She covered her iconic track “You’re No Good” at the Kennedy Center Honors.
The Kennedy Center Honors is already an emotional event, as it pays tribute to a select few artists who have made unique cultural impacts throughout their careers. It was a doubly moving night for Garth Brooks, who watched his wife Trisha Yearwood cover honoree Linda Ronstadt’s iconic track, “You’re No Good” at the 42nd annual event.
Seventy-three-year-old Ronstadt, who can no longer sing due to a form of Parkinson’s disease, is known as a pioneer of country and rock music. And when Yearwood stepped on stage to honor her, there was hardly a dry eye in the house. Ronstadt couldn’t help but tear up when the music began, and then the cameras cut to Brooks, who was undoubtedly choked up with pride for his wife.
Others sang and clapped along, including Rita Wilson and Kevin Jonas. And when the performance ended, Ronstadt seemed pleased—she gave Yearwood a standing ovation, clapping with a tissue in hand.
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Yearwood went on to cover another Ronstadt song with R&B legend Aaron Neville. Together, they sang “Don’t Know Much,” a track Neville originally performed with Ronstadt and won a Grammy for in 1990.
Yearwood has shared multiple photos on Instagram celebrating her time at the Honors. In one, she’s chatting with Ronstadt herself. “I was saying ‘It’s really hard to sing a Linda Ronstadt song in front of Linda Ronstadt!’” she wrote. “To be a part of honoring Linda at the Kennedy Center last night was a lifelong dream fulfilled. Thank you, Linda for teaching me through your life and music to trust myself and follow my instincts. I love you.”
She also shared a photo of herself at dinner with Emmylou Harris and Ronstadt. “Having dinner with legends and friends!” she wrote. “Surround yourself with women that inspire you and you realize that you can achieve anything you put your heart and soul into. I love these women so much!”
Country star Carrie Underwood also paid tribute with covers of Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou” and “When Will I Be Loved.” Before the event, she showed her admiration for Ronstadt on the red carpet. “One of the things I always admired about her is her ability to do whatever she wants,” Underwood said. “She always broke the rules and sang music that she felt like was true to her.”
Earth, Wind & Fire, Sally Field, Sesame Street, and conductor Micahel Tilson Thomas were also named 2019 honorees by the Kennedy Center.
