Lady A is a Bad Pick as New Grand Ole Opry Member

Sorry Jamey Johnson. Sorry Elizabeth Cook. Sorry Miranda Lambert. Sorry Carly Pearce and Charles Esten, who continue to be some of the most frequent Opry performers who haven’t received membership yet. Sorry cool up-and-coming names like Billy Strings that could be the shot of youth and roots that the Grand Ole Opry needs, or a host of other performers that seem to be ripe for the picking.
Instead, who do we get as the next members of country music’s most hallowed institution? That’s right, the sanguine and vapid Lady A, who make the latest stop on their recent rehabilitation tour by becoming the newest Grand Ole Opry members.
Lady A was caught by surprise Thursday (1-21) while taping a performance for an upcoming primetime special on NBC celebrating 95 years of the Opry. Darius Rucker extended the invitation to Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood on the Opry stage, and apparently the membership is effective immediately as opposed to waiting a few weeks to be formally inducted as is normal. Yes, I’m sure it all made for great theater for the cameras, and will give folks a reason to watch the NBC special when it airs February 14th.
Let’s just appreciate that in 2015, this was an act that went on hiatus because as they admitted themselves, the magic was lost, sales were lagging, and singles were flopping. Since then things have not fared much better, with their first single of 2020 “What I’m Leaving For” stalling at #39.
Recently though, the empty calories of Lady A’s latest song “Champagne Night” actually made it to #1—conveniently when the media was adjourned for the Holidays, and charts were only being published by a skeleton crew, sparing the embarrassment for country since last year Lady A made quite a stir when they changed their name from Lady Antebellum, pissing off both the anti PC crowd for giving in, and then the woke mob by taking the name of a blues singer from the Pacific Northwest.
In truth, the kerfuffle (which is still ongoing) probably shouldn’t be considered some massive stain on their career. Lady A tried to do the right thing by changing their name, and they already had a trademark on the books for some 10 years for the abbreviated term. But they failed to do proper vetting, and overshadowing a black woman was too juicy of a cause celebre for the circling media not to strike on. Lady A also fumbled the response, suing the poor woman preemptively. I mean, what did she do wrong?
No matter what you think about that situation, selecting Lady A for Opry induction at this point with that public relations circus hanging over their heads is certainly not reading the room right. Why test those waters, and bring such unnessessary heat on yourself as an institution when there are so many better options for Opry induction out there?
You can’t win them all, and we did get Gene Watson in as the last Opry member in early 2020, so I guess we were about due for a disappointment. I just wish it was someone country music could be proud of, as opposed to an adult contemporary act nearing the end of their relevancy with a high-profile race-based scandal still resting on their shoulders. Oh, but Darius Rucker was the one that invited them to join, so we’re all cool, right black people?
Seriously Opry, Jamey Johnson, or someone similar next time. Let’s get this done.
January 22, 2021 @ 9:47 am
I am just bitter Carly Pearce has not gotten it, she is decently well known goes to the Opry a lot and is one of the hardest working musicians in the genre
I don’t mind Lady A’s music, but it is kind of annoying how the country music scene has stuck by their side so much after the whole name controversy as it is just not a good look how that whole thing went down.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:12 am
Carly P. literally just played her 79th (I could be off, but it’s up there) show recently.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:17 am
Carly Pearce would be my pick for a contemporary artist. She has deep roots in the music, and her appeal cuts across both new and old country fans, which is the balance the Opry needs.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:21 am
Carly’s early interest and commitment to the Opry definitely reminds me of Carrie Underwood’s early interest after she won Idol. ????
January 24, 2021 @ 4:38 pm
Well at least she got to sing the national anthem at the Bucs/Packers game…..
February 3, 2021 @ 11:46 pm
Morgan Wallen, please.
This was a BAD selection.
