Carrie’s Opry induction today

Posted by brandy

on May 10, 2008M at 8:20 am

From Saturday’s The Oklahoman.

Underwood is set to join Grand Ole Opry

Checotah native Carrie Underwood will be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry at 7 tonight.

The country music video channel Great American Country will carry the event live on its “Opry Live” program. (GAC is channel 158 on Cox digital cable, 167 on Dish Network and 326 on DirecTV.)

The show also will feature Dierks Bentley and Aaron Tippin.

In addition, GAC will air “Road to the Opry: Carrie Underwood” at 6:30 tonight. The special will include an exclusive interview with Underwood about her “life, career and amazing journey,” according to www.gactv.com.

The half-hour special will include interviews with Underwood’s mother, Carole, and Opry members Randy Travis, Little Jimmy Dickens and Oklahoma native Vince Gill.

Travis surprised Underwood with an invitation to join the venerable Nashville institution during her “Opry Live” appearance on March 15, five days after 25^th birthday. She performed a cover of Travis’ hit “I Told You So” from her second album, “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!”

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. Bentley took that title when he joined on Oct. 1, 2005.

The Opry is the longest continuously running radio show in the country, according to the Associated Press 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.

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

-BAM

Categorized under: