Luke Bryan Reflects On ‘Drink A Beer’ Performance At 2013 CMA Awards

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Luke’s Family Tragedy

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room after Luke Bryan took the stage at the 2013 CMA Awards. That night, he performed his brand new song at the time, “Drink a Beer,” which he dedicated to his late brother and sister.

The emotional song conveys the narrator’s feelings of grief after learning that a loved one has passed away. To honor all of the good times they shared, the narrator sings “So I’m gonna sit right here/On the edge of this pier/Watch the sunset disappear/And drink a beer.”

Although Bryan didn’t write the song, his personal experiences allowed him to deliver it with a heartbreaking sense of honesty.

A Memorable Live Performance

He wore his heart on his sleeve during his CMA performance, which occurred days before “Drink a Beer” was officially released. Even today, Bryan still gets choked up when he thinks about that performance, as he showed during a CMA Awards 50/50 Special interview.

“It was just an amazing moment on all levels,” he said. “And to get to showcase what my family has been through in that environment, and to let people know who have lost people, that I’m in the boat with ’em.“

One other part of the performance that made it extra special for Bryan was the person who sang the backup parts for him. At the time, the background singer was primarily known as a songwriter, and he helped co-write “Drink a Beer.”

But years later, people realized that guy singing background was none other than one of the biggest stars in country music today…Chris Stapleton.

It goes without saying the CMA moment is one that Bryan will never forget. He made that clear as he fought back tears while he described what the performance meant to him and his fans.

“We wanted it to be a really pretty moment,” he said, “that everybody in the audience and at home could think about how much that song inspires them for all the reasons that it does.”

Do you remember watching Bryan sing “Drink a Beer” on the 2013 CMA Awards?