Carrie Underwood became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night (May 10), during a performance in front of a sold-out, standing-room-only audience at the Opry House in Nashville. As is tradition, another Opry member officially handles the induction – Carrie’s honor was bestowed on her by Garth Brooks. Presenting Carrie with the Opry Member Award – a trophy signifying membership in the 82-year-old Opry institution – the man who, like Carrie, is no stranger to awards, multi-platinum albums and number-one hits told her, “Nothing will last as long or be more important than this award right here tonight.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Carrie made her Opry debut on June 10, 2005 – just days after winning that year’s American Idol competition. “I came to Nashville for [CMA] Music Festival…and one of the first things I did when I got here was play at the Opry,” she recalled backstage. “Everybody was so nice and seemed so happy to have me here…and it left such an impression that I knew I wanted to come back.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
In addition to the audience at the Opry House in Nashville (which included Carrie’s parents), fans nationwide witnessed Carrie’s induction as it took place during GAC’s live weekly telecast of Opry Live. Carrie opened the show with her current hit, “Last Name”…then sang “All-American Girl” (both from her Carnival Ride CD) when she returned to the stage a little while later for her big moment. After Garth’s presentation, Carrie struggled to hold back her emotions as she thanked the Opry membership “for having me as part of your family.” Garth walked into the wings, and Carrie brought another fellow Oklahoman onstage – Opry member Vince Gill shared vocals with her as they turned her debut country hit, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” into a first-time duet. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Backstage after her induction, Carrie recalled watching and listening to the Opry as a child growing up in Oklahoma. “I think even before I knew what it was, I liked it,” she said, remembering Saturday night visits to her grandparents’ home. “As I got older, realizing how important it was to country music and the amount of respect that everybody has for it – it was like, ‘This must be something very special.’” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Through the remainder of the evening backstage, Carrie carried her new Opry Member Award in her hand. When someone pointed out that she’d barely even set it down since receiving it (she held onto it even as she sang her duet with Vince), Carrie made it clear just how much the night’s events meant to her – “It may sleep with me.”
Carrie Underwood admits membership in the Grand Ole Opry is a far cry from what she envisioned might come out of auditioning for American Idol. (:26)
“There’s a lot that’s happened. This isn’t really the same girl, I guess, that stood in line and that waited for a really long time to try out. Of course, people are asking where this “ranked” in what I do. And, like Garth [Brooks] said, all the awards – they come and they go. This one – I have it forever and it’s something that doesn’t happen to everybody. It’s not a given.”
Carrie Underwood says it meant a lot to have fellow Oklahomans Garth Brooks and Vince Gill take part in her Grand Ole Opry induction. (:29)
“They’re from Oklahoma and they’re people that you can look up to knowing that they came from a place like you did. And they did so well for themselves and seem like such wonderful people. And talking to them and realizing that they are wonderful people…just talking to them and realizing that, it was really extra special to have them here. Vince has taken care of me ever since I first got to Nashville. So it was very special having both of them – as idols of mine – be here.”
Carrie Underwood recalls the first time she performed on the Grand Ole Opry – just days after winning American Idol. (:15)
“We came to Nashville for [CMA] Music Festival…and one of the first things I did when I got here was play at the Opry. And everybody was so nice and seemed so happy to have me here…and it left an impression enough to where I knew I wanted to come back.”
Carrie Underwood remembers her first awareness of the Grand Ole Opry – as a youngster, at her grandparents’ home. (:23)
“I think even before I knew what it was, I liked it…you know? It was one of those things – I’d go to their house and…I was probably too young for it to register what was going on on the Grand Ole Opry, but I knew I liked it. So, as I got older, just realizing how important it was to country music and the amount of respect that everybody has for it – it was like, ‘This must be something very special.’”