The Grand Ole Opry will soon have two new members, and they aren’t country music singers. Comedians Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer, both frequent Opry performers, were invited to join the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, January 7, with Marty Stuart extending the invitation to both of them at the same time, as the Opry spends the next several weeks at the Ryman Auditorium.
Cho and Mule Deer thought they were doing a Facebook Live interview with Stuart, when he surprised them both with the invitation.
“On behalf of the Grand Ole Opry, the staff, and the cast, we just don’t think we could do without you anymore,” Stuart said, after discussing their extended history with the Grand Ole Opry, and the importance of comedy at the Opry. “You’ve been family a long time, and we’d like to invite you to become members of the Grand Ole Opry,”
“Both of you have played this show over 100 times, right? Well from now on they need to give you back pay,” he continued with a laugh. “The Grand Ole Opry is honored to welcome Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer as its newest members.”
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“Marty, Henry, and Gary said it best themselves when they were talking before tonight’s invitation,” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “Comedy has been an integral—and more importantly, FUN—part of the Opry for decades. It’s going to be fabulous to have both Henry and Gary as Opry members and for many of their fellow comedians on Opry shows to keep ratcheting up the fun factor every night.”
Cho later spoke out about the honor in a video shared on social media.
“I am just honored and humbled beyond belief,” Cho said. “Last night, me and my buddy, Gary Mule Deer, were invited to be the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Crazy. Never in my wheelhouse. Never on my radar. But I’m so excited, and honored. They have not inducted a comedian in 50 years, [since] Jerry Clower in 1973. So, here’s to the Grand Ole Opry.”
Last June, the Grand Ole Opry also issued a double invitation, with Vince Gill inviting both songwriter Don Schlitz and musician Charlie McCoy to become Opry members. The induction dates for Cho and Mule Deer have yet to be announced.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Schmidt Relations / Chris Hollo
Read ’10 Country Artists Who Should Be Grand Ole Opry Members’ here.