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Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley Keep the Opry’s Circle Unbroken

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Here comes one of the greatest comebacks we’ve all been waiting for! A comeback of a Live audience and a two-man stage at the roots of the Grand Ole Opry as they continue their almost 10-decade streak of continuous weekend night streaming.

Recent events have prevented them from having their physical live shows and yes, they survived it though it significantly reduced the morale felt by the artists while performing solo onstage looking at empty seats in the Ryman auditorium. Now that the global pandemic is slowly being controlled, who else would we expect to kickstart the shows other than two of the most adored country artists of all time: Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.

The Longest Running Stage

“The circle remains unbroken,” Underwood said. She considers the Grand Ole Opry as one of her inspirations for music and it’s an honor for her to being invited to perform in it. She played her hit classics over the years starting off the show with ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel’ to honor the Almighty before kindling the fire with her hits ‘Dirty Laundry’ and ‘I Told You So’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7uZqIFUkdQ

On Brad Paisley’s side, he exclaims the Opry is so unique that he’d never take for granted the chance when he gets to perform in the good old stage even at the cost of his health. After Carrie Underwood’s performance, he immediately took on the stage to sing ‘No I in Beer’ which he wrote to empathize with people while reminding them to still find happiness in the midst of uncertainties.

Paisley sang a few more of his hits before the pair duets to ‘Whiskey Lullaby,’ ‘Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,’ and their hit ‘Remind Me.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHl481OwWTM

Long Time Stage Partners

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley’s choice on performing with each other is a no-brainer for a country fan though. For the last several years, these two had so many collaborations that it’s kind of hard to keep track. Paisley has been an Opry member since 2001 while Underwood got her boots inside the Opry in 2008. Both have often been paired up as hosts for the CMA Awards from 2008 through 2018.

The two closed the Opry with its standard ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ and thanked the audience for being with them virtually and those few who were given the chance to enjoy the music physically.

Carrie Underwood later posted in her Instagram account photos of her and Paisley rehearsing for the gig. She captioned that she always felt honored playing in the Grand Ole Opry especially with her stage partner Brad Paisley.

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