Jason Kempin/Getty Images for for Essential Broadcast Media, LLCWhen the All-Star Birthday Celebration for Loretta Lynn was originally announced, the guest of honor joked that she wanted Keith Urban to jump out of her cake. Monday night at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the CMA Entertainer of the Year was only too happy to oblige.
“Miss Loretta – you asked me to jump out of a cake for you – and I would do it again every time!” the Aussie superstar shared afterwards on his socials. “Thank you for a truly surreal and gorgeous night of music, heart, stories, magic, and LOVE!!!!!” Keith literally climbed out of a giant blue cake at the event.
Loretta sat sidestage Monday night as a who’s who of the biggest stars in country music sang the songs she wrote and made famous. Keith did “Blue Kentucky Girl,” while Darius Rucker took on the once-controversial “The Pill,” according to The Tennessean.
Kacey Musgraves delivered her version of “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man),” while Miranda Lambert sang both “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” and “Fist City” with Pistol Annies.
The night also boasted plenty of superstar takes on Loretta’s duets with Conway Twitty: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood wondered what happens “After the Fire Is Gone,” while George Strait and Martina McBride issued the invitation to “Lead Me On.” Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack became the “Louisiana Woman” and “Mississippi Man” of song.
But the high point of the evening came when the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” herself ended the night by joining the all-star cast to sing her signature song, alongside her famous singing sister, Crystal Gayle, plus Tanya Tucker and others.
Ultimately, Monday night’s celebration was just a warm-up: Loretta will actually turn 87 on April 14.
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