Reba McEntire Brings Lainey Wilson To Tears With Invite Into Grand Ole Opry

The season 25 finale of The Voice was a time to remember. Split into two evenings, the grand closing to a historic season was graced on Tuesday evening by a performance from singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson, but it was she who received the shock of a lifetime when Reba McEntire invited her into the esteemed Grand Ole Opry.

32-year-old Lainey splits her time between acting and singing, but since starting her career in 2011, it’s been nothing but one triumph after another, including reaching number one on the American country songs chart. Fittingly, her adoration of music began when she attended a performance of the Grand Ole Opry when she was just nine years old.

Reba McEntire invites Lainey Wilson into the Grand Ole Opry during ‘The Voice’

During the last night of The Voice, Wilson took to the stage to sing “Hang Tight Honey.” The real treat was just waiting for Lainey, however, who just celebrated her birthday on May 19. After Wilson ascended the stage for her big performance, host Carson Daly passed the mic to the Queen of Country, Reba McEntire.

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“Lainey, I am so proud of you,” McEntire gushed, “You did a wonderful job. I have heard that I have inspired you in what you have done so far, and I am thrilled to death if I have had anything to do with your career because you are blowing it up.”

McEntire went on, “I was so proud of you at the ACMs the other night and I couldn’t be more proud to be the one that helps you continue to bridge the gap between our generations. I’d like to be the person to invite you to become an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.”

More milestones to come

By that point, Lainey grew visibly emotional. This only continued when McEntire herself presented Wilson with a custom belt buckle decorated with the words “Opry Lainey 2024.” Around her, the audience and judges showered Lainey in applause.

When she was able to speak again, Lainey exclaimed, “Holy moly! That’s a birthday gift right there!” She then recalled the time when she was only nine, seeing “Bill Anderson, Crystal Gayle and Little Jimmy Dickens” at the Grand Ole Opry for the first time. For Wilson, that moment represented a love for music at first tune.

“I knew that I wanted to play there,” shared Wilson, “I wanted to do it.” She added, “And it is so crazy that you are asking me to be a member because I look up to you so much. I’m not talking about just musically, but the way that you carry yourself and your work ethic. You inspire me every day.”

That inspiration has seen Lainey win seven Country Music Association Awards, including 2023’s Entertainer of the Year. She also has six Academy of Country Music Awards and a Grammy Award to her name.