Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Chris Young Joins The Opry

CHRIS YOUNG JOINS THE GRAND OLE OPRY FAMILY
Friend and Opry Member Brad Paisley 
Officially Inducts Young Into Opry Membership
  
Friend and Opry member Brad Paisley officially inducts
Chris Young into Opry membership

© 2017 Grand Ole Opry
Photo by Chris Hollo
Chris Young officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry family

© 2017 Grand Ole Opry
Photo by Chris Hollo
Chris Young celebrates backstage after
being officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry family this evening
(l to r: Larry Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Hartley Mgmt; Sally Williams, GM Grand Ole Opry/Sr VP, Programming & Artist Relations, Opry Entertainment; Brad Paisley; Chris Young; Steve Buchanan, President, Opry Entertainment Group; Bill Simmons, Fitzgerald Hartley Mgmt)

© 2017 Grand Ole Opry
Photo by Chris Hollo 
Chris Young places his nameplate on the member gallery backstage after being inducted into the
Grand Ole Opry family

© 2017 Grand Ole Opry
Photo by Chris Hollo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (October 17, 2017) – Grammy-nominated vocalist Chris Young was officially welcomed and inducted into the Grand Ole Opry family this evening by his friend, Opry member Brad Paisley. Backstage before taking the stage, Young recounted how he had begun listening to the Opry at around age four and first saw the show live at around age eight. “There is always such a respect for where we all come from here,” he said. 
After Young had performed two of his hits and two of his favorite country classics for a sold-out audience, Paisley took the stage to present Young with the Opry Member Award presented to each official member of the Opry family.

“Just look where you are!” Paisley exclaimed, noting the pair’s presence in the Opry’s famed circle center stage. “When I was first made a member of this crazy family, I had no idea the actual way this is a family,” Paisley said. “I quickly was accepted and asked to be a part of so many things. Chris is one of those people that will make the most of this … This is a great human being, and that’s what the Opry needs.”

After the Opry member award presentation, Young held his award and said, “The two best words I can think of are ‘thank you.’” The hit-maker then concluded his set in the night’s first show along with Cassadee Pope on the pair’s number one single “Think Of You.” 

Growing up in nearby Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Young dreamt of one day taking the stage at the Opry, and his dream came true when he made his debut on June 15, 2006. His dreams grew after that night, and tonight another dream came true as he stood on the stage being welcomed as an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. It’s a big week for Young, as he also releases his 7th album, Losing Sleep, this Friday, Oct 20.

About Chris Young:
Recently invited to become the newest member of the iconic Grand Ole Opry, Chris Young has earned multiple ACM, BBMA, CMA, CMT, Grammy and RDMA nominations and scored three consecutive chart-topping singles – including his ninth No. 1 “Sober Saturday Night” with Vince Gill – from his “excellent” (New York Times) album I’m Comin’ Over (2015). He continues to set the bar even higher with the release of his brand new single, “Losing Sleep,” which amassed more than 1.25 Million on-demand streams in its first week of release. With six albums to his credit, including 2016’s It Must Be Christmas and 2015’s Gold-certified studio album, I’m Comin’ Over, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, Chris continues to reach new heights with his hotly anticipated seventh album — Losing Sleep — due October 20, 2017. Named “one of his era’s finest traditionalists” by the Associated Press, the upcoming record will be the RCA Records artist’s third project in less than two years. 
An international ambassador for country music, Chris performs to packed houses around the world including his recent appearance at the sold-out C2C Festival in the UK. With a hit-packed set that highlights his nine chart-toppers — including “Gettin’ You Home,” “Voices,” “Tomorrow,” “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Think Of You,” — and sixteen Gold/Platinum certified projects, Chris has joined reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean as special guest on his They Don’t Know Tour through October before resuming his own headlining dates later this year.