Conner Smith will soon step into the iconic circle on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for the first time ever.
The fast-rising country star and 2022 Music Mayhem Artist To Watch is set to make his Opry debut on Saturday, May 28.
Smith took to social media on Tuesday afternoon (May 3) to reveal the news to fans with a video of the moment he received the invite of a lifetime.
“First song I ever wrote was at 7 years old after I went to the Grand Ole Opry. Now I get to be a part of the show May 28th. Gonna be a special moment,” Smith captioned the Instagram clip.
On March 29, Smith was prepping for what he thought was a radio interview, however, much to his surprise his longtime friend and soon-to-be tour mate Thomas Rhett shocked him on a video conference with the invite to make his Opry debut.
“The Grand Ole Opry has asked you to make your debut on May the 28th,” Rhett said in a Zoom call with Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchettta, and other label reps.
“Unbelievable, May 28th… That’s incredible man,” Smith said in a state of shock, while holding back happy tears.
Rhett then told Smith to go tell everybody he’s with in the studio.
“I gotta call my mama first,” Smith shared, before dialing his mom and dad on FaceTime.
Upon hearing the exciting news, his mom, Jennifer, shouted, “you are not!”
“Somewhere in a drawer or a folder, I have your goals listed… Where that was one of ’em. Like 15 years old [you] wrote it down on paper in your handwriting to play the Grand Ole Opry,” she reminded the singer/songwriter. “I can’t even… May 28th, on a Saturday night… yup, I’m available!”
The “Learn From It” singer is thrilled over the opportunity to make his Opry debut.
“Being a Nashville kid, my biggest dream has been to leave a mark on the history of Country music while also carrying on its legacy,” Smith shared. “The Grand Ole Opry is every piece of that so having the opportunity to stand in the circle for the first time means more to me than I can really put into words.”
Fans can purchase tickets to the Grand Ole Opry’s May 28th show. The lineup also includes Bill Anderson, Callista Clark, Jeannie Seely, Matthew West, and more to be announced.
