The Grand Ole Opry debut of 2010 Season 9 American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox came as a surprise to both the Opry audience and to Bowersox, herself.
Following the Oaks' performance on which they were joined by another American Idol alum, Bo Bice, segment host Vince Gill invited Bowersox back to the stage. “We do things out here for an awful lot of different reasons, but one is spontaneity, one is fun,” Gill said. “I went to the management and said, 'Why don’t we do the Southern gentlemanly thing and invite her to sing a song on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry?'”
Walking on stage to thunderous applause, Bowersox took slow, dramatic steps into the Opry's famed circle of wood at center stage. “I'm standing in the circle!” she beamed to the audience before singing “Mine All Mine,” a song she'd written for her husband. Accompanying herself on Gill's acoustic guitar, Bowersox looked up at the balcony crowd between the song's verses and said, “I can't believe where I am!”
The auspicious debut was rewarded with a standing ovation.