GRAND OLE OPRY CELEBRATES SECOND ANNUAL NEXTSTAGE LIVE IN CONCERT

L to R: Restless Road’s Colton Pack, Zach Beeken & Garrett Nichols; Hailey Whitters; Priscilla Block; Conner Smith; BRELAND; Nate Smith and Elvie Shane | Photo Credit: Lindsey Patkos

Sunday night, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its second annual Opry NextStage Live In Concert with performances by select members from the 2022 NextStage class. The star-studded group included BRELAND, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith and Nate Smith.

Highlights from the evening include Conner Smith’s standing ovation for his song “Dear Grand Ole Opry” which he quoted on stage as being “a love song to the Grand Ole Opry” as well as Elvie Shane’s performance of his platinum record, “My Boy.” The crowd also received special performances by the host of the evening, platinum selling NextStage alumna, Priscilla Block as well as fellow NextStage alumna and 2022 Grammy nominee, Hailey Whitters, who sang her chart topping single, “Everything She Ain’t.”

On stage, Restless Road remarked, “We feel so honored to be on stage here, being an Opry NextStage artist is absolutely unbelievable and to get to stand on the same stage as many of these other artists who are here tonight is an absolute blessing.”

The NextStage Live In Concert event is an opportunity to showcase some of country music’s top rising stars who have been a part of the NextStage artist discovery program. Highlights of the 2022 class include BRELAND receiving his first CMA nomination for “Musical Event of the Year” alongside artists Dierks Bentley and Hardy, Nate Smith’s Top 12 placement on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart for his single “Whiskey On You” and Callista Clark being named the youngest member of CMT’s Next Women of Country in the 2022 class.

The complete Opry NextStage 2022 class included BRELAND, Callista Clark, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith, Nate Smith and Morgan Wade.

WHERE: Grand Ole Opry House

WHEN: November 20, 2022