In this image released on September 16, Carrie Underwood performs onstage for CMT Giants: Vince Gill at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT

Carrie Underwood Performs Chill-Inducing Cover of 'Go Rest High on That Mountain'

Carrie Underwood was one of several country artists to take the stage to tribute country legend Vince Gill as part of CMT Giants: Vince Gill, which aired on CMT on Sept. 16.

Underwood performed one of Gill's most beloved songs, the 1996 CMA Song of the Year, "Go Rest High on That Mountain."

The "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer was joined onstage by a choir of Belmont students to deliver a powerhouse rendition of the song.

Watch Underwood's performance below.

"Go Rest High On That Mountain" is a deeply personal song for Gill. He began writing the song in 1989 after the death of country singer-songwriter Keith Whitley. He finished writing it after the death of his older brother Bob.

In 2019, Gill shared a new verse to the song during a performance at the Ryman Auditorium: "You're safely home in the arms of Jesus / Eternal life, my brother's found / The day will come I know I'll see him / In that sacred place, on that holy ground."

"In all these years of singing that song, truthfully, it felt just the slightest bit incomplete to me," Gill said. "I always thought it needed to tie itself up in some way...I didn't know if this was a good idea or not, but I wrote one more verse for this song. I'm debuting it here at the Ryman auditorium. I love this place. It's my church."

Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Wendy Moten, Ricky Skaggs and Maren Morris also performed tributes to Gill for the program. Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Rodney Crowell and Sting appeared as special guests.

"From his timeless song catalog, numerous awards and unmatched musicianship, to the respect and camaraderie cultivated among his fellow musicians, and of course, his signature sense of humor, we can all agree Vince is a true titan in country music," Margaret Comeaux, CMT's Senior Vice President of Production, Music & Events, said in a press statement. "He is a true 'artist's artist' who has touched fans worldwide with his music and songwriting, and we couldn't be more thrilled to bestow him with our most esteemed CMT Giants distinction."

 

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