How Charlie Worsham Shared Heartfelt, Full Circle Moment With Music Legend

Charlie Worsham shared a heartfelt, full circle moment he marked with music legend Marty Stuart.

Worsham, now an award-winning singer-songwriter and musician, met Stuart for the first time when he was about 10 years old. The reigning Country Music Association Musician of the Year recently caught up with brothers and podcast hosting duo Dan and Reid Isbell on an episode of God’s Country. The Isbell brothers were blown away by Worsham’s “beautiful story” he shared on the podcast.

Worsham attended a music festival at 10 years old, when he said he “started getting good” at playing the banjo. He brought his banjo to a meet-and-greet to play for Stuart, who “was very gracious,” Worsham recalled of his “all-time hero.” The festival performance was cut short, however, by a thunderstorm and threat of lightning. Worsham said “there was no way he [Stuart] could go on,” so he and his crew packed up and left quickly. but “they left in such a hurry that they left their bus mat they had laid out on the ground,” Worsham said as he held up the mat. He explained “my sweet mom” retrieved the mat, cleaned it up and gave it to her son, who kept it in his room and set foot on it first thing every morning until he left for Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

Worsham — and that mat — eventually made its way to the stage for Stuart’s Country Music Hall of Fame induction in 2021. Worsham told the Isbell brothers:

“The full circle part is, Marty’s getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and they call me and say, ‘would you like to play the guitar solo to ‘Tempted?’ It’s gonna be one of the three songs they play to induct him. Emmylou Harris is gonna sing it, and we want you to play the solo.’ I said… ‘yes, but I have one question. Can I bring a little square of carpet and stand on it?’ And so, I stood on this rug, and there’s Marty getting inducted, and I play the solo standing on that rug. And somewhere, deep in my heart, man, 10-year-old me just transcended.”

“This week Reid and Dan host CMA Musician of the Year and critically acclaimed artist, Charlie Worsham out in God’s Country. Charlie is arguably the best acoustic guitar player in Nashville and has toured with some of the genres biggest names including Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, Megan Moroney, and more. He shares the story of his journey, playing the Hall of Fame induction for his hero Marty Stuart and he hopes to get back into spending time outdoors to teach his kids the importance of getting out of the house. The Gravorite melody is a top GCP moment you won’t want to miss.”

Dan and Reid — who have written music for Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Scotty McCreery, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson and others — started their weekly podcast in early January 2024. Some of the first guests to appear on the show include HARDY, Dustin Lynch, Colbie Caillat and others.

“One of our favorite things about country music has always been how intertwined it is with the outdoors,” Dan and Reid Isbell said in a statement when God’s Country launched. They hope to “bring the outdoor enthusiast or country music lover an up close and personal look into the minds of some of the best songwriters and artists of the genre — a place where they can be honest about struggles, relationships, their connection to the outdoors, the music business, family, whatever they feel comfortable talking about. We can’t wait to see where this partnership will lead and who this podcast will reach.”

The iHeartPodcasts/MeatEater show is available anywhere you listen to podcasts, including in the iHeartRadio app. Select country stations will broadcast the show between 7-11:30 p.m. local time on Sunday evenings. Find God's Country here.