Dear Dick,

In an effort to correct misinformation which has been circulating regarding our decision to take the Four Guys off of the Opry's current membership roster, We released the following statement to the media. We hope this provides some clarification.

"In 1967 the original Four Guys, consisting of Brent Burkett, Richard Garratt, Sam Wellington and Berl Lyons were invited to join the Grand Ole Opry as members. With the departures of the last two original members in 1999, we have made the decision to remove the Four Guys from our current Opry membership roster. We wish the best for them and are grateful for their contributions to the Opry."

While some may want to read further into our actions, this is a decision that was solely based on the fact there are no original members left in the group.

We are very fortunate to count many of country music's great artists as our members. We believe the continued inclusion of Hall of Famers Jimmy Dickens and Loretta Lynn, as well such great members as Porter Wagoner, Bill Anderson, Jean Shepard and many others, reflects our commitment to preserving country music's heritage. In addition, the induction of Dr. Ralph Stanley, this past January, also displays our passion for the traditional roots of country music.

All of us here at the Opry are committed to preserving country music's legacy.

Thank you, once again, for your comments.

Sincerely,

Pete Fisher
General Manager, Grand Ole Opry