Dustin Lynch will be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry next month – a truth he admits he is still trying to wrap his mind around.
“Amazing,” Lynch tells PopCulture.com. “I can’t get used to hearing that, and I never will. But I got invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which is an absolute dream come true. I can’t really think of a bigger one.”
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The Tennessee native was invited to join by fellow member Trace Adkins, who interrupted Lynch’s time on the Opry stage to deliver the good news.
“He started talking about how important being a member was in his life, and all of his achievements, which there’s been a bunch of them, how it was right up there at the top, and talking about how serious it was that they think about the tradition being carried on, and who carries it on,” Lynch recalls. “That’s when I knew he was about to ask me.”
It wasn’t until Adkins started to talk about the significance of the Opry, that Lynch realized he was about to receive his own invitation to join. But up until that moment, the “Good Girl” singer never imagined he would receive such an honor.
“I knew it was something that my team knew was important to me. We obviously put it on the list of dreams to chase down,” Lynch says. “I just feel like I’m getting started. I feel like I just started this journey. So to be asked to be a member of the Opry, which is at the top of my bucket list, is mind-blowing to me.”
Lynch might have another dream come true this week, when the CMA Awards nominations are announced on August 28. After failing to receive an ACM Award nod for his multi-week, platinum-selling “Small Town Boy” this year, the 33-year-old is hoping for his first CMA Award nomination.
“My feelings for CMAs are, it’s going to be a blessing to get to walk that carpet again,” says Lynch. “There’s always songs, every year, that deserve to be recognized, and we just don’t have the time at awards shows to do that. If it doesn’t happen for ‘Small Town Boy,’ I’m going to keep plugging away. One of these days. It’s a dream of mine to be nominated for a CMA.
“It’s a dream of mine to win CMA Entertainer of the Year, so we’ve still got a lot of miles to pave,” he continues. “I’m blessed to be even considered to ask to join. I would still go as a fan, so to get to walk the carpet, and be a part of the artist community and those great artists and creators is just an amazing honor.”
Lynch will hit the road later this year for the Reason to Drink … Another Tour, joining Cole Swindell and opening act Lauren Alaina for the cross-country trek.
“This is something we’ve been kicking around for three years now, I think – he and I going on tour and how it would happen,” Lynch reveals. “The stars aligned and it’s happening this fall. Reason to Drink … Another Tour. We’re doing I think 30 cities. It’s going to be a giant party. I can’t wait for it.”
Find a list of all of Lynch’s upcoming shows by visiting his website.
Photo Credit: Getty images/Terry Wyatt
