Miranda Lambert and Willie Nelson’s Son Put a Beautiful Twist on Kris Kristofferson Tribute Performance

Kris Kristofferson’s arrival in Nashville shook up the entire country music scene. The Brownsville, Texas-born artist had a lot to say—and he said it plainly, devastatingly and gorgeously. Songs like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down” immortalized Kristofferson in the outlaw country canon. The “Why Me” singer died Sept. 28 at age 88, leaving behind a tremendous legacy. Recently, country superstar Miranda Lambert enlisted Lukas Nelson—the son of one of Kristofferson’s dearest friends—for a heartbreaking tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter.

Miranda Lambert, Lukas Nelson Team Up For “Silver Wings” Tribute

Arriving on the country music scene in 2001, Miranda Lambert is an artist after Kris Kristofferson’s heart. She, too, had a lot to say. For many aspiring country artists like Lambert, Kristofferson was something of a folk hero. After news broke of his passing, the “Kerosene” singer took to social media to pay her respects. “thank you for everything,” Lambert wrote. “Forever a hero.”

On Saturday (Oct. 5), the nine-time Female Vocalist of the Year showed up to Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheatre with some of her friends—including Little Big Town and HARDY—to put on the “Music for Mutts” benefit concert. The star-studded affair raised money for her nonprofit MuttNation Foundation, which she founded in 2009 to aid rescue animals and shelters.

Like Lambert, Lukas Nelson is also mourning Kris Kristofferson. The son of Kristofferson’s friend and peer Willie Nelson, Lukas was the perfect duet partner for a sweet tribute to the “Me and Bobby McGee” singer. Nelson and Lambert joined forces for a moving rendition of Merle Haggard’s “Silver Wings.” So instead of a deliver a Kristofferson cover, Lambert and Nelson switched things up and have fans “a little Hag.”

“We’re Gonna Give Y’all a Little Hag Tonight”

Haggard famously declined an invitation to join Nelson and Kristofferson in their supergroup The Highwaymen. Still, the Okie from Muskogee was very much a part of the same circle. And “Silver Wings,” in all its achingly tender glory, seemed like the perfect send-off for one of country music’s all-time greats. So

“We know Kris loved Merle, right?” Miranda Lambert said. “We’re going to give y’all a little Hag tonight.”

See Lambert join Kristofferson for a December 2010 duet of “Silver Wings” below.

Featured image by Dylan Johnson/Shutterstock