Vince Neil Plays at Historic Grand Ole Opry for the First Time
In a career that is now in its fifth decade, there are still a few "firsts" that are happening for Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil. One of those came Tuesday night (Aug. 2) in Nashville when the singer was invited onstage for his first performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
The legendary music venue initially played host to radio broadcast starting in 1925, and for years has welcomed some of country music's biggest names. Over the years, the Opry has been held in the War Memorial Auditorium as well as the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as well as the Opry House that briefly closed in 2010 due to flooding, but reopened months ltater after some renovations. The Grand Ole Opry also introduced a new custom-built theater in 2019.
As for Neil, he was welcomed to the stage to perform with singer-songwriter Cherish Lee, who is the daughter of country legend Johnny Lee and Dallas actress Charlene Tilton. The Motley Crue vocalist was welcomed to the stage with a glorious introduction, being announced as an "international superstar, accomplished businessman, heartfelt philanthropist and his unmistakeable voice have led the greatest rock songs of a generation."
The visibly touched Vince Neil told the crowd of his move to Tennessee 7 years ago, adding that some familiar faces were in the audience for this special moment. "This is a really chilling place to be standing up here," added the vocalist taking in the moment while standing on the famous "circle" where many legends took the stage before him. Neil then sang one of Motley Crue's biggest hits, "Home Sweet Home," for the Opry crowd.
The Grand Ole Opry posted on their social media about Neil's appearance afterward, commenting, "The Opry has a long-standing tradition of inviting guest artists into the circle, and we were thrilled to continue that tradition with @thevinceneil tonight! Congratulations on your Opry debut!" Neil added his own tweet about the special moment, and thanking Cherish Lee for being part of it. You can catch fan-shot video of Vince's performance at the bottom of this post.
Motley Crue will resume The Stadium Tour later this week with Neil center stage for shows in Boston, with Toronto, Buffalo and Pittsburgh next on the tour itinerary. The Stadium Tour also features Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and openers Classless Act. Get your tickets here.