Ashley McBryde delivered a touching tribute to the late Kris Kristofferson during the 2024 CMA Awards Wednesday night.
Kristofferson died at the age of 88 at his home in Maui, Hawaii, Sept. 28.
Kristofferson is known for his many contributions to country music and his acting roles in films like the “Blade” trilogy, as well as the 1976 version of “A Star Is Born,” which earned him a Golden Globe. He acted alongside Barbra Streisand in the film.
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In addition to releasing music as a solo artist throughout his career, Kristofferson joined forces with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in the 1980s to form the Highwaymen.
McBryde performed “Help Me Make It Through the Night” during the 2024 CMA Awards.
The song was originally recorded by Kristofferson for his debut album in 1970 and has been recorded by a number of artists, including Sammi Smith, Elvis Presley and Loretta Lynn.
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McBryde performed an acoustic version of the song while images of Kristofferson appeared on an accompanying screen.
Details of McBryde’s tribute performance were kept under wraps leading up to the CMA Awards.
“I’m honoring Kris Kristofferson tonight,” McBryde told Billboard on the red carpet ahead of the show. “Just me and a guitar.
“My dad taught me to play ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’ when I was too little to hold a guitar properly on my own, so it’s full circle tonight. And I hope dad tunes in to see his little girl play.”
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Late country music legend Toby Keith was also honored at the 2024 CMA Awards. The “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer died Feb. 5 after a battle with stomach cancer.
During the show, hosts Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning led a toast with red Solo cups dedicated to the late country star, a reference to his 2011 single.
“We want to take a moment to toast the great Toby Keith,” Bryan said. “A great artist, a great American and a great country music icon. Toby, you will be missed buddy.”
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Fans expressed mixed reactions to this tribute on social media, many sharing feelings of dissatisfaction over the brief moment for Keith.
A tribute to the late Tom Petty was also part of the 2024 CMA Awards.
Petty died Oct. 2, 2017, at age 66 from an accidental drug overdose.
During the show, Dierks Bentley was joined on stage by Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes for a performance of Petty’s hit “American Girl.”
