Garth Brooks Surprises Ashley McBryde With a Grand Ole Opry Invite [Watch]
Garth Brooks surprised Ashley McBryde by popping up during her appearance on CBS Mornings on Thursday morning (Oct. 6). Then, the younger of the two singers got another, in-person-surprise.
The Country Music Hall of Fame artist appeared via satellite from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to ask McBryde if she wanted to become an Opry member. He nearly cried before he got the question out, and once he did, she let tears flow.
"There's Grammys and there's being a member of the Grand Ole Opry — the two greatest things that could ever happen to you as an entertainer," she says. "I've always said I will earn it. This is a pretty surreal moment."
In asking McBryde to become a member, Brooks also explained the importance of the Opry family by comparing it to other honors an artist may receive. It's much more personal than hardware wins.
"Try to remember, it is the longest living family in music history," he says. "So Grammys, CMAs, they're all gonna fade. This won't. This will be — until the day they put you in the ground — you will be part of the coolest show on the planet."
"There's Grammys and there's being a member of the Grand Ole Opry are the two greatest things that could ever happen to you as an entertainer. I've always said I will earn it."
McBryde's appearance on CBS Mornings was to promote her new Lindeville album. Her full team and then some were on hand to witness this moment, which they had to keep secret from her. At one point, host Gayle King asked who the woman in blue was, and a shocked McBryde admitted it was her mother, who flew in from Arkansas.
The two shared a warm embrace and a few loving words together on camera.