Jon Pardi is the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. The California native, recently inducted by Garth Brooks, already knows how he wants to conduct himself as an Opry member, looking to some of his musical heroes, past and present, for inspiration.
“I remember seeing Charlie Daniels for the first time backstage,” Pardi recalls. “He played the Opry quite a bit and him talking — he was always one of the guys that would always say hello … and Ricky Skaggs and his band. There are just a lot of musical memories, more than just artists — everybody’s getting pumped up. It’s way more than a dressing room.”
While Pardi loves every time he gets to perform on the iconic stage, the 38-year-old admits his favorite part might be hanging around backstage with other performers.
“The Grand Ole Opry is like, if you look at a green room in a movie, that’s what an Opry backstage is,” Pardi explains. “There are people practicing. They’re actually getting ready. They’re talking about what songs — everybody’s hyped up [for] a part of the show. The Opry always has that dream to it backstage. But for me, the memory is the music and walking the hallways and hearing other band members. Seeing Dierks [Bentley], his band’s always jamming bluegrass.
“I just love the music,” he continues. “The power of remembering, practicing the music ready to get on stage. The anticipation is very more real here at the Opry than anywhere else, I would say.”
Although he is a new member, Pardi already knows how he wants to conduct himself when he is backstage, especially with rising stars.
“Being the guy with the dressing room door open, that’s how you help new artists that come through and play the Opry for the first time,” Pardi shares. “You get that experience like I did when I was long-haired Jon. Like, ‘Oh man, that’s Dierks Bentley jamming with his bluegrass band…’ And then you go up and you’re approachable and you answer questions.
“And I feel like the Opry goes back to the movie green room where you’re like, ‘Man, it’s like, there’s Charlie Daniels. Hey, Charlie, how you doing?’” he adds. “So, it’s just little things like. I think that’s a good way to talk about new artists to the Grand Opry is the dressing room door open.”
Pardi just had to postpone three dates on his current Mr. Saturday Night Tour, due to being diagnosed with strep throat. “Cowboys and Plowboys,” his collaboration with Luke Bryan, is out now. The song is the debut single from Pardi’s next album.
He will release his first Christmas album, Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi, on Friday, October 27, and kick off the holiday season this year as the first performer for Opry Country Christmas on November 26.
Find all of Pardi’s music and upcoming shows at JonPardi.com.
