Jamey Johnson Fulfills Lifelong Dream As He’s Inducted As The 228th Member Of The Grand Ole Opry
Jamey Johnson is officially a member of the Grand Ole Opry. On Saturday (May 14), the ten-time GRAMMY award nominee…
Bill Anderson and Jamey Johnson; Photo by Chris Hollo, Grand Ole Opry
Jamey Johnson is officially a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
On Saturday (May 14), the ten-time GRAMMY award nominee was welcomed into the famed institution by Opry member Bill Anderson, who also served as a mentor to Johnson after the pair collaborated on their ACM and CMA Award-winning co-write, “Give It Away.”
Standing in the iconic Opry circle, Anderson presented Johnson with the Opry membership award and asked the “In Color” singer what it felt like to be inducted.
“Buddy Cannon introduced me to Jamey Johnson, it’s been a good 20 years ago, I guess, and I knew from the very first time I met him, he was one of us. And by that I mean, I knew he had a country heart and a country soul and I knew he wanted more than anything in the world to be a part of the Grand Ole Opry. I introduced him the first time he ever came on this stage.”
Anderson continued, “the last time he was here on this stage as a guest, I said ‘Jamey, I hate to tell you this but you’ll never be a guest here again.’ He looked at me and said ‘well I’ve been kicked out of a lot of places.’ I said ‘no, we’re not kicking you out buddy, we’re welcoming you in. The next time you’re on this stage, you’re going to be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.’”
Anderson then presented Johnson with the Opry membership award, which the Alabama accepted with a big smile on his face.
“Thank you, Bill… I don’t have to tell y’all what this means to me. If y’all know me you’ll know that I’ve been talking about this moment since I was a kid, and I ain’t a kid anymore, you can tell that by the Gray in the beard,” Johnson shared.
“I’m so thrilled to have everyone of y’all here tonight to help me celebrate. Thank you,” Johnson added.
Johnson’s induction concluded with a collaboration of “Near The Cross” between Johnson and Ricky Skaggs, who celebrated his 40th anniversary as an Opry member as Johnson marked his induction.
“I know exactly how Jamey feels tonight; that was me 40 years ago,” Skaggs said. “I want to thank my precious wife Sharon and The Whites for being here. We can’t do this without family.”
Anderson surprised Johnson with an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry in March of 2022. It was a full-circle moment as Anderson introduced Johnson to the Opry stage when he made his debut 17 years ago.
At the time, Johnson earned a standing ovation from the packed Opry house as fans in attendance erupted with cheers and applause.
“I don’t know what to say except the obvious, I love country music. I [would have] never moved here if it hadn’t been for country music, if it hadn’t been for the Grand Ole Opry keeping it alive all these years,” the Alabama native shared. “If it hadn’t been for fans like y’all listening to what we do, thank you. I love you, thank you so much.”
Johnson first attended the Opry in 1999 while in town for a job interview. He had the privilege of being a backstage guest on that night as Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Porter Wagoner performed.
The country hitmaker made his Opry debut on September 10, 2005, and knew as he walked into the backstage artist entrance he wanted to be a member someday. Johnson noted the experience as surreal, having grown up listening to the Opry with his father. His daughter was one at the time of his debut appearance; she will graduate from high school next week.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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