Reba McEntire And Trisha Yearwood Join Forces On ‘The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia’ At ‘Opry 100’

Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood, united to perform “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” at NBC’s Opry 100: A Live Celebration.

On Wednesday evening, the pair of country music queens stepped into the iconic circle and celebrated the milestone with McEntire’s famed murder ballad, as fellow Opry members like Eddie Montgomery, Scotty McCreery, Carrie Underwood and more watched from the historic pews.

While McEntire was not the first to record “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” it remains a signature song in her collection to this day. Last night’s collaborative performance offered a reminder of their incredible storytelling skills. She and Yearwood belt out the story of a man who is faced with true betrayal when he learns his wife cheated on him while he was away on vacation.

The song tells the tale of a man known only as “Brother,” who learns about his wife’s unfaithfulness from a man named Andy. On his way home, he discovers small footprints leading from his house to Andy’s. He follows the trail only to find Andy dead upon arrival. He ends up wrongly accused of the crime, but in a shocking twist, the true killer is revealed to be the song’s narrator, Andy’s “Little Sister,” who killed both Andy and Brother’s wife.

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The Oklahoma native put her stunning vocals on display while donning a stunning black ensemble featuring a bedazzled jacket and matching boots. She and Yearwood, who donned an elegant striped, floor-length dress, took turns delivering the upbeat tune before fusing their powerhouse vocals on the chorus.

They sing, “That’s the night that the lights went out in Georgia/ That’s the night that they hung an innocent man/ Well, don’t trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer/ ‘Cause the judge in the town’s got bloodstains on his hands.”

These award-winning singer/songwriters left their mark on the stage numerous times throughout the Opry’s once-in-a-lifetime event. The Oklahoma native also honored Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn with a heartfelt tribute to two of country’s most beloved legends while Yearwood teamed up with her husband, Garth Brooks to pay tribute to the iconic partnership of George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

Reba McEntire is set to reunite with her duet partner on Monday, March 24 when she makes her way to California to celebrate Trisha Yearwood’s induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

NBC’s Opry 100: A Live Celebration was a star-studded event honoring the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary. The special paid tribute to the Opry’s century-long influence on country music, featuring unforgettable performances and heartfelt moments from some of the genre’s biggest stars.

NBC’s Opry 100: A Live Celebration was a star-studded event honoring the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary. The special broadcast paid tribute to the Opry’s century-long influence on country music, featuring unforgettable performances and heartfelt tributes from some of the genre’s biggest stars.

The performance lineup included Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ashley McBryde, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Clint Black, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Jamey Johnson, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, and many more. 

Opry 100: A Live Celebration is now available to stream on Peacock.