GRAND OLE OPRY ANNOUNCES OPRY NEXTSTAGE CLASS OF 2024

The Grand Ole Opry has announced the newest group of artists for its Opry NextStage program, presented by Tecovas, which spotlights country music’s rising talent on the Opry stage and across Opry Entertainment Group platforms.

The Opry NextStage class of 2024 includes nine acts: 49 Winchester, Anne Wilson, Charles Wesley Godwin, Chase Matthew, Ella Langley, Flatland Cavalry, Josh Ross, Madeline Edwards and Wyatt Flores.

Opry NextStage alumnus, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and GRAMMY-award winner Lainey Wilson and ACM and CMA-award winner Opry member Jamey Johnson appeared at a press conference hosted at the Grand Ole Opry House to announce the Opry NextStage class of 2024.

“I’m so honored to be announcing the Opry NextStage program class of 2024,”

“As someone who was a part of the NextStage class in 2021, this is a full circle moment for me.

I am such a huge fan of all of these artists, and I can’t wait to see where their musical journeys take them this year!”

LAINEY WILSON

Johnson offered a little advice to the artists to stay true to themselves and stay on their own path, “listen to the spirit that led you to this point tonight and don’t ever stray from it.”

JAMEY JOHNSON

For the remainder of the year, the Opry NextStage class will receive dedicated support from Opry Entertainment Group and presenting sponsor, Tecovas, through featured original content, performances and promotion across brand platforms.

“At Tecovas, we believe music is an essential way to tap into the true spirit of the West,”

“We are honored to help connect rising talent with new fans and be the first boot sponsor and official presenter of Opry NextStage.

There is no better venue for this mission than the legendary Grand Ole Opry and we can’t wait to watch these artists showcase their craft to the world.”

said Gillian Kennedy, CMO at Tecovas.

Since 2019, the NextStage program has introduced new talent to the country music fan base and featured artists such as Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Tenille Townes and Lainey Wilson, who all went on to earn ACM New Male and Female Artist of the Year trophies the year following their NextStage inclusion.

Other NextStage alums include Priscilla Block, BRELAND, Callista Clark, Travis Denning, Tegan Marie, Niko Moon, Restless Road, Jameson Rodgers, Elvie Shane, Nate Smith, Morgan Wade, Hailey Whitters and Yola.

For more information about Opry NextStage, visit opry.com/nextstage.

ABOUT OPRY NEXTSTAGE

Developed by Opry Entertainment Group and the Grand Ole Opry, Opry NextStage invests in the discovery of new artists with featured original content, an Opry performance and support across the brand’s platforms to help tell their stories and expand their audiences.

For nearly a century, 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 the digital universe.

The Opry has helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Roy Acuff, Garth Brooks, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe and Dolly Parton, to name 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.

Audiences around the world look to the Opry to showcase the very best in Country music, and it was with this tradition that Opry NextStage was created.

ABOUT THE GRAND OLE OPRY

The Grand Ole Opry is the home of country music where artists and fans gather, in person and virtually, to celebrate and be part of country’s past, present and future.

Founded in Nashville in 1925 and today the longest-running live broadcast show in the world, the Opry strengthens its roots by constantly evolving. The Opry’s members are country’s most emblematic artists, and the show regularly showcases country music’s top new talent.

The Opry welcomes legions of fans to visit the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee – Music City, USA – to experience one of the 3-5 live shows it hosts per week; take a backstage tour; listen to live broadcasts on opry.com and wsmonline.com, SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse, or its flagship home WSM Radio; and watch Opry Live on Saturday nights and Opry content all week long on Circle Country.

The Grand Ole Opry is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP) and part of a strategic investment with Atairos and NBCUniversal.

ABOUT TECOVAS

Tecovas is an Austin, Texas-based direct-to-consumer brand bringing the spirit of the west to a modern consumer.

Handcrafting the best western footwear, apparel, and accessories, Tecovas has grown rapidly since its founding as the first digitally native western brand in 2015, serving customers through www.Tecovas.com and a growing number of Tecovas stores across the country.

Follow the Tecovas journey at @tecovas.