fellow Opry member frequently plays a role in welcoming the new member, and the ceremony may include performances and reflections on the inductee’s connection to the Opry.
There is also a backstage tradition involving the new member’s nameplate. Blake Shelton became the first artist to install his own Opry member nameplate when he was inducted in 2010. Every member inducted since has continued the tradition.
Do Grand Ole Opry Members Have to Perform a Certain Number of Shows Every Year?
There is a longstanding association between Opry membership and regularly returning to perform, but the Opry’s current membership guidelines do not publish a specific number of appearances that each member must make annually.
Instead, the Opry describes commitment to the show as one of the factors involved in membership while also making clear that membership is not determined simply by which artists perform there most often.
Can Retired Artists Remain Grand Ole Opry Members?
Yes. Retiring from touring or regular performances does not necessarily end an artist’s Grand Ole Opry membership.
Barbara Mandrell, Jeanne Pruett, Ronnie Milsap, Patty Loveless, and Ricky Van Shelton are among the artists who remain on the Opry’s current membership roster even though they have retired from performing or no longer maintain regular touring schedules.
When an Opry member passes away, they are remembered as part of the show’s history but are no longer included on the current roster. That is why this guide refers to the artists as current Grand Ole Opry members rather than “active” members.
Can Comedians Become Grand Ole Opry Members?
Yes. The Grand Ole Opry has a long history of including comedy along with music.
Comedians Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer were invited to join in January 2023 after each had already appeared on the Opry more than 100 times.
Cho was inducted in February 2023, while Mule Deer joined later that year. They were the first comedians to be offered Opry membership since Jerry Clower became a member decades earlier.
Is Performing at the Grand Ole Opry the Same as Being a Member?
No.
Artists do not have to be members to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. The show regularly features guest performers alongside Opry members, and an artist may make dozens of appearances without ever becoming a member.
That distinction can be especially important when an artist makes an “Opry debut.” The phrase only means it is the artist’s first performance on the show, not that the artist has been inducted.
Can Fans Vote for the Next Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Grand Ole Opry membership is not decided through a public or fan vote.
Opry management determines when new members will be added and who will receive an invitation.
Why Aren’t Some Major Country Artists Grand Ole Opry Members?
There is no requirement that every successful country artist become a Grand Ole Opry member.
The Opry has said that career accomplishments are only one part of its membership decisions. Management also considers an artist’s relationship with the Opry and looks at the overall musical and generational balance of the membership.
The Opry generally does not provide a public explanation for why an individual artist has not been invited, so it would be speculation to assign a reason to a particular nonmember.
Was Dolly Parton a Grand Ole Opry Member?
Yes. Dolly Parton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1969 and remained part of the Opry family for 57 years.
Because this guide lists the Opry’s current membership roster, Parton is not included among the current members following her passing in 2026.
Is George Strait a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. George Strait is not on the Grand Ole Opry’s current membership roster.
Despite his decades of success in country music, Strait is not currently an Opry member.
Is Tim McGraw a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Tim McGraw is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Faith Hill a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Faith Hill is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Luke Bryan a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Luke Bryan is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Bryan is scheduled to appear at Rhett Akins’ October 2026 Opry induction, but appearing on an Opry show does not make an artist a member.
Is Kenny Chesney a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Kenny Chesney is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Miranda Lambert a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Miranda Lambert is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Eric Church a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Eric Church is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Jason Aldean a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Jason Aldean is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Aldean is scheduled to perform during Rhett Akins’ October 2026 induction show, but he is not on the Opry’s current member roster.
Is Morgan Wallen a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Morgan Wallen is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Is Kane Brown a Grand Ole Opry Member?
No. Kane Brown is not currently a Grand Ole Opry member.
Brown made his official Opry debut in 2021, but an Opry debut and Opry membership are separate milestones.
Was Keith Whitley a Grand Ole Opry Member?
Keith Whitley was posthumously recognized by the Grand Ole Opry in 2023.
Whitley had been scheduled to receive an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry in May 1989, but he passed away on May 9, just three weeks before the planned invitation. He never knew the Opry intended to ask him to become a member.
More than three decades later, the Opry honored Whitley during I Wonder Do You Think of Me: The Opry Remembers Keith Whitley on October 14, 2023. During the show, Garth Brooks presented Whitley’s family with a replica Opry member plaque bearing his name, and Whitley was recognized in the Opry House Member Gallery alongside the artists who have been part of the Opry family.
Whitley’s story makes him a unique part of Grand Ole Opry membership history because he passed away before receiving the invitation that had already been planned for him.
Is Grand Ole Opry Membership the Same as the Country Music Hall of Fame?
No. The Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame are separate institutions, and membership in one does not automatically result in recognition from the other.
The Opry is a continuing live radio show with a roster of members who become part of its performing family. The Country Music Hall of Fame recognizes people for their contributions to country music through a separate election and induction process.
An artist can therefore be an Opry member without being a Country Music Hall of Fame member, or a Hall of Fame member without belonging to the Opry.
Who Has Been a Grand Ole Opry Member the Longest?
Bill Anderson is the longest-tenured living member on the current Grand Ole Opry roster.
Anderson joined the Opry in 1961 and has now been a member for more than six decades.
He is followed by Connie Smith, who joined in 1965.
Who Is the Youngest Artist To Become A Grand Ole Opry Member?
Kelsea Ballerini was 25 when she was inducted on April 16, 2019.
The Grand Ole Opry has described Ballerini as becoming its youngest member in its nearly 100-year history at the time of her induction.
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