Stonewall Jackson and Opry Settle Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Stonewall Jackson’s federal age discrimination lawsuit against the Grand Ole Opry and its management was settled Friday for an undisclosed amount. Gaylord Entertainment Co., which owns the Grand Ole Opry, had previously denied all of Jackson’s claims.    Jackson, who has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1956, filed the suit last year against Pete Fisher, the Gaylord Entertainment and Opry general manager. Jackson said after Fisher was hired, he began to have fewer appearances on the Opry. Jackson said he began to lose health insurance coverage through the Opry — which is directly related to the number of appearances an artist has.    The fewer performances were also a breach in agreement, according to Jackson. The agreement between the Opry and artists said that artists would be scheduled specific dates each year to perform.  According to The Tennessean, Jackson’s spokesperson said he was “very happy to have this lawsuit settled and to be back singing his music on the Grand Ole Opry. Stonewall has a great love for the Grand Ole Opry and takes great pride in his membership with this great institution for over 50 years.”    Steve Buchanan, vice president for media and entertainment at Gaylord Entertainment Co., told The Tennessean that he was happy the issue was resolved. “We're glad to have him back on the Opry,” he said.