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Lainey Wilson said she “could not be any more happy and proud of Jelly Roll,” who will become a member of the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Fellow Tennessee-born country artist Craig Morgan surprised Jelly Roll with an invitation to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which Jelly Roll explained is “as big as it gets” in country music. Morgan invited him to become an Opry member in a pre-recorded message that played when Jelly Roll was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience last month. Wilson, who was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in June 2024 (following a surprise invitation from Reba McEntire), spoke about Jelly Roll’s upcoming Opry induction during a press event earlier this month in Nashville:
“Man, I just could not be any more happy and proud of Jelly Roll, who he is and what he stands for, and the voice that he is for a lot of people who have felt like they’ve not had one. …I think about some of the stories that he’s told me about his upbringing, his childhood, the things that he’s gone through. For him to be able to step into the Grand Ole Opry circle, I think it means more to him than any of us could ever fully wrap our heads around. …I’m proud of the country music industry for a lot of reasons, but I’m so thankful that we have embraced people like Jelly Roll who have so much to bring to the table and stories that need to be heard. I’m thankful also that the Opry has welcomed him with open arms. It says a lot about this community.”
Jelly Roll previously said, in part, after the emotional surprise from Morgan: “I’m honored beyond words and I can’t stop pinching myself. To everyone at the Opry, y’all are like family to me. To Craig Morgan, no matter how many times I say it i’ll never be able to tell you enough how much this has all meant to me.” Jelly Roll's Opry induction date has not publicly been announced as of publication time on Wednesday (January 21).
Wilson and Jelly Roll are among the country artists nominated at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, returning this spring to Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. See the list of country artists nominated here.
Like in years past, iHeartRadio is letting the fans choose the winners in several new and established categories. Fan voting will determine this year’s Favorite Broadway Debut, Favorite TikTok Dance, Favorite Debut Album, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite On Screen, Favorite Tour Photographer, Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Tour Style, Favorite Tour Tradition and Favorite K-pop Collab. Social voting begins on January 8th, and will close on March 19th at 11:59pm PT for all categories. Fans can vote by visiting iHeartRadio.com/awards.
Tune in to see which artists will take home an iHeartRadio Music Award on Thursday, March 26th at 8pm ET live (PT tape-delayed) on FOX. The show will also be broadcast on iHeartRadio stations across the country and on the iHeartRadio app.