Marshfield, Mo., native makes Grand Ole Opry debut with DEK of Hearts
Updated: Jul 25
MARSHFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A Marshfield native is about to step onto one of country music’s biggest stages.
Friday night, Kollin Bailey makes his Grand Ole Opry debut as part of his trio, DEK of Hearts. He sat down with KY3 to share how he found out and what it means to carry Marshfield with him as he steps into “the circle.”
Surprise in a legendary studio
Inside the legendary WSM Studios in Nashville, DEK of Hearts thought they were simply cutting a few radio lines. They had no idea what hand they were about to be dealt until singer-songwriter Carly Pearce surprised them.
“Remember when I asked you about May 29?,” Pearce said. “It’s because we will be playing the same show, but you’re making your Grand Ole Opry debut.”
Video from the moment shows the trio stunned and emotional as the news sinks in.
“At that point, we’re like, oh my gosh, we know what’s happening,” Bailey said. “We’re getting asked right now, which is like a dream come true. To have someone at Carly’s level believe in us and be the one to ask and be a part of our story. Seriously, I mean, it couldn’t have been any better.”
From ‘The Voice’ to the Opry
The trio, featuring Marshfield native Kollin Bailey, first caught national attention on NBC’s “The Voice,” earning a rare four-chair turn and famously putting country star Reba McEntire on the floor with their performance. They went on to win the show’s first-ever “mic drop” competition, which sent them to sing in front of more than 40 million viewers at the Rose Parade. But standing on the circle at the Grand Ole Opry is just different. It is the biggest card in the country music deck.
From Opry tour guide to Opry artist
For Bailey, it is more than just a bucket list stage. It is a full circle moment. Before DEK of Hearts, he worked at the Grand Ole Opry as a tour guide. Now, he is coming back through those doors as an artist.
“We’ll have our grandparents backstage,” DEK of Hearts member Emily Clapp said. “You really hope you do something like that while you still have your people in your life, and it’s just so sweet that our grandparents still get to be around for something like that.”
‘It feels like our big day’
You only get one shot at a first impression on country music’s biggest stage. Country artists who have already stood in that famous wooden circle have been sending the trio the same message.
“Everybody that we know that’s played the Opry, they’ve just continually said, ‘Hey, just soak it in. You only get one,’” Bailey said.
“Carly compared it to your wedding,” Bailey added. “She was like, ‘This was my big day.’ And to be honest, it feels like our big day.”
A true story behind ‘Dear Ole Whiskey’
Their Opry set will include their new single, “Dear Ole Whiskey.” The song helped them become one of just seven winners at Tennessee Songwriters Week and put their writing on the map in Nashville.
Bailey said it is a true story and a nod to the battles he has seen up close in his own life.
“Most of the stories we hear after shows about the song is someone that they love, or that they have dealt with alcoholism themself,” Bailey said. “But it really could be any addiction, anything that someone you love struggles with that holds them captive.”
“It rides the line of talking about the addiction and not bad about the addict,” Bailey said. “So I was not scared to put that out, and it hurt anyone’s feelings because it just tells the story of what alcohol did in my life.”
Writing the hard songs
That honest, vulnerable writing has made DEK of Hearts a hot name in Nashville. They are already collaborating with some of Music City’s top songwriters, including Danny Myrick, known for Craig Morgan’s “International Harvester.”
From alcoholism in “Dear Ole Whiskey” to toxic love in their song “Taillights,” the trio is not afraid to lean into the hard hands life deals you.
“We love to talk about important things and things that people deal with,” DEK of Hearts member Dylan John said. “If you can write a song and instead of it being a big production thing, if you can just hear it on an acoustic guitar and it moves you, that’s a powerful song. So I think it’s great that the songs get to do the heavy lifting for us.”
After racking up miles on tour with Carly Pearce and Niko Moon, and even performing “Boondocks” by Little Big Town with Pearce on stage, this small-town trio is out to prove they are more than just a wild card. As they make their Opry debut, DEK of Hearts is hoping to play their way into country music’s main deck.
How to watch from home and where to see them on tour
Fans back home who can’t make the trip to Nashville can still listen to their big moment. You can listen live on WSM Radio’s website. On Saturday, you’ll be able to watch their debut on the Grand Ole Opry’s YouTube and Facebook. If you want to catch them on the road, tour dates and ticket information are available on the trio’s website.
(Contributed to by producer Makayla Mais, anchor Chad Plein, and photographer Ben Knaup)
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