During the CMT Giants Television Special, a host of artists, including Carrie Underwood, gathered to pay tribute to the illustrious career of Vince Gill.
The Friday night event was a star-studded affair, with country music’s biggest names such as Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Maren Morris, Cody Johnson, and Luke Combs in attendance.
The 65-year-old Gill himself graced the stage, performing some of his most popular hits.
However, it was Underwood’s powerful rendition of “Go Rest High on That Mountain” that stole the show, leaving Gill visibly moved.
Dressed in a long, soft blue gown, Underwood stood alone under a single spotlight, her voice carrying the poignant themes of loss, faith, and ultimate redemption.
Underwood’s performance was a masterclass in vocal control.
She began with a restrained, understated delivery for the opening verse, gradually building to a dramatic vocal crescendo in the chorus.
Gill’s 1995 hit “Go Rest High On That Mountain” had never sounded so good.
The song has a deep and personal history.
Gill began writing “Go Rest High” in 1989, following the death of country singer Keith Whitley.
The song was completed after Gill’s older brother Bob passed away from a heart attack in 1993.
“I wrote it right after my brother died,” Gill shared with Rolling Stone Country in 2014. “I wasn’t going to record it, I didn’t want to. But [producer] Tony Brown talked me into it…When people are hurting the most, in the worst place they can be, they’re reaching out to that. To that song. And that means way more to me than where it landed on the charts.”
Underwood’s rendition stayed true to the original style, delivering the same powerful message Gill penned nearly 30 years ago.
“Go Rest High On That Mountain” has won 2 Grammy awards, including the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award in 1996.
The song’s lyrics provide peace and comfort to many listeners.
Underwood, a practicing Christian, was the perfect choice to deliver this message today, a testament to her faith and her vocal prowess.
Underwood’s journey from her humble beginnings to her current status as a powerhouse vocalist is truly inspiring.
The stage at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville was aglow with glamour as the fourth season winner of American Idol in 2005 serenaded the star-studded event.
One viewer perfectly encapsulated the impact of Underwood’s performance, commenting,
“I have always been impressed by Carrie Underwood, but this? This takes it to another level. She has such a beautiful voice, and she controls it so perfectly. When she lets loose at the end, I’m sorry but I find it hard to believe there could be any angel that sounds better than her.”
While Vince Gill is the original artist, if the song needed a fresh take for 2022, there’s no one better suited than Underwood.
She continues to demonstrate why she is one of the best female singers in the industry.
Press play on the video below to enjoy her spine-tingling performance!
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