January 22, 2021 @ 9:56 am
Trig- The dismissiveness of their more recent chart success is a bit unfair, if not misleading or uninformed. Their “comeback” single, What If I Never Get Over You, did extremely well in both radio and sales. I wouldn’t say that follow up did “stalled” at 39, it was moving up the charts week to week; the label pulled it after the very, very impressive sales numbers of the Champagne song after the SongLand appearance. It’s the first SongLand song to ever be an official single. Yes their singles were flopping in the mid 2010s, but their comeback has been pretty impressive and only overshadowed by the name change drama and tour cancellation. I just want to make sure you’re being fair in your reporting and analysis. I’m not a fan of their recent music, but it seems they are doing much better on the charts than a few years back. Probably thanks to Big Machine ????
January 22, 2021 @ 10:08 am
Look, I don’t profess to be a chart expert. However, I did listen to Chris Owen, who is sort of my resident chart expert, and who on a podcast with Billy Dukes talked about “What I’m Leaving For” specifically, and how it was one of the most shocking failed singles of 2020, along with the Maren Morris track. I did know it was pulled, and they characterized it as being because of lagging interest. I did not know about the SongLand thing. My deeper point is I don’t feel like Lady A is an act on the rise. If you’re going to induct a contemporary, commercially-relevant act, make them commercially-relevant at least. I feel like Lady A is being propped up by the industry at the moment, and this is part of that effort, as opposed to someone like Carly Pearce who is on the rise, and has shown deep commitment to the Opry already. Just my thoughts.
January 22, 2021 @ 12:57 pm
this reminds me of something. I’d be really interested to learn more about what other journalists you read or music podcasts/shows you follow
January 22, 2021 @ 1:19 pm
I read a lot of stuff, most anything published about country music, and especially stuff that I may disagree with. Don’t listen to a lot of podcasts just because my listening time is mostly reserved for albums. But I did listen to that Billy Dukes podcast with Chris Own just because I thought it included some important topics via a vis singles that should have succeeded and ultimately failed.
January 23, 2021 @ 5:43 am
“What I’m leaving for” was pulled because it wasn’t really moving much at radio. Champagne nights though, was also #1 the first full chart week of the year, when everyone was back at work. That was always the planned push week, however it also hit #1 early, so it became a 3 wk #1 on mediabase and a 2 wk #1 on billboard. Doesn’t really change your overall point though, that lady A is basically a has been band (& I agree with you). And yeah it’s also a weird and poor opry choice.
Carly Pearce was fairly clearly the next logical choice (inviting people to join who haven’t played the opry in years would also be odd eg Miranda lambert).
February 27, 2021 @ 2:19 pm
So Tigger where were you when Lady won 7 grammies and 7 country music awards that included NEW ARTIS. So what you are saying that they should have been inducted in 2009-2010-2011-2012-2013-2014-2015. And if you knew anything about why they took a break, don’t say anything. Haley had lost her unborn child at 6 months, maybe she needed a break to be healthy mentally and emotionally. Now they are back and had only 3 hits so far in 2020 and 2021 makes them not worthy? Really? But we should induct someone who has recorded only 2 albums? You say we should induct new artists, what happens when they are no longer around in a couple of years? But refuse someone who I saw at the fair with maybe 20 people in the audience back in 2009.
February 27, 2021 @ 2:59 pm
Where was I? I was ignoring their music because it wasn’t country.
January 22, 2021 @ 10:25 am
Massive eye roll. I hear “Champagne Night” at work every day and it annoys me to no end.
January 22, 2021 @ 10:29 am
Always amused how new members are ” shocked and surprised” to be asked to become a member while appearing at the Opry or in this case taping a performance.
Wouldn’t it be funny if someone for once refused the invitation in public. Who would be the most likely to tell them where to stuff their “surprise”?
January 22, 2021 @ 11:59 am
who? zombie johnny paycheck
January 22, 2021 @ 4:40 pm
Idk maybe Justin Timberlake he seems to have more respect for country music than 90% of the artists on country radio.
January 22, 2021 @ 10:34 am
I tweeted out my thoughts last night.
https://twitter.com/AbbeyJones11/status/1352428977042956288?s=19
January 22, 2021 @ 10:36 am
It’s almost like the grand ole opry ain’t so grand anymore, or something like that.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:08 am
Could not have said it better….just like Hank III’s song!
