It was an eventful Tuesday night at the Grand Ole Opry, as the country music institution revealed the Opry NextStage Class of 2026 and celebrated the 50th Opry anniversary of Ronnie Milsap.
Willow Avalon, Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Carter Faith, Alexandra Kay, Vincent Mason, Emily Ann Roberts, Hudson Westbrook and Jake Worthington are the rising stars the Opry will help promote this year, as it continues the program it started in 2019.
Opry NextStage alum Ella Langley performed “Almost Like a Song” and “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For the World” in honor of Milsap, while Keith Urban did “Legend in My Time.”
Vince Gill offered “Don’t You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)” and Blake Shelton sang “Any Day Now.”
Trace Adkins chose “Stranger In My House,” with Mark Wills contributing “Daydreams About Night Things” and “There Ain’t No Getting Over Me.”
The piano-playing legend performed “Smoky Mountain Rain,” before all the performers returned for “What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life.”
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