The interview was conducted by Alannah Moore and the photos © Lisa OConnor/AFF-USA.com
“Y’all come on in!”
These were the words I heard while walking up the front walkway to the home of the legendary Jeannie Seely. Words can’t fully describe what it’s like for a fan of country music to share the air with a legend such as Seely, but I am incredibly thankful for the time we were able to spend together.
Growing up in Pennsylvania, Seely knew at a very young age that she wanted to be a performer. She recalled her father making sure the car battery was charged so that they could listen to The Grand Ole Opry on the radio. “If the signal wasn’t coming in, he would drive up the hill to listen to The Grand Ole Opry”, Seely laughed.
It would be at the age of 27 that Seely would be invited to become a member of that very program. What would happen next would change the course of The Grand Ole Opry forever. Through hard work, persistence, and determination, Seely fought for female performers to be treated equally on The Opry stage. This included how they were allowed to dress, how they were introduced, and how pivotal of a role they could play on the show. It wasn’t until the early 90s that women were allowed to host the program, Seely being the first to do so.
This year marks Jeannie Seely’s 56th year as a Grand Ole Opry member. To celebrate Seely’s contributions to the Opry as well as the country music genre, Seely was presented with the Joe Talbot Award during her Opry performance on October 28th. She recalled being speechless (not a normal thing for her), and how genuinely surprised she was.
Perhaps for me, what really stood out in our conversation, is how important it is to Seely that The Opry always feels like a family. The magic of The Grand Ole Opry is how connected you feel to the artists who walk out on that stage, and Seely does her best to make sure her Opry family feels welcome and included. Her dedication to keeping that tradition alive is truly inspiring.
When discussing current projects, Seely played a recording of her take on “Suffer Time”, a song originally recorded by her late friend, Dottie West. A release date for the recording has not yet been announced. She also mentioned talks of an additional, very special project regarding that same recording, with details still being finalized.
An advocate for everything she believes in, Jeannie Seely is an incredible example of what it means to work hard and dream big. Nicknamed “Miss Country Soul”, her unique voice and strong work ethic have led to an incredible career.
To sum up what I believe to be the heart and warmth of Jeannie Seely, I don’t know how to say it any better than the words I heard while walking as a stranger up her front walkway....
“Y’all come on in!”
