RECEIVES STANDING OVATION FOR HIS HONKY TONK PERFORMANCE LAST FRIDAY (7/21)
Stepping into The Circle onstage at the Grand Ole Opry for the first time on Friday (7/21), country’s rising cowboy Jake Worthington experienced the moment he’s dreamed of since he was born.
“I wouldn’t change a thing about my life, and being here is a really big reason why,” Worthington shared teary-eyed from The Circle. “This is the greatest honor, to be here on the stage where all my heroes stood.”
Raised on foundational country like George Jones, Keith Whitley, and Merle Haggard, and more, the Texas native set his sights on his Opry debut from a young age, holding the country music pillar in such high esteem that he didn’t want to watch a show until he had earned the privilege of playing at the hallowed hall.
Bringing “true traditional country in its most pure form” (Saving Country Music) to the country music institution, Worthington gave the audience a taste of his honky-tonk stylings with an upbeat, playful performance of “Single At The Same Time,” a helping of “hearty heartbreak country” (Billboard) with “State You Left Me In,” and an acoustic performance of standout ballad “Closing Time.” Met with a roaring standing ovation, Worthington showed his heartfelt appreciation as he exited from the pinnacle moment with a tip of his cowboy hat.
Next up, he continues bringing “gorgeous beer-joint purism” (Texas Monthly) from his self-titled debut album to audiences nationwide, performing at fairs and festivals including TidalWave Music Festival, Illinois State Fair, State Fair of Texas, and Gordy’s Hwy 30 Music Fest – Texas Edition, supporting ERNEST this fall on his This Fire Tour, and opening various dates for Lainey Wilson and Ian Munsick.
ABOUT JAKE WORTHINGTON
For La Porte, Texas native Jake Worthington, traditional country music has been ingrained in his DNA since childhood. Raised on his grandfather’s porch performances of Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and George Jones, he soon picked up his own Gibson acoustic and realized the breadth of his soon-to-be-classic, wide, and wild voice. Now, Worthington breathes fresh life to dance halls, beer joints, and ballrooms from Texas to Tennessee with his just released 13-song, self-penned debut album, Jake Worthington. Captivating the masses with his honky-tonk stylings, the singer-songwriter has already started bringing two-step anthems to venues across the country, opening for Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Pat Green, Hank Williams Jr., and more. With headline dates on the horizon for 2023, Worthington will hit the road this fall as a part of ERNEST’s This Fire Tour. Worthington is also a newly sought-after feature artist across the Nashville landscape, including guest spots on Hixtape: Vol. 2 with Ronnie Dunn and Jake Owen on the rowdy “Jonesin’,” Ronnie Dunn’s 2022 album 100 Proof Neon on “Honky Tonk Town” and ERNEST’s 2023 extension FLOWER SHOPS (THE ALBUM): Two Dozen Roses on “Heartache In My 100 Proof.” “I believe in country music as much as I believe in my next breath,” Worthington declares, and “blame it on my raising, but I think there ought to be room for country in country music.”
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