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Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, and Natalie Hemby of the Highwomen with Brittney Spencer perform onstage for CMT Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn.
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On Sunday October 30, fans, friends, family, and country music stars gathered together at the Grand Ole Opry to celebrate the life, legacy and country music icon, Loretta Lynn.
The star-studded event, "Coal Miner's Daughter: a Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn," was told through performances, tributes, and memories shared by family, friends, and the country music community.
Hosted by NBC’s “Today Show” co-host and family friend, Jenna Bush Hager, the public celebration featured performances from Alan Jackson, Brandi Carlile, Darius Rucker, George Strait, The Highwomen’s Carlile, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby with Brittany Spencer, Jack White, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Margo Price, Emmy Russell and Lukas Nelson, Tanya Tucker, and Wynonna with Gaither Vocal Band and Larry Strickland. On-stage guests who shared messages included Barbara Mandrell, Darius Rucker, Faith Hill, Hoda Kotb, Martina McBride, Sheryl Crow, and Tim McGraw.
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Lukas Nelson and Emmy Rose Russell perform onstage for CMT Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn.
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Wes Hampton, Reggie Smith, Wynonna Judd, Adam Crabb, and Larry Strickland perform onstage for CMT Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn.
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A memorial for Loretta Lynn is seen during the CMT Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn.
Wynonna and the Gaither Vocal Band, plus Larry Strickland opened the memorial with the classic hymn, "How Great Thou Art." Other notable moments included Jack White’s surprise appearance and powerful live performance of “Van Lear Rose,” the title track of his and Loretta’s Grammy-winning album. Country music great Alan Jackson sang “Where Her Heart Has Always Been,” the song he wrote for his mother when she passed away, in memory of Loretta, and George Strait delivered her first number one hit, “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind).” A show-stopping moment happened when Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell joined forces with Willie Nelson’s grandson, Lukas Nelson, to perform “Lay Me Down,” the first song Loretta and Willie ever recorded together. To close out the memorial, The Highwomen’s Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby, plus Brittney Spencer performed Lynn’s most recognizable hit, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
The memorial aired live on CMT. Two additional CMT encore airings will take place on November 2 at 8 p.m./7 p.m.C and November 6 at 11 a.m./10 a.m.C.