NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville celebrity gossip

"The Voice" winner Craig Wayne Boyd to make Grand Ole Opry debut in January

Photo: NBC

Craig Wayne Boyd, the season seven winner of NBC’s Emmy Award winning The Voice, will help the Opry bring in the new year with his debut Opry performance on Sat., Jan. 3. Dot Records recording artist Boyd was coached by Opry member Blake Shelton on the show and was crowned champion earlier this week.

Additional performers during the month of January as the Opry continues its Ryman Auditorium run include Opry members Del McCoury, Vince Gill, Craig Morgan, Ronnie Milsap, and Marty Stuart along with special guests Kristian Bush, Deana Carter, Pure Prairie League, The Swon Brothers, Chris Young, and Mickey Guyton making her Opry debut on Jan.10.

Cole Swindell makes his Grand Ole Opry debut

CMA Awards' New Artist of the Year nominee Cole Swindell made his debut on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage last week. His three song set included his two consecutive No. 1 singles “Chillin’ It” and “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight," as well as his latest, “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” all from his self-titled debut album released earlier this year on Warner Bros. Records.

After the special moment which Swindell shared with the packed house, he said, “Standing in that circle where other artists who have paved the way for country music has stood is something a new artist like me will never forget. Of all the places I have played so far in my career from a club to an arena to a stadium I have never experienced a feeling like I did on that stage. I’m glad I was able to share that moment with my family and friends.”

Just wrapping up a run on Luke Bryan's "Farm Tour," Swindell is currently on Bryan’s “That’s My Kind of Night Tour,” and will continue on the road this winter with his own “Down Home Tour,” kicking off in November. Following an impressive breakout year, which earned him CMA Awards' New Artist nomination and his first two back-to-back No. 1 singles as a solo artist, Swindell has notably sold over 2.1 million tracks, over 250,000 albums since only February, and performed for millions of fans in stadiums and arenas across the country. Named MusicRow's Songwriter of the Year, he also had the highest selling country debut upon release since 2011, the most played song of 2013 as well as one of the top country radio singles this year, with songwriting credits which include chart topping singles “This Is How We Roll,” for Florida Georgia Line, “Get Me Some of That,” for Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan's latest hit “Roller Coaster."

The Grand Ole Opry got Royal last week...

As a lover of all things music I found this pretty amazing. Lorde was a guest at the Grand Ol Opry last week! She shared the above photo at the Opry but was pretty vague about her experience. She played the 22nd with the Magical Cloudz.  But for those that attended the event, she got very candid and showed her appreciation of being able to play there.

“None of those shows have been quite as historic or quite as iconic as this one,” she told the crowd. “Today (my mum) stood out here, where I’m sure Johnny Cash stood, and she said, ‘You don’t get to play the Grand Ole Opry unless you’re somebody.’ And it hit me like ‘Holy crap.’”

According to a source:She put on a very diverse show and was extremely enjoyable to watch!

Love that!

Hey, if you're felling froggy...follow me on Twitter @AshleyAHelene

Kristian Bush set to make solo debut at Grand Ole Opry tonight

Go Kristian! Go Kristian! Go, go, go Kristian!

Sugarland's Kristian Bush is set to make his "Grand Ole Opry" solo debut tonight, Friday, July 18. This comes on the heels of the recent release of the lyric video for his current solo single Trailer Hitch.

Also performing tonight are Brad Paisley, Sarah Darling, Mark Wills and Striking Matches. The show begins at 7 p.m., and tickets can be purchased through Opry.com.

Kristian's Sugarland cohort, Jennifer Nettles, made her solo Grand Ole Opry debut last month. 

 

Krystal Keith gets big love from her proud papa after Grand Ole Opry debut

Krystal Keith embraces her dad, Toby Keith, with TKO Artist Management President TK Kimbrell

On Wednesday, July 9, country music singer-songwriter Krystal Keith took another stride forward with her debut performance at the venerable Grand Ole Opry.

"I have never been nervous on a stage in my life...until that night at The Grand Ole Opry," Krystal recalls. "There is something so special and sacred about that stage and being in the circle knowing all of my musical heroes have performed there so many times before me. I was so humbled and honored to have joined that long line of legends who've shared that moment."

Krystal Keith releases lyric video for "Get Your Redneck On" and reveals album details

The artist also shared her moment with her dad, Toby Keith, on the day after his birthday adding another special element to the night. She notes, "his love of the good ole time country music is one of the greatest influences for both my dad and I and being asked to perform just after his birthday didn't feel like a coincidence. It felt like a sign that he is watching over me smiling and guiding me through this journey."

This performance follows many recent firsts for Krystal. This summer she embarked on her first major tour, opening for her dad on his Shut Up And Hold On Tour Presented by Ford F-Series. She is on the road in support of the release her debut album, Whiskey & Lace. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel raved "when Krystal lends her deep, well-polished voice... she reveals herself as an exciting new artist;" and the Cleveland Plain Dealer praised, "Keith has matured into a solid singer, with a wide range. And, like her dad, she's evolved into a songwriter capable of not just tugging at heartstrings, but playing them like a puppet master. ...From top to bottom, [Whiskey & Lace] is filled with good, catchy country songs."

