Music City rarely disappoints when it comes to live music, and Friday night (July 15) at the Grand Ole Opry was no exception. The evening began promptly, and as the music was played for show-goers and WSM Radio listeners, the Opry continued its historic tradition of being the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history.
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And for the first time, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Tauren Wells took to the Opry stage. Wells kicked off his set with his song “Known” on the guitar, then played “Joy In The Morning” before rounding out his set with “Hills and Valleys” on the piano (note the subtle flex of his multi-instrumentalist chops). Intermingled between playing three of his acclaimed songs, Wells told his story to the crowd. He recounted how his first pass at making it as a musician didn’t work out as he’d hoped. But after a few years, his music found the right people… like Lionel Richie who took Wells on tour with him and Mariah Carey. Safe to say, Wells’ path was altered after that.
Also performing at the Opry, was the country multi-platinum selling artist, Billy Ray Cyrus. The singer kicked off his round of songs with “Wher’m I Gonna Live?” followed by “Could’ve Been Me.” Cyrus then brought Australian pop singer FIREROSE onstage for a duet. And for his grand finale, Cyrus got the Opry audience on their feet and sang his signature song, “Achy Breaky Heart.”
Other performances included Lauren Alaina’s high-energy set of “What Ifs” that she recorded with Kane Brown, “Ladies In The ’90s,” and a tribute to her musical hero, Trisha Yearwood, with “She’s In Love With The Boy.” Rhett Akins also graced the stage in addition to Coffey Anderson, Erin Kinsey, Jeannie Seely, and Bobby Osbourne & Rocky-Top X-Press.
Truly one for the books.
Photo Credit: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry
