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During Kelsea's induction, Carrie summed up what the Opry means: \"This is the heart and soul of country music,\" she proclaimed, before the two duetted on Trisha Yearwood's \"Walkaway Joe.\"

\"The Opry has been and will always be, here, the heart and soul of country music, the family. You are in it.\"

\"Congratulations,\" Underwood said, beaming. \"Welcome to the family.\"

CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban gave his former tour mate, Ballerini, his seal of approval by singing his hit, \"Blue Ain't Your Color.\"

Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill sat sidestage and watched as Ballerini performed \"Peter Pan\" and \"Miss Me More.\" Opry matriarch Jeannie Seely leaned against Gill as Ballerini sang.

Earlier in the night, Ballerini remembered the first time she walked onto the legendary stage, prior to her February 2015 debut. \"The curtain was down...\" she told reporters, \"and we walked in, and I looked...\"

\"I'm gonna cry! Oh God,\" Kelsea interrupted herself. \"I just walked in and did this,\" she continued, wiping away tears.

View this post on Instagram

first arena show sold out I don’t have the words but here’s a glimpse into the happiness... // @karlmagnuson

A post shared by Kelsea Ballerini (@kelseaballerini) on Apr 11, 2019 at 8:38pm PDT

The Knoxville native admitted she was \"emotionally overwhelmed\" at such a momentous night.

\"Darius Rucker just tweeted me on the way in here, which is not casual,\" she explained. \"And then, Carrie's inducting me tonight, which I don't know if I'm supposed to say. Sorry!\" she said, laughing.

\"I wouldn't know what it looks like to be a female in country music without Carrie Underwood,\" Kelsea added. \"She's the one for me that I've always looked up to.\"

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