Vince Gill surprised Steve Earle, his friend of four decades, with a guitar strap and an invitation to become the newest Grand Ole Opry member on Saturday night.
“This is kind of the biggest thing that has ever happened to me in my life,” Earle said after he found his voice.
The invitation, as it always is, was a surprise. But Earle seemed beyond shocked, clearly emotional, bordering on dumbfounded.
Earle is an Academy Award winner and Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member who has been called one of the most influential singer/songwriters of the past 30 years. Artists including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, and Eric Clapton have covered his songs. Saturday night, after Earle finished singing his signature “Copperhead Road,” Gill strolled on stage under the guise of surprising Earle with a custom Opry 100 leather guitar strap that he’d been coveting.
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Earle smiled broadly when he saw Gill walk on stage.
“It came to my attention that you saw a strap that I’ve been wearing the last few weeks,” Gill said. “We decided that we’d get you a gift.”
Steve Earle: “Kind of the Biggest Thing That has Ever Happened”
Earle nodded, appearing amused and pleased to see his friend and happy with the present. Gill had the strap coiled in an Opry cap, pulled it out, and unrolled it.
Earle said he thought he had a guitar he could put it on. Gill started to walk away, then turned around. He said there was one more thing. Earle paused.
“What I forgot to mention is to get one of these straps, you have to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” Gill said.
Earle dropped his head and doubled over.
“I get to invite you to be our newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, my 40-plus-year friend,” Gill said.
Earle bowed his head again, squeezed his eyes closed, and gave Gill a bear hug in the famed Opry circle.
The audience exploded in applause, and the singers slapped each other on the back.
As Earle worked to compose himself, Gill explained: “One of the rules that we have here now is once we invite somebody to be part of our family, they have to sing one more song.”
Vince Gill asked Earle to sing “Hillbilly Highway.”
The Grand Ole Opry will officially induct Earle as its newest member later his year.
Featured Photo via Chris Hollo
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