Inside Lainey Wilson's Grand Ole Opry Induction: 'It honestly feels like the biggest night of my life'

When Lainey Wilson was 9 years old, she and her family made their first trip to the Grand Ole Opry from her small hometown of Baskin, Louisiana, 471 miles away, and she knew she would one day be on that revered stage . More than 20 years later, she reached the pinnacle for any country artist with her induction into the Grand Ole Opry.

On Friday night (June 7), she became the latest artist to stand in the famous circle of wood as Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks did the official induction honors. “Tonight honestly feels like the biggest night of my life,” Wilson said.

“We're honored to be here tonight,” Yearwood said, “And I may be a little biased, but there can never be enough women at the Grand Ole Opry. You've got it. You know what it means to love country music, you love the Opry. When I think about the future of country music, I know that with you, we're going to be okay.”

“I was going to say I'm so happy for you, but I'm so happy for the Grand Ole Opry,” Brooks added. “It's so rare to find someone your age who gets it. The awards they give you will fade with time, but what will always remain the same is this family.”

For Wilson, the induction caps a meteoric several months that have seen her latest album, Bell Bottom Country, capture the ACM and CMA Awards for album of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Country album, as well as the ACM and CMA Awards Artist of the Year winner. It also graced its cover Advertising signLast month's issue of Country Power Players. But Wilson vowed to work harder. “We've had a crazy couple of years with all the awards, but this right here is the highest honor,” he said. “It feels like a stamp of approval. It's lighting another fire under my butt.”

Wilson then brought her immediate family on stage, as well as her boyfriend, Devlin “Duck” Hodges. Surrounded by those who know her best and have supported her for decades, she added: “As a little girl, I didn't dream about my wedding day or what song I would play at my wedding, I dreamed about what song would play in the circle.” After that initial visit to the Opry when he was 9 years old, nine years later he moved to Nashville, and nine years after that, he played the Opry for the first time on Valentine's Day 2020. Four years later he became a member.

Wilson played through the night, first linking up with Terri Clark (who introduced her when she played the Opry for the first time in 2020) for a duet on “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” then returning to sing “Refugee” , featuring Wynonna, the song. the pair covered for the upcoming Tom Petty tribute album. She also performed a number of her own songs, including “Dreamcatcher”; Her first No. 1, “Things a Man Oughta Know”; “Heart Like a Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine”.

After her formal introduction, Brooks told Wilson she had to sing at least one more tune, saying, “I've never heard you sing a song as an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.” He offered to keep the newly presented trophy for her, and Wilson only allowed it after he promised to return it. She closed the night with a lively version of “Hang Tight Honey” from her new album, Tornadoout August 23 on Broken Bow/BMG.