Country music stars and fans celebrated the life of the late legend Loretta Lynn, on October 30, nearly a month after her passing. CMT’s ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, featured appearances from Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Sissy Spacek, Jack White, and many more. Hosted by family friend Jenna Bush Hager, the special was a tribute to Lynn’s music legacy and all those she touched throughout her career, including her daughter, granddaughter, and closest associates.
Artists paid tribute to Lynn by singing her songs on stage. Here are six unforgettable performances and moments from the CMT special.
Wynonna Judd, Larry Strickland & Gaither Vocal Band
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMT)
To open the show, Wynonna Judd and Larry Strickland, as well as West Hampton, Reggie Smith, and Adam Crabb of the Gaither Vocal Band, sang “How Great Thou Art.” It was the first performance of the night to receive a standing ovation.
Highwomen and Brittney Spencer
Singing “Coal Miners Daughter” were Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby, and Brandi Carlile of Highwomen, accompanied by Brittney Spencer. The song touches on the icon’s teen years, humbling beginnings in a poor Kentucky family, and her eventual rise to fame.
Keith Urban
While Keith Urban is best known for his exhilarating guitar pulls and riffs, he exchanged his electric six-string for a stripped-down banjo performance. The GRAMMY Award winner played “You’re Lookin’ At Country,” a honky tonk self-love song written by Lynn. Before singing, he played a voicemail that Lynn had left, inviting Urban to her birthday party. Urban was also photographed backstage alongside Darius Rucker and Tim McGraw.
Tanya Tucker
Outlaw country star Tanya Tucker took the stage to perform an emotional rendition of “Blue Kentucky Girl” accompanied by The Grand Ole Opry full-set band. While mourning the loss of her good friend, Tucker managed to get through the melancholy cover.
Jack White
A longtime collaborator of Lynn, Jack White took the limelight to sing “Van Lear Rose,” the title track of Lynn’s return album in 2004. White served as the producer behind the praised record, where he also joined the hitmaker on “Portland Oregon.”
Women praise Lynn’s impact
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMT)
Lynn’s granddaughter, Tayla, and daughter, Patsy, remembered the impact their matriarch left on the world and reflected on their relationship with Lynn. Icons like Taylor Swift remarked on the ‘truthful, fearless honesty’ in her songwriting. Meanwhile, Coal Miner’s Daughter actress Sissy Spacek touched upon Lynn’s significant legacy.
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