Rhett Akins Joins the Grand Ole Opry During Its 100th Celebration
By Wade Carter
Rhett Akins has officially joined the Grand Ole Opry family, and the timing could not have been much better.
According to the Grand Ole Opry, Akins was inducted as a member on October 13, 2026 — which also happened to be his birthday. That is a pretty good way to spend one, unless someone forgot the cake. Even then, an Opry membership probably covers it.
Akins became the fifth artist inducted during the Opry’s centennial celebration, giving the night some extra weight for fans who care about country music history.
A songwriter gets his Opry moment
Akins is well known to country fans as both an artist and a songwriter. MusicRow reported that he has written 36 No. 1 country hits, a number that says plenty about the reach of his work.
He was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021, according to MusicRow. So this Opry moment adds another major honor to a career that has already left fingerprints all over modern country radio.
For fans, that is the heart of this story. Akins is not just someone who had hits under his own name. He has helped shape songs that became part of people’s trucks, weddings, hunting trips, breakups and Friday night drives home. Around here, that counts.
Friends and family helped mark the night
MusicRow reported that Grand Ole Opry members Jamey Johnson and Jon Pardi inducted Akins. That makes for a strong country lineup right there: a respected songwriter, a traditional-leaning hitmaker and one of today’s high-energy country voices all meeting on the Opry stage.
Akins opened his induction-night set with his 1996 chart-topper “Don’t Get Me Started,” according to MusicRow. From there, the night brought in some familiar names tied to his songwriting catalog.
Jon Pardi joined Akins for “Dirt on My Boots.” Luke Bryan came out for “I Don’t Want This Night to End” and “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day.”
Thomas Rhett also joined his dad for “What’s Your Country Song,” which MusicRow noted is one of eight No. 1 hits the two have written together.
That father-and-son piece gives the induction a little extra warmth. Country music has always made room for family ties, passed-down stories and songs that sound like they were learned around a kitchen table before they ever made it to a stage.
Why it matters
The Grand Ole Opry is not just another venue. Membership is one of country music’s biggest honors, and being inducted during the Opry’s 100th celebration puts Akins’ moment inside a milestone year for the institution itself.
For longtime listeners, it is a reminder that the folks behind the songs matter, too. The voice on the radio may be the one fans recognize first, but writers like Akins help build the soundtrack.
That is the kind of country music story Big Country 103.9 listeners can appreciate — songs, history and a birthday present that is tough to top.
Sources: Grand Ole Opry, MusicRow