Scotty McCreery had more to celebrate on Sunday, April 20, than Easter. The day also marked the one-year anniversary of McCreery’s induction into the Grand Ole Opry, fulfilling a dream he had since he was a little boy.
“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” McCreery said immediately ahead of his induction. “Since I was a kid, my mom was telling me about coming to the Opry in the ’70s, when she was younger. Whispering Bill was playing that night. She’ll never forget it. I’ve always hoped this day would come, so it’s very special.”
It was Garth Brooks who invited McCreery to join the Grand Ole Opry.
“I grew up listening to your records, and you’re what got me wanting to do this for a living, and I didn’t think that dream would ever become a reality,” McCreery said when he got over the shock of the invitation.
“But it is because of all of y’all sitting in this house tonight, so thank you very much …When I got started doing this, people said, ‘What’s your goals?’ and I said, ‘One day I’d like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry,’” he added, his voice cracking with emotion.
Photo Credit: Chris Hollo
McCreery was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Josh Turner.
“It feels pretty fantastic, to be honest,” McCreery told Everything Nash. “It’s a dream come true. It’s an invitation — you never know if you’re going to get that call, so it just means the world. And how it went down, with Garth Brooks being the one to do the invitation, and Josh Turner being the guy to induct me. In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have thought up anything better. I’m just so thankful.”
During his induction ceremony, McCreery gave a heartfelt speech about what being a member of the Grand Ole Opry meant to him.
“This is not possible without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” he said at the time. “I’ve been very blessed, and I feel like He’s blessed me to bless others, so thank you all for allowing me to have fun for a living, make up country songs. I appreciate you all being here. I’m so glad it worked out. I don’t know what else the heck I’d be doing for a living, so this is great.”
“My family, my friends, my beautiful bride, and my little boy, Avery … One day I want to be able to look at Avery — he might not understand tonight — but one day I’ll tell him, ‘Hey buddy, this was your daddy’s dream, and it came true,’” he continued. “So hopefully one day he’ll go chase his dreams as well, because one day they could come true … Thank you all so much. I love you and I’m so proud to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry.”
Almost a year after he became a member, McCreery took part in the star-studded Opry 100: A Live Celebration, where he once again praised the historic institution..
“The Opry has played such an important role in country music history,” McCreery tells Country Now. “I think without that radio tower down on [Interstate] 65, I’m not sure country music would be where it’s at today. WSM and the Opry have played such a vital role. I love this place; I love the history of this place. I love that all my heroes have played this place and loved it too.”
McCreery just announced the release of Seasons Change: Platinum Edition, his 2018 album out on vinyl, with four bonus acoustic tracks. The record will be available on June 20.
Photo Credit: Chris Hollo