(Main Photo) The Kelly Clarkson Show / YouTube / (Inlay) Gary Gershoff / Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson Honors The Late Kenny Rogers With “Sweet Music Man” Tribute
During a recent episode of her namesake talk show, Kelly Clarkson took a moment to honor the late country music legend Kenny Rogers.
Rogers passed away on March 20, 2020, at the age of 81. Despite being known later in his career as a country artist, Rogers started his career in folk and rock music, forming his own band, The First Edition.
Rogers passed away on March 20, 2020, at the age of 81. Despite being known later in his career as a country artist, Rogers started his career in folk and rock music, forming his own band, The First Edition.
Later, as a solo country singer, Rogers became known as the voice behind country classics such as “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” and “Islands in the Stream.”
Another one of Rogers’ biggest hits was his self-penned track “Sweet Music Man.” He released it as the first single from his album Daytime Friends in 1977.
“Sweet Music Man” peaked at the ninth spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It also crossed over to claim the 44th position on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
The song received renewed attention when Reba McEntire released a cover in 2002. Her rendition claimed the 36th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Fans Share Their Love For Kelly’s Cover
Clarkson, one of McEntire’s closest friends, followed in her lead by sharing her own rendition of “Sweet Music Man.” Clarkson performed her cover during the “Kellyoke” segment of her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. She shared that McEntire’s version inspired her own rendition.
Clarkson poured her soul into her performance, resulting in a mesmerizing tribute to Rogers. Fans reacted to her performance in the comments section on YouTube, writing:
“Kelly touches my soul with her beautiful voice! Sweet Music Woman!”
“She sings like it is her original song; amazing.”
“Kelly turns any song into a masterpiece when she sings it.”
“I still recall when you sang this after he died. Thank you. I could not love this song more. You make every great song even better.”
“You gave me chills Kelly as soon as you started singing Sweet music Man.”
“This is a beautiful version of this song.”
“Kelly is a Sweet music woman.”
You can watch Kelly Clarkson’s “Sweet Music Man” tribute to Kenny Rogers in the video below.
Kelly Clarkson Sang A Beautiful Tribute To Kenny Rogers In The Past
This wasn’t Clarkson’s first time singing “Sweet Music Man” on her talk show. She performed an a cappella cover of the song shortly after Rogers’ death.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarkson could not deliver her performance on the Kelly Clarkson Show set. So, she filmed her performance in the bathroom at her home in Montana. She shared that “Sweet Music Man” is her all-time favorite song in Rogers’ catalog.
“I was planning on doing [a different song],” she said in her introduction. “And then Kenny Rogers passed, and I thought I would honor him. What a beautiful man. Beautiful songwriter. Beautiful singer. Actor. He did all of the things.”
