'Sesame Street' stars Elmo and Abby Cadabby sing and host in their Grand
Ole Opry debut
[August 15, 2025]
By JONATHAN MATTISE and KRISTIN M. HALL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — 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 sang with Tayla Lynn, the daughter of
Loretta Lynn, the late country star who had visited "Sesame Street"
herself.
“We sing all the time on ‘Sesame Street,’ but um, well, being able to
sing in the home of country music is amazing!” Abby Cadabby told The
Associated Press prior to their performance.
The puppet pair shared the spotlight in Music City during a stop on the
"Sesame Street" crew's Road Trip Across America this summer and fall,
when the characters that kids have watched on TV for decades are heading
to events such as professional baseball games, state fairs and corn
mazes. Cookie Monster even served as the grand marshal at the NASCAR
Brickyard 400 in Indiana, making a cookie crumb mess, as expected.
Throughout the years, the "Sesame Street" gang has played and sung songs
with some of country music's brightest stars, including Garth Brooks,
Lee Ann Womack, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown,
Mickey Guyton, Kacey Musgraves and more. Chris Stapleton stopped by
Sesame Street in late July.
Johnny Cash made multiple appearances. He won over Oscar the Grouch with
his song, “Nasty Dan,” about a mean guy who never laughed and was
rumored to have never taken a bath. “Wow, I'd like him,” Oscar the
Grouch mused from his trash can.
Loretta Lynn, meanwhile, joined for a math lesson with the Count on the
song, “Count on Me.”
In their interview with AP, Elmo and Abby Cadabby said the Count always
talks about Loretta Lynn. Elmo said Stapleton's song about the power of
music was really great.
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Sesame Streets' Abby Cadabby, left, performs with Tayla Lynn at the
Grand Ole Opry, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP
Photo/George Walker IV)
 “Elmo got to wear his hat,” Elmo
said of Stapleton. "It was a little big for Elmo, but that's OK. A
really good time."
Both of them were also dreaming big about singing with Dolly Parton.
“Elmo would love to do a duet with Miss Dolly Parton,” Elmo said.
“Maybe we could do ‘Jolene’ together. Come on Dolly! Call Elmo!”
“Yeah! Or ‘Love is Like a Butterfly!’” Abby Cadabby added.
“Call us! We're available!” Elmo said.
“Sesame Street”debuted in 1969, and has helped generations of
children learn, grow and be kind with characters like Bert, Ernie
and Grover. Elmo wasn’t officially Elmo, though, until 1980 in the
11th season. Before that, he was more of an extra used in some
segments. He turns 3 1/2 years old on his birthday every February 3.
Abby Cadabby is a 4-year-old fairy-in-training, and the Fairy
Godmother’s daughter. She came to Sesame Street in 2006.
They also tossed out some ideas for new country songs. Elmo said he
might write one about Rocco, the pet rock from Sesame Street. Abby
Cadabby's idea was a little more complicated.
“A guitar-playing pickle picking in a pickle patch with a penguin
eating pizza. Woo!” she said. “Maybe I'll just sing about my friend
Big Bird.”
Elmo has also had play dates with his cousin Elmer, who spoke with a
little twang, wore a bright green cowboy hat and played a guitar to
lead them in the “Rootin' Tootin' Hootin' Hollerin' Country
Jamboree.”
“Elmo loves country music, too,” Elmo said. “Elmo loves the fiddle.
Elmo loves to hear the fiddle. And Elmo loves to say fiddle.”
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