» William Shatner, Star Trek Actor, To Perform at the Grand Ole Opry

William Shatner, Star Trek Actor, To Perform at the Grand Ole Opry

By: Daisy Riddle
07 January 2019

On February 15, Grand Ole Opry will welcome the 87-years old Star Trek: The Original Series star William Shatner. He will be performing onstage with the co-founder of Alabama, Jeff Cook. Shatner worked with Cook previously for his album Why Not Me. This wasn’t Shatner’s first time to release an album. In 1968, he released his spoken-word album, The Transformed Man.

William Shatner’s Singing Career

Shatner told Billboard that he always wants to sing. He admitted that he took some singing lessons but wasn’t committed to it. Despite that, he didn’t focus on learning to sing. This never stopped him from achieving his dream to become a singer. He knows that he can’t sing, but he was aware that as an actor he has an understanding of poetry. Therefore, he used his knowledge of poetry to make music.

“I took some singing lessons as a young actor, but I didn’t have time to follow through. I probably could have learned to sing, but I never did. I’m filled with the realization that I can’t sing, but as an actor, I had a feel for poetry.”
William Shatner’s Billboard Interview

First Country Album

His first country album Why Not Me features his spoken-word artistry. He recorded the album at Cook’s studio in Fort Payne, Alabama. Since this isn’t his first time to dive into country music, we are therefore going to expect a grand performance in February.

Has Been Album

Another album that features the talent of Shatner was his second album Has Been. It was released in 2004, and produced by Ben Fold. The album was well-received and has entered the Billboard chart. His spoken-word album contained songs mostly written by him and Folds. Furthermore, it featured other artists such as Joe Jackson, Brad Paisley, Henry Rollins, Adrian Belew, and Lemon Jelly.