PEOPLE: Sara Evans Tears Up — then Jokingly Declines — When Asked to Join the Grand Ole Opry: 'No Way I'd Say No'

​​Congratulations are in order for Sara Evans!

Although her heart can’t tell you “no,” Evans sure can! On Thursday evening, the CMA Award-winning artist jokingly declined an invitation from Bill Anderson to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Evans was celebrating the 20th anniversary of her platinum-selling 2003 album Restless at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium when the Country Music Hall of Famer cut in to ask a couple of questions. Anderson’s first was a request for Evans to sing "Walk Out Backwards" at the sold-out event.

The Opry's current longest-serving member then proceeded to say, “The second question is from me and Carly [Pearce] and Lady A, and a bunch of other people. And the question is, would you like to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry?”

Anderson, 85, smiled as the crowd and those onstage with him cheered with excitement. The surprise of the monumental moment resulted in Evans, 52, needing an extended pause to compose herself. The “I Could Not Ask for More” vocalist became visibly emotional while smiling and covering her face in surprise.

As the applause continued, Evans replied, “No.” Anderson laughed at the fictional rejection, confessing, “All day long, I said to myself, ‘What would I say if you said no?’” Luckily, we will never have to find out, because the “Saints & Angels” artist wiped her tears and quickly accepted, showing her appreciation for the offer. "God is so good," she told the crowd.

Earlier in the evening, Lady A also presented a platinum plaque to Evans for her song “Suds in the Bucket.” The Missouri native will officially be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Oct. 7.

"I remember clearly watching Sara’s Opry debut live on television before I ever made the move to Nashville,” Opry executive producer Dan Rogers recalled in a press release. “Like nearly anyone about to take that stage for the first time, she was both thankful and overwhelmed, and she said in an interview minutes before her performance that to help with her jitters, she was going to pretend to be Patsy Cline. Watching as a fan at home, I thought that was a pretty incredible approach."

He continued, "More than 25 years later, I think she was once again tonight both thankful and overwhelmed. All of us at the Opry have appreciated her great performances every time she’s visited us and look forward to celebrating official Opry membership with her during what is going to be a great October Opry Birthday Weekend."