Tammy Wynette, Country Music’s “First Lady,” Died In 1998
Tributes came pouring in after Tammy Wynette passed away. These tear-jerking performances and gestures made it clear how much of an impact Wynette had on the world.
April 6, 1998, was a sad day in country music. On that day, Tammy Wynette, who had become known as the “First Lady of Country Music” passed away in her home at the age of 55.
The last years of Wynette’s life were plagued with medical problems. She was constantly in and out of the hospital and underwent 15 major surgeries in a short amount of time.
Despite her poor health, Wynette remained dedicated to performing up until the day she died. She had several shows lined up for the future.
The entire country music community went into mourning after Wynette passed away. A large memorial service was held for her at the iconic Ryman Auditorium, which many of country music’s biggest stars attended to pay their respects.
In the months and years since Wynette’s death, countless country artists have stepped forward to pay tribute to the legendary “First Lady of Country Music.” We’ve gathered together some of the top tributes in her honor to feature in this list.
See 3 Beautiful Tributes To Tammy Wynette Below
Merle Haggard Sings “If I Could Only Fly” At Memorial Service
Merle Haggard wasn’t able to attend Wynette’s memorial service in Nashville, but he still wanted to perform a song in her honor. Haggard filmed himself singing one of his most emotional songs, “If I Could Only Fly,” and sent the tape to Wynette’s family to play at the memorial.
Haggard sat down with his guitar and performed an acoustic version of the song, which gave his message a sincere, personal touch. He kept his eyes closed during most of the performance, feeling the emotion in the moment.
More than anything, Haggard’s sense of mourning showed through in his voice. On a few occasions his voice nearly broke due to all of the emotion he was experiencing, but he always regained composure.
This is simply a beautiful tribute to Wynette.
Dolly Parton Writes A Special Song For The Memorial
Dolly Parton and Wynette were close friends. They even recorded music together along with Loretta Lynn, which led to them being called the “Honky Tonk Angels.”
So when Wynette passed away, Parton was understandably heartbroken. She chose to express her feelings in the best way she knew how…through song. Parton wrote a brand-new song in Wynette’s honor. She performed it for the first time at her memorial service.
The song, called “Shine On,” is about Wynette’s talent as a singer. Parton introduced the song at the memorial, saying “God certainly gave Tammy a great gift. She shined then, she’s shining now, and she’ll shine forevermore.”
After her introduction, Parton moved into the song. She sang along with a small group of background vocalists, who harmonized with her perfectly.
Women Of Country Music Cover “Stand by Your Man”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOl5OHyNzR4
As the “First Lady of Country Music,” Wynette was one of the main trailblazers for female artists in the genre. During the CMA Awards after Wynette’s death, five of country music’s greatest female vocalists came together for a powerful performance in tribute to her.
Martina McBride, Patty Loveless, Wynonna, Naomi Judd, and Dolly Parton performed Wynette’s signature song “Stand by Your Man.” Each artist took turns singing part of the song. Eventually, all five of them sang together in a breathtaking showcase of talent.
Although the ladies’ performance was a bit more upbeat than some of the other tributes to Wynette, the most emotional part came at the end of the song.
When a large picture of Wynette appeared behind the stage, all of the other artists stopped singing except for Parton. She sang, “Tammy, we will always love you.” We’ve seen this performance many times, but Parton always makes us cry with that line.
Tammy Wynette is still dearly missed by the country music community. She may be gone, but these tributes prove she will never be forgotten.
