Scotty McCreery is only a few weeks away from becoming the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. The American Idol alum dreamed of becoming an Opry member for years, but admits he was completely surprised when Garth Brooks gave him the official invite.

“It felt like a dream,” McCreery told WNYT, “I’ve just got so much respect for the Opry, who they are, what they do, what they have done over the years. It’s the best place to sing in country music. One of the best stages in the country, if not the world. It had always been, in the back of my mind, a dream, like ‘Man, one day I would love to become a member here, because it means so much to me.’ And I thought about it on certain nights before, if I was singing, ‘Maybe tonight’s the night.'”

Still, when Brooks invited McCreery to join the Grand Ole Opry, it was when McCreery was performing as part of Opry Country Christmas, never imagining that he would be getting the biggest and best Christmas present of all.

“That night, it was nowhere on my radar screen,” McCreery admitted. “I was singing three Christmas songs, and I’d be in bed by 9:00 PM. Those were my plans. But Garth and the Opry had other plans, and it was a special night.”

McCreery chose his good friend, and musical idol, Josh Turner, to officially induct him into the Grand Ole Opry on April 20.

“He’s really become a good friend of mine over the years,” McCreery explained. “He was such an inspiration for me. Early on, people would compare our voices, and I said, ‘My voice might be deep, but Josh Turner’s voice is deeper, or the deepest.’ He’s on a whole ‘nother planet. It will be a fun night, and I’m honored that he would be willing to do this.”

The 30-year-old is honored to become a Grand Ole Opry member, but he also knows it’s a responsibility as well, and one he takes very, very seriously.

“I’ll do it all,” McCreery told radio station 94-7 WQDR..“Whatever they’d like me to do. It’s really just an honor to be up there, and be a member. A lot of my heroes are members there, and played that stage. I’ll be there as much as I can, and parade that around the country, and invite folks out … I’ll be there for the rest of my life.”

McCreery has a Top 10 hit with “Cab In A Solo,” the first single from his forthcoming Rise and Fall album, out on May 10. Tickets to his Grand Ole Opry induction can be found at Opry.com.

Find all of McCreery’s music and tour dates, and pre-order Rise and Fall, at ScottyMcCreery.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of EB Media / Jeff Ray