20 years ago today, on June 12, 2004, was a monumental day for Terri Clark . It was on this day that Clark was inducted into the Grand Oe Opry, making her the first female Canadian to become an Opry member.
“Just to be on the Opry is an honor,” Clark said of being an official member. “I never thought I’d get to be a member. It’s a tremendous responsibility, too. I feel like a lot of us who are younger members of the Opry really need to make sure that we pass down the tradition of it, and make sure that younger people who are getting into country music know what it means.”
Clark recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member, on the same night Lainey Wilson was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Clark was also celebrating the release of her Take Two album, new recordings of some of her biggest hits joined on the record by Wilson, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce and more.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry / Chris Hollo
“I hope my life isn’t over … It’s really been that long that we’re celebrating these things now,” Clark said with a laugh, while talking with Everything Nash and other outlets during a recent virtual media event. “20 years as an Opry member, it feels like yesterday that I was invited to be an Opry member, and that’s all gonna slap me in the face with Lainey Wilson becoming the newest member the same night. It’s definitely a full-circle thing.
“To be a member of the Opry I think is anybody’s goal or milestone in country music,” she added. “It’s such an important piece of the country music fabric and story. And to be part of that family is something I never take for granted. I still can’t believe it. I still get nervous. I still get nervous every single time.”
Clark recently reflected on the significance of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, especially for two decades.
“The Opry isn’t just a stage, it’s a sacred home for generations of artists and fans who love country music,” Clark said (via MusicRow). “Being part of this incredible family is an honor beyond my wildest dreams. Here’s to the Opry, the fans, and the music that binds us all together.”
Ahead of her Opry induction, Wilson, who sings “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” on Take Two, praised Clark for her influence in country music.
“When I think about growing up in the ’90s, I think about those women that were just blazing some trails, and she was a part of that,” Wilson told Everything Nash and other outlets backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. “Just the way that she’d get up there with her acoustic guitar and just rock out, and not give a dang. It made me feel like I could do that too. The night that I got invited to the Opry, it was February 14, 2020, and she introduced me to the stage. And so, tonight, it’s just a full-circle moment for this to be lined up again.”
Find Take Two, Clark’s recently released Greatest Hits album on vinyl, and all of her music and upcoming shows at TerriClark.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Country Music Association