Country singer Adam Craig gives Tenino a shout-out after Grand Ole Opry debut

Adam Craig gave a shoutout to his hometown when he achieved one of his dreams and made his debut at the icon Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, last weekend.

After he walked off the stage, he told Hunter Kelly from Rare Country that the experience was insane.

“There’s probably still moments where I’m about to get wet in the eyes,” Craig said. “I’m about to lose it, one would say.”

He said he has dreamed of what he would say on the Opry’s stage. He wanted to find one word that was never said at the Opry, and that came back to his small city.

“So I was like, ‘Hey, stuff like this doesn’t happen for boys from Tenino, Washington,” He said. “I figured Tenino was a pretty safe word that has never been said on the Opry.”

Craig was surrounded by family members from Washington who made the trip to Tennessee for his performance.

He performed his single “Just a Phrase,” which was released to country radio stations Monday.

Craig discovered his musical ability when he was in the car with his mom.

“So when you learn how to sing, at least for me, it wasn’t a professional thing,” Craig said. “I didn’t have a voice coach or any of that stuff. How I guess I learned how to sing is someone telling me ‘Oh man, you can carry a tune.’ My mom told me that.”

Craig is still passionate about his hometown and gives back through the nonprofit Adam Craig Foundation.

He is currently touring with Luke Bryan.

He will be back in Tenino July 28-29 for the two-day Four Square Mile Music Festival in Tenino City Park.

This story was originally published February 11, 2017 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Country singer Adam Craig gives Tenino a shout-out after Grand Ole Opry debut."