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Lady A Invited to Join the Grand Ole Opry
Lady A are the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry. Their entry into the hallowed country music institution was announced on Thursday evening (Jan. 21) and is effective immediately.
Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott were surprised with their Opry invitation by friend and fellow artist Darius Rucker, also an Opry member, while taping their performance for the upcoming NBC special Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music. Fans will be able to see the moment unfold during the television event on Feb. 14.
After Rucker delivered the news — under the guise of introducing his friends' performance — all three Lady A members let out exclamations of shock and surprise. Kelley, in particular, can be seen looking behind him, seemingly waiting for someone to pop out from backstage and tell the band it's all a prank.
"This is the best surprise we could ever ask for," says Scott, who dissolves into tears in the moment (video below). "I've been coming here since I was a little girl, so to say we are honored is an understatement. We are so truly grateful to officially be a part of this amazing family."
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Lady A — who began their career as Lady Antebellum and changed their name in 2020 because of the connection of the word "antebellum" to the pre-Civil War south — made their Grand Ole Opry debut on Nov. 2, 2007. The trio has sold more than 18 million albums and earned their most recent No. 1 song — the 11th of their career — with "Champagne Night" in early January.
Set to be hosted by Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton, Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Music will celebrate the 95th anniversary of the Opry's first radio broadcast, which occurred on Nov. 28, 1925, when the show was known as the WSM Barn Dance. The two-hour special, which will begin at 9PM ET, will include original performances, interviews full of memories and archival footage.
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