'Sesame Street' stars Elmo and Abby Cadabby sing and host in their Grand Ole Opry debut

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Sesame Street's Elmo, left, performs with Lauren Alaina at the Grand Ole Opry, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For a 3 1/2-year-old, Elmo sure has sung a lot on "Sesame Street" with some of the best musicians in the world.

But it wasn't until Thursday that the friendly red monster made his Grand Ole Opry debut, a country music rite of passage. The squeaky voiced singer's roots in the genre actually run pretty deep.

Elmo helped ring in the Grand Ole Opry's 100th anniversary this year by co-hosting with his “Sesame Street” pal Abby Cadabby. Elmo, in a little blue cowboy hat and matching shirt, teamed up for a duet alongside Lauren Alaina, while Abby Cadabby san