Entertainment Music Country Elvie Shane Kicks Off Grand Ole Opry's NextStage Class of 2022 — See the Behind-the-Scenes Pics! The rising country star was joined by wife Mandi and daughter Zaelyn for his May 7 performance By Elvie Shane Published on May 13, 2022 07:00 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 01 of 08 Chris Hollo "Baby Z has been making the Opry her home since before she was born!" 02 of 08 Chris Hollo Elvie takes in the backstage area at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, where many of country music's superstars have gone before him. 03 of 08 Chris Hollo "Realizing I know even more Opry Members' music than I thought I did." 04 of 08 Chris Hollo "Proud of the opportunity to share the stage with these two [Tenille Townes, Opry NextStage Class of 2019, and Jameson Rodgers, Opry NextStage Class of 2021] and what they bring to country music." 05 of 08 Chris Hollo "Gotta do a little twirl to loosen up before an Opry performance." 06 of 08 Chris Hollo "So thankful the Opry let my boys The Broken Arrows Band join me for my night!" 07 of 08 Chris Hollo Elvie is joined on the Opry stage by NextStage alumni Tenille Townes, who went on to earn ACM new female artist of the year in 2020 following her Opry NextStage debut. 08 of 08 Chris Hollo The Opry has helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Roy Acuff, Garth Brooks, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe and Dolly Parton, to name just a few. Award-winning group Little Big Town made its very first public appearance as a group on the Opry stage in 1999, and Carrie Underwood cemented a place in country music with her first Opry appearance less than two weeks after having been named American Idol in 2005. It was with this grand tradition of artist investment that Opry NextStage was created. Breakthrough artists Elvie Shane (May), Morgan Wade (June) and BRELAND (July) are the first three featured artists, with more to be announced throughout the year to complete the class with a total of seven artists.