Grand Ole Opry and Age Discrimination

I found an interesting article regarding age discrimination and the Grand Ole Opry. Older country stars feel that they are being pushed off the weekly radio show. Many older country stars feel that they joined the Opry with the original understanding that if they were to make regular appearances at the peak of their careers (and make less than they would touring), they would be offered a place to perform when not quite as successful. Stonewall Jackson feels that the Opry has not lived up to its part of the unwritten deal and is now filing an age discrimination lawsuit. Gaylord Entertainment Co., which owns the Opry, denied these claims stating that the Opry members are not employees and thus are not entitled to a certain number of performances. "If I had been at that place 40 years and done the things those folks had done, I'd feel slighted too sometimes," Vince Gill, a 17 year member, said. "But the management has bosses, too, and they want to see it grow and only have so many slots a night to get filled."
Gill advocates a return to a mandatory minimum number of appearances for cast members, plus a cap on the maximum. That would make more room for older stars, and ensure that the more contemporary members do their part, he said.