Flashback: Randy Travis Invites Country Singer Carrie Underwood To Become Member Of Grand Ole Opry

Mar 30, 2020 by apost team

Almost exactly ten years ago to the day, American country legend Randy Travis surprised Carrie Underwood on stage to invite the singer to become a member of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

Travis asked the American Idol star to join the star-studded list of Grand Ole Opry members shortly after she had performed Travis’ hit I Told You So onstage at the famous Nashville venue, according to Rolling Stone. Underwood, who was a fan of Travis’ all the way back when she was a preschool student in Checotah, Oklahoma, happily accepted the invitation at the March 15, 2008 performance.

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“I was asked by the management of The Grand Ole Opry to come out here and ask you if you would like to be their next member,” Travis said shortly after surprising Underwood on stage. Smiling while the crowd roared, Underwood joked, “Let me think about it…” before responding with an emphatic yes. Holding back tears, the star hugged her country idol while fans continued to cheer her on.

“Oh my gosh, that was so amazing,” Underwood said backstage, still wiping tears from her eyes. “I couldn’t have imagined it from a different person. Everyone here kept a tight lip!” the newly inducted country singer added.

For those who aren’t familiar with the venue or its coveted membership, The Grand Ole Opry is a famous music stage that hosts concerts throughout the year that attracts hundreds of thousands of country fans from across the country, according to The Grand Ole Opry website. It started in 1925 as a radio broadcast — and today, fans who can’t make it to the live shows can tune in over the radio waves. But beyond hosting country stars from around the country to play at such a historical location, the Opry management invites well-respected country musicians to join its prestigious membership. According to the Opry website, the Nashville show does not just send out invitations to any big-named artist, however. Rather, membership “requires a passion for country music’s fans, a connection to the music’s history, and it requires commitment – even a willingness to make significant sacrifices to uphold that commitment.”

Those high standards explain why Underwood was so thrilled by the invitation. With that 2008 invitation, she joined the ranks of other country greats like Blake Shelton, Keith Urban Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks. And after Randy Travis’ surprise invitation, the star went on to see even more career success after her solo version of I Told You So was re-cut to include Travis. The duo was so successful that the two Opry stars went on to sell over one million copies and win a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, according to Rolling Stone. It’s safe to say that as Underwood reaches her 10-year Opry anniversary this month, she’s counting her blessings today as one of America’s most respected and successful country stars.

What do you think about Underwood's surprise Grand Ole Opry induction? Did you expect the country star to be invited? Let us know and pass this on to all your country music-loving friends and family.