Thomas Rhett Shocks Conner Smith With ‘Unbelievable’ Invitation To Make Opry Debut
Conner Smith will soon step into the iconic circle on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for the first…
Thomas Rhett, Conner Smith; Photo via Social Media
Conner Smith will soon step into the iconic circle on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for the first time ever.
The fast-rising country star and 2022 Country Now Artist To Watch is set to make his Opry debut on Saturday, May 28.
Smith took to social media on Tuesday afternoon (May 3) to reveal the news to fans with a video of the moment he received the invite of a lifetime.
“First song I ever wrote was at 7 years old after I went to the Grand Ole Opry. Now I get to be a part of the show May 28th. Gonna be a special moment,” Smith captioned the Instagram clip.
On March 29, Smith was prepping for what he thought was a radio interview, however, much to his surprise his longtime friend and soon-to-be tour mate Thomas Rhett shocked him on a video conference with the invite to make his Opry debut.
“The Grand Ole Opry has asked you to make your debut on May the 28th,” Rhett said in a Zoom call with Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchettta, and other label reps.
“Unbelievable, May 28th… That’s incredible man,” Smith said in a state of shock, while holding back happy tears.
Rhett then told Smith to go tell everybody he was with in the studio.
“I gotta call my mama first,” Smith shared, before dialing his mom and dad on FaceTime.
Upon hearing the exciting news, his mom, Jennifer, shouted, “you are not!”
“Somewhere in a drawer or a folder, I have your goals listed… Where that was one of ’em. Like 15 years old (you) wrote it down on paper in your handwriting to play the Grand Ole Opry,” she reminded the singer/songwriter. “I can’t even… May 28th, on a Saturday night… yup, I’m available!”
The “Learn From It” singer is thrilled over the opportunity to make his Opry debut.
“Being a Nashville kid, my biggest dream has been to leave a mark on the history of Country music while also carrying on its legacy,” shared Smith. “The Grand Ole Opry is every piece of that so having the opportunity to stand in the circle for the first time means more to me than I can really put into words.”
Fans can purchase tickets to the Grand Ole Opry’s May 28th show by clicking HERE. The lineup also includes Bill Anderson, Callista Clark, Jeannie Seely, Matthew West, and more to be announced.
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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