Randy Travis frequently makes it a point to support up-and-coming country artists, especially those who share his passion for traditional-leaning country.
So when Love on the Spectrum star Tyler White made his Grand Ole Opry debut — and chose to sing a Travis song when he stepped into the circle for.the first time — Travis decided to make a special surprise appearance.
Video shared to the Grand Ole Opry’s social media shows how the whole thing went down. White was excited enough to simply be performing at the Opry, and when he concluded his rendition of Travis’ late-’80s hit “Deeper Than the Holler,” he tipped his hat and gave a broad smile to the audience.
But the moment got even bigger for White after the stage announcer called out Travis’ name, and the star himself walked out onstage alongside his wife, Mary.
Ever since Travis’ 2013 stroke impaired his ability to speak, sing and walk, he often gets around in a wheelchair, but on this occasion, he walked out onstage, holding Mary’s hand for support. He gave White a big smile and a hug, and Mary shared a few words about why she and Travis wanted to come down to the Opry to meet the young singer for himself.
“Tyler, we just wanted to say thank you so much for loving country music, especially some Randy Travis. Thank you for loving the Lord, and for finding the silver linings in life,” Mary said. “You’ve been an inspiration to so many.”
White, who is a wedding DJ, appeared on Season 3 of Love on the Spectrum alongside his love interest Madison Marilla. As of earlier this month, he and Marilla are still going strong: She shared a video on TikTok of them dancing in Nashville together, calling him her “cowboy sweetheart” in the caption of the post.
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