Luke Combs was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry family by Opry members Vince Gill and Joe Diffie. Fellow Opry members The Gatlin Brothers, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, and Mark Wills joined them onstage to welcome their newest fellow member.
Luke Combs became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry Tuesday evening (July 16), as Joe Diffie and Vince Gill welcomed him into the Opry family in front of a sold-out crowd at the historic Nashville venue.
After Combs performed his No. 1 smashes “When It Rains It Pours” and “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” Diffie and Gill joined him on stage, also flanked by Opry members The Gatlin Brothers, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, and Mark Wills. It was noted that the first concert Combs ever attended was a Vince Gill show, and he grew up on Diffie’s country classics like “John Deere Green.”
“This is what dreams are made of right here,” Gill began. Looking to Combs, he added, “If you’ll come here and you’ll invest in the people and this stage, you’ll get back a hundred-fold what you ever give to this place.”
Presenting Combs with his Opry Member Award, Diffie added, “I remember being asked to be a member of the Opry, and it was like a dream. And it still feels like a dream, even to this day. On behalf of myself and all the Opry members past, present, and future, Luke Combs, you are now officially the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry!”
Award in hand, Combs said, “Here I am on stage with people I grew up listening to and people who have shaped me as an artist. I just want to say thank you to you guys, thank you to the Grand Ole Opry, and thank you to the fans—without you all there is no country music, there is no Grand Ole Opry. Thank you so much for everything you guys do for making this possible for guys like us on this stage. I will never forget tonight!”
Comb made his first performance as an Opry member, performing the title track to his smash hit album, This One’s For You.
Backstage, Opry General Manager Sally Williams shared, “Luke Combs’ love for the Grand Ole Opry is rivaled only by country music fans’ love of his music and his fellow Opry members’ appreciation both of his artistry and his friendship. Luke and all of us at the Opry have developed an incredible relationship since he made his Opry debut less than three years ago, and we are thrilled that as of tonight he has a musical home for the rest of his career. Welcome, Luke!”
Pictured (L-R): Randy Goodman, Chairman/CEO Sony Music Nashville; Sophia Sansone, day-to-day manager, Make Wake Artists; Lynn Oliver-Cline, Founder, River House Artists; Luke Combs; Sally Williams, General Manager, Grand Ole Opry; Ken Robold, COO/EVP, Sony Music Nashville; Chris Kappy, Founder/Owner, Make Wake Artists
Opry members Vince Gill and Joe Diffie welcome Luke Combs to the family
About the Author
Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at [email protected]View Author Profile
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