Elle King, the accomplished musician and daughter of the renowned comedian Rob Schneider, recently found herself at the center of controversy following a viral performance at the Grand Ole Opry’s birthday salute to Dolly Parton.
Born Tanner Elle Schneider in 1989 in Los Angeles to Rob Schneider and model London King, Elle King stepped into the spotlight at a young age, making her debut as a child actor in her father’s film, “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” (1999). However, her true passion lay in music, and at the age of 13, she began playing the guitar. Elle King’s journey in the music industry officially commenced in 2012 with the release of her first EP, “The Elle King EP,” showcasing a blend of country, blues rock, and pop.
Throughout her career, Elle King has opened for prominent artists such as Train and Ed Sheeran, gaining recognition with her debut single, “Ex’s and Oh’s,” which achieved significant success on the Billboard and rock charts, earning two Grammy nominations. Subsequently, she received a Country Music Association Award (CMA) in 2016 for Musical Event of The Year for her collaboration with Dierks Bentley on “Different for Girls.”
Elle King’s musical repertoire includes three studio albums: “Love Stuff” (2015), “Shake The Spirit” (2018), and “Come Get Your Wife” (2023), displaying her versatility across genres like pop-punk, gospel, R&B, in addition to her roots in blues rock and country.
The recent controversy arose during Elle King’s guest performance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville as part of Dolly Parton’s birthday celebration. In a candid and expletive-filled introduction, Elle King openly admitted to being “f***ing hammered.” Her remarks, laced with profanity, left the audience uneasy, especially considering the event’s family-friendly nature.
As Elle King attempted to perform Dolly Parton’s “Marry Me,” the situation escalated further. The singer, visibly struggling and admitting to forgetting the lyrics, delivered an incoherent rendition. Jokes about potentially causing the death of Dolly Parton further dampened the atmosphere.
Audience members recorded the chaotic performance, leading to widespread criticism on social media, including an apology from the Grand Ole Opry for the language used during the show. Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, expressed her dismay on Twitter, describing Elle King as a “lil spoiled brat” for disrespecting the legendary songwriter.
While Elle King has not responded to the backlash, she did postpone several upcoming concerts on her U.S. tour in the aftermath of the incident, leaving fans and the music community to ponder the aftermath of this unexpected controversy.
