The 100th-anniversary celebration of the Grand Ole Opry has arrived and Swifties are wondering whether Taylor Swift has ever performed at the iconic venue. With the Opry entering its 100th year, numerous country music artists gathered under one roof in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate the grand occasion. Here are all the details fans should know regarding whether Swift is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Taylor Swift already made her debut at the age of 16
No, Taylor Swift is not a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Although Swift has graced the stage at the venue, she has failed to meet one of the membership requirements of the Opry. Swift’s name is also absent from the list of all the members of Opry on the official website.
According to a report by The Tennessean, on September 1, 2006, a 16-year-old Swift wowed the audience as she performed at the Grand Ole Opry. The singer was in the early years of her career and debuted as a country artist in the industry. She sang her single “Tim McGraw” in front of a crowd of over 4,000 people. While addressing the crowd at that time, Swift expressed her excitement and said, “Oh my God, I’m on the Opry.”
Swift returned to the Grand Ole Opry in 2010. She was present there for Opry’s 85th anniversary and had a message for the institution, which was recorded in a video diary. In the clip posted on YouTube, Swift asserted, “I love going to the Opry. I love playing there. Dolly Parton was playing that night, so I wanted to be a part of it. Every time I go to the Opry, I have some kind of crazy, wonderful, and new experience.”
In 2020, Swift arrived at the Opry again for the ACM Awards and performed her song “Betty.”
As per the membership requirements of Opry, an artist needs to stay connected to their country music roots. Moreover, an artist needs to continuously produce country music and appear at the Opry to stay as a member. However, Swift’s last country album was Red, which came out in 2012. After that, she shifted to the pop music genre with 2014’s 1989.
Originally reported by Ishita Verma on ComingSoon.
