SASKATOON, Sask. — It is every country musician's dream to get an invitation to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, the grand stage in Nashville that has hosted a mix of legends and rising stars in bluegrass, country, folk and gospel music.
The Grand Ole Opry is a famous weekly live radio show and stage performance where the late Dolly Parton made her debut as a 13-year-old from the rural town of Pittman Center, Tenn. It is also the longest-running U.S. radio broadcast, dating back to Nov. 28, 1925.
That is why Saskatchewan’s own country artist Jess Moskaluke was ecstatic and at a loss for words when fellow homegrown talent Kalsey Kulyk announced on Saturday night at the Canadian Country Music Awards that they will each soon make their Grand Ole Opry debuts.
Wild cheers and jubilant celebration from the packed SaskTel Centre erupted after Kulyk made the announcement. At the same time, the Langenburg-born Moskaluke went down, holding back tears and trying to keep her composure.
“I had no idea. I've been lied to all day by my whole team and everyone around me. So, it's crazy. My parents showed up at the last minute. They were supposed to be at a family wedding tonight, so I thought that was a little weird,” said Moskaluke when she met with reporters later that night.
“It’s pretty incredible. I mean, as I said, I don't think I've fully formulated my thoughts or words yet. Like, I haven't seen my parents. I don't even know if my husband and my son know yet, but it's pretty cool, and if it were ever gonna happen anywhere, I think it would happen at the CCMAs in front of my, not only my actual family, but my country music family is so cool.”
She added that she’s been proud to showcase Saskatchewan during the week-long CMMA festivities and share her favourite places. Hearing her name as one of the two country artists from the province performing at the Grand Ole Opry is the cherry on top of her cake.
“It’s been amazing. It’s been really cool to hone in and be like, this is my favourite restaurant, you guys should go check it out, and to show some of my favourite parts of the city to some of my friends. I want to make sure they don't skip Saskatchewan on their tour stops,” she said.
Moskaluke said it was incredible to hear about the invitation to perform on Oct. 29. However, it still felt surreal and like a dream, adding that she has performed on many stages but can’t imagine the emotions that will run through her when she actually takes the stage.
“Over the course of my career, I don't feel like I deserve to be on [the Grand Ole Opry], especially as a small-town girl who grew up and still lives in Saskatchewan. Like, I said I'm always forever so proudly waving that flag. To once again be on a crazy big dream of a stage, I definitely will be very proud and probably crying the whole time again,” said Moskaluke.
She said the invitation to perform at the Grand Ole Opry on Oct. 29 was the perfect culmination to what has already been an emotional week in her home province, and she hopes to be fully present when the moment arrives, taking in the significance of performing at a venue dreamed of by every artist.
“I know I want to leave everything on stage and I want to take in as much of that moment as I can. I'm trying not to get choked up again because it really is the kind of thing that you dream about since you're a little girl and you really don't think you're ever gonna get it, so if there's ever one stage in one moment that I am truly present for, I really hope it's that one,” said Moskaluke.
She said that if she met her young self today, she would encourage her that she's on the right path despite the many times people, herself included, doubted the decisions she made over the years, even choosing to drop out of university.
“Like, ‘What am I doing? Is this the right thing?’ I just felt so invested, and so I just continued to push through, and I guess it would just have been really reassuring to know that some of those moments that were scary were all very worth it,” added Muskaluke.
Aside from preparing for her Grand Ole Opry debut, Moskaluke said she is going to release a Christmas album and have new music coming out in 2027.
“If I'm going to the Opry, I might as well go write some songs, but immediately I really need a glass of champagne and a bowl of popcorn,” she added with a laugh.
