Kelsea Ballerini surprised by Little Big Town with Opry invitation

Country singer Kelsea Ballerini got the musical surprise of a lifetime in the middle of a duet with Little Big Town when the vocal group changed up the lyrics to their hit "Girl Crush" to ask Ballerini if she would join the Grand Ol' Opry.

The 25-year-old singer from Knoxville, Tennessee will be the youngest current Opry member when she is formally inducted in April.

Kelsea Ballerini, center, is invited to join the Opry by Kimberly Schlapman, left, and Karen Fairchild, right with Little Big Town at the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in Nashville, Tennessee. [Photo: IC]

The Grammy-nominated Ballerini broke out with her debut album "For the First Time" in 2015 with hit singles "Love Me Like You Mean It," ''Peter Pan" and "Dibs."

A shocked Ballerini told the crowd about coming to the Opry as a teenager to watch her favorite country stars perform, dreaming one day of doing it herself.

After the curtain dropped, Ballerini shared hugs, tears and photos with her mother and her husband, fellow country singer Morgan Evans.

Ballerini said it reminded her of her very first Grand Ole Opry appearance years ago, when she got emotional after seeing the stage and the circle that artists stand in to sing.

(Story includes material sourced from AP)