The Grand Ole Opry is celebrating its 100th birthday all year. And it’s getting fans’ help as it looks back on its rich history.
The Opry is naming the 100 Greatest Country Songs of all time, with the help of fans who have weighed in, nominating their favorites. All summer long, the Opry will be releasing lists separated by era. By the end of the summer, fans will have the ultimate country playlist.
List one featured the 18 greatest country songs released from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.
In its second list, the Opry gave fans a glimpse of the 19 greatest country songs released in the 1970’s.
The third list focuses on 80’s country, with the 19 songs that defined the era.
Here are the songs that made the cut, along with insider descriptions on why they got the votes.
Willie Nelson Dominates the 80’s With Three Songs on the Opry List
The legendary Willie Nelson had two songs on the Opry’s top songs from the 1970’s. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and his duet with Waylon Jennings, “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” But with three songs on the Opry’s 80’s list, Nelson has more iconic 80’s country songs than any other artist. They are:
“On the Road Again” – Willie Nelson
Craig Shelburne, who wrote The Opry’s “100 Years of Grand Ole Opry” book, writes, “You might say that Willie Nelson pulled the idea for ‘On the Road Again’ out of thin air. Nelson had been cast in the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose as a struggling country singer. On a flight with the film’s director and producer, Nelson learned they were starting to look for songs. They wondered if Willie might have some ideas. When he asked what the song should say, they suggested something about being on the road. A set of lyrics came immediately to mind, so Nelson grabbed a paper sick bag, flipped it over, and jotted down some words. With Nelson’s positive spirit shining through, “On the Road Again” earned an Academy Award nomination and a Grammy win for Best Country Song.”
“Always on My Mind” – Willie Nelson
The Grand Ole Opry lists this classic Nelson tune without comment or explanation. 91-year-old Nelson performed the song, one of his most recognizable and iconic, at the 50th anniversary of “Austin City Limits” in February. He also performed the song during the “Outlaw Music Festival” at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles May 16, when he took the stage with fellow legend Bob Dylan.
“Pancho and Lefty” – Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard
Opry Vice President & Executive Producer Dan Rogers writes, “There are many measures of a truly great song. One of them for me is when you, as a listener, have a favorite version of the tune, but appreciate the many different interpretations of it. I have heard ‘Pancho and Lefty’ performed by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard in concert on the Opry House stage and have also thoroughly appreciated it as delivered on the Opry by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Dierks Bentley and Marty Stuart, and Charlie Worsham. First recorded by its writer, the legendary Townes Van Zandt, Harris recorded her own lauded version in 1977. ‘Pancho and Lefty’ reached number one for Nelson and Haggard in 1983, the same year that TNN: The Nashville Network went on the air. In fact, the mysterious story song inspired Nelson to film his first music video (with a cameo from Van Zandt playing acoustic guitar). ‘Pancho and Lefty’ was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2020.”
George Strait Ties With Nelson, Also Earning Three Songs on 80’s List
George Strait is about as legendary as it gets in country music. But believe it or not, he’s not a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The superstar was invited to join. But he turned the invitation down.
In fact, Strait has only performed at the Grand Ole Opry one time, on Oct. 9, 1982. With the exception of his tribute to Loretta Lynn at her memorial service at the Opry House Sunday, October 30, 2022, he’s never been on the stage again.
Nevertheless, the Opry has chosen three of his classic songs to be on their Opry 100 list focused on the 1980’s. They are:
“Amarillo By Morning” – George Strait
Country singer Zach Top writes, “‘Amarillo by Morning’ is the first song I ever asked to learn how to play on guitar. George Strait’s music was the first thing that I remember my folks playing around the house. He was their favorite, probably, and I loved all those cowboy songs. ‘Amarillo by Morning’ (written by Paul Shafer and Terry Stafford) is obviously a big rodeo song. It’s one of the quintessential country rodeo songs. And rodeo has always been right there, parallel with country music. I think I was five years old when I took my first guitar lesson. My teacher asked me what I wanted to learn to play first, and I said, ‘Amarillo by Morning’ without hesitation. I think she told me, ‘It’s a nice idea. Maybe we’ll start with ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and work our way up to that.’ But I played my first show at seven years old and ‘Amarillo By Morning’ was in the setlist.”
