Keith Urban Performs “Blue Bayou” To Honor Linda Ronstadt At “All For The Hall” Benefit

During the All for the Hall Benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2020, Keith Urban honored a musical legend. He paid tribute to Linda Ronstadt, and did so through a performance of “Blue Bayou.”

In prior years, Vince Gill and Urban co-hosted the All for the Hall benefit concert in Nashville. But Gill went on tour with the Eagles in early 2020. So Urban took over as the only host.

 

The theme of the benefit was “Under the Influence.” After singing one of their own songs, each participating artist would then sing a cover to pay tribute to an artist who influenced them as a musician.

Urban got many of his famous friends to perform at the concert. Some of the artists on the bill were Tanya Tucker, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, and Blake Shelton.

Of course, Urban also performed during the benefit, which was held in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. After singing his own single, “Wasted Time,” Urban shared his rendition of Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou”

Keith Urban honored Linda Ronstadt by performing "Blue Bayou" at a show in 2020.Clayton Call / Contributor / Getty Images

This History Behind Linda Ronstadt’s Iconic Song

While Ronstadt is known first and foremost as a rock artist, she has impacted all genres of music. Her ties to country are strong, especially since she teamed up with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris for the highly successful Trio album.

Although Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, she is yet to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. But she’s certainly a prime candidate for induction, as Urban’s All for the Hall performance shows how much she has influenced country music.

For his tribute, Urban opted to sing “Blue Bayou,” which many regard as Ronstadt’s signature song. It was not originally hers, as it was first recorded and released by Roy Orbison in 1963.

Ronstadt’s version followed in 1977, and became a sensation. It reached the second spot on the Billboard Country Singles chart while also claiming the third spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

 

Anyone who has heard “Blue Bayou” knows it’s not a simple song to pull off. But Urban was up to the challenge, and delivered a crowd-pleasing performance during the All for the Hall benefit concert.

Those who attended All for the Hall or watched videos of Urban’s “Blue Bayou” cover were quick to praise his performance. One Twitter user with the handle @ClaireHKU_Fan said it was “SO BEAUTIFUL!”