ERNEST made a triumphant return to his hometown on Tuesday (Nov. 28) for the first of two sold out shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show was a big deal for the 31-year-old singer, as it marked his headlining debut at the Mother Church and the final stop of his This Fire Tour. The concert also held special significance as it took place in Nashville, where he was born and raised, and you could just feel the hometown pride in the air.
“This Is A Dream Come True”
With a sold-out crowd cheering him on, the Just Being Ernest podcast host and his band, The Fellas, took the stage of the revered Music City venue at 9 PM to the tour’s title track, “This Fire.”
“This is a dream come true for me to get to play Ryman Auditorium tonight. Means the world that you’re all here,” ERNEST, who has over one billion career streams on Spotify alone, said before expressing gratitude for the capacity crowd. “Born and raised right here in Nashville, Tennessee, it’s a childhood dream to get to sell out the Ryman Auditorium, and we did it two nights in a row. Thank y’all for being here.”
Throughout his nearly 30 song set, the chart-topping songwriter demanded the capacity crowd’s attention with songs from his debut album, FLOWER SHOPS (THE ALBUM), including “Sucker For Small Towns,” “Classic,” “Feet Wanna Run,” “Did It With You,” “Some Other Bar,” “Wild Wild West,” “This Fire,” “Drunk With My Friends,” “Miss That Girl,” and more. He also paid tribute to his wife, Delaney Royer, with a performance of “Tennessee Queen,” which he dedicated to her.
A cool moment of the show was when a fan shouted a song request, and ERNEST just went for it. He played an impromptu version of “Comfortable When I’m Crazy” right there on the spot, and fans loved every second of it. It was truly amazing to witness how connected he was with his fans.
“Kiss Of Death” Was A Highlight Of His Set
ERNEST also gave fans a taste of what’s to come on his next project with a performance of his latest release, “Kiss Of Death,” which was well received by the audience and is destined to one day become a chart-topping radio hit. In addition to his own songs, ERNEST also showcased his songwriting talents as he sang tunes that he’d written that were recorded by other artists, such as “Son Of A Sinner” by Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted On You,” “Somebody’s Problem,” and “Heartless.”
“Writing songs was something I was doing before I knew I was writing songs. I was just wasting time in class scribbling in notepads,” he told the crowd at the show.
Exuding confidence, ERNEST seamlessly combined his impressive songwriting prowess with his captivating presence as a singer and performer.
Surprise Guests: Keith Urban And HARDY
The fast-rising star also celebrated the 98th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry with an impressive cover of Merle Haggard’s “That’s The Way Love Goes” and even surprised the crowd with an appearance from Keith Urban and HARDY. ERNEST and Urban delivered a guitar-fueled cover of John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room,” while HARDY joined him for a cover of Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown,” a collaboration the pair co-wrote together with Wallen and Ryan Vojtesak.
The concert ended with an electric performance of “Cowgirls” that literally had the whole venue shaking as the crowd danced and sang along to the infectious tune. Then to close out the evening, ERNEST led a massive sing-along to “Flower Shops,” a tune that keeps the spirit of traditional country music alive and remains a fan favorite from his catalog.
You could tell the show was more than just a concert for ERNEST, but a truly special evening as his childhood friends, longtime supporters, family, and team were all there, cheering him on. Throughout the show, ERNEST was beaming with a huge smile on his face that stayed from the moment he took the stage to the final notes of “Flower Shops.”
The Ryman Holds Special Significance To ERNEST
The Ryman Auditorium holds a special place in ERNEST’s heart, as he even named his firstborn child after the iconic venue, “I named my son after this place, it means the world to me,” he shared during the 90-minute concert. The homecoming concert showcased ERNEST’s love and appreciation for his roots and proved that despite finding success, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from and remains connected to his humble beginnings.
The dream come true show not only solidified ERNEST’s place as a hometown hero, but also proved that he has truly come into his own as a headliner, marking a milestone moment in his musical journey.
ERNEST’s Set List From The Ryman Auditorium (Night One)
- This Fire
- Wild Wild West
- Did It With You
- Tennessee Queen
- Son of a Sinner (Jelly Roll Cover)
- Drunk With My Friends
- Slow Dancing In A Burning Room (John Mayer Cover with Keith Urban)
- Sugar
- I Think I Love You
- Nothin To Lose
- Sucker For Small Towns
- Wasted On You (Morgan Wallen Cover)
- Somebody’s Problem (Morgan Wallen Cover)
- Locals Only
- More Than My Hometown (Morgan Wallen Cover with HARDY)
- That’s The Way Love Goes (Merle Haggard Cover)
- Comfortable When I’m Crazy
- Kiss Of Death
- Classic
- Feet Wanna Run
- Bottle’s Bout Dead
- Some Other Bar
- Heartless (Morgan Wallen/Diplo Cover)
- Miss That Girl
- Cowgirls (sans Morgan Wallen)
- Flower Shops (sans Morgan Wallen)
