Carrie Underwood Pays Tribute to Her Country Music Hero in a Heartfelt Opry Performance

For a full century, the Grand Ole Opry has been the beating heart of country music, showcasing the greatest talents to ever grace the genre — including superstar Carrie Underwood.

To mark this milestone, the Opry launched a year-long celebration, highlighted by the Opry 100 television special, which first aired in March. The special became such a fan favorite that it re-aired on NBC in September and remains available to stream on Peacock.

The event brought together a powerhouse lineup, featuring Ashley McBryde, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Eric Church, Trace Adkins, Amy Grant, and many others — a fitting tribute to 100 years of country music history.

Carrie Underwood’s Opry Journey

Carrie Underwood’s relationship with the Opry runs deep. She became an official Opry member in 2008, just three years after winning American Idol. That night remains one of the most unforgettable moments in Opry history.

As Underwood performed, Randy Travis — one of her lifelong idols — walked on stage to surprise her with the invitation to join the Opry family. The crowd erupted in applause as she turned around, visibly stunned. After playfully saying, “Let me think about it,” she tearfully accepted, marking a defining moment in her career.

A Full-Circle Tribute to Randy Travis

Seventeen years later, during the Opry 100 celebration, Carrie Underwood took the same stage — once again wearing a black dress, just as she did the night she received her Opry invitation. This time, the roles were reversed. Carrie was there to honor the man who had once welcomed her into the Opry: Randy Travis.

Before performing, Underwood shared an emotional speech about the deep influence Travis had on her life.

“When I was a kid, my sister had a cassette of Randy Travis’s music. From the first time I heard him sing, I was hooked — and my sister was not getting that tape back,” she said with a smile. “Years later, when I finally met him, I cried — embarrassing! But it was so emotional meeting someone whose voice had been the soundtrack to my life.”

She continued,

“I never could’ve imagined recording songs with him, becoming his friend, or that he’d surprise me on stage and invite me to join the Grand Ole Opry back in 2008. It’s such an honor to celebrate both the Opry and Randy Travis tonight by singing two of my favorite songs of his.”

A Standing Ovation for an Unforgettable Moment

Carrie began her tribute with a moving rendition of “Three Wooden Crosses,” a song that brought the audience — including Randy’s wife, Mary — to tears. She then performed “Forever and Ever, Amen,” filling the Opry House with emotion.

In one of the night’s most powerful moments, Underwood walked into the audience and invited Randy Travis himself to sing the final “Amen” — a stunning feat given his recovery from a devastating stroke years earlier.

As the last note echoed through the hall, the entire audience rose to their feet, delivering a thunderous standing ovation to both Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis — two generations of country music greatness, united once again under the Opry’s timeless spotlight.