HARDY made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Tuesday evening (April 29), officially stepping into the iconic Opry circle for the first time. The show also featured performances from Stephen Wilson Jr., Mandy Barnett, The Isaacs, T. Graham Brown, Dailey & Vincent, Killer Beaz and Kylie Frey.
Lainey Wilson Introduced HARDY To Opry Stage
The award-winning singer/songwriter was introduced on stage by Opry host Kelly Sutton and his longtime friend and collaborator, country superstar Lainey Wilson.
“HARDY, HARDY, HARDY, my brother from another mother. I cannot believe they are letting you play the Opry stage! I am so excited for you, I wish I could be there, but I just hope you soak it up and just stand in that circle and know that you deserve to be there [and] I love you so much,” Wilson said, appearing in a video message that played on the massive video wall spanning the entire Opry stage.
Following Wilson’s sweet video message, HARDY made his way onto the legendary stage with a big smile on his face and his acoustic guitar strapped on, greeting with the near-capacity crowd with a simple, “what’s up.” He kicked off his four-song set with a performance of “Buck Of A Wall,” offering a preview of his forthcoming EP, COUNTRY!.
Tribute To His Late Grandfather
Donning a flannel shirt over his signature distressed black shirt and jeans, HARDY took a moment to pay tribute to his late grandfather, to whom he inspired “Buck On The Wall.” The genre-bending superstar explained, “That song’s for my grandfather, I used to dig in his nightstand drawer to find a spare quarter or a pocket knife or something I could slip away with and the night he died I actually found his watch, so I’m wearing that tonight in honor of him.”
Surprise Duet with Ella Langley
“This next song was a huge hit of mine, and I’m so thankful… it was really cool. I had no idea Lainey [Wilson] was going to bring me on stage, and unfortunately, she couldn’t be here tonight,” he said, before welcoming “the lovely” Ella Langley to the stage to fill in for Wilson and perform their chart-topping duet, “Wait in the Truck.”
Langley then took to the stage alongside HARDY, belting out the lyrics and effortlessly harmonizing on the hit song. “‘Wait in the truck, Just wait in the truck’/ Whoa (whoa)/ Have mercy on me, Lord/ Have mercy on me/ Have mercy on me (hey), Lord,” Langley and HARDY sang in sync, delivering the powerful lyrics and bringing them to life on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
The crowd was full of HARDY fans, who came to support the 34-year-old hitmaker from Mississippi. Many shouted out fun comments throughout his brief set, prompting banter from HARDY, allowing his personality to shine and his connection with his loyal fan base to be showcased. The evening was not only special for his fans, but also for his family, as several loved ones were in attendance, including his wife, Caleigh Ryan Hardy, and their daughter, Rosie Ryan Hardy.
“I’m excited to be back with a Country single and this is that song,” HARDY added. He went on to perform another new song from his forthcoming EP, “Favorite Country Song,” which he co-wrote alongside Ashley Gorley, Beau Bailey and Zach Abend. The track namechecks dozens of country hits from artists such as Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., Brooks & Dunn, Keith Whitley and more.
Earned A Standing Ovation
His memorable Grand Ole Opry debut concluded with a song from one of his early EPs, WHERE TO FIND ME, which was released in 2019. “You’re a real HARDY fan if you know this one,” he said, strumming the soft acoustic guitar intro of “Signed, Sober You.”
“Grand Ole Opry, my name is HARDY, and it’s an honor to finally be here. Thank you so much. Thank you!” he said, as he received a standing ovation and exited the stage.
While this performance served as his official Opry debut, HARDY did previously step onto the sacred stage to perform during the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards in 2023.
NEW EP, COUNTRY!
HARDY’s Grand Ole Opry debut comes just days before the release of his new COUNTRY! EP, which is set to arrive via Big Loud Records on April 11. The five-track EP finds HARDY returning to his Country roots and will feature “Favorite Country Song,” “Buck On The Wall,” “Car That You Drove Away,” “Girl With A Gun” and “Luckiest Man Alive.”
COUNTRY! follows the release of his first live project, HARDY (Live From Red Rocks), and his chart-topping album, Quit!!, which featured the fan-favorite tunes such as “ROCKSTAR,” “JIM BOB,” “PSYCHO,” “SIX FEET UNDER (Caleigh’s Song)” and more.
JIM BOB World Tour
HARDY is also preparing to launch his JIM BOB World Tour, with support from Koe Wetzel, Stephen Wilson Jr., and McCoy Moore. The tour will kick off on May 22 at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California.
Visiting arenas and amphitheaters across the United States, the tour will include stops at iconic venues like Madison Square Garden in New York City, Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, and Atlanta’s Lakewood Amphitheatre, among others. In addition, HARDY will make his European debut with his first-ever headlining shows across the continent.
Additionally, HARDY will perform at several festivals this spring and summer, including Country Thunder Arizona, Sand In My Boots Festival, Tailgate N’ Tallboys, The Country Fest, Copenhell, Country Thunder Wisconsin, WE Fest, Voice of America Country Music Festival, Boots & Hearts Festival and more.
For more information on HARDY’s upcoming tour dates or new music, visit his official website at HARDYOfficial.com.
