Ronnie Milsap Celebrates 50 Years Of Opry Membership
The year 2026 marks country music legend Ronnie Milsap’s 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was inducted in February 1976 and has remained an active and involved member for five decades.
The Opry even hosted a special celebration in honor of the “Smoky Mountain Rain” singer’s 80th birthday in 2023.
Milsap was 33 years old when he became an Opry member and was just beginning what would become a flourishing music career. His music appealed to both country and pop music fans, and he became one of the most successful crossover artists of his time.
On February 24th, Keith Urban, Mark Wills, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Blake Shelton, and Ella Langley partnered with the Opry to deliver a memorable show in honor of the icon’s 50th anniversary. See some highlights from the night below!
Keith Urban Covers “(I’d Be) A Legend In My Time”
Throughout the special evening, the featured artists performed covers of their favorite Ronnie Milsap songs. Keith Urban delivered a rendition of “(I’d Be) A Legend In My Time.”
The song was originally written and recorded by Don Gibson in 1960. Milsap released his version in 1974 as the lead single from his album A Legend In My Time. The track became his sixth career number-one and spent a total of ten weeks in the Top 40.
Even though Milsap is primarily a pianist, Urban transformed the song into a guitar-driven tune and delivered an excellent, stripped-down performance. Watch it below!
@up2datecountry.live Update: @Keith Urban honors Ronnie Milsap with a cover of “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time” at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN – Ronnie Milsap is celebrating his 50th year as a Grand Ole Opry member #keithurban #ronniemilsap ♬ original sound – up2datecountry.live
Ronnie Milsap Performs At The Opry
To make the night even more special, the guest of honor stepped into the Opry circle to give a performance of his own. Now 83, he sat at the piano and treated the audience to “Smoky Mountain Rain,” one of his most loved songs.
“Smoky Mountain Rain” was written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan. It was released as the only single from Milsap’s 1980 Greatest Hits compilation album. It later became recognized as one of Tennessee’s official state songs.
See a clip from Ronnie Milsap’s performance during his 50th Opry anniversary celebration below!
@user1881970601111 Ronnie Milsap celebrating 50th anniversary at the Opry. #ronniemilsapmusic #opry100 ♬ original sound – CeCe
