Newcomer Preston Cooper got a standing ovation when he made his Grand Ole Opry debut Friday night.
Preston personally asked his friend Vince Gill to bring him out.
“I got a call from Preston asking me to introduce him for his debut,” Vince told the crowd. “We’ve written a few songs together, and I’ve cut a few of them that’ll be coming out soon. I think the world of this kid – he’s one of the best singers I’ve heard in a long time.”
Riley Green extended the Opry’s invitation to Preston on the final night of the Damn Country Music Tour in September at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
“This doesn’t feel real. It’s definitely emotional,” Preston said after his performance. “I want to thank the Opry team for having me – it’s the greatest honor to play the Grand Ole Opry. Having my family and friends here means the world to me. I don’t know if anything could ever top this moment.”
Preston played his current top-30 hit, “Weak,” from his debut album, Toledo Talkin’.
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