At recent tour stops in the Washington DC (June 28) and Cleveland (June 29) areas, Krystal brought her show out to the fans before the venue gates opened and performed with her band in the back of a pickup truck for a crowd full of tailgaters in the parking lot. Follow Krystal on her Instagram and Facebook pages for notices about more impromptu 'get your tailgate on' pre-shows at upcoming tour stops, dates include:

• July 25 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Center
• July 26 Hartford, CT XFINITY Theatre
• July 27 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center
• Aug. 08 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
• Aug. 09 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
• Sept. 13 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center
• Sept. 27 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center

Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, and others help Grand Ole Opry celebrate 40 years

 

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The Grand Ole Opry celebrated 40 years of country music at the Grand Ole Opry House on Saturday as the newest members of the Opry, Old Crow Medicine Show, led the cast in a show-opening performance of Opry patriarch Roy Acuff’s “Wabash Cannonball.” The 40th Opry House Anniversary Show began as the very first Opry performance at the Opry House did, with video footage of Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys from 1940 performing the band’s signature song. That performance transitioned to footage of Acuff and the Opry cast singing the song on March 16, 1974 before finally seamlessly transitioning to the curtain going up on Old Crow and a stage full of tonight’s other performers finishing the number for the live audience. 

Someone started a petition to get Chely Wright back to the Grand Ole Opry

Chely Wright has pretty much shifted gears since publicly coming out as a lesbian in 2010. Now she's a wife and a mother of twin boys as well as an outspoken LGBT supporter and activist and seems happier than ever. But does she still want to sing? She's been very open about how she thinks country music has turned its back on her since her coming out (something I've got a pretty strong opinion on myself) and so one really has to wonder if she wants to sing for her supper any more. Well what if the Grand Ole Opry extended an invitation to her? Would she let bygones be bygones and return home to the Mother ship? 

I'm actually kind of curious about that.

Well there's a group of fans hoping that she will do just that and a petition has been started to get Chely an invite to the Opry. 

To Whom It May Concern;

         I am writing to let you know about a petition that has started involving The Grand Ole Opry. Country singer Chely Wright used to sing at the Opry every 10 weeks. That is until 2010 when she came out publicly has a lesbian.

         Once the darling of the Opry performing on the famous stage for the first time in 1989. In the late nineties she skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard charts with her hit song "Single White Female" and in 2001 was named one of People Magazines "50 Most Beautiful People". In 2004 She had another huge hit with " Bumper of my SUV" a song about having pride in the US Military. In the past three years she has had a new album, a book and a film that was part of the Nashville film festival. Yet, still has not been asked back to sing at the Opry.

            We fans have started a petition asking The Grand Ole Opry to invite her back.

Sounds like there are still lots of fans who want Chely to come back to country music, but the question still remains ... does Chely even want to come back? Or is she over it? Would she accept if country music, and the Opry in particular, extended an olive branch and made a public point of asking her to return or has too much damage already been done in her mind? It's interesting to think about. 

If you would like to sign the petition, you can do so over at Change.org.

 

LeAnn Rimes to "Flip the Switch" on the Opry's Signature Barn as "Opry Goes Pink"

The Grand Ole Opry® is joining Women Rock For The Cure™ in the fight against breast cancer on Tues., Oct. 22 with its fifth annual "Opry Goes Pink" show. Grammy® award-winner LeAnn Rimes will flip the switch on the Opry's signature barn backdrop, turning it pink for the night as artists perform in support of breast cancer awareness.

The special show will also include the Opry debuts of Mandisa, whose current single and video "Overcomer" highlights survivors and fighters of cancer, and Dove Award-winner Natalie Grant. Among others appearing will be Opry members Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis. The evening is also set to include numerous activities recognizing breast cancer survivors.

Beginning today, when fans order tickets to the night's 7 p.m. show, $5 from every ticket sold will be donated to Women Rock For The Cure™. Tickets are available at (615) 871-OPRY and opry.com.

The Grand Ole Opry® is presented by Humana®. Opry performances are held every weekend of the year, and the Tuesday Night Opry continues through Dec. 10.

Old Crow Medicine Show Inducted Into Grand Ole Opry

Popular modern-day string band Old Crow Medicine Show was formally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry this evening by Opry members Dierks Bentley and Marty Stuart. Among the award-winning group's first performances in Nashville were on the sidewalks outside the Opry House in Summer 2000, playing for fans entering and exiting Opry performances. The band graduated to the Opry stage for its official Opry debut on Jan. 13, 2001, quickly became a fan favorite during dozens of Opry performances since, and was invited by Stuart to join the Opry on Aug. 16 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Just before show time, the band reprised its Opry Plaza performances from more than a dozen years ago, walking outside the Opry House and playing tunes including "Brave Boys" and "Hesitation Blues" for surprised fans waiting outside for the evening's Opry show. 

Old Crow Medicine Show invited to join the Grand Ole Opry

Photo: Old Crow Medicine Show Facebook

Congrats to Old Crow Medicine Show! The band was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry Friday evening by Opry member Marty Stuart during their concert at the Ohio Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. They will formally be inducted into the Opry at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Tuesday, September 17.

Old Crow Medicine Show, Sally Williams (second from left) Ryman Auditorium, Marty Stuart and Pete Fisher (far right) Grand Ole Opry - Photo By: Chris Hollo

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