Willie Nelson & Leon Russell Will Have You Sobbing With Passionate ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’
on Mar 22, 2017 • Updated Jan 23, 2023
Country music icons Willie Nelson and Leon Russell had fans in tears when their staggering duet of a George Jones classic left fans with a sadness they had never experienced.
An Emotion Packed Performance
Performing the ballad “He Stopped Loving Her Today”, Nelson and Russell used the song’s crippling lyrics to appeal to broken-hearted fans that knew the feeling of lost love all too well.
Russell was the first voice to send off the emotional rollercoaster, allowing his iconic vocals to deeply embody each devastating lyrics after the next.
A Perfect Pair
Amidst the somber instrumentals, Rusell’s voice rang out singing “He said ‘I’ll love you till I die’, she told him ‘You’ll forget in time’/ As the years went slowly by, she still preyed upon his mind.”
song of the day: A SONG FOR YOU – LEON RUSSELL pic.twitter.com/JpVc8yYSAX
— Rob Thomas (@ThisIsRobThomas) July 30, 2018
The crowd was holding back tears as the two men continued moving patiently through the tune.
Nelson followed his lead, smoothly transitioning into the melody to sing the lyrics, “He kept her picture on his wall, went half-crazy now and then/ He still loved her through it all, hoping she’d come back again.”
.@DwightYoakam was on the show at the @PompanoAmp and dropped by the bus after his set. pic.twitter.com/XPZu6Y8CBS
— Willie Nelson (@WillieNelson) March 5, 2017
The two legends continue throughout the beautiful number, allowing their unique voices to not only stand out alone – but also produce a wondrous blend of power and heritage. Fans were deeply touched by this emotional performance, deeply clinging to what little strength they had left to keep from bursting into tears.
Willie Nelson & Leon Russell. One For The Road. Retroworld Records https://t.co/9qFtUtklCu pic.twitter.com/GNntLkZyF5
— Blabber'n'Smoke (@PaulKBlabber) July 19, 2017
You can experience the passionate performance below, but be sure to keep your tissues handy.
