Fifteen years ago Cornelia native Kimberly Bramlett Schlapman appeared for the first time as a guest on the Grand Ole Opry stage with her group Little Big Town. Last night she took to the Opry stage in Nashville again, but this time, as one of its newest members.
The country music quartet was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Friday night surrounded by fanfare and legends. Vince Gill and Little Jimmy Dickens – country music stars generations apart – shared in the honors as Little Big Town members Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet joined the Opry’s inner circle.
LBT first appeared on the Opry stage in 1999. Since then the group has won a Grammy Award for the chart topping “Pontoon” in 2012 and numerous other country music awards. They also won a daytime Emmy for penning and performing the theme song for ABC’s “Good Afternoon America.”
When she’s not on stage performing, Schlapman can be found in front of the camera as host of Kimberly’s Simply Southern, a cooking show on the Great American Country TV network.
Schlapman is the daughter of Tolbert and Barbara Bramlett of Cornelia and a 1987 graduate of Habersham Central High School.
Little Big Town will release its sixth album, Pain Killer, on Oct. 21.
