The Grand Ole Opry Honors Ronnie Milsap
On Tuesday, February 24th, an all-star lineup gathered at the Grand Ole Opry to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Opry Member Ronnie Milsap.
The country music legend was first inducted on February 6, 1976, at the age of 33. His debut album was released that same year. Since then, Ronnie Milsap has been a staple of the institution and consistently graced the Opry stage over the decades. In 2023, the Opry hosted a special celebration in honor of his 80th birthday.
Beyond his extensive Opry history, the “Smoky Mountain Rain” singer became one of the most successful country “crossover” singers of his time, appealing to both country and pop music listeners. He is a six-time GRAMMY winner with more than 35 No. 1 hits to his name.
The lineup for Ronnie Milsap’s 50th anniversary show included Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Ella Langley, Keith Urban, and Mark Wills. The guest of honor himself, Ronnie Millsap, was present for the celebration. See photos from the show below!
Ella Langley Covers Two Ronnie Milsap Classics
During the memorable evening, Ella Langley took the stage to perform two cover songs in honor of Ronnie. Armed with an acoustic guitar, she delivered a stripped-down rendition of “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World.”
Ronnie Milsap released “Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World” on his 1981 album, There’s No Gettin’ Over Me. Both the song and the album went to #1. Ella shared a video of the stirring performance after the fact and wrote:
“Tonight I got to honor one of my very favorites with one of my favorite songs to sing at one of my favorite places to play music.”
Additionally, she was joined by the celebrated Opry house band for a performance of “It Was Almost Like A Song.” The song was the title track of Ronnie’s 1977 album by the same name. It went on to be considered one of the greatest hits of his career. Watch the performance below!
@ellalangleyarchive such a beautiful tribute 😭 @Ella Langley #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Ella Langley Archive