Singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde surprised on air with invitation to become Grand Ole Opry member
Singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde is the latest member of the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Country music star Garth Brooks surprised McBryde with the news Thursday on "CBS Mornings."
"I'm here for a proposal," Brooks said from the opera house. "Miss Ashley McBryde, on behalf of the Opry and myself as an Opry member — I'm going to try not to cry — we would love for you to consider becoming the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry."
Stifling tears, McBryde said it "would be the great joy and the great honor of my life" to accept the nomination.
"I mean, there's Grammys and there's being a member in the Grand Ole Opry, are the two greatest things that could ever happen to you as an entertainer. And I've always said I will earn it and this is a pretty surreal moment," she said.
Founded in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry began as a weekly radio show for country music. Nearly a century later, the Opry has broadcast more than 4,000 shows and moved from Nashville's Ryman Auditorium to the 4,440-seat Grand Ole Opry House. McBryde joins a prestigious list of 70 country stars including Dolly Parton, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. Members regularly perform in Opry shows.
Brooks said McBryde, along with all of the other members, have earned their spot in the historic opera house.
"It's the longest living family in music history. You belong in it," he told the Grammy-nominated performer. "We need you. You'll make it stronger for decades to come."
To add to the surprise, McBryde's mother from Arkansas joined her tearful daughter in the studio for an embrace.
"I'm so proud of you," she said.
Last month, McBryde released her third studio album, "Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville."
She says she and her friends didn't originally intend to make an album with the collection of songs they wrote while lodging in a house together for a few days, but that "things kept happening so that it had to be a record."
"Our intention was to have fun so at least we had that, just do what feels good," McBryde recalled. "But what we did was we took the word 'should' out of the equation as far as like what normal things should happen."
McBryde -- along with musicians Nicolette Hayford, Aaron Ratiere, Connie Harrington, Benjy Davis and Brandy Clark -- released the 13-track project under Warner Music Nashville on September 30, with songs including "Brenda Put Your Bra On" and "Bonfire at Tina's."
"We spent the time just writing what we wanted to write," she said.
The project comes after McBryde suffered injuries from a horseback riding accident, which led her to postpone several performances. She has since returned to performing onstage.