“The Chair” – George Strait
Craig Shelburne writes, “When you’ve got a singer as smooth as George Strait and a song as seductive as ‘The Chair,’ who even needs a chorus? There’s no hesitation, barely even a breath, as Strait effortlessly breaks the ice, asks the woman to dance, and eventually drives her home. Written by Dean Dillon and Hank Cochran, ‘The Chai’” builds to a final line that always delivers, even after forty years. Dillon told Texas Monthly that he and Cochran wrote the song in 45 minutes. Although ‘The Chai’” is unquestionably a country classic, the 1985 music video sets a more sophisticated scene, as three fashionable ladies are flattered by an offscreen suitor. (Strait, meanwhile, sticks to the stage, surrounded by his Ace in the Hole Band.) Strait won multiple ACM and CMA Male Vocalist Awards in the early ‘80s; he joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Somebody drink that man a buy!”
“All My Ex’s Live in Texas” – George Strait
Grand Ole Opry Associate Producer, Show Development Nicole Judd writes, “’All My Ex’s Live in Texas’ is George Strait at his finest—smooth, effortless, and unmistakably country. Written by Whitey Shafer and his fourth wife, Lyndia Shafer, the song’s clever, tongue-in-cheek lyrics about a cowboy avoiding old flames struck a chord with traditional country fans. Released in 1987, ‘All My Ex’s Live in Texas’ quickly climbed to No. 1, earning Strait his first Grammy nomination and becoming one of his most iconic hits. While the song paints Texas as a state full of past heartbreaks (like Rosanna down in Texarkana and sweet Eileen in Abilene), Strait himself remains a proud Texan—making the song even more fun. Whether you’re singing along at a honky-tonk or laughing at its playful storytelling, this one’s a certified country classic. Speaking of exes, Whitey Shafter and his third wife, Darlene, co-wrote Strait’s 1985 No. 1 hit, ‘Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind.'”
George Jones Scores Two Spots on Opry’s 80’s List
Country legend George Jones has two iconic and instantly recognizable songs on the Opry’s 80’s list. They are:
“He Stopped Loving Her Today“- George Jones
Craig Shelburne writes, “George Jones could sing a honky-tonk tune on the Opry stage with the best of them, yet this orchestral, melancholy ballad is his masterpiece. Producer Billy Sherrill could hear a hit, but it took more than a year for Jones to commit to releasing it. Traditional country fans, however, responded immediately. Written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, the narrative takes a dramatic turn when the woman attends the funeral of the devastated man she left behind. ‘We all wondered if she would,’ Jones says in the recitation, as the listener suddenly feels a personal connection to these strangers. Jones won a Grammy for his timeless recording, while ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ won back-to-back CMA Song of the Year honors in 1980 and 1981. Today the poignant title is etched not only in the minds of country fans, but also atop Jones’ gravestone in Woodland Memorial Park in Nashville.”
“Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” – George Jones
Craig Shelburne writes, “Forty years ago, George Jones asked a question that’s always challenging to answer: ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?’ Songwriters Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes captured the generational conflict in that era of country music, as Waylon, Willie, Merle and Conway had no obvious successors among the newcomers of the early ‘80s. The CMA Award-winning music video drove the point home, as Jones wandered down memory lane, glancing at photos of country music’s greatest bygone stars. Time would soon reveal a response to another of the song’s questions: ‘Who’s gonna play the Opry?’ Within five years of the single’s release in 1985, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Ricky Van Shelton, Patty Loveless and Holly Dunn were all welcomed into the cast. At Jones’ 80th birthday celebration at the Opry in 2011, future member Jamey Johnson arguably answered the question with his exceptional rendition of ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes.'”
Dolly Parton Adds Two More Songs to the Opry’s Greatest
The iconic Dolly Parton already had three songs on the Opry’s list of greatest country songs in the section devoted to the 1970’s. Now she adds two more on the Opry’s 80’s list, one of which is a duet with one of Dolly’s favorite singing partners, Kenny Rogers. They are:
“9 to 5” – Dolly Parton
Kelly Sutton with WSM Radio writes, “The history behind “9 to 5” is almost as famous as the song itself. Dolly Parton wrote the uptempo song for a comedy film she was starring in, alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. When inspiration struck on the movie set, Dolly accompanied herself by clicking her acrylic fingernails together, which sounded just like the typewriters that many women were working on in that decade. But ‘9 to 5’ is much more than just a Grammy Award-winning No. 1 hit. Seven years before the movie was released, a group of women came together to fight for equal pay and treatment in the workplace. They called the movement 9to5, which later became known as the National Association of Working Women. When you listen to the lyrics of ‘9 to 5’ today, you realize they champion those women who were working to ‘move ahead but the boss won’t seem to let me.’ A longtime role model for working women, Dolly sang ‘9 to 5’ and many other classic hits when she returned to the Opry in 2019 to celebrate her 50th anniversary as a member.”
