October is Grand Ole Opry month, Craig Morgan to be inducted

Posted by brandy

on October 3, 2008M at 12:58 pm

Craig Morgan

Some of country music’s most popular artists will be part of the excitement as the Grand Ole Opry “Opry Month” with star-studded shows and special events throughout October plus four consecutive October weekends of first-run versions of “Opry Live” on the cable network GAC: Great American Country. “Opry Month” is presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, according to a news release.

In celebration of its 83rd birthday, the Opry will welcome the new stars, superstars, and legends of country music throughout October. Among those scheduled to appear are Eric Church, Sara Evans, Josh Turner, Wynonna, Jimmy Wayne (Saturday); Charlie Daniels Band, Del McCoury Band (Oct. 7); Lorrie Morgan, Kenny Rogers (Oct. 11); Lady Antebellum, Montgomery Gentry, Kellie Pickler (Oct. 14); Trace Lawrence (Oct. 21); Craig Morgan and Chuck Wicks (Oct. 25).

On Oct. 25, Morgan will officially be inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Morgan was invited to join the venerable Nashville institution last month during a special concert for U.S. troops at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. The evening was a homecoming of sorts for the singer, who was stationed at Ft. Bragg from 1990 to 1992 during his 10-year active duty tenure in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

Opry member John Conlee surprised Morgan by walking on stage during Morgan’s performance of “Rose Colored Glasses,” a song popularized by Conlee in 1978 and almost always on Morgan’s set list. Conlee said, “Craig, where are your rose colored glasses?” to which Morgan shared he must have left them at home. Then Conlee asked if Morgan knew where he was going to be on Oct. 25 and he replied “I don’t know.”

“Well, I happen to know that you’re going be on the Opry,” said Conlee. “How would you like to be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry?”

Morgan then proceeded to break down on stage and exclaimed “Oh, God Yes! I do love the Grand Ole Opry! And I gotta tell you, it’s cool to be invited right here.”

Morgan has made a name for himself with massive radio airplay of his signature hits, among them “Almost Home” (named “Music Row” Song of the Year in 2003), the chart-topping summer anthem “Redneck Yacht Club,” and “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 and was “Billboard’s Most Played Country Song of the Year in 2005. Morgan is set to release his fifth CD, “That’s Why,” on Oct. 21. The album’s lead single, “Love Remembers,” is rapidly climbing the charts.

The last member inducted into the Grand Ole Opry was Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, who formally joined earlier this year.

The Opry’s official birthday weekend is Oct. 10-11 and includes four star-packed Opry shows, backstage tours and an Opry Plaza Birthday Party presented by Martha White.

The Grand Ole Opry presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville. The Opry can be heard on 650 WSM-AM, XM Satellite Radio, and www.opry.com. The syndicated weekly program, “America’s Grand Ole Opry Weekend,” airs on more than 200 country radio stations across the country and on the Armed Forces Radio Network, and “Opry Live” airs each weekend on GAC.

-BAM

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