January 22, 2021 @ 10:53 am
Hey that would make a great song title…
January 22, 2021 @ 11:09 am
Hank III already did…
January 22, 2021 @ 11:05 am
This is really disappointing. I never liked their music. Their name was certainly problematic. My opinion of them only worsened when they chose a name already in use by a black performer.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:19 am
I never thought, and still don’t, that their name was problematic. Until they changed it.
January 22, 2021 @ 1:57 pm
It shows how few problems we really have with time to ponder the “certainly problematic” name of this dumb group.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:31 am
First of all, there original name is not, nto should have ever been, problematic. I wish these “woke” people would go back to sleep.
Secondly, the name change and ensuing legal drama is hopeful hype to make points. If they trademarked the name years ago, it’s theirs to use. Pure and simple. They have the legal standing.
Thirdly, their invitation to the Grand Ole Uproar is a bit surprising. And yes, there are plenty of others who should have been asked. And yes, they for the most part suck.
The Opry is having their share of hits and misses these last few years. Doesn’t seem to be geting better.
January 23, 2021 @ 2:16 pm
“If they trademarked the name years ago, it’s theirs to use. Pure and simple. They have the legal standing.”
This isn’t entirely accurate. Prior Users usually have stronger rights than a Junior User that registered.
January 24, 2021 @ 1:39 am
As I recall, the Seattle blues singer–never trademarked the name. If she’s a prior user, that would mean that they can’t stop HER from continuing to use the name, but she can’t stop them, either.
I’d think that they would want to settle with her, to quite the controversy and move forward.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:49 am
I mean, it’s a bit nostalgic “for the good ol’ days.” It carries that connotation. Like if there was a German pop-oompah band called Fraulein dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, it’d be suspect. There are still so many Americans who do nostalagize this period.
January 22, 2021 @ 12:06 pm
ahem, “Frau.” My German is rusty.
January 22, 2021 @ 12:17 pm
I understand this move if it happened in 2011/2012.
In terms of 2021, it is perplexing.
January 22, 2021 @ 1:28 pm
I am with Trigger on this. Very disappointed in the artist choice. “Big mistake. HUGE mistake!”
So many other better choices at this time.
Great article and point of view. Thanks!
January 22, 2021 @ 1:56 pm
It’s odd because it’s not like they’re clueless. The last time I watched was a couple of months ago with Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Don Flemons and Ketch Secor. Whoever booked that installment “gets it,” so why are they so tone deaf with their inductions? Listening to the wrong people, I guess. There should be a Texas based alternative to the GOO, Nashville is hopeless.
January 22, 2021 @ 7:47 pm
One of the best concerts ever w/Ketch and all. Never have seen Dom Flemmons.
January 22, 2021 @ 2:14 pm
I quite like Lady A but it seems a bit random that they were chosen over Elizabeth Cook, Charles Esten and Carly Pearce. They did appear 3 or 4 times during the COVID livestreams so that could’ve possibly helped them.
I am annoyed, however, that they were inducted “immediately” AHEAD of Rhonda Vincent, who was invited in February 2020 and has to wait until 6th Feb 2021 for her induction. Seems a bit rude to make her wait a full year then randomly induct Lady A. I wonder why they’re not getting an official induction like the other members.
January 22, 2021 @ 3:10 pm
Good point about Rhonda Vincent.
January 22, 2021 @ 5:46 pm
I know, right? Lady A gets invited and then become members in 10 seconds. It took all the joy out of the whole traditions of it.
January 22, 2021 @ 2:19 pm
I quite like Lady A but this seems a bit random. They appeared 3 or 4 times during the COVID livestreams so that could’ve helped them but it seems odd not to induct Elizabeth Cook, Charles Esten or Carly Pearce.
I’m annoyed that their membership is “effective immediately”, meaning they become members AHEAD of Rhonda Vincent who was invited in Feb 2020 and is having to wait until 6th Feb 2021 for her induction. She must be a bit frustrated that she’s had to wait a full year to be inducted and then they let Lady A in straight away. I wonder why they’re not getting a proper ceremony like everyone else.
