Kacey Musgraves In Awe After Playing Loretta Lynn’s Guitar During 2023 Grammy Awards: ‘She Paved My Path’
Kacey Musgraves hushed a chattering 2023 Grammy Awards audience on Sunday night (Feb. 5) when she played late country icon Loretta Lynn‘s signature song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” during the broadcast’s In Memoriam segment. Adding to the emotions of the moment, Musgraves played the song on her hero’s 1963 Epiphone acoustic guitar, complete with Lynn’s name emblazoned along the fretboard in mother of pearl.
Hours after the broadcast ended, Musgraves tweeted about how much it meant for her to honor Lynn in this unique way. “10 year old me singing Loretta’s songs would never have imagined I’d be putting my hands right where she made magic for decades. (Her 1963 Epiphone was a dream to play.),” Musgraves wrote along with two screenshots from the performance, including one in which a black and white image of Lynn strumming the same instrument was projected over Kacey’s shoulder.
“Thank you to @LorettaLynn’s daughters for trusting me with this moment of honor tonight. She paved my path,” Musgraves added. The official account for Lynn — who died in her sleep in October at 90 at her Tennessee home — responded with an in-kind thanks to Kacey for creating such a special moment.
“Thank you @KaceyMusgraves, for this beautiful tribute,” it read. “The love all of you have shown us for our mom is beyond words.” Musgraves performed “Daughter” as part of a segment that also featured projected images of late luminaries from Jeff Beck to Pharoah Sanders and Mo Ostin.
Musgraves’ performance was followed by moving tributes to Migos rapper Takeoff, delivered by Quavo and Maverick City Music, and Christine McVie, performed by Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt and McVie’s Fleetwood Mac band mate, Mick Fleetwood.
Check out the tweets below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
