NEAL MCCOY|INVITED TO|THE OPRY

Neal McCoy was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 22, 2026, during “Opry 100 Honors Charley Pride” at the Grand Ole Opry House. Opry member Pam Tillis extended the invitation on behalf of Charley and Rozene Pride and the Opry family. McCoy will be formally inducted later in 2026.

How Neal McCoy was invited to the Grand Ole Opry

The invitation came in the middle of a night built around Charley Pride. “Opry 100 Honors Charley Pride” brought a lineup of performers to the Grand Ole Opry House to celebrate Pride’s music, and McCoy was there to pay tribute to the artist who launched his career.

Pam Tillis, herself an Opry member, made the invitation on behalf of Charley and Rozene Pride and the Opry family. Having the moment framed in the Prides’ names tied the honor directly to the relationship that shaped McCoy’s early years on the road.

The setting carried extra weight for McCoy. The artist being celebrated that night was the same artist whose tour gave him his first big opportunity, and the invitation arrived in front of an Opry House audience gathered to honor Pride.

What is Neal McCoy’s connection to Charley Pride?

McCoy got his break by winning a talent contest hosted by Janie Fricke. The win earned him the opening slot on Charley Pride’s tour, and McCoy spent the early part of his career opening shows for Pride. During the week he mowed yards, and on weekends he traveled with Pride.

In 2013 he released Pride: A Tribute To Charley Pride, an album dedicated to the music of the artist who first put him in front of country audiences. Receiving his Opry invitation at a show honoring Pride closed a circle that began with that talent contest.

Neal McCoy’s biggest hits

McCoy’s commercial peak came in the mid-1990s. “No Doubt About It” and “Wink” were back-to-back No. 1 singles in 1993 and 1994, and he placed eight songs in the Top 5 between 1993 and 1997.

• “No Doubt About It,” a No. 1 single
• “Wink,” a No. 1 single
• Eight Top 5 songs between 1993 and 1997
• Pride: A Tribute To Charley Pride, released in 2013

Who performed at Opry 100 Honors Charley Pride?

McCoy shared the Opry House stage with a group of artists celebrating Pride’s music:

• Darius Rucker
• Dion Pride
• Tony Jackson
• The Malpass Brothers
• The War & Treaty
• Neal McCoy

Who are the Opry’s latest invitees?

McCoy is the third artist in three months to receive an Opry invitation. He follows Rhett Akins, who was invited in July 2026, and Charlie Worsham, who was invited in August 2026.

Neal McCoy at the ACM Awards

The Academy recognized Neal McCoy for his work off the stage. He won The Home Depot Humanitarian Award at the 40th ACM Awards, making him one of the Academy’s honorees for humanitarian work.

The two artists at the center of his Opry moment also have long ACM histories. Charley Pride was a fixture in the Academy’s top categories through the late 1960s and 1970s:

• Top Male Vocalist nominee at the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th ACM Awards
• Entertainer of the Year nominee at the 6th, 7th and 8th ACM Awards
• “Kiss An Angel Good Morning,” nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 7th ACM Awards
• There’s A Little Bit Of Hank In Me, nominated for Album of the Year at the 16th ACM Awards

Pam Tillis was nominated for Top Female Vocalist at the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st ACM Awards. “All The Good Ones Are Gone” earned her a Song of the Year nomination at the 33rd ACM Awards, and “Same Old Train” was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year at the 34th ACM Awards.

When will Neal McCoy be inducted into the Opry?

Neal McCoy will be formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry later in 2026, joining the institution on the strength of a career that began on Charley Pride’s tour.