Tanya Tucker, Elle King, and Lainey Wilson Slay with Performance of “Texas (When I Die)” (Watch)

What do you get when you combine Tanya Tucker with Elle King and Lainey Wilson? Well, viewers and audience members taking in the lively CMA Fest on Wednesday night (July 19) found out when the trio took the stage to perform the country song, “Texas (When I