EDITOR’S NOTE: No Depression’s “Postcard From” series features dispatches from artists' daily lives on the road, in the studio, or anywhere in between. Our next installment comes from The SteelDrivers, who celebrated 20 years of being a band with a new album last year and a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry during its centennial season.
Forever etched in my mind: The first time the SteelDrivers played the Grand Ole Opry was January 18, 2008 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. We all got there early and hung out in our dressing room upstairs. I had searched and bought a brand new dress for the occasion that I hoped would be just right. I don’t keep a lot of things, but I still have it to this day! We all were excited and nervous. We could literally feel the weight of history as we walked onto that stage!
As if that wasn’t enough, we were on Marty Stuart’s half hour and it just so happened to be my birthday! Marty somehow found out and sang "Happy Birthday" to me from the Opry stage…what a memory! We did a couple songs and were playing our last one, "Blue Side of the Mountain," when Marty grabbed his mandolin, walked out on stage mid-song, and played the most killer solo completely unrehearsed! We were floored at his generosity and the audience gave us a standing ovation after that. You can’t make this stuff up!
We have played the Ryman and the Opry now many, many times — including most recently in December as part of Opry 100 — and it still never fails to be an exciting moment to walk out onto that stage. I don’t think that will ever change for us!