“Islands in the Stream” – Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
Craig Shelburne writes, “The irresistible pull of ‘Islands in the Stream’ has kept country fans and karaoke stars singing along since 1983. Written by the BeeGees and produced by Barry Gibb, ‘Islands in the Stream’ only turned into a duet out of desperation. Kenny Rogers couldn’t get the feel for it as a solo recording, but Gibb had an idea: Call Dolly Parton. She happened to be in her LA apartment, just down the street from the studio, and said she’d be right over. In pop culture, Dolly and Kenny would never be separated again. ‘Islands in the Stream’ reached number one on the country and pop charts and collected the 1984 ACM award for single of the year. What started out as a fun love song is now a testament to their enduring friendship. Lifelong fans Lady A covered the classic hit in 2019 for Parton’s 50th anniversary as an Opry member.”
‘Smoky Mountain Rain‘ – Ronnie Milsap
Opry historian Craig Shelburne writes, “An Opry member since 1976, Ronnie Milsap nurtured his love for music as a boy in Robbinsville, North Carolina, just a few miles from the Great Smoky Mountains. So when he sings about ‘going as far as Gatlinburg,’ it feels like he’s singing about home. Written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, ‘Smoky Mountain Rain’ was named one of Tennessee’s official state songs in 2010. Milsap recorded a duet version with Dolly Parton, herself a child of the Smokies, in 2019. Opry member Mark Wills says, ‘Who remembers when you heard the song that made you want to perform country music for a living? I do. ‘Smoky Mountain Rain’ was that very song. Growing up in Blue Ridge, Georgia, this song said it all. Ronnie Milsap was the man that solidified my love of contemporary country music! In September of 1980, this song hit the radio airwaves and from that moment on, I never looked back.”
‘I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool‘- Barbara Mandrell
Country superstar Carrie Underwood writes, “I love ‘I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool’ (written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan) because we’ve all been there at some point, where music changes and different things are ‘it’ and cool at different times. But I love this song because it’s like, ‘This is who I am. These are my roots. This is what I love. And I’m not going to apologize for it. I’ve been here in the ups and in the downs and everywhere in between.’ So, I’m definitely not surprised that this song made the Opry 100 Greatest Country Songs list. And I’m just honored to get to brag on Ms. Mandrell. I have a personal connection with this song because I sang it as part of a medley honoring the women of country music for the ACM Awards in 2020. And I got to sing it for Barbara when she was celebrating a big (50th anniversary) milestone in her Opry life.”
‘Elvira‘- The Oak Ridge Boys
While the Opry posted the Oak Ridge Boys’ classic song without comment, the band is currently performing “Elvira” for delighted fans as part of its “American Made Farewell Tour.” According to Billboard, “Elvira” came out in 1981 and rapidly became the quartet’s fourth number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. It also became the band’s biggest pop hit, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Surprisingly, the song never had an accompanying music video until 2024. The video features the band surrounded by some famous friends including Trace Adkins, Kid Rock, Lorrie Morgan, The Gatlin Brothers, Ray Stevens and Big & Rich. The video was filmed at John Rich’s Redneck Riviera Bar and Honky Tonk on Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway.
‘Mountain Music‘- Alabama
Gina Keltner, who is the Grand Ole Opry Associate Producer, Talent, writes, “Growing up in the ‘80s, my first of many Alabama concerts was their Mountain Music Tour at the Missouri State Fair, from which I still have the Mountain Music T-shirt purchased that night. This song penned by lead singer Randy Owen became a standout at every Alabama show – a lively, feel-good tune celebrating adventures of carefree youth that got everyone on their feet, clapping and singing along. Owen’s childhood memories of fun outdoor antics including the obscure references of chert rocks and skinnin’ cats are relayed throughout the song, which became their sixth number one hit in April 1982. No one can deny the exhilaration produced by this now-classic Southern anthem.”
‘God Bless the USA‘- Lee Greenwood
You’d think having a song that is played during every 4th of July fireworks display in the country might earn you a spot in the Grand Ole Opry. But no such luck.
