Carrie Underwood honours Randy Travis at Opry 100 with heartfelt tribute

Carrie Underwood left country music fans in tears with a deeply emotional performance during Opry 100: A Live Celebration at the Grand Ole Opry’s Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The 42-year-old music icon paid tribute to her longtime mentor Randy Travis with a heartfelt medley of his classic hits.

Underwood sang "Three Wooden Crosses" and "Forever and Ever, Amen," moving the audience with her soaring soprano. The performance reached its emotional peak when she walked into the crowd and handed the microphone to Travis, 65, for the final "Amen."

Despite his limited speech due to aphasia following a 2013 stroke, Travis delivered the last word with a smile, sparking a standing ovation and emotional reactions across the venue.

The touching moment honoured a nearly two-decade-long connection between the two Grammy-winning artists. In 2008, it was Travis who inducted Underwood into the Grand Ole Opry, welcoming her into the revered country music family. On this night, the student gave back to the teacher.

Social media lit up with praise from fans. “I’m not crying, you are!” wrote one user, sharing the clip of Travis’s appearance. Others described the tribute as “beautiful,” and “sweet.”