Remember When Dolly Parton Gave Her Only Invitation to an Artist To Join the Grand Ole Opry in 2021?

Dolly Parton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in early 1969, a month before the release of her third studio album, In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad). For more than 50 years, Parton remained an integral part of the Grand Ole Opry and a frequent performer.

Videos by American Songwriter

So it’s a bit surprising that it wasn’t until 2021 that Parton finally invited someone to join the Grand Ole Opry. In June of 2021, Carly Pearce was invited by Parton to become an official member.

It happened when Pearce thought she was recording a commercial for Dollywood, where she got her first job as a singer. Instead, Parton appeared in person to invite Pearce to join the Grand Ole Opry.

“They told me that you have been on the Grand Ole Opry 80 times. How do you do that 80 times?”

“I’m just trying to follow in your footsteps,” a stunned Pearce replied.

“Well, you should be a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” Parton said. “What’s wrong with them? Well, I came here today to tell you, you are now an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.”

On August 3, 2021, Pearce was formally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Trisha Yearwood.

What Dolly Parton Says About the Grand Ole Opry

For Parton, few things mean as much to her as being part of the Grand Ole Opry. Growing up in East Tennessee, one of Parton’s biggest dreams was to someday become an official member.

“I actually got to sing on the Grand Ole Opry when I was about 10 years old,” Parton says. “I became a member in the late ’60s. They call it the ‘Mother Church,’ because the old Ryman was a church. But it’s sacred to me, wherever it goes—the church of my heart. For me, the Opry is like the song ‘New York, New York’—if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”

In 2019, a celebration honoring Parton’s 50 years as a Grand Ole Opry member was televised on NBC.

“Since officially joining the Opry 50 years ago, Dolly Parton has taken the country music world—and the world, for that matter—by storm, taking her Opry roots with her,” Opry Vice President and Executive Producer Dan Rogers said at the time.

The TV special included performances by Emmylou Harris, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Toby Keith, Lady A, Margo Price, and Hank Williams Jr.

Photo by Tony R. Phipps/Getty Images