Loretta Lynn & Willie Nelson Only Recorded One Duet Together – It’s Called “Lay Me Down”
Loretta Lynn made history with her 2016 album, Full Circle. After its release, Full Circle became Lynn’s highest-charting album of all time when it debuted at the 19th spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
Full Circle contains some updated versions of Lynn’s classic songs and brand-new pieces written specifically for the album. One such song is “Lay Me Down,” which is truly unique because Willie Nelson sings it with Lynn as a duet.
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Although Lynn and Nelson were friends for years, “Lay Me Down” was the first song they recorded together. Despite this, Lynn told Exclaim they nailed the song on their first take:
“Willie looked at me and said, ‘I guess you know we’re going to have to go around the world with this and tour?’ and I said, ‘Willie, I ain’t goin’!
Lynn heaped praise on her duet partner. She talked about why Nelson is known as an iconic singer.
“Willie’s a great writer and a great artist: you can’t miss who he is when he starts singing,” she said. “That’s what makes an artist.”
Lynn debuted “Lay Me Down” in a music video with Nelson. Like many of the tracks on Full Circle, the song addresses mortality and how the narrators will finally find peace “when they lay [them] down.”
Watch The Emotional Music Video For “Lay Me Down” Below
The music video for the song is simple, yet powerful. It shows Lynn in her dressing room while Nelson stands on the stage.
Finally, the two of them come together. They can’t stop smiling as they sing. You can see how much they admired each other, especially as they shared a hug to close the video.
Sadly, “Lay Me Down” was also the last duet Nelson and Lynn ever released.
Lynn passed away on October 4, 2022. Nelson released a touching statement, saying, “Loretta was a good friend and fantastically talented. She was a great writer, singer, and human being. I’ll miss her a lot.”
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At Lynn’s memorial service on October 30, 2022, her granddaughter, Emmy Russell, and Nelson’s son, Lukas, united to sing “Lay Me Down.” Their touching tribute later earned a Performance of the Year nomination from the CMT Music Awards.
You can watch Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson’s original performance of “Lay Me Down” in the video below.