January 22, 2021 @ 2:52 pm
I can’t get over the racist undertones in this bitter article by someone whose only mark in the industry is to harshly judge others who actually have talent.
“Oh, but Darius Rucker was the one that invited them to join, so we’re all cool, right black people?”
Why did that sentence even need to be written? Black people don’t give a f### about this petty shit. I can’t tell if there’s more bitterness that a music artist hasn’t entertained and performed to this narcissist’s standards or over the offense to his supremacy over the nonexistent slight from black people.
Either way, he’s lost all credibility if he had any to begin with at all. Nothing worse than wasting time reading the rants of a bitter, irrelevant person with no talent who thinks his opinion matters.
January 22, 2021 @ 3:48 pm
LOL- SMH
And your credentials are?
January 22, 2021 @ 4:07 pm
I took that as sarcasm directed at the Opry as opposed to him rhetorically addressing the black community.
January 22, 2021 @ 8:16 pm
Matthew,
Go back to sleep. You have been “woke” for too long.
January 23, 2021 @ 7:50 pm
“Black people don’t give a f### about this petty shit.”
Are you black?
If not, STFU.
February 27, 2021 @ 2:38 pm
If you think that Black people around the world care about country music, you don’t know a black person. They have their own music, their own awards, and their own artists. And you don’t know a single one. So all of get off your high horse, country music became popular when they became mainstream. And as far as the black singer, she was in it for the money and publicity. And shame on her if she never heard of Lady A until 2020. Please get over it, ever since BLM country music is trying its best to bend over backward and do some belated ass-kissing.
February 27, 2021 @ 3:03 pm
Whoa dude. I agree the BLM ass kissing can be a little much. But the idea that no black people care about country music and they have their “own music” is out of bounds. Black people play an important role in country music, even if that role is wildly embellished in the media at the moment.
January 22, 2021 @ 3:16 pm
Agree, they built up a lot of good capital keeping the Opry going over the last months, with mostly good lineups. Then they do this.
January 22, 2021 @ 3:18 pm
That was in reply to Wilson Pick It 😛
January 22, 2021 @ 3:27 pm
They won’t reinstate Hank so who needs em?
All I had to read was the headline of this article to know what this is about. Same reason I got kicked off twitter for saying I want to buy more Dale Watson records.
January 22, 2021 @ 3:42 pm
Good luck to Lady Antebellum. They would not be my choice. I can think of a few more deserving of the honour. However, have they not been chosen to sell more tickets? Jamey Johnson, Billy Strings etc would not nearly sell as many tickets, sadly. Isn’t that the reason?
January 22, 2021 @ 4:38 pm
I was very surprised by this…And to make it effective immediately is an insult to Rhonda Vincent & others who have had to wait. As many times that Phil Vassar has played he has never been invited, & that’s wrong for him & many others. I will disagree on pop artist Carly Pierce…Sorry folks, she ain’t all that. Saw her in Vegas during Rodeo 3 years ago & the way she treated fans was snobbish & inexcusable. Eric Church has been that way w other artists: Things like that leave an impression w me. Ya all have a great night…
January 22, 2021 @ 6:30 pm
”I will disagree on pop artist Carly Pierce”
as would I ….Lady A = Carly Pierce
January 22, 2021 @ 6:23 pm
I don’t think there’s any argument to be made about this act NOT being a COUNTRY act . They aren’t . Not by any measure .
To my ear they are a solid MOR act that lacks good material and always has . They need someone in their band or their camp with a much better grasp of what a great song sounds like . In fact , an awful lot of acts need that person , it seems. But that material shouldn’t be passed off as ‘ country ‘ and this act , in my opinion should not have even been in consideration for opry membership ….not by a long shot if songs and sound factor in to any extent…….which , apparently, it doesn’t .
January 22, 2021 @ 6:37 pm
That’s country my ass (thank you Dale Watson) The Opry just can’t learn from the past, no wonder the best REAL country music comes from Texas
January 22, 2021 @ 6:43 pm
They make Rascal Effing Flatts sound like Ferlin Husky, they are terrible. Who is calling shots at the Opry these days, time for a change.
