Grand Ole Opry Member Spotlight: Jan Howard

Grand Ole Opry Country Music Show - Nashville

Dierks Bentley - The Opry's Youngest Member

From her stage debut at the Grand Ole Opry to the present day, Jan Howard has proved to be both a talented singer and inspiration to many.  With her many hits and strength of character, Jan creates an ideal example of a successful woman artist.

Background and Early Career

• Before Jan appeared on the Opry stage, she was a single mom holding jobs as a waitress and secretary in Los Angeles to support her three sons.
• In the 1950s, Jan's husband, Harlan Howard, brought out her vocal talents. Harlan was then a blossoming songwriter, and he had urged Jan to sing some of his songs.
• Jan experienced her first ever stage appearance at the Opry in 1959. Prior to her stage appearance, she recorded her first song: "Yankee Go Home" with Wynn Stewart.
• In 1964, Jan signed with Decca Records and became a part of Bill Anderson's syndicated TV and road show, a job she kept for seven years.

Grand Ole Opry Induction

• Though Jan had made several appearances at the Opry throughout the 1960s, she did not become an official member until 1971.

Jan Howard at the Opry

• Today, Jan tours periodically and continues to bring her top hits and delightful stage presence to the Grand Ole Opry. To see when Jan will be appearing at the Opry, check out the VME Grand Ole Opry Blog.

Notable Hits You Might Hear at the Opry

• "The One You Slip Around With"
• "What Makes a Man Wander?"
• "Evil on Your Mind"
• "Bad Seed"
• "An Old Way You Do"
• "My Son"
• "We Had All the Good Things Going"
• "Rock Me Back to Little Rock"
• "Love Is Like a Spinning Wheel"
• "Too Many Ties That Bind"
• "To Love a Rolling Stone"

More Details

• Jan, a Missouri native, was inducted into the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
  Since her son's death in the Vietnam War, Jan has been active in causes to help war veterans. Her song, "My Son" had begun as a letter to her son in Vietnam and she wrote of coping with his death in her autobiography, Sunshine and Shadow. In 1992, Jan was awarded the Tennessee Adjutant General's Distinguished Patriot Medal and in 2005, she was presented with a Medal of Merit, two high civilian honors. 
• See the complete list of current Grand Ole Opry members!