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Mike & The Moonpies Will Make Their Grand Ole Opry Debut This Summer

The Grand Ole Opry bills itself as the show that made country music famous. Since the Opry started in 1925 as a live show broadcast on WSM Radio, the Opry has brought country music to the masses. Today, playing that hallowed stage is a badge of honor among country artists of all stripes. It doesn’t matter if their up-and-coming musicians or legendary artists in the genre, standing in The Circle is still as special today as it was nearly 100 years ago. This summer, Mike & The Moonpies will finally get their chance to breathe the rarified air of the Grand Ole Opry.

Mike & The Moonpies took to social media to announce their upcoming Grand Ole Opry debut earlier today. “It’s a dream come true to share the news with y’all that we will be making our OPRY DEBUT on September 6,” the band wrote. “Somebody pinch us!”

According to the Grand Ole Opry website, Mike & The Moonpies will share the stage with Riders in the Sky and more artists to be announced. The Opry is celebrating 90s country at the moment. So, they may be sharing the Circle with one of the many artists of the era who are members of the Opry.

Get your tickets to see Mike & The Moonpies, Riders in the Sky, and more now.

Who Are Mike & The Moonpies?

If you’re into traditional-sounding country music and you’re not listening to Mike & The Moonpies already, you’re missing out in a big way. Their most recent album One to Grow On was one of the best albums of 2021. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for this Texas-based five-piece.

Mike Harmeier (vocals), Omar Oyoque (bass), Catlin Rutherford (guitar), and Zachary Moulton (steel guitar) came together with original drummer Kyle Ponder more than a decade ago. Earlier this year, Ponder stepped away from the band and Taylor Englert took over on the skins.

Since their debut album The Real Country dropped in 2010, Mike & The Moonpies have released a total of eight albums that encompass some of the best modern country music you’ll ever put in your ears. Sonically, the band is pure Texas country complete with crying steel guitar and a rhythm section that makes it impossible to sit still. Lyrically, the band covers well-worn country music topics like drinking, heartache, love, and loss. However, vocalist and principal songwriter Mike Harmeier tackles these topics – and plenty more – in ways that make them feel fresh.

If you want an introduction to the music of Mike & The Moonpies check out the “Rainy Day” which we selected as an Outsider Anthem. Or, listen to one of their most popular songs “You Look Good in Neon” from their 2019 album Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold below.