Jamey Johnson Reflects On Grand Ole Opry Membership, Says Tracy Lawrence And Other Overlooked Artists Deserve Recognition
“I hope you come play the Opry and I hope they make you a member.”
Jamey Johnson, Tracy Lawrence; Photo Provided
For Jamey Johnson, becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry wasn’t just another career milestone, it was a lifelong dream that, at one point in his career, felt so out of reach he considered walking away from the legendary stage altogether.
During a recent conversation with Tracy Lawrence on the TL’s Road House podcast, Johnson reflected on finally being invited to become an Opry member after more than two decades of performing there, admitting there was a time when the lack of an invitation became “a burr in my saddle.”
“To say the least, it’s a humble honor to get to be a member of the Opry. It has the job of representing country music past, present and future all at the same time. And unfortunately for a lot of us years ago, they weren’t interested in bringing in too many new members. For the longest time, that really got to be a burr in my saddle and I was getting to the point where I didn’t want to play it anymore because I wanted it so bad,” Johnson admitted to Lawrence. “I wanted to be a member ever since I moved to town. And I kind of always knew that I was called to be a member.”
The Alabama native went on to explain that he believes artists who genuinely care about preserving country music and its legacy are exactly the kind of people who should become members of the Grand Ole Opry.
“Who else should be a member of the Grand Ole Opry, but somebody that cares whether it lives on or doesn’t live on? And so the ones of us who do care should be filling up that membership.”
Johnson also praised the Grand Ole Opry’s current leadership, saying he believes the organization has taken steps to recognize artists who may have been overlooked during a time when fewer membership invitations were extended.
“I think that’s what they’ve been doing over the past several years. Dan Rogers has been really looking around the… And I’m not talking about just current artists. They know they left a bunch of you guys out back in the ’90s and he wasn’t in charge of it back then and can’t do nothing about it now except try and reach out. But that part is a little weird for me. We just celebrated my fourth year as a member, but I’ve been playing the Opry for over 21 years. And so there has to be some other way of representing your official anniversary and that sort of thing.”
When Lawrence revealed that he made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1991, Johnson pointed out how strange it would feel for someone with such a long history on the Opry stage to only now begin celebrating their first official year as a member.
Lawrence revealed that his Opry debut took place in 1991, to which Johnson responded, “so we’re talking a long, long time.”
He continued, “And if you were to become a member now, you’d be 2027 celebrating your first year. And there’s just something a little off about that. But I think this current team at the Opry, they’re working real hard to correct some of those overlookings and things like that.”
Johnson then turned to Lawrence with a heartfelt wish for the future.
“And I would just tell you, just as your brother, man, I hope you come play the Opry and I hope they make you a member. And I hope you get to walk out there and have Tracy Lawrence night at the Opry.”
Lawrence appreciated the encouragement, but admitted he isn’t getting his hopes up.
Lawrence admitted, “I’d love to see that, but I ain’t holding my breath…Everything you’re speaking is all the truth, man.”
For more of Tracy Lawrence and Jamey Johnson’s conversation, watch the video below.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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