Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry brings country music legends like Bill Anderson and Jimmy Dickens, today’s superstars like Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton, and up-and-coming artists together on one stage creating unforgettable shows every week. Into The Circle introduces the newest Opry performers as they make their Grand Ole Opry debut and step into the circle for the first time.

Casey James
“I’m just so blown away by the whole thing. For the first time in my life, I don’t have anything to say. I’m just speechless,” Casey said backstage after his Opry debut on Friday night (Jan. 27) at the Ryman Auditorium.

Casey James first emerged on the national scene during his third-place run on Season 9 of TV show, American Idol. Having performed most of his life, Casey was encouraged by his mother to audition. As a native of Cool, TX, he grew up playing guitar and was almost always surrounded by music. Both of his parents played guitar and sang, as did other family members.

“This is the tip of the top,” Casey said of playing at the Opry. “I remember my family talking about this as long as I can remember. This is just a magical place. It’s a huge honor just to be a part of it. I’ve listened to so many things that were recorded here. It’s just amazing.”

Casey’s wide-ranging influences include such artists as Merle Haggard, Vince Gill, ZZ Top, and Bonnie Raitt, with a mix of ’70s rock, blues, and outlaw country are all helping to shape his style. Following his success on Idol, Casey began touring with Sugarland in early 2011 and playing his own shows while working on his upcoming album.

His debut single “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night” provides a taste of what to expect on his self-titled debut album, set for release March 20. Casey had a hand in almost every part of making the album, which he says was important.

“I was there for every second of it,” Casey said. “There’s not anything that went on that I wasn’t a part of and that’s just because I wanted to be there. It’s important for other people to know how much I put into it because this is as close to my heart as it gets. This CD really came out sounding like I wanted it to sound.”

But the sound he was aiming for on the debut album didn’t just happen. It took long nights, a lot of stress, and hard work.

“I really stressed about trying to get it right, and I feel like I did that,” Casey explained. “I’m really thankful to all the musicians and all the people at the label for letting me do that. I know how blessed I am to get those opportunities.”

And the whole time, Casey tells us he never stopped learning.

“You learn a lot about the business. You’re learning the whole way. There’s nothing that you’ve known and unless you’re in show business, you don’t know anything. So, you learn everything – talking to cameras, interviewers, you learn how hard you have to work sometimes and how if it’s a 20-hour day, you might not get to eat or sleep and maybe you’ve got to go back to work the next day and do the same thing. If you’re paying attention, you learn a good work ethic. Really, it’s all new, so if you’ve got your eyes open and you are paying attention, you learn a million things.”

Casey performed his debut single during his Opry debut, which he co-wrote with Terry McBride and Brice Long. Believe it or not, the song was written in about an hour.

“It was the first time I had ever gotten with Terry and Brice,” Casey said. “I walked in, and we just hit it off. Terry’s from my hometown, so we’re just kindred spirits and we both kind of have that bluesy soul type thing. I think I played a lick, or he played a lick, or somebody played a lick. You know, when you’re writing a great song, when you’re both in it, nobody knows who does what. Somehow we got started and we wrote this song in probably an hour. It just kind of came out of us, and immediately became one that I really loved.”

The Grand Ole Opry brings country music legends like Bill Anderson and Jimmy Dickens, today’s superstars like Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton, and up-and-coming artists together on one stage creating unforgettable shows every week. Into The Circle introduces the newest Opry performers as they make their Grand Ole Opry debut and step into the circle for the first time.

Eric Paslay
Texas native Eric Paslay made his Opry debut on Friday night (January 20) on a show also featuring Kip Moore, Darryl Worley, Terri Clark, Ricky Skaggs, and more.

He’s been on the road touring, opening for artists like Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, and more. The singer-songwriter is also credited with co-writing “Friday Night” (Lady Antebellum), “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” (Jake Owen), “Angel Eyes” (Love And Theft), and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Eli Young Band).

But his true love is being on the stage.

“I love to entertain,” Eric says on his site. “The songs on this record are ones that I really connect with when I play them live. When I write, I like there to be a little bit of hope in every song, even in the sad songs. There’s still hope in there. With all the negativity everywhere these days, I’d like the positive to come out. A song can give you a little boost in confidence or make you love stronger and dream deeper.”

Eric’s current songs include “Never Really Wanted,” “Amarillo Rain,” “Fish Don’t Bite,” and “Here Comes Love.”

“I just love making music. I love how much you can say to someone in a song. It’s great having the opportunity to be a part of the soundtrack of people’s lives,” Eric says.

Here’s Eric talking a little more about his music with some performance clips:

Shawn Colvin
The GRAMMY-nominated artist (Best Contemporary Folk Album) took the Opry stage for her Opry debut on Saturday (Jan. 21). Among other artists like Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, and more, she joined Emmylou Harris in celebrating Emmylou’s 20 years as an Opry member.

This South Dakota native has been playing guitar since the age of 10, made her first public appearance on campus at the University of Illinois at 15, and by the late 1970s, she was singing in a Western Swing band in Austin, Texas – where she now calls home.

Her first album, Steady On won a GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording, followed by Fat City (1992) and Cover Girl (1994). In 1996, she released A Few Small Repairs, which proved to be her breakthrough. The ballad “Sunny Came Home” gave Shawn two of GRAMMY’s biggest honors: Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.

Shawn released five more albums throughout the years, with her most recent album Shawn Colvin Live (2009). This album was recorded during a special three-night solo show in San Francisco and includes 12 songs – all of them written or co-written by Shawn as well as a few cover songs.

Other than continuing to perform and making her Opry debut, Shawn also recently signed a deal with Harper Collins Publishers to write a memoir, which will be an extension of the stories that she weaves into her live concerts.

Kimmie Rhodes
“Kimmie has the voice of a beautiful child coming from an old soul,” Emmylou Harris says of the new Opry performer.

She may be new to the Opry stage, but this Texas-native has recorded and released 15 solo CDs, written and produced three musical plays, cataloged hundreds of songs, and published a book. She began her singing career at the age of six with her family gospel trip, moved to Austin, TX in 1979, recorded her first album in 1981 and from then on was off and running in the music industry.

Kimmie made her Opry debut on Saturday night (January 21), alongside friend Emmylou Harris. It isn’t too surprising that Emmylou would bring yet another artist to debut on the Opry. Kimmie and Emmylou have crossed paths quite a bit. They appeared on Austin City Limits together, among other artists like Dave Matthews and Patty Griffin, they co-wrote “Ordinary Heart” which was featured in the soundtrack to the movie “Happy Texas” and Emmylou’s performance of the song was nominated for a GRAMMY, have recorded duets together, and the list goes on.

Her 2011 release, Dreams of Flying, includes songs like “Back Again,” “Catch The Wind,” “New Way Through,” and “Start Saying Goodbye.”