Rhett Akins Joins The Grand Ole Opry On His Birthday
Rhett Akins Joins The Grand Ole Opry On His Birthday
The Grand Ole Opry built its entire show on Tuesday around its newest member, Rhett Akins, who also happened to be celebrating his 57th birthday. Several colleagues who’ve had hits with his songs, including Opry members Jamey Johnson and Jon Pardi, as well as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Akins’ son Thomas Rhett all either performed with Akins or sang songs he wrote for them.
Pardi, who surprised Akins with an invitation to join the cast back in June, sang “How’d You Know” and “Tequila Little Time,” songs he wrote with Akins, then Akins joined him for “Dirt on My Boots.” Johnson and Akins sang Merle Haggard’s “Ramblin’ Fever,” which the two sang on the bus while touring together in 2006.
Aldean sang “When She Says Baby,” which Akins wrote, and said Akins is “one of the coolest guys in Nashville.” Bryan joined Akins for acoustic duets of “I Don’t Want This Night to End” and “Huntin’, Fishin’ & Lovin’ Every Day.” Thomas Rhett sang “Half of Me,” “Die a Happy Man” and, with his father, “What’s Your Country Song.”
Akins sang “Honey Bee” and “I Lived It,” both recorded by Blake Shelton. “I Lived It” received a 2019 GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Song. Shelton, Dustin Lynch and Scotty McCreery sent video greetings, and footage of Billy Walker introducing Akins at his December 1996 Opry debut played as part of a video tribute to the new member.
Pardi and Johnson formally inducted Akins into the show’s cast. “It could not happen to a better guy,” Johnson told Akins. “But it did. It happened to me one time.”
“This is the night of my life, and I love country music,” Akins said shortly before his induction. The show ended with “That Ain’t My Truck” as a sing-along featuring all the night’s performers, then Thomas Rhett led the hall in singing “Happy Birthday.”
