Carrie Underwood Reveals Iconic Grand Ole Opry Transformation
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
To country music artists, performing at the Grand Ole Opry is the ultimate sign of success. The iconic Nashville landmark celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Carrie Underwood made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 2005 after winning American Idol. She’s returned to perform many times since then. But during her latest appearance, she revealed a stunning transformation to the famed stage.
The Grand Ole Opry Turns 100
Fiddle player Uncle Jimmy Thompson was the first performer at the Grand Ole Opry in 1925. The Nashville music venue has seen the most famous country music stars take the stage, from Loretta Lynn to Dolly Parton, and more recently, Lainey Wilson.
Performing in the famed circle is a rite of passage for any musician. A six-foot circle of wood was taken from the show’s old home, the Ryman Auditorium, in 1974 and placed in the center of the stage at the new Grand Ole Opry House.
2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Nashville hot spot. A TV special aired in March on Peacock. It’s still available to stream on the streaming service if you missed it. Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and, yes, Carrie Underwood, were among the many performers. Click here to find out why Jelly Roll missed it.
The Famed Circle Has Seen It All
The Grand Ole Opry is pretty simple, right? The performer taked the stage and belts out country music hits. But Elle King sparked major backlash last year when she botched a tribute to Dolly Parton. The singer was allegedly drunk, slurring her words, and unable to remember the lyrics. She later apologized and revealed that she had quit drinking.
Carrie Underwood Reveals Iconic Grand Ole Opry Transformation
As we mentioned, Carrie Underwood first performed at the Grand Ole Opry in 2005, months after winning American Idol. Randy Travis invited her to become a member in 2008. She was inducted that same year by fellow Oklahoma native Garth Brooks.
Carrie Underwood has performed at the Grand Ole Opry over 100 times. Seventeen years after her induction, she returned to the stage for a special reason. During her latest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, she unveiled a stunning makeover to an important stage component: the microphone.
In honor of its 100th anniversary, the microphone stand was embellished with thousands of rhinestones. Carrie Underwood unveiling the transformation is a great nod to her habit of performing with a bedazzled microphone.
Fans in Nashville will be able to see the shiny enhancement in person throughout the weekend. The rhinestone-studded microphone will be on display at the Grand Ole Opry Booth at this year’s CMA Fest. The popular country music festival runs from June 5 through June 8. If you miss it, you can watch the TV special on ABC later this month. CMA Fest 2025 airs on Thursday, June 26th, on ABC at 8 PM Eastern time. Ashley McBryde and Cody Johnson co-host the three-hour special.
What do you think about the rhinestone-encrusted microphone at the Grand Ole Opry? Was Carrie Underwood the right choice to unveil it? Share your reaction in the comments.
