Photo Credit: © Grand Ole Opry, photos by Chris Hollo
Rising Singer/Songwriter Earns Standing Ovation During Unforgettable Performance
Conner Smith was born to write songs. Penning his first song at six-years-old after going to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time, Smith instantly knew songwriting was what he wanted to pursue the rest of his life. On Saturday night (5/28), Smith crossed ‘play at the Opry’ off his bucket list when he stepped into the circle for the first time to make his debut. With more than 60 family and friends in the audience supporting him, Smith kicked things off with his fun-loving Top-40-and-rising single “Learn From It” (The Valory Music Co.) before debuting a very special original song “Jesus & Me.”
“Making my Grand Ole Opry debut means so much to me because it’s a reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness to me,” shared Smith. “It was a moment to look around with gratitude for the support from family and friends and appreciate all the hands that went into making this moment possible. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
Smith single handedly penned “Jesus & Me” about his great grandparents at 14-years-old. Back then, his mom told him that one day he was going to sing that song at the Opry, so when it came time for Smith to finalize the set list for his debut, he knew he had to perform it. To make the moment even more special, Smith kept his song selection a secret from his parents for weeks to make the performance a true surprise. The rising singer/songwriter’s performance from inside the circle marked an unforgettable full circle moment, earning him a standing ovation with lots of happy tears from family proudly watching.
“‘Jesus & Me’ is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written because my great grandparents were a staple in our family,” added Smith. “Saturday morning, my dad gifted me a memento of my great grandfather’s to have with me as I made my Opry debut. Knowing that I’d be surprising my parents later that night by performing that song made it even more special.”
Up next, Smith will perform at CMA Fest in Nashville on June 10 before hitting the road on Thomas Rhett’s BRING THE BAR TO YOU TOUR, kicking off June 17. Continuing to feed his growing fan base with new music, Smith was named one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artist to Watch for 2022 and Amazon Music’s 2022 Amazon Artist To Watch as well as Artists To Watch 2022: The Pandora Ten list – the only Country act named to the prestigious Pandora all-genre accolade.
For more information and a full list of tour dates and more, visit ConnerSmithMusic.com.