Carrie Underwood will add her name to an elite list of artists and entertainers on Saturday (May 10) when she formally becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It was an incredibly emotional moment for her just a few weeks ago (March 15th) when Opry member Randy Travis – one of her musical heroes – surprised her on the Opry stage with an invitation to become the newest addition to the Opry family. And it was a privilege she was proud to accept. “One thing that I’ve always loved about country music is it pays tribute to its history – it honors the people that came before…I love that thought. I love that feeling. And I love being a part of something that honors those traditions.” Walking through the backstage area of the Opry House after the show, and looking at photos on the walls of artists like Dolly Parton and Martina McBride, Carrie says she felt a sense of elation seeing “the women that have graced the stage over the years and just thinking, ‘That’s going to be me! My picture’s going to be up there!’ It was just a great feeling.” Tune in to see Carrie’s Grand Ole Opry induction on this weekend’s edition of GAC’s Opry Live, premiering Saturday (8:00pm, ET). (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• Don’t miss the 30-minute GAC special, Road to the Opry: Carrie Underwood, which explores Carrie’s life and career and features exclusive interviews with Carrie, her mother Carole, and Opry stars Vince Gill, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Randy Travis. The special premieres this Saturday (7:30pm, ET), just before Opry Live.
• Carrie is in the Top 10 this week with her newest hit, “Last Name,” from her chart-topping Carnival Ride album that launched the number-one singles, “So Small” and “All-American Girl.” Also included on Carnival Ride is Carrie’s album version of the classic Randy Travis hit, “I Told You So,” which she performed just before Randy invited her to join the Opry!
• Did you know…? Carrie made her Grand Ole Opry performance debut on June 10, 2005, just two weeks after winning American Idol.
• Carrie has a brand new music video! Be watching your favorite video shows for “Last Name,” on the air now!

  Carrie Underwood reflects on what the honor of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry means to her. (:29)
“One thing that I’ve always loved about country music is it pays tribute to its history – it honors the people that came before. A lot of other genres, you know, they have artists they just throw away after five years and nobody thinks of them ever again. Country music’s never been like that. It’s always been, ‘We love the people that have come before us. We respect what they have done; we respect them as people.’ I love that thought. I love that feeling. And I love being a part of something that honors those traditions.”

  Carrie Underwood recalls the moments surrounding Randy Travis inviting her to join the Grand Ole Opry. (:34)
“They told me to stay on stage until somebody said, ‘And there’s Carrie Underwood!’ The song ends … and people are clapping … and they don’t say my name! So I was just standing there [thinking], ‘Maybe I heard wrong? Are they going to say it?’ So I started to turn around and Randy Travis was standing right there! Of course, ‘I Told You So’ is his song that I re-did, and I thought he was just going to say, ‘Hey!’ Then he started heading towards, ‘They wanted me to ask you something.’ It was just an incredible moment, and I couldn’t have wanted it from anybody else.”

  Carrie Underwood tried to retain her composure after Randy Travis invited her to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, only to have tears fill her eyes as the emotion of the moment struck her. (:22)
“It was all a very emotional thing for me … as most things are. I cry at the drop of a hat, it seems! (laughs) But good tears! They’re good when they’re happy tears. And just having Randy Travis on stage with me – I never thought I’d get to sing one of my heroes’ songs and then he’d come tell me how good I did on it, you know? It was great!”

  Carrie Underwood remembers her backstage elation after Randy Travis invited her to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. (:17)
“When we were walking back and I saw all the pictures and stuff on the wall … like of Dolly Parton and just … I mean everybody – Martina McBride … the women that have graced the stage over the years and just thinking, ‘That’s going to be me! My picture’s going to be up there!’ It was just a great feeling.”