1970s Country Legend, 83, Ranked Among the ‘Greatest of All Time’ Receives Grand Ole Opry Tribute From Ella Langley
1970s Country Legend, 83, Ranked Among the ‘Greatest of All Time’ Receives Grand Ole Opry Tribute From Ella Langley
Melinda LorgeFri, February 27, 2026 at 2:25 AM UTC
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Ronnie Milsap marked his 50th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, Feb., in Nashville, Tenn., and several artists were on hand to commemorate the milestone moment, including Ella Langley.
The country music superstar, 26, honored the influential icon, 83, performing two of his hit country classics. They were “It Was Almost Like a Song" and "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World."
RELATED: On This Day Over 3 Decades Ago, Ronnie Milsap Scored His 40th—and Final—No. 1 Hit
Taking to Instagram afterward, Langley shared her enthusiasm for having been a part of the historic celebration.
She shared a video clip of her singing Milsap’s 1981 ballad, "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World,” writing, “Tonight I got to honor one of my very favorites with one of my favorite songs to sing at one of my favorite places to play music.”
“It Was Almost Like a Song,” which can be viewed in the YouTube clip below, was released in 1977.
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The Night Included an All-Star Lineup
Aside from Langley, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Blake Shelton, Mark Wills, and Keith Urban also honored Milsap, sharing their own renditions of some of his most loved songs from his musical catalog. Milsap himself also took the stage, where he shared a few remarks before launching into his performance of “Smoky Mountain Rain” and “Snap Your Fingers” with the Tennessee School for the Blind Jazz Band.
Ronnie Milsap Addressed the Crowd
“What an honor it is to be here tonight, to be part of the Grand Ole Opry. I love the Grand Ole Opry,” he told the crowd, per American Songwriter. “I grew up with my grandparents in western North Carolina listening to the Grand Ole Opry on a battery Philco radio. It was loud and clear. So many artists have been here singing songs that are dear to me, and I thank them all. All of them sang so well.”
A prominent figure in country music as well as other genres, Milsap, who has been nearly completely blind since birth, has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning several decades, with his most successful years occurring in the 1970s and 1980s. A six-time Grammy winner, he has recorded more than 35 No. 1 hits, including songs like “Smokey Mountain Rain,” “Stranger In My House,” “Any Day Now,” and many others. His remarkable talent has earned him recognition on major industry lists, including Billboard’s 100 Greatest Country Artists of all time.
Beyond the historic celebration, the Grand Ole Opry welcomed its 2026 Opry NextStage class, presented by Tecovas. Artists who were spotlighted include Willow Avalon, Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Carter Faith, Alexandra Kay, Vincent Mason,Emily Ann Roberts, Hudson Westbrook, and Jake Worthington.
Related: 1975 Hit Ranked Among ‘Greatest Songs of All Time' Was Just Reimagined by Ella Langley
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
