Ashley Cooke Has Full Circle Moment During Opry Debut

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Ashley Cooke & Gary LeVox. Photo: Chris Hollo

Big Loud/Back Blocks music artist Ashley Cooke stepped into the historic circle and made her Grand Ole Opry debut on Wednesday night (Oct. 26).

During the special evening, Cooke was invited by Rascal Flatts‘ lead singer Gary LeVox to join him on a duet of the group’s smash hit, “What Hurts The Most.”

Ashley Cooke. Photo: Chris Hollo

“Making my Opry debut was one of the most surreal moments I’ve ever experienced. I got into country music because I fell in love with and found comfort in the storytelling of Rascal Flatts,” Cooke shares. “Having Gary LeVox invite me into the circle and ask me to sing one of the songs that got me into music in the first place was completely full circle. I’m so thankful to have stood where every country great has before me and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the tradition.”

The bucket list Opry moment comes just a week before Cooke will make her Ryman Auditorium debut on Nov. 2-3, as she continues as direct support on Cole Swindell‘s 19-stop “Back Down To The Bar Tour.”

In August, Cooke ushered in a new chapter of music following her 2021 debut project Already Drank That Beer, dropping back-to-back releases “Getting Into” and the anthemic “Back In The Saddle” in September. She is readying more new music for fans by year’s end, while her single “Never Til Now” featuring Brett Young enters the top 50 on this week’s Country Aircheck/Mediabase Chart.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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