Trace Adkins celebrated his 20th anniversary of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry earlier this year. For Adkins, who has performed all over the world, being able to perform on the Opry stage will always be his all-time favorite place to perform.
“I’ve never had a bad experience when I’ve come to the Grand Ole Opry, ever,” Adkins tells Everything Nash. “Whether we were here, whether we were at the Ryman, it doesn’t matter. It’s always been a positive experience for me, and I’ve always just loved the family reunion kind of atmosphere and environment backstage.
“Everybody’s dressing room is open, everybody’s just hanging out with each other,” he continues. “No other genre of music has anything like it. I don’t think people really understand that, how special this is to country music. It’s something that nobody else has.”
When celebrating his two decades as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the 61-year-old said being part of the Opry family changed, quite literally, everything for him.
“For me, it means that I’m a better man than I would have been had I not been a member of the Grand Ole Opry because I take it very seriously… And I try to conduct myself every day, keeping in mind that I’m a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” Adkins said during his celebratory performance. “I represent this institution, and I don’t want to do anything that might disrespect my family at the Grand Ole Opry.
“It probably kept me out of jail more times than I would have gone,” he added with a laugh.
For a man who has already had a legendary career in country music, one that continues to grow and flourish, Adkins says nothing will ever be as much of a highlight for him as being a Grand Ole Opry member.
“It still is just as, if not more, important than it ever was,” Adkins previously told Everything Nash. “I love it. People ask me if I look back on my career, what’s at the top of my list of achievements? Being a member of the Grand Ole Opry is in the top five spots. And it’s weird because I didn’t do anything to deserve that. It wasn’t something that I achieved. It was just something that, for some reason, somebody bestowed this honor onto me. I didn’t do anything to really deserve it, but I’m so grateful and thankful.
“I now always keep that in mind, no matter what I’m doing or where I’m going, that I am a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” he added. “I’m a representative of that institution and that helps me to conduct myself appropriately.”
Adkins will celebrate the holidays twice at the Grand Ole Opry this year. The Louisiaina native is part of the two-hour TV special, Christmas at the Opry, airing on Thursday, December 7, at 8:00 PM ET on NBC. Adkins will also perform at the Opry on December 7, as part of the annual Opry Country Christmas celebration.
Find all of Adkins’ music and upcoming shows at TraceAdkins.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo