Marty Stuart had a star-studded celebration at the Grand Ole Opry over the weekend, honoring his 30 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The Mississippi native performed with his band, The Fabulous Superlatives, acknowledging his three decades as part of country music’s most revered establishment.

Stuart grew up with a deep, deep loved of country music and the Grand Ole Opry. But when he was asked to join, by then-Grand Ole Opry General Manager Hal Durham, Stuart reveals he — perhaps surprisingly — didn’t immediately agree.

“He asked me about joining, and I said, ‘I have to get two people to sign off on it — Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl,'” Stuart recalls to Billboard. “I got Mr. Acuff’s blessing and Minnie was at her home at that time. She had had a stroke and wasn’t able to get out and about. [Pearl’s manager] Judy Seale set the meeting up and I was told Minnie loved white roses, so I got about 75 or 80 white roses. I went into Minnie’s room and she looked at all those roses and she said, ‘Oh, my gosh, look at those tight pants.’ But she gave me her blessing that day, and I called Hal on the way home that day and said I’d be honored to be a member.”

Although Stuart didn’t grow up in Nashville, the music coming from the city, especially during his childhood, had a permanent impact on him, and his lengthy career. But even before his solo career began, Stuart found himself on the sacred stage, playing mandolin as part of Lester Flatt’s band when he was just 13 years old.

“It was part of the atmosphere at our house,” Stuart reflects. “Those people that played on the show felt like family to me before I ever met them. I could not believe I was standing on that stage and getting an encore, which was unbelievable. That was a pretty good way to start in Nashville. It’s still a surreal memory.”

Stuart is a deep lover of country music history, slowly building a 50,000 square foot space in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi, called The Congress of Country Music, where he shares many of the artifacts and memorabilia that he has collected over the years. Stuart is also working on turning that into a new TV show as well.

“I see it as 30-minute episodes, revolving around going out to obtain an artifact, rescuing it and bringing it back,” Stuart shares. “Every show will start in the warehouse in Philadelphia, Miss., where everything is staged right now. You get the story behind the artifact and it’s a treasure hunt. If there are musical instruments involved, we try to bring the past and present together. For instance, the lyrics to [Hank Williams, Sr.’s] ‘I Saw the Light’ or ‘Cold, Cold Heart,’ it makes a lot of sense for one of his grandkids to sit there and sing them. It’s showing how artifacts are relevant in the hands of somebody current.

“We take for granted that everybody knows who Hank Williams is, but there’s a whole new generation that needs to be educated,” he continues. “It’s a way to bring past, present, and future, entertaining and educating at the same time.”

Stuart also just released a new single, “Country Star,” with his band, The Fabulous Superlatives. Find music and tour dates by visiting his website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5a90czM_kg