Date Set For Jon Pardi’s Grand Ole Opry Induction
Pardi will become the first native of California to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Jon Pardi; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Jon Pardi will officially become a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, October 24.
Pardi will be inducted on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, however, further details about his induction have yet to be revealed.
The multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer was invited to become a member of the Opry in April during his appearance at Stagecoach festival.
Pardi was in the midst of his performance when Emmy-winning famed restaurateur and author Guy Fieri joined him on stage to introduce a special video from country music icon and Grand Ole Opry member Alan Jackson.
“He has a message for you, take a look,” Fieri told Pardi, prompting him to look at the large screen behind him.
The “Chattahoochee” singer, who has been an Opry member since 1991, then delivered the surprise of a lifetime.
“Hello Jon and everybody at Stagecoach,” Jackson said in the clip. [The] Grand Ole Opry has always meant a lot to me and everybody in country music and I’ve been appreciating your music ever since you were touring with me a few years ago and so I get the honor to invite you in front of all your Stagecoach friends out there to be the first native of California to become an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. So congratulations, Jon, here’s to you…”
Jackson took a swig of his Silverbelly Whiskey as thousands of Stagecoach attendees erupted with applause.
Jon Pardi appeared to be overcome with emotions as he stood on stage processing the news.
Opry executives joined him on stage with an official Grand Ole Opry mic stand to celebrate the occasion.
“That mic stand represents the future of country music as well as its incredible history,” Dan Rogers, Opry executive producer, told the crowd after he sat the Opry mic stand down in front of a surprised Pardi. “This night will go down in history, too, both because Jon is the first artist invited to join the Opry on this stage and because he’s the first native Californian to get that call. What a great night!”
An emotional Pardi then addressed the crowd.
“I moved to Nashville chasing a dream at 22 years old and now I’m here. I love you guys and I love country music. Thank you, everybody. This is an amazing night. I’ll never forget it,” he said, adding, “I always wondered how this might happen if it was going to. I never imagined anything this great. That was incredible.”
“There is no better representation of Northern California than you, man,” Fieri said backstage following the celebratory moment.
Rogers added backstage, “For nearly a decade now, Jon Pardi has been adding something great to the show every single time he plays the Opry. For me personally, I’ll never forget the big sounds he brought to the Opry stage during the pandemic and the way he connected with audiences around the world via our livestream even when he was playing to an empty Opry House. I have no doubt there are good times ahead for all of us with Jon as a future Opry member.”
Jon Pardi will become the first native of California to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
His Opry induction comes amid his Mr. Saturday Night World Tour. Kicking off on August 25 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The California native will bring the show to the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Sweden before returning to North America for dates across the U.S. and Canada. Opening acts include Midland, Jackson Dean, Randall King, Ella Langley, and DJ Highmax on select dates.
The tour comes in support of Pardi’s latest album, Mr. Saturday Night. The project includes fan favorites such as “Last Night Lonely,” “Longneck Way To Go” featuring Midland, and his latest single, “Your Heart Or Mine.”
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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