January 22, 2021 @ 7:17 pm
Give me a break people. It’s a frigging honor awarded to artists who deserve it for multiple reasons, not just chart rankings. Its NOT the damn Nobel Prize! Try focusing on more important things going on in the world. Get over it and act like adults.
January 22, 2021 @ 7:31 pm
Honky,
You have the covid?
Where you at
January 23, 2021 @ 5:14 pm
Hello Di,
Nope, I’m fine and dandy.
January 22, 2021 @ 8:09 pm
In truth, the kerfuffle (which is still ongoing) probably shouldn’t be considered some massive stain on their career.
Nope. They were cowards. I’m hardly some radical right-winger, but the name change was utterly pathetic. They caved in the heat of the moment, thanks to media narratives and social media fear. That’s all it was. I lost any amount of respect I had for them. Cowards.
January 22, 2021 @ 10:54 pm
I 100% agree, Kevin. They were virtual signalling and thought it would make them appear ‘woke’ (man, I’m sick of that term), but it backfired and they looked foolish. Someone behind the curtain is throwing them a bone.
Not to take anything away from the trio — they’re talented, although their music doesn’t speak to me. They’re about as Country as Haggard was Heavy Metal. They’ve been around for awhile, sure, but there are far too many worthy artists in front of them.
This is nothing more than someone with power pulling a few strings to try and keep the trio afloat after the name change misstep. But the SJWs will be all aglow at the news.
January 24, 2021 @ 8:14 am
The silly AM radio talkshow insult “SJW” instantly renders any opinion pointless and silly. It’s usually lobbed at people with consciences, by self-important slobber-jaws, who insist on blackening Old Glory and adding a blue stripe to keep cops from pulling them over when they’re holding. People who get unnaturally frustrated when someone wishes them “Happy Holidays,” or tells them Biden won fair and square, and Obama was born in Hawaii.
There is no bigger snowflake than the rightwing cancel culture; ask Nike, Budweiser, Keurig or the NFL. There is no more violent or unhinged group, ask Charlottesville, Kenosha, or the National Guard. Read any comments section, on any subject.
Like this one. They’re about as patriotic as Wynn Stewart was EDM. And the “SJW’s” beat them by the most votes any president ever won by.
Oh, and Lady A is as relevant as Maypo, but much more bland. They should be members of a small tourist hall in Branson, not Opry members.
January 22, 2021 @ 8:40 pm
Man, those edgy Opry types sure have serious thrill issues.
zzzzzzzzzzz
January 22, 2021 @ 9:05 pm
Super juvenile..but I can’t stop thinking that Bobby Boner and Lady A-hole would be a good double-header.
Yeah, I’ll see myself out.
January 22, 2021 @ 9:22 pm
Rhonda Vincent was asked to jon last year before Covid hit. What happened to her induction?
January 22, 2021 @ 10:45 pm
Sigh…yet another boring and bland pop country act joins the roster of Opry members along with Kelsea Ballerini, Dustin Lynch, Little Big Town, Chris Young, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, etc. Guess they couldn’t spoil us actual country music fans too much with having already invited Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent earlier last year (insert sarcasm here). Really makes me long for the days when artists like Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Joe Diffie, Travis Tritt, Marty Stuart, and Hal Ketchum were invited back to back. Looking at the list of members today gets more and more depressing.
January 22, 2021 @ 11:34 pm
The grand opry has lost it’s soul to try and get more attention for the pop country segment of music fans. It’s sad, nothing is sacred anymore. Hootie damn sure doesn’t belong there either. He hasn’t paid enough dues and he hasn’t really put out a real country album.
January 23, 2021 @ 6:10 am
They are not deserving there’s people who set the stage back in the ’60s ’70s who aren’t in Lady A’s b*******
January 23, 2021 @ 7:26 am
Travesty and an insult to all the pioneers of country music already in
January 23, 2021 @ 7:48 am
OLD NEWS, SAME NEWS:
The reality of the state of Country music at this point is that there is little-to-no ‘rural country’ sounds anymore.
