country
MUSIC PEOPLE
NEWS
MARCH 2024 Volume 55 Number 3 Issue 649
Editor Duncan Warwick
Contributors David Allan , Janet Aspley , Donnie Ayers , Craig Baguley , Jonny Brick , Tony Byworth , Larry Delaney , Don Cusic , Julie Flaskett , Michael Hingston , Stan Hitchcock , Tony Ives , Sianna King , Spencer Leigh , John Lomax III , Bryce Martin , Adrian Peel , Paul Riley , Alex Rossi , Chris Smith , Tom Travis , Walt Trott , Jack Watkins New release consultant : Steve Tidbury
Assistant editor Kelly Gregory
Photographers Patricia Presley , Barry Dixon
Advertising Kelly Gregory - kelly . cmpcountry @ gmail . com
Printed by Micropress Printers Ltd micropress . co . uk
Distributor Seymour International Press Distributors Ltd . 2 East Poultry Avenue London EC1A 9PT Telephone + 44 020 7429 4000
Country Music People is published the last Thursday of each month by KICKIN ’ CUTS LIMITED
24 Darley Close , Wittering , Peterborough PE8 6EQ , UK
+ 44 07787 203131 + 44 01780 783689
countrymusicpeople @ gmail . com www . cmpcountry . com
© 2024 Kickin ’ Cuts Ltd . All rights reserved . No part of this publication may be reproduced , stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of the Publisher . The Publisher accepts no responsibility for statement of fact or opinion expressed by contributors . The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of Country Music People or its editor .
Please recycle this magazine
ELLE KING AT THE OPRY
F ormer rock singer-gone-country Elle
King , who migrated to country with 2023 ’ s Come Get Your Wife , caused controversy when she took to the Opry stage in January “ hammered ,” slurring her words and dropping f-bombs to the conservative crowd during a January 19th Dolly Parton tribute on the Grand Ole Opry .
King , the daughter of comedian Rob Schneider , was noticeably inebriated while singing Parton ’ s Marry Me in honour of Dolly ’ s 78th birthday before admitting she was “ hammered ” and didn ’ t know the words through slurred speech . The incident was made worse by the show being broadcast live over WSM and the strict US broadcast regulations regarding such things .
Many considered it disrespectful , but ever the diplomat , Dolly was supportive , calling King a “… great girl , and she has been going through hard things lately . She just had a little too much to drink , so let ’ s just forgive that and forget it and move on ’ cause she felt worse than anyone ever could .” Dolly ’ s sister Stella Parton highlighted double standards at the legendary institution when it comes to male and female performers . “ I didn ’ t see nor hear the Grand Ole Opry birthday tribute to my big sister Dolly over the weekend . But some lil girl by the name of Elle King apparently cussed and insulted some of Dolly ’ s fans by not knowing a song . She did admit to being “ hammered ” her word not mine … But let me just say this , it wouldn ’ t be the first time a Hillbilly went on the stage of the Opry “ hammered ” but I guess it ’ s ok if you ’ re a male but good lord don ’ t ever let a girl behave that way folks ! Double f *** ing standard if ya ask me . So the Opry is apologizing ! Lol ,” she wrote on social media .
King didn ’ t comment on the incident and was said to be in rehab while a concert planned for Billy Bob ’ s in Fort Worth on Jan 26 was cancelled and rescheduled for September . She has also cancelled multiple upcoming shows .
The Opry ’ s X ( formerly Twitter ) account posted , “ We deeply regret and apologize for the language that was used during last night ’ s second Opry performance ,” following the show .
Hank Williams was famously kicked out of the Opry for showing up to rehearsals drunk and Johnny Cash was banned “ indefinitely ” in 1965 for kicking out the footlights , only to be welcomed back three years later .
In 2021 , Elle King had a Billboard Country Airplay hit with a duet with Miranda Lambert titled Drunk ( And I Don ’ t Wanna Go Home ).
4 country music people