Chris Janson invited to join Grand Ole Opry

Opry member Keith Urban surprises Janson during sold-out concert at Ryman Auditorium

Chris Janson was surprised during his sold-out Ryman Auditorium concert last night (Mon, Feb 5th) by Grand Ole Opry member Keith Urban with an invitation to become an official Opry member. Urban surprised the Ryman audience by performing alongside Janson on the John Michael Montgomery hit “Sold,” a tune on which the two had collaborated on the Opry stage last year. Afterwards, Urban said, “Chris it’s amazing for you to have a sold-out show at the Ryman. It’s one of my most favorite places in the world to play. I remember when I was invited to a member of the Grand Ole Opry here, so well, it’s only natural I say we would like to invite you to be the newest member of our family!”

To the standing room only crowd an overwhelmed Chris said, “The Opry is where my heart is. I could probably die if I never got to do anything else.”

While Janson’s next Opry appearance is scheduled for February 20th, his formal Opry induction will be scheduled for later this spring. Fans can watch Janson and Opry social media channels for induction details.

“Over the course of more than 100 appearances since his Opry debut in 2013, Chris has become a favorite of Opry fans and fellow performers alike,” states Opry General Manager Sally Williams. “It’s been amazing to watch him bring audiences to their feet night after night. He is so passionate about the Opry, including its rich history, the camaraderie it builds between generations of fans and artists, and its place in country music’s future. We could not be more thrilled to officially welcome him later this spring.”

The Perryville, MO native singer/songwriter earned his second chart-topping single last November with the summer anthem “Fix A Drink” from his sophomore album Everybody. Janson’s breakthrough No. 1 Platinum-certified single “Buy Me A Boat” was the seventh bestselling country song of the year in 2015, although his professional music career began more than ten years ago. The singer/songwriter has also penned multiple top-charting hits including “Truck Yeah” (Tim McGraw), “That’s How I’ll Always Be” (Tim McGraw), “I Love This Life” (LoCash), and over 25 additional hit songs recorded by a long list of established artists.

The breakout country star has become a Grand Ole Opry regular, taking the legendary stage more than 150 times to date, and made numerous television appearances including: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CONAN, TODAY, Megyn Kelly TODAY, Live with Kelly & Ryan, the ACM Awards and the ACCA Awards.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com