Scott Stapp made his highly anticipated Grand Ole Opry debut on Wednesday, October 23, stepping into the iconic Opry circle for the first time. Stapp’s Opry debut took place during the Opry Goes Pink event, presented by Humana and sponsored by Vanderbilt Health, with the Opry donating $5 from every ticket sold to support Susan G. Komen in the fight against breast cancer.
Scott Stapp Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
“Wow, I never thought I would be on this stage,” Stapp, a Nashville resident, said with a big smile as he stepped into the circle where countless country legends have stood. “It is such an honor to be here with you all tonight.”
Scott Stapp went on to recall how “grew up watching the Opry on TV with my grandparents” before eventually becoming a resident of Music City and being warmly embraced by the Nashville songwriting community.
“I have the privilege of living here in Nashville, and I’ve been a part of the songwriting community for a number of years, and the support that this community gives to its songwriters and musicians is just unparalleled. It’s incredible,” Stapp continued.
Stapp And Dorothy Performs “If These Walls Could Talk”
Stapp was joined by his “If These Walls Could Talk” collaborator, Dorothy, to perform their buzzed-about duet for the first time ever. Together, the 51-year-old GRAMMY award-winning Creed frontman and 38-year-old Roc Nation singer joined forces for an impressive performance of the Higher Power track, co-written by Stapp alongside Kylie Sackley, Marti Frederiksen, and Scott Stevens.
“Just to be here with you to share the first ever performance of this song with the wonderful Dorothy… this song could not have been written any other place in the world than right here in Nashville, Tennessee, and Kylie Sackley, she’s here, Marti Frederiksen, and Scott Stevens, who co-wrote this song it wouldn’t be here without those guys,” Stapp added.
“The song… if you’re struggling, if you’re going through something in life, just know that you’re not alone. If you’ve survived something in life, and you have that experience inside of you… just know that you’re not alone. I know that many of us suffer in silence. We don’t want to burden other people with our problems and things that we’re going through, and that’s really the core foundation of what inspired this song. So here we are. We’ll debut it for you together.”
“If These Walls Could Talk” is a track that appears on Scott Stapp’s fourth solo studio album, Higher Power, released on March 15 via Napalm Records.
After joining forces with Dorothy for “If These Walls Could Talk,” Scott Stapp delivered a lively performance of Creed’s “My Sacrifice,” alongside Natalie Stovall, which was met with a roaring applause.
Stapp Said Performing At The Opry Is “One Of The Greatest Honors” Of His Career
Following he and Dorothy’s performance at the Grand Ole Opry, Stapp sat down with Music Mayhem and discussed the unforgettable evening.
“It was one of the greatest honors that I have experienced as an artist, a musician, and a songwriter,” Stapp explained. “To be invited to play the Opry and to be acknowledged by the Nashville songwriting community, is a lifetime achievement and something that I never would’ve thought… when my career started, would’ve had happened. And I’m just so grateful, just overwhelmed. I shed some tears a few minutes ago, and it was a very emotional experience.”
“Last night was a dream come true-stepping onto the Opry stage for the first time,” he later shared on social media. “Feeling beyond blessed to have been invited to stand in the circle where so many legends have stood before me.”
Touring With Creed, Released His Fourth Solo Project Higher Power
Additionally, Scott Stapp is currently on the road serving as the frontman of the award-winning rock group, Creed. He also recently released his fourth solo album, Higher Power, which debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales chart (all genres) and Luminate reported it at #2 (Current Hard Music Albums), #4 (Current Digital Albums), #5 (Record Label Independent Current Albums), and #3 (Current Rock Albums). Higher Power features his current single, “Black Butterfly,” as well as “Weight Of The World,” and three collaborations with his lead guitarist Yiannis Papadopoulous.
The project follows 2019’s The Space Between The Shadows, which debuted at #3 on the US Current Rock Albums chart, the US Current Hard Music Albums chart, and the UK Official Rock and Metal Chart, among countless other top chart positions.
To listen to Higher Power or Stapp’s duet with Dorothy, visit Stapp’s official website HERE.
