Keith Urban, Vince Gill & Friends Remember Merle Haggard During All for the Hall Benefit
The 6th Annual All for the Hall Benefit Concert featured several unforgettable musical moments, including a handful of tributes to Merle Haggard.
On Tuesday night, Keith Urban and Vince Gill invited some of their closest friends and fellow Country stars to join them for the 6th Annual All for the Hall Benefit Concert to raise funds for the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. The night featured several unforgettable musical moments, including a handful of tributes to the late and great Merle Haggard.
After Urban opened the show with a pair of his hits, Gill, who was celebrating his 59th birthday, took the stage to remember his dear friend Haggard.
“Last Wednesday morning … I woke up to the news my greatest hero passed away,” he said. “On my birthday tonight, I want more than anything to honor my greatest inspiration.” He went on to sing Haggard’s “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down” and “The Fightin’ Side of Me.”
Gill wasn’t the only one who paid tribute to The Hag. Emmylou Harris sang the legendary singer/songwriter’s “Kern River,” Sam Hunt took on “The Way I Am,” and Luke Bryan performed Haggard’s “Big City.”
The evening also included performances from Peter Frampton, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Isbell, Maddie and Tae, Chris Janson, Tracy Lawrence, and Maren Morris. Urban and Gill played guitar and provided background vocals for each of the artists.
Janson produced one of the night’s standout sets. The singer brought the audience to its feet for a harmonica-infused performance of “Buy Me A Boat” and once again proved why he is one of the most entertaining new acts in the genre. Ask any fan who attended, and they’ll likely tell you Janson was one of the evening’s best.
Florida Georgia Line took the stage singing Alabama’s “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” which was a great song choice for the duo. Maren Morris made her Bridgestone Arena debut last night. Although she was noticeably nervous during her cover of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” she seemed to come in to her own while singing her debut hit “My Church.”
The night concluded with an all-star tribute to Haggard as Harris, Morris, Lawrence, Janson, Maddie & Tae, Bryan, Florida Georgia Line and more returned to the stage for “Mama Tried.”
Urban told the crowd that this year’s All for the Hall was their biggest yet and promised to keep putting on the show as long as other artists will play and the fans will show up.
