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Most country singers have to wait years and years before they’re invited to join the Grand Ole Opry<\/a>, if they ever get the nod at all. But when Brad Paisley<\/a> was inducted into the Opry in February of 2001, he was just 28 years old and had only released one album.<\/p>\n Bill Anderson<\/a>,\u00a0Jeannie Seely\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0Little Jimmy Dickens\u00a0<\/a>surprised\u00a0Paisley with an invitation to join the Opry live on stage on Dec. 16, 2000.<\/p>\n That was just a year-and-a-half after Paisley released his debut album, Who Needs Pictures<\/em>, which yielded four singles, including two No. 1 hits in “He Didn’t Have to Be” and “We Danced.” Paisley made his Opry debut in May of 1999, and by the time he was invited to join, he had already played the venerated stage 36 times.<\/p>\n Paisley paid tribute to childhood\u00a0hero\u00a0Buck Owens<\/a>\u00a0at his induction on Feb. 17, 2001. He was inducted wearing the yellow jacket\u00a0Owens wore when he recorded his iconic 1966 live\u00a0Carnegie Hall Concert<\/em>\u00a0album.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/em> Here Are Brad Paisley’s Top Songs<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Paisley performed his new single, “Two People Fell in Love,” from his sophomore album,\u00a0Part II,<\/em> which was not yet released.<\/p>\n The versatile singer-songwriter and guitarist received a glowing endorsement from George Jones<\/a>, who wrote a letter<\/a> that Steve Wariner<\/a> read during Paisley’s induction.<\/p>\n “I am counting on you to carry on the tradition, and make folks sit up and listen to what good country music should sound like,” Jones wrote.<\/p>\n “Brad respects where we came from, the heritage,” Wariner commented<\/a>. “We are in good hands with this guy.”<\/p>\n “I don’t feel worthy but I hope to earn it,” Paisley stated. “I’ll spend my career making this place proud they did this.”<\/p>\n The six-string wizards in our Best Guitarists in Country Music list all have their different ways of using the instrument to touch the hearts and souls of country music fans everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Was Brad Paisley Inducted Into the Grand Ole Opry?<\/h3>\n
20 Best Guitarists in Country Music<\/h2>\n