Jacob Davis fulfilled a lifelong dream this summer when he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry on June 23. In a behind-the-scenes video clip, the Louisiana native shares the excitement and nerves he felt during his Opry debut.

"I was 13 when I learned my first song," he tells cameras. "It was Johnny Cash, 'Folsom Prison.' That was the first song that I learned to play and I fell in love there and started playing shows. I knew that that's what I wanted to do."

Davis' grandfather was a huge fan of the Opry — the singer's heart sunk when he got the invited to play, because he realized he wouldn't get to share the first with his grandpa, who passed away. "I was like, 'Man, my grandpa is not here anymore but if he was here, it would be awesome,'" Davis explains. "My dad was telling me, 'Son, just go and do what you gotta do 'cause he would be proud of what you're doing.'"

The Taste of Country RISERS act no doubt made his grandfather proud while performing on the famed stage. He sang "What I Wanna Be" backed by the Opry band, and he admits he was nervous.

"When I took my first two steps on that circle I could feel the wood cracking underneath my feet. This is what I feel like the power of tradition and the power of history is all about right here," he remarked before taking the stage.

After, his set, he felt a lot of relief, saying, "I'm blown away. It's all about the music. It's all about the history and tradition and I think we represented it well. I'm so happy that I could be a part of that and walk out on that stage."

Davis is one of seven RISERS for 2017 — artists poised to make their big break this year.

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