NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Opry NextStage has named acclaimed rising country star Lainey Wilson as the featured artist for August as her hit single “Things A Man Oughta Know” climbs through the Top 10 on Country radio.
Developed by Opry Entertainment Group and the Grand Ole Opry, Opry NextStage invests in the discovery and development of new artists and highlights one up-and-coming artist per month. Nashville-based country breakout artist Hailey Whitters served as the inaugural artist for 2021 followed by Parker McCollum.
Wilson is set to perform at the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, August 10.
“The Grand Ole Opry has always held a special place in my heart since I was a nine-year-old starry-eyed little girl,” said Lainey Wilson. “I’m truly honored to be named the latest Opry NextStage artist and am so grateful for their unbelievable support of the next generation of Country music.”
Opry NextStage collaborations include live performances, strategic marketing support and short-form documentary-style storytelling created by Opry Entertainment’s award-winning content team.
Opry NextStage initially launched in 2019 with four diverse artists making incredible music at the forefront of their careers. The inaugural class included Riley Green, Tegan Marie, Tenille Townes and Travis Denning.
Opportunities for Opry NextStage artists include but are not limited to:
- Feature performances on the Grand Ole Opry and Circle’s Opry Live broadcast and livestream (when possible)
- Performance at a special Opry NextStage concert in 2021 and additional live opportunities
- Content produced by Opry Entertainment’s award-winning content team that utilizes all Opry Entertainment venues including Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and Ole Red locations in Nashville; Gatlinburg, TN; Tishomingo, OK; and Orlando, FL
- Exclusive content to be distributed via Circle broadcast, streaming and video-on demand channels
- Customized marketing and promotion activations utilizing Opry web and social assets including Opry.com and Opry Entertainment’s millions of combined social followers
- Other opportunities including outdoor advertising, 650 WSM-AM radio specials
For more information on Opry NextStage, visit opry.com/nextstage.
For 95 years, the Grand Ole Opry has created opportunities for artists throughout the country music spectrum to make strong connections with fans and fellow artists – on its stages and across its channels – from terrestrial radio to network television to the digital universe and to Circle, which is home to Opry Live and earned the Opry the No. 1 spot on Pollstar’s Top 100 Livestreamers Chart. Audiences around the world look to the Opry to showcase the very best in country music.
Since its inception, the Opry has helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Roy Acuff, Patsy Cline, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, and Dolly Parton, to name just a few. Award-winning group Little Big Town made its very first public appearance as a group on the Opry stage in 1999, and Carrie Underwood cemented a place in country music with her first Opry appearance less than two weeks after having been named American Idol in 2005.