Laurel native performs at Grand Ole Opry

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·3 min read

Aug. 9—It was a dream come true for Laurel native Phoebe White to perform on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

That dream came to fruition last week when she performed with Riders in the Sky on the famous stage where so many legendary country music stars have made their mark on music history.

Headlining as "The Yodeling Cowgirl," the 13-year-old singer/songwriter took the stage and performed a special song that featured her yodeling talents.

"It was so exciting," White said of the experience. "I was shaking with excitement."

White was accompanied to the show by her mother, Tiffany, who said the teenager was ecstatic.

"She said her face was quivering from smiling so much!" Tiffany laughed.

Performances on the Grand Ole Opry stage come by invitation only — which made Phoebe's experience even more meaningful.

"Woody Hall with Riders in the Sky saw her when she was 8 years old and said she needed to perform," Tiffany continued. "We've been working toward this night."

The release of Phoebe's CD "Unexpected," which debuted at Number 7 on the western music charts, was the kicker that brought Phoebe's dream to reality.

"The national news pieces and the NPR piece helped get more attention to her," Tiffany added. "After that, they said it was time for her to come and perform."

The performance was before a live audience, in the music center that seats 4,400 people. The performance is broadcast on Circle TV and can also be viewed on Opry.com.

"It (the auditorium) wasn't full, because the performance was on a Wednesday night," Phoebe said. "But it was still a great crowd and we had a lot of fun."

Riders in the Sky performed a song that featured Phoebe noted as "The Yodeling Cowgirl."

"The song was about Jessie, the cowgirl in 'Toy Story' but Ranger Doug changed it for me to the Yodeling Cowgirl for that performance," Phoebe explained.

Phoebe began her musical journey at a very young age, performing locally in London before branching out to other venues. She has been on numerous shows including interviews with Michael Jonathan, who hosts "Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour."

Now back home, Phoebe is slated to perform during the Laurel County Homecoming pageant on Saturday night.

"The theme of the Homecoming is 'The Light the Guides You Home,' and the pageant theme is 'Light Up the World with Kindness.' So I'm going to sing 'You Light Up My Life' to go along with the theme," she said.

This weekend holds another honor for the young singer with the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum unveiling an exhibiting devoted Phoebe, which will be shown for a full year.

Meanwhile, Phoebe is focusing on recording. She is working on a new CD that will feature all original songs. She is keeping with the western theme, with her songs about the legendary Roy Rogers and wife Dale Evans who were popular country and western singers mid-century. The couple transitioned from movies in the 1940s to start in their own TV show in the 1950s and 1960s, which also prominently featured Rogers' horse, Trigger.

"Phoebe has always been a big fan of Roy Rogers. We have about every episode of the Roy Rogers show on CDs," Tiffany added.

In fact, Phoebe and her mother just recently returned from Portsmouth, Ohio where they attended the 40th annual Roy Rogers Festival.

"Phoebe got to meet some of Roy Rogers' family, so that was another great experience for her," Tiffany added.

Phoebe White's music can be found at SeePhoebeSing.com, on Amazon Music, Spotify and Apple Music. Her CD can also be purchased at Walmart Stores.