Stonewall, 74, has been a member of the Opry since 1956. His hits include the No. 1 singles, “Waterloo” and “B.J. the D.J.” Jackson claims that his appearances on the Opry have declined since Pete Fisher took over as general manager in 1998. Jackson adds that he and Fisher reached an agreement in September of 2005 to give him more bookings, but that he has been called on to perform only once, on Oct. 1, 2005. The Opry counters that such stars as Little Jimmy Dickens, who recently turned 86, and Porter Wagoner, who turns 80 this year, perform regularly on the show. “The allegations of age discrimination are without merit, as evidenced by our lineups on each and every show,” states Steve Buchanan, vice president of media and entertainment for Gaylord Entertainment.

[Photo by Larry Hill]