Carrie part of Opry trend

Posted by brandy

on March 21, 2008M at 1:27 am

Checotah product Carrie Underwood will become part of the trend of young country music stars joining the Grand Ole Opry when she is inducted into the venerable Nashville institution.

Her official induction will take place May 10. She was invited to join last Saturday during an Opry-related performance. You can watch her get the invitation by clicking here.

In the past few years, the Opry, which was established in 1925, has made it a point to include young country artists. Hitmaker Brad Paisley was the Opry’s youngest current member when he was inducted in February 2001. Dierks Bentley took that title when he joined on Oct. 1, 2005.

Josh Turner became the latest youngster added on Oct. 27, 2007, when Oklahoma native Vince Gill inducted him. Turner was still about a month shy of his 30th birthday at the time.

Carrie’s invite capped the week of her 25th birthday, which Opry member Randy Travis alluded to when extending the offer. The invite came during her appearance on “Opry Live!” on the country music video channel Great American Country. She performed Travis’ hit “I Told You So,” which is on her sophomore album, “Carnival Ride.”

Before extending the invitation, Travis congratulated Carrie on topping the country charts with her latest single, “All-American Girl,” also from “Carnival Ride.”

“To end your birthday week, I was asked by the management here at the Grand Ole Opry to come out here and ask you if you would like to be their next member,” Travis told her.

She playfully said, “Let me think about it,” and then immediately said yes, while wiping tears from her eyes.

Before launching into her song “Crazy Dreams,” she told the audience, “This is one of the best nights of my life, and it’s certainly something I’ll never forget. And I’m glad each and every one of you were here to share it with me. This has been absolutely amazing!”

The Opry is the longest continously running radio show in the country, according to an Associated Press story. It airs Friday and Saturday nights on WSM-AM.

Artists are invited to join based on their commitment to the show, the frequency of their guest appearances and their overall contribution to country music, according to AP.

Carrie first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry on June 10, 2005, two weeks after winning “American Idol.”

For more information, go online to www.opry.com.

-BAM

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