Breaking News: Mel Tillis Invited to Join Grand Ole Opry

A few weeks ago, I asked, Who Will the Opry Induct Next? In that article, I noted that Opry invitations are notoriously unpredictable and that there are several legendary traditionalists who have not yet become members. Most of our readers thought that the next inductee would and should be young Josh Turner, but the Opry chose to stay away from the current crop of radio artists and instead surprised legend Mel Tillis with an Opry invitation on Saturday night.

After taking the Opry stage to perform two songs, Tillis was approached by Opry member Bill Anderson who asked “how would you like to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. We’d love to have you.” A very moved Tillis replied, “this is another part of a dream yet to be fulfilled. The Opry’s always been on my mind. God bless the Grand Ole Opry.” Upon his membership invitation, Tillis was flanked by his son Mel Jr., and daughter Pam Tillis, an Opry member since 2000, who will formally induct her father into the Opry next month. After Tillis walked off stage Anderson remarked, “When I was asked to invite Mel, I said ‘I whisper and Mel stutters. No one is going to know what was said!’”

For readers who are unfamiliar with the Opry cast, the most surprising part of this news may be that Mel Tillis was not an Opry member already. Daughter Pam Tillis and several less notable artists of Mel’s generation were asked to join the Opry long before Mel. Nonetheless, this surprise invitation is an overdue honor for one of the genre’s greatest artists.