Remember When: Kacey Musgraves Joined Willie Nelson for a Duet of “Rainbow Connection”?

Willie Nelson‘s daughter, Amy, was the one to convince him to record “Rainbow Connection.” It’s an interesting choice for a country legend to cover–given it was originally sung by Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie. Nevertheless, we have to thank Amy for one of Nelson’s most touching and vibrant songs to date.

It has been a fan favorite of many country artists since Nelson recorded it in 2001. Among that pack is Kacey Musgraves. “It was one of the first songs that I ever learned how to sing, and it was on my first tape, and it was one of the songs that I can remember singing from the very beginning,” Musgraves once explained.

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In 2019, Musgraves joined Nelson at the CMA Awards for a moving rendition of this simple ballad. We’re sure the beaming smiles and tearful eyes of everyone in attendance matched those of the audience watching from their TVs.

Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side?
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide

Nelson took on the first verse while Musgraves took control of the second. Their voices paired perfectly together. Nelson’s gruff vocals and Musgraves’ tender ones added even more emotional depth to this already poignant song.

At the end of the song, Musgraves paid her respects to the icon beside her. Bowing down to the legendary country outlaw.

“I just think it was really meaningful for me for a lot of reasons — you know, one being that I love Willie Nelson so much, and I respect him as an artist, as a songwriter, as a Texan,” Musgraves continued in the same interview. “But also to have my own song, ‘Rainbow’…and to get to bridge that chapter with, you know, such an icon like Willie, and a song that means a lot to a lot of different people, is really special to me.”

Revisit the performance, below.

(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)