Thomas Rhett shares stage with dad Rhett Akins on his Opry induction night

Rhett Akins is officially a member of the Grand Ole Opry!

The That Ain’t My Truck hitmaker celebrated his 57th birthday on the historic stage on October 13 in Nashville, Tennessee. His son, Thomas Rhett, did the honours of opening the curtain to kick off his father’s induction night. Fellow Opry members Jamey Johnson and Jon Pardi formally inducted Rhett, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member and the Academy of Country Music’s Songwriter of the Decade. Rhett joined his father on stage that evening, along with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and more.

“This is the greatest night of my life,” Rhett said, per a press release issued following the induction. He began the event with his 1996 song, Don’t Get Me Started, and continued the evening with artists who have recorded some of the biggest songs throughout his career.

Rhett and Jon performed Dirt On My Boots, which Jon debuted in 2016. He also teamed up with Jamey on Ramblin Fever by Merle Haggard, with Luke on I Don’t Want This Night to End and Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day, son Thomas on What’s Your Country Song, and more. The Grand Ole Opry shared clips on its Instagram story of Thomas performing Half Of Me, a No. 1 song written with his father, and a father-son rendition of 2021’s What’s Your Country Song. Thomas also took the stage with two songs he wrote for Blake Shelton, Honey Bee and I Lived It.

“Rhett Akins, you are now a member of the Grand Ole Opry,” Jamey said at the end of the evening. He added, with a joke, “Congratulations. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy ... but it did. It happened to me.” 

The lineup joined Rhett on stage to perform his iconic ‘90s anthem, That Ain’t My Truck, and to sing Happy Birthday to the newest Opry member.

Jon surprised Rhett with an invitation to become an Opry member earlier this year. Thomas had a sweet reaction to his father’s latest career milestone.

“I don’t have many words except for the fact that my dad has had a dream to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry since he was boy,” he wrote in a caption on Instagram at the time. “He is a country music encyclopedia. There may be people out there that know it and have studied it extensively, but for people I know directly in my life, my dad knows it and loves it more (than) anyone I’ve ever known. He’s such a purist with music. He misses the days that people listened to records all the way through and didn’t just listen to the 20 second tik tok clip. He lives and breathes Hank sr, Merle haggard, Waylon Jennings and all the above. Dad I’m so proud of you. I love you. You deserve this! Can’t wait to celebrate this huge accomplishment.

“My dad’s only dream since he was a child came true last night,” Thomas wrote in a post on Instagram. “Congratulations to the greatest to ever do it. I was honored to be a part of it. Love ya dad.”

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