Unless the CMA is willing to open its arms and doors to Americana Roots artists, there’s not much to choose from to represent “Country” Music.
January 23, 2021 @ 11:03 am
Tyler Childers
Elizabeth Cook
Cody Jinks
Jamey Johnson
Sam Outlaw
Sierra Ferrell
Leah Blevins
Michaela Anne
Jesse Daniel
Zephaniah Ohora
Dori Freeman
Amber Digby
the list goes on and on… The Opry simply lacks courage because it thinks it’s the CMA. Sad.
January 23, 2021 @ 7:55 am
No surprises: spineless, bland, corporate bullshit welcomed to the Opry.
January 23, 2021 @ 11:40 am
What other mainstream artists are more deserving?? Help me with this everyone
1. Definitely Carly Pearce
2. Runaway June has performed often
3. Michael Ray performed often plus he has teased he’s going neotraditional with next album.
4. Ashley McBryde
5. Jon Pardi plays sometimes but not nearly enough (like twice a year)
6. Maddie & Tae
7. ** controversial but Luke Bryan has been frequenting the Port this past year a lot more often then yrs past …
January 23, 2021 @ 12:05 pm
How often did Lady A play the Opry in 2019 ??
January 23, 2021 @ 1:22 pm
By Charles Esten do you mean the Charles Esten that portrayed Josh “Poor Man’s Michael Scott” Porter on the Office?
March 15, 2021 @ 1:42 pm
Yes, and more relevantly, Deacon Claybourne on ABC/CMT Nashville. He SO deserves to be invited it’s not even funny, but b/c he’s not a “superstar” they probably won’t. Sucks.
January 23, 2021 @ 4:30 pm
The fact that Hootie introduced them says all you need to know about the current climate. Everything good is dead.
January 23, 2021 @ 6:34 pm
I bet Hillary’s Mother had some input .
January 23, 2021 @ 7:02 pm
I wrote a song, “Make the Grand Ole Opry Great Again” that got some local play around Arkansas last summer. Sad to see the evidence.
January 23, 2021 @ 7:29 pm
I imagine the room where these decisions are made has a very large cork board with hundreds of names on it. Every once in a while some one with very little knowledge in the history of country music closes their eyes and throws a dart at the board. Where the dart lands is who gets asked to join. There can be no other reasonable explanation as to why some of the picks in recent years have been so awful.
January 23, 2021 @ 8:52 pm
I heard them ‘perform’ on the opry in the last month or so… and frankly, they weren’t that good, that whole harmony they are known for wasn’t there. Maybe they had been at home too long.
Also, they talked too damn much, instead of singing. Maybe that is their thing.
However, I never have gotten into their songs, which to me, aren’t that country.
January 23, 2021 @ 8:54 pm
Sunny Sweeney
January 24, 2021 @ 8:27 am
Jim Lauderdale plays the Opry every chance he gets and deserves to be a member before any of these people mentioned. He carries the country music and bluegrass torch and his rhinestone suits would be keeping another tradition alive on the Opry.
January 24, 2021 @ 8:38 am
Another good name.
January 24, 2021 @ 11:44 am
Mandy Barnett has been guesting on The Opry for 27 years. She has also performed at The Ryman more than any other singer. The successful run of Always Patsy Cline arguably paid for the renovation to the building. She deserved Opry membership decades ago. She’s endured multiple changes in Opry management and not a single one of them has had the good sense to make her a member. Yet every pop act that crossed over has been invited. It’s the biggest tragedy in the industry. That and The Wilburns not being members of the Hall of Fame.
January 24, 2021 @ 8:21 pm
The REAL Lady A is way too kind and sweet of a woman to ever say this, so I’ll say it for her…fuck off you name robbing, too lazy to google a name before you use it, non-country poser pieces of garbage.
January 25, 2021 @ 5:49 am
When I first heard of this band I did raise an eyebrow at their name. But my thoughts were along the lines of ‘hmm… interesting name, I wonder what they are all about?’ rather than ‘where did I leave my pitchfork?’
I don’t think I have actually ever listened to any of their music. Judging by the comments here I haven’t missed much.