Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley to Co-Host Grand Ole Opry’s 95th Anniversary TV Special
Country superstars and Grand Ole Opry members Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley will be at the helm of the iconic venue's upcoming anniversary show, a two-hour commemoration of 95 years of the Grand Ole Opry. The big event will air live on national television in February.
The show, dubbed Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Music, will spotlight some of the stage's most special moments, featuring archival footage and behind-the-scenes, firsthand memories from some of its members. Additionally, the night will include several original performances from some of the artists who call the Grand Ole Opry home.
The two-hour Feb. 14 celebration will be an especially poignant one for Paisley, who will be celebrating his 20th anniversary as an Opry member a few days later. The singer was inducted into the hallowed country music institution on Feb. 17, 2001. For the ceremony, George Jones wrote a letter that was read aloud in front of the crowd.
"I am counting on you to carry on the tradition and make folks sit up and listen to what good country music should sound like," Jones told Paisley in his letter, and in the years that followed, Paisley lived up to that call: He became a global country superstar with a slew of awards and 24 No. 1 hit singles to his name, the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay chart-topping hits in 2008 and the CMA's Entertainer of the Year in 2010.
Like his co-host, Shelton has proven his dedication to the genre and his staying power as a country star, both on the radio and onstage. He celebrated his 10th anniversary as an Opry member in October. On the night that he was inducted in 2010, Shelton shared from the stage on what the Grand Ole Opry means to him.
"I get the same feeling when I come to the Opry as when I see one of my heroes. I am in awe," Shelton reflected that night. "To me, the Grand Ole Opry is an artist and I'm really proud to be one of its songs."
Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Music will air live beginning at 9PM ET on NBC.
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