Darius Rucker surprised with Grand Ole Opry invitation

• Darius Rucker is the first African-American artist to join Grand Ole Opry since 1993
• Rucker's induction will air live at 8 p.m. on Great American Country's 'Noteworthy at the Opry'show
• Darius Rucker's third solo country project is due in stores in early 2013

What an interruption.

Darius Rucker thought the Grand Ole Opry had introduced a new question-and-answer segment in its Tuesday night show when Brad Paisley, who was hidden in the audience during Rucker's set, piped up to ask a question. Rucker thought it was another of Paisley's pranks, but his friend surprised him with an invitation to become the Opry's newest member.

"Oh my goodness," Rucker said when he saw Paisley in the crowd. Paisley asked Rucker if he would like to join and the South Carolina native responded: "Oh, you're kidding me. Really? No? Yes, I would. Wow."

Paisley walked on stage and gave a hug to Rucker, who turned around and wiped tears from his eyes several times.

"Welcome him home, everyone," Paisley told the audience. "This is his new home right here."

"Thank you for doing this, Brad," Rucker said, still wiping tears. "I have to play now. I have to play a happy song. Let's play some country music, how about that?"

He played a cover of Wagon Wheel.

Rucker, who will be inducted Oct. 16, is the first African-American artist to officially join the iconic radio show's family since Charley Pride became a member in 1993.

Rucker's induction will air live at 8 p.m. on Great American Country's Noteworthy at the Opry show.

After Rucker was off the stage, he said: "I didn't think Brad was going to say what he did (about welcoming me home). That was really amazing."

The singer maintains he had no clue what was in store for him tonight, but quipped everyone in his life knew but him.

"My wife said she wanted to bring a couple of friends for her birthday," Rucker recalled. "I said, 'Sure.' We jump on the bus. I get off the stage and all of my buddies from Charleston (S.C.) are here.

"Rucker made a name for himself in the '90s as the lead singer in the multi-platinum-selling rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. More than a decade later, he made the successful move to country music with his 2008 release Learn to Live, which topped the Billboard Country album chart. In 2009 he was named New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards and the year after that he released his second country album Charleston, SC 1966. Together the two albums spawned five No. 1 hits including Come Back Song and Don't Think I Don't Think About It.

Rucker acknowledged that he has found much success in other genres of music, but explained he's hard-pressed to come up with another event in his career that is as emotionally significant as tonight's invitation to join The Grand Ole Opry.

"It means I'm even a bigger part of country music than I was when I drove in this morning," he said. "The Opry is the heart of country music, and I'm a member now. That means they've accepted me even more. It's huge for an artist to know that what they're trying to do, they're succeeding with it.

His current single True Believers is now on the radio, and Rucker's third solo country project is due in stores in early 2013.