“Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry,” brought holiday spirits to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry with well-established names in the country music scene and some that are making a name for themselves.
The country music supergroup, known for hits “Girl Crush” and “Boondocks,” brought together singers like Dan + Shay, Sheryl Crown, Kate Hudson and Orville Peck for the holiday spectacular that aired on NBC on Monday night. And it left many wondering just who that masked singer was.
Peck donned his signature mask for a version of “Christmas All Over Again” on Monday night, leaving people curious about the South African country singer and just why he sings with a mask on.
Who is Orville Peck?
Peck is a country singer from Johannesburg, South Africa and always garners attention by being the ever-masked singer. Peck is a persona of Daniel Pitout, drummer of the Canadian punk band Nü Sensae
, according to multiple media reports. His punk days, usually come as surprise to even his friends.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The 36-year-old, who is openly gay, has been a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in the country music scene and has worked alongside Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Noah Cyrus and Beck. But it hasn’t always been easy, he revealed in a 2023 interview with People.
“It was a lot of people practically laughing in my face, telling me that being an openly gay man in country would never work. I’ve met very discouraging moments in my career. But I just kept my chin up, and I refused to let anybody tell me that I couldn’t do what I wanted,” he said.
Beyond advocacy, he has also worked to bring new artists into the scene with his annual Rodeo that occurs in different cities and brings newer artists to a larger platform. And he has inspired some of the biggest names in the music industry right now.
Chappell Roan, who counts herself among Peck’s friends, was surprised to hear of Peck’s background during an interview on Nardwuar the Human Serviette. While that may have bee a surprise, his influence as an artist struck her before Roan even made it to the big stage herself.
“I went to see him, and his show changed my whole life. It changed how I do shows. He performed at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, and he had local drag queens open up for him. Meatball was one of them. I told myself from that show, ‘If I ever perform my own headline shows, I’m going to have local drag queens open up for me too.’ So he changed my life, and now we’re friends.”
Who is the masked country singer?
While over the years the mask has changed and grown smaller, Peck has kept his face hidden from the public view. And while it may seem to be a hindrance, it has not stopped him from being his true self on stage.
“The misconception is that it’s a character or I’m cultivating some persona or whatever. But I grew up loving country where there was an intersection between theatricality and very honest songwriting. Dolly‘s a perfect example — the big wigs, the crazy outfits, but it’s her. For me, I was obsessed with the Lone Ranger, cowboys hiding their face, so that’s what I wanted to do,” Peck said in the People interview.
Who performed on the ‘Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry’ special?
“We’ve invited some of our dearest friends to join us on stage, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic of the holidays at such an incredible venue,” the band said in a statement ahead of the show.
- Little Big Town
- Dan + Shay
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Sheryl Crow
- Kirk Franklin
- Josh Groban
- Kate Hudson
- Orville Peck
