Stonewall An Ole Fave Again

Country singer Stonewall Jackson has settled a federal age-discrimination lawsuit against the Grand Ole Opry and management company Gaylord Entertainment.

Jackson filed the lawsuit last year, claiming his appearances on the Nashville show have declined since Opry general manager Pete Fisher was hired in 1998. The reduction hurt his livelihood, Jackson claimed, and caused him to lose health insurance through the Opry, which is tied to his number of appearances per month.

Terms of the settlement filed in U.S. District Court in Nashville were not disclosed. Jackson’s attorney declined to discuss the terms of the lawsuit but said it was “dismissed with prejudice” and cannot be refiled. Jackson sought $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages.

“We are pleased that everything with Stonewall is resolved,” Gaylord Entertainment spokesman Steve Buchanan said in a brief statement. “We’re glad to have him back on the Opry.”

A spokesman for the 75-year-old entertainer echoed the sentiment, saying Jackson was “very happy to have the lawsuit settled.”

Gaylord had denied all of Jackson’s allegations in court papers.