Country group Little Big Town was treated to a big surprise Friday night (Oct. 2) when singer Reba McEntire dropped by its performance and told the band they will be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
"I have been asked to ask y'all, Little Big Town, would y'all like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry?" McEntire asked after joining the group for their hit "Pontoon" on the Opry's stage, Rolling Stone Country reports. The quartet, which features Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook, was elated to hear the news (check out the video below). Little Big Town will officially join the club on Oct. 17 when Vince Gill inducts them.
The group was in town to play their upcoming sixth studio album, Pain Killer, for fans, members of the media and recording industry executives. Fairchild talked about the new album to Rolling Stone Country in July. "We knew the record was going to be called Pain Killer way on into the process because we love that song," she said. "That song is really kind of tongue-in-cheek - 'be the person that numbs my pain.' We started talking about tying that thread through the whole record, to ease your pain. Don't we want the whole record to do that for people, anyway? Whether it's a sad moment, or a song that's more thoughtful and has a lot more substance in the lyric, we want music to take us away. Pain Killer fits, that's the common thread through all the songs."
