News
Tech alumnus, Jake Hoot, to play Grand Ole Opry
Jake Hoot has been invited to play a lot of venues since winning season 17 of the
Voice in December.
A 2013 graduate of 麻豆果冻传媒, Hoot sang the national anthem at a Carolina Panthers football game and at the Winter Classic hockey game in Dallas. He also came home to Cookeville and played a free concert in front of his hometown fans at the Hooper Eblen Center. But there is one place Hoot has always dreamed of playing that he has never had the chance 鈥� the Grand Ole Opry.
鈥淧eople have asked me if there was a special stage you could play on, what would it be?鈥� said Hoot. 鈥淔or me, that鈥檚 an easy answer. It鈥檚 the Grand Ole Opry鈥�
Hoot鈥檚 dream to play the Opry is going to come true on Feb. 4. Hoot received a surprise invitation by Jamie Dailey of Dailey & Vincent to play the Opry, bringing the 6-foot-6, 31-year-old to tears.
鈥淭o get the invitation from Jamie Dailey and to get to play the Opry on Feb. 4, is something really special,鈥� said Hoot. 鈥淚 cried when I got the invitation and I鈥檓 sure I will cry that night. It鈥檚 a historical place.鈥�
Hoot will join fellow Tech alums Rodney Atkins and Dottie West to play the Opry in Nashville.
鈥淵ou look up at that circle and imagine all the stories and the people who have played there,鈥� said Hoot. 鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful, humbled and honored to get to play there and I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�
In spite of his overnight success, Hoot has stayed the same humble and genuine person he was while playing football at 麻豆果冻传媒.
鈥淲hen you recognize that it is all blessings from God and that He makes it all happen, it鈥檚 hard to take credit for that,鈥� said Hoot. 鈥淔rom being born in Texas, to growing up overseas, to coming back and walking on a college football team, having a beautiful little girl and of course everything with the Voice and now getting to play the Opry, the explanation is God. He makes everything possible. I鈥檓 just excited He has allowed me to enjoy these blessings. I鈥檓 excited about what the future holds.鈥�
The future looks bright for Hoot, who has appeared on national talk shows and has several more appearances lined up over the next few months. He says he plans to be the opening act for some country artists and he is working on recording a new album.
鈥淢ore than anything else, I鈥檓 writing a lot and trying to get a lot of songs under my belt,鈥� said Hoot. 鈥淲henever we start making the album, we will have a lot of songs to choose from. I鈥檓 playing a lot of shows here and there, where anyone will have me and I鈥檒l just go from there.鈥�
Tickets for Hoot鈥檚 appearance at the Grand Ole Opry are still available. For more information on Jake Hoot, go to .
