The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 100th anniversary with a star-studded special on March 19, bringing together some of the biggest names in country music.
(If you missed the event, you can catch it streaming on Peacock!) Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, and more were in attendance, but one notable absence caught fans’ attention—Jelly Roll.
Why Wasn’t Jelly Roll at the Opry Special?
At first glance, Jelly Roll’s absence might not seem unusual. While he has performed at the Grand Ole Opry before—most recently just last month—he is not an official Opry member, and he is currently in the middle of the Canadian leg of his Beautifully Broken tour.
However, what made his absence stand out was that he was prominently featured in promotional materials for the event and was originally scheduled to perform alongside Ashley McBryde.
Instead, Ashley McBryde took the stage with Post Malone, who appeared to be a last-minute replacement for Jelly Roll.
100th Anniversary of Grand Ole OpryThe duo delivered a tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter, performing their classic duet “Jackson.” Earlier in the night, Post Malone also joined Travis Tritt for a performance of “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.”
Fans Wonder Why Jelly Roll Pulled Out
Despite the lineup change, the performance was widely praised by fans. One viewer raved, “Y’ALL DID JOHNNY & JUNE PROUD,” while another commented, “You two were spectacular together!”
Still, some fans couldn’t help but wonder why Jelly Roll wasn’t there as planned. Though he hasn’t publicly addressed his absence, The Tennessean reported that he had to “bow out due to illness.”
According to his official website, Jelly Roll is still set to perform in Ottawa, Ontario, on March 21—suggesting that his condition may not be serious.
