Opry Member Vince Gill surprises Brown in front of a live studio audience

Grammy-nominated artist T Graham Brown was surprised by Opry member Vince Gill this afternoon (Tues, Feb 20th) with an invitation to become an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. The invitation came in front of a live SiriusXM studio audience as Brown welcomed Gill as the guest for a taping of his SiriusXM show Live Wire. The show will debut Wednesday, April 6th at 10 pm ET on SiriusXM’s Prime Country, channel 58. An induction date will be announced soon.

After Gill made his invitation, Graham said through tears of joy, “Awww, man. That’s amazing, Vince. Oh my goodness. Please tell me you’re not kidding me. This is the greatest thing. You don’t know what that means to me. I so wanted this; you just don’t know. I’m so proud of the Opry. I’m just so proud to be there every time. I’ve never taken it for granted. It’s just amazing.”

“They love you,” Gill said. “That’s a special place, and you’ll be a valued part of that place. I didn’t mean to make you cry. Congratulations!”

“T Graham Brown feels like family every single time he walks through the backstage doors of the Grand Ole Opry House,” shares Dan Rogers, Opry executive producer. “He adds a special spirit and a great performance to every Opry show he’s part of. It’s not lost on me that immediately after having been invited to join the Opry at the SiriusXM studios, within minutes he was on the road to the Opry for yet another performance, adding to his 300+ count of Opry appearances.”

The CMA Award-winner who has toured extensively since the early 80s has performed on the Opry more than 300 times. Brown’s signature hits include the bluesy “I Tell It Like It Used To Be,” “Hell And High Water,” “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again,” “Don’t Go To Strangers,” and “Darlene” as well as his gripping “Wine Into Water,” which introduced him to the Christian audiences. “Wine Into Water” has gone on to be recorded by over 100 artists including the legendary Loretta Lynn on her critically acclaimed project, Full Circle.

The inimitable T. Graham Brown began his musical journey in 1973 while attending the University of Georgia in his hometown of Athens. After moving to Nashville in 1982, the Grammy-nominated, CMA Award, Diamond Addy Award For Excellence in Advertising, and back-to-back Prism Award-winning chart-topper honed his skills as a songwriter after signing with EMI Publishing Company. At the same time, he began to sing songwriter’s demos and the writers and producers began to hear the power and soul in his singing and his dynamic ability to interpret words and music through a perfectly pitched voice. The Nashville music business knew he was a talent to be reckoned with. Within two years of arriving in Music City, Capitol Records signed him to an exclusive recording contract and what would become a long list of albums that took country music by storm. He has also recorded for Warner Brothers and Sony and now has a recording relationship with Sony Red and a retail partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores.

Simultaneously, he started a long and successful career singing advertising jingles. He was the “Face and Voice” of Taco Bell’s wildly successful “Run For The Border” TV campaign for over four years. His wide range of vocal ability could also be heard on national music ads for McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardee’s, Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, Almond Joy, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Ford, Dodge, Harrah’s Casinos and dozens more.

He has hit the Billboard, Cash Box and Christian Music Charts 35 times with hits such as “I Tell It Like It Used To Be,” self-penned “Hell And High Water” and “Darlene.” Also, he wrote the multiple award-winning song, “Wine Into Water,” which has been recorded a hundred times by artists all over the world. Most recently by country superstar Loretta Lynn on her latest critically acclaimed album, Full Circle. As a recording artist, songwriter, performer and producer, Brown has scored multiple No. 1 songs in the country, blues and gospel fields. Over the years, “His T-Ness” has recorded with many other artists. His duet partners have included Grammy winners The Beach Boys, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, George Jones, Delbert McClinton, Jason Crabb, Brad Davis, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Michael McDonald, Steve Cropper and Leon Russel.

Brown’s latest album and his first gospel effort is the Grammy-nominated, critically acclaimed Forever Changed. “He’ll Take Care Of You,” the first single from that project, a duet with Gill, became a gospel hit. T. Graham Brown has performed on the iconic stage of the Grand Ole Opry hundreds of times and he maintains a busy touring schedule all over the US and Europe. He’ll tell you with a grin, “I’ve got a band and a bus and I’ll keep taking the music to the people as long as God lets me. It’s what I love to do!”