Kelsea Ballerini is The Grand Ole Opry’s newest member.
On Tuesday night (March 5th), Little Big Town surprised the “Peter Pan” singer with an invitation to become a lifetime Opry member. Kelsea joined the superstar trio onstage to close out the show with their hit, “Girl Crush” and as the song concluded, the band changed its final lyrics to “Kelsea Ballerini, do you wanna join the Opry?”
“Yes,” Kelsea enthused, “I’m gonna pass out I think!” Collecting her thoughts, Kelsea recalled having visited the Opry at age 13 with her mother and knowing then that she wanted to support the Opry, even if only as a fan. “To be on this stage is the greatest gift in the world,” she said. “This is the home of country music, and I get to be a part of it.”
“For the rest of your life,” Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild added.
“We are thrilled at the thought of Kelsea Ballerini joining the Opry family,” said Opry General Manager Sally Williams. “So many of us at the Opry have been fans of her recordings, her songwriting, and her live performances since she played the Opry for the very first time. Having grown to know her personally in the years since we love and respect her just as much as a person as an artist. We look so forward to her Opry induction in April, and to all the years of great music we’ll share.”
Kelsea’s lengthy list of career highlights include hit songs, "Peter Pan," "Legends" and "Love Me Like You Mean It." 2019 has already proven to be a banner year for the singer as fans have watched her take the lead as a Grammy presenter and nominee. She’s been on tour with Kelly Clarkson and is embarking on her ‘Miss Me More Tour,’ which is her first ever headlining tour scheduled to kick off in April.
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Kelsea will be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Tuesday, April 16. At 25 years old, the singer will be the Opry's youngest member.
Photo Credit: Grand Ole Opry LLC. Chris Hollo, photographer.