Scotty McCreery’s Grand Ole Opry Dream Comes True During Emotional Induction Ceremony
Opry members Josh Turner and Randy Travis were on hand to welcome McCreery into the Opry family.
Josh Turner and Scotty McCreery, with surprise guest Randy Travis; Photo Courtesy Grand Ole Opry, photos by Chris Hollo
Scotty McCreery fulfilled a lifelong dream on Saturday night when he was welcomed as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry with two of his musical heroes, Josh Turner and Randy Travis.
The North Carolina native was officially welcomed into the Opry family after performing his Top 6 and rising hit, “Cab in a Solo,” the track “Fall of Summer” from his upcoming new album, and Travis’ iconic “Three Wooden Crosses.”
“I stand here tonight proud of the fact that I bridged the gap between the generation of Randy Travis and Scotty McCreery,” Turner shared from the stage as Travis smiled next to him. “Only time will tell who will be inspired by Scotty.”
Turner then shared the chorus of George Jones’ “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” and later added, “Scotty is not only a fine singer and a songwriter but he’s a great man, husband, and now father. I’m proud of him and I’m proud that he is filling the shoes of the artists before him. With artists like him, country music is in great shape.”
McCreery then accepted the Opry Member Award from Turner and proceeded to make his way to the mic to share a genuine and heartfelt reaction to the life-changing moment.
“If you’ve listened to any of my interviews over the last 15 years of doing this, they’d say, ‘What is your biggest goal?’ and I’d always say, ‘One day I wanna be a member of the Grand Ole Opry,’” McCreery marveled. “I gotta go home and start writing a new bucket list.”
Before performing one final song, McCreery took a moment to recognize his 18-month-old son, Avery, who was watching from the side of the stage.
“He might not understand tonight but one day I’ll be able to tell him, ‘Hey buddy, this was your daddy’s dream and it came true,’” he said.
McCreery closed out his performance with his emotional chart-topping hit, “Five More Minutes.”
After the show, he reflected on the evening and admitted, “This was a nice I’ll never forget.”
“Last night was truly a dream come true,” the chart-topping star added. “I’ve always revered the Grand Ole Opry for its deep history, tradition, and what it’s meant to country music. I hoped one day, through a lot of hard work, I would one day be considered worthy of joining their amazing family. Last night that dream became reality.”
The career milestones will continue for McCreery as he’s set to release his fifth studio album, Rise and Fall, on May 10. This collection of 13 songs is McCreery’s best yet.
During a recent conversation with Country Now, he admitted it’s his “favorite album” he’s ever made and said he hopes his fans enjoy listening to it as much as he enjoyed writing it.
Scotty McCreery will celebrate the release of Rise and Fall with his return to the Grand Ole Opry on May 11. The first 400 ticketholders who purchase the album in the Opry Shop that night will receive special access to an exclusive album release event, featuring an acoustic performance by McCreery immediately after the show in Studio A of the Opry House.
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.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
