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Adam Sanders <\/a>has accomplished a goal decades in the making.<\/p>\n Just months after winning the inaugural season of The Road<\/em><\/a>, the Florida native officially made his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 24, capping off a whirlwind stretch that has transformed one of Nashville’s most respected songwriters into one of country music’s fastest-rising artists.<\/p>\n Before the performance, Sanders described the Opry as a lifelong dream.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Adam Sanders Wins \u2018The Road\u2019 \u2014 Then Keith Urban Leans In With a Message He\u2019ll Never Forget [Watch]<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI’ve worked my whole life for this moment,\u201d he said. \u201cEver since I was a kid, I’ve dreamt about the night my boots touch the circle.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that playing the Grand Ole Opry<\/a> was an honor he had held close to his heart for years.<\/p>\n For many fans, Sanders became a household name after winning the inaugural season of The Road<\/em>, the Blake Shelton<\/a> and Taylor Sheridan<\/a>-produced competition series in which rising artists competed while opening for Keith Urban on tour.<\/p>\n But his journey began long before reality television.<\/p>\n Sanders first earned recognition as a SiriusXM Highway Find in 2014 before building one of Nashville’s most impressive songwriting r\u00e9sum\u00e9s.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/em>\u00a0<\/b>‘The Road’ Winner Adam Sanders Reveals How He Spent Prize Money<\/a><\/p>\n His credits include No. 1 hits like Dustin Lynch<\/a>‘s “Hell of a Night” and Cole Swindell<\/a>‘s “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey,” along with songs recorded by Luke Bryan<\/a>, Dierks Bentley<\/a>, Blake Shelton<\/a> and many more.<\/p>\n Perhaps fittingly, Sanders learned he had been invited to make his Opry debut during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Highway Mornings with Cody Alan<\/em><\/a>. The same platform\u00a0helped launch his career more than a decade earlier.<\/p>\n \u201cSiriusXM ‘The Highway’ is where my story as an artist began back in 2014,\u201d Sanders said.<\/p>\n To have the announcement of my Opry debut lead me right back to where it all began is proof God had a plan all along. Talk about a full circle, to get to THE circle moment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Immediately after receiving the news, Sanders called his father on the air.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve waited as long as you have for this,\u201d his father told him, ” a moment that left Cody Alan<\/a> and SiriusXM personality Lauryn Snapp<\/a> fighting back tears.<\/p>\n The Opry debut is just the latest milestone in what has already been a remarkable year.<\/p>\n In addition to winning The Road<\/em>, Sanders recently announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Nancy Villase\u00f1or<\/strong>. He’s also preparing to release a new album later this year while continuing to build momentum with his latest single, “His to Mine,” which was recently featured in Taylor Sheridan’s new series Marshals<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The Grand Ole Opry’s Opry 100: A Live Celebration<\/em> special was jam-packed with special moments and one-of-a-kind collaborations \u2014 but some of the biggest highlights were things you didn’t even see on TV. <\/p>\n Scroll through the list below to see all of the behind-the-scenes highlights, including one Opry member who met an idol for the first time, and a singer who was conspicuously absent from the show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAdam Sanders Finally Stepped Into the Circle<\/h3>\n
The Long Road to the Opry<\/h3>\n
A Full-Circle Moment<\/h3>\n
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What’s Next?<\/h3>\n
5 Things You Didn’t See on TV During the Grand Ole Opry’s ‘Opry 100’ Special<\/h2>\n