Scotty McCreery Receives Touching New Grand Ole Opry Honor

When “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery first became an Opry member in April 2024, two fellow county singers were on hand to help him celebrate. Randy Travis and Josh Turner were by his side for the occasion, and now, the Opry has memorialized that moment for posterity. As Turner shared on Instagram, the Opry recently revealed a new display that honors McCreery’s big moment in a very unique way.

The display features the shoes McCreery, Travis, and Turner all wore on that special night, along with the title of a classic George Jones song, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” McCreery made his Opry debut all the way back in 2011, the same year her won Season 10 of “American Idol.” It would be a long thirteen-year wait before membership became a reality, but the singer has been a regular fixture on the Opry stage since his “Idol” win.

McCreery’s Induction Was Truly Emotional

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For many artists, earning Grand Ole Opry membership is a long-awaited milestone, and McCreery is no exception. In video footage from his induction, the singer tearfully shared what membership meant to him. “This was little Scotty McCreery’s dream come true tonight,” he told the audience. In reflecting on the moment, the singer called joining the Opry “the coolest thing I’ve done in the business by far.”

Among the many special moments McCreery highlighted in the video, one of the most touching is when he learned who originally owned his Opry mailbox: Loretta Lynn. “My truck’s name is Loretta back home, because she means so much to me,” he shared.

Another Major Country Star Gave Him His Invitation

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The Opry has a tradition of surprising potential members with invitations presented by highly talented existing members. In McCreery’s case, his December 2023 invitation came from none other than Garth Brooks. The “Friends In Low Places” singer presented McCreery with his invitation in the form of a large wrapped gift.

“I was kind of internally freaking out,” McCreery said of realizing he was going to get an invitation. “Everything just went blank there for a second. I probably rambled on and on talking.” Since becoming a member, the singer has continued to make regular appearances on the ultra-famous stage, and even debuted his single, “Bottle Rockets,” there in June.