Zach John King Makes Long-Awaited Grand Ole Opry Debut: ‘This is a Top Moment for Me’
“We had about 90 friends and family make the trip up from Georgia, so it was just an incredibly special night,” shared King.
Zach John King; Photo by Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry
Zach John King finally stepped into the circle of the Grand Ole Opry, making his debut on the historic stage on May 23, 2026.
The rising star learned that he would have the honor of crossing off this milestone in his career last December when his tour mate at the time, Luke Bryan, pulled him aside to give him the news.
Bryan called him over and asked, “you know what I’m doing?” King looked confused as he responded, “no.” The hitmaker put his arm around King as he informed him, “We just found out that he’s been asked to perform his first Grand Ole Opry show.”
“Seriously?” King asked. Moments later he became overwhelmed with emotion as the excitement sunk in and was speechless over the news.
The “Backwoods” singer was originally scheduled to make his debut on January 24 but it was postponed due to an historic winter storm that hit Nashville.
The long-awaited moment finally came this past Saturday. As the Sony Music Nashville artist took the stage wearing his “pops” boots, he performed his current radio single “Get To Drinkin’” as well as a brand-new song dropping this Friday titled, “Beneath The Pines.”
Reflecting on such an important experience in his career, King shared, “As somebody who’s versed in the history of country music and being a country musician myself, this is a top moment for me. The legacy of this place is something I grew up with. There’s this whole lineage of performers who came out of the Opry, and I’ve had so much respect for it my whole life.”
He continued, “To be able to stand in that circle with the people who came before me is just insane. My whole family was also there. We had about 90 friends and family make the trip up from Georgia, so it was just an incredibly special night.”
A heartfelt Instagram post that came after the milestone moment showed him sharing a tear-filled moment with his mom. The two of them were captured hugging each other tightly and celebrating the fact that King has made great strides in achieving his dreams.
King’s new song, “Beneath The Pines,” is one fans have been waiting very patiently for. It’s a love song, something rare in his catalog, penned by the Georgia native with Rodney Clawson, and Michael Lawson. His powerful vocals deliver a heart pounding story about what it feels like to be so deeply in love that you want to freeze time to savor the emotions.
Fans will get their hands on the full version of the track this Friday, May 29.
Zach John King also recently announced that most of his fall headline on the Get To Drinkin’ Tour are already sold out. Due to overwhelming demand, he added a second show in Nashville TN on November 4.
The country act still has plenty more shows to perform before embarking on his own run. He is currently serving as support for select dates for Morgan Wallen and Luke Bryan. Plus, fans can catch him at CMA Fest on the Platform Stage inside Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 4.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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