Kolby Cooper Makes His Grand Ole Opry Debut With Sweet Dedication To His Children
Cooper performed “Stars Fall Down” in honor of his daughters and unborn baby.
Kolby Cooper; Grand Ole Opry, photos by Chris Hollo, Kolby Cooper with Family; Photo Provided
Rising star Kolby Cooper checked a major milestone off his bucket list on Saturday evening (Sept. 10) when he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry.
The Texas native stepped into the circle for the first time ever, performing two tracks from his recently released label debut album, Boy From Anderson County To The Moon.
“Here we are…my Opry debut,” Cooper shared from the stage. “I really didn’t think I’d be here at 23 years old, but I’m very thankful for it.”
As displayed on his 13-track album, Cooper has a knack for writing about real-life situations in an interesting and unique way. He first showcased his songwriting skills with a performance of his new radio single, “Excuses.”
Inspired by a bandmate’s ex-girlfriend, “Excuses” is a relatable track detailing a breakup that ended in an “it ain’t you, it’s me” situation.
Cooper got the packed Opry house laughing as he gave a shoutout to Paul, whose ex inspired the track.
After admitting the opportunity to perform on the Opry stage was “absolutely surreal,” Cooper shared an inspiring story leading into his performance of “Stars Fall Down.”
“I’ve got a lot of people here tonight that care about me and that I really love. My wife and my little girls are here too,” he said. “Speaking of wife and little girls, me and my wife, we were best friends from fourth grade up until we were seniors in high school. Our senior year, we started dating and we got pregnant about four months after we graduated high school.”
Cooper admitted that at the time, pursuing music “didn’t make much sense” as they were expecting a baby and both just 18 years old.
“And then I did it anyways because I feel like you should chase your dreams no matter what. And here we are,” he smiled. “If there’s anything I want my babies to know is that they can chase their dreams and they are encouraged to chase their dreams no matter what. It’s okay to fail but it’s not okay not to try.”
He dedicated the heartfelt song to his daughters and unborn child.
“So when you take aim baby, shoot for the sky / and if you miss it’ll be alright / I’m gonna love you no matter what / ‘cause that’s just what a daddy does / Don’t be scared if you burn bright that you’ll burn out / and baby keep on shining, ‘cause even stars fall down,” he sang as his pregnant wife and young daughters watched on.
Cooper’s performance earned a standing ovation from the Grand Ole Opry audience, who cheered and applauded as he exited the stage.
“If you’d asked me five years ago when I graduated, what I’d be doing in five years, I would’ve told you that I would be a nurse and hopefully still playing music in some capacity. So for me to be making my Opry debut and releasing our major label debut album and all this stuff, it’s just crazy and very surreal,” Cooper told Country Now ahead of his performance.
With his Opry debut under his belt and “Excuses” officially at country radio, the sky’s the limit for Kolby Cooper.
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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