Lee Greenwood is unquestionably a country legend for “God Bless the USA” and other hits. But his name hasn’t found its way into the Grand Ole Opry rosters or the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Still, the song itself did make it onto the Grand Ole Opry’s list of the all-time greatest country songs. Opry historian Craig Shelburne writes, “Lee Greenwood, the son of a Navy veteran, wrote a patriotic song for the ages with ‘God Bless the USA.’ From its release in 1984 through the modern era, its powerful message has inspired Americans through difficult wartime, victory celebrations, and the national holidays that dutifully honor our veterans. Greenwood worked for the USO as a teenager at military bases around Sacramento, California, and grew to understand the sacrifice of the military. While developing his performing career in Las Vegas, he liked to drop into Elvis Presley’s show, where a dramatic rendition of ‘An American Trilogy’ always brought the house down. In time, Greenwood combined these personal and musical influences and wrote ‘God Bless the USA’ on the back of his tour bus. In 1985 his signature hit earned the CMA Song of the Year award.”
‘Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days)‘- The Judds
Craig Shelburne writes, “The Judds channeled their innate family bond into one of the most sentimental songs in country music, ‘Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days).’ As Wynonna turns to guidance and perspective from her elder, Naomi harmonizes with her daughter – forming the acoustic blend that ultimately carried the duo into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022. Grandpa himself never answers the questions. Instead, listeners can imagine what their own ancestors would have to say about family prayers, absent fathers, and broken promises. Written by Jamie O’Hara, ‘Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days)’ won two Grammy awards and still begs the question: Were things really better back then?”
Wynonna Judd just kicked off her “Greatest Hits Tour” May 23. She’ll be touring the country singing classics from both The Judds and her solo career through early October.
‘Fishin’ in the Dark‘- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Craig Shelburne writes, “The lazy yellow moon comin’ up tonight. Crickets, lightning bugs and the old stump row. This creekside panorama sets a dusky scene in Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s classic hit, ‘Fishin’ in the Dark.’ Just before her songwriting appointment with Jim Photoglo, Wendy Waldman had been listening to Prairie Home Companion and suggested they write a song about fishing, just for fun. They played it at a dinner party one night where producer Josh Leo heard it and felt like it could work for the Dirt Band. Indeed, ‘Fishin’ in the Dark’ hooked the number one spot at country radio in October 1987 and it’s remained in recurrent rotation ever since. The Dirt Band’s earliest achievements include the pop hit ‘Mr. Bojangles’ and the reverent ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ album, yet for later generations of country fans, ‘Fishin in the Dark’ will always be the one shinin’ through the trees.”
‘Forever and Ever, Amen‘- Randy Travis
Craig Shelburne writes, “Randy Travis’ traditional country voice will live eternally thanks to ‘Forever and Ever, Amen,’ written by two of Nashville’s finest songwriters, Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. Written on Overstreet’s front porch, ‘Forever and Ever, Amen’ matched a lighthearted look at lasting love to an irresistible melody. Just as music videos were bringing a new generation of country stars into millions of homes, Travis proved to be a natural on camera. ‘Forever and Ever, Amen’ became a huge hit on TNN, CMT, and the country radio charts, ultimately winning a Grammy for Best Country Song and multiple ACM and CMA awards. Travis joined the Opry in 1986 and he’s been one of its most beloved members ever since. At NBC’s Opry 100 special, Carrie Underwood paid tribute with a delightful rendition of ‘Forever and Ever, Amen,’ then brought the audience to tears by sharing the final ‘Amen’ with Travis himself.”
‘Don’t Close Your Eyes‘- Keith Whitley
Grand Ole Opry Associate Producer, Show Development Nicole Judd writes, “Few voices in country music have ever carried as much raw emotion as Keith Whitley’s, and ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ is proof of that. Written by Bob McDill and released in 1988, ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ became Whitley’s first No. 1 hit. A heart-wrenching plea to a lover still holding onto the past, the single showcased Whitley’s unmatched ability to make every lyric feel personal. Tragically, Whitley passed away less than a year after the song’s release, but ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ felt even more poignant in his absence, topping year-end country charts in 1988 and solidifying his legacy. Today, it remains one of country music’s most powerful ballads—one that still leaves fans hanging on every note. Jesse Keith Whitley, the son of Keith Whitley and Opry star Lorrie Morgan, performed the poignant song during an Opry tribute event in 2023. Keith Whitley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.”
The Grand Ole Opry Will Release Complete List By End of Summer
The 1980’s list coupled with lists from the 1970’s and the Opry’s first list of songs from the 1930’s through the 1960’s puts us at 56 songs out of the 100 the Opry has promised to release through the summer. When it’s all said and done, the Opry promises fans the ultimate country playlist.
To take a look at all the songs from the 1930’s through the 1960’s, click here.
To see all the songs that made the Opry’s list from the 1970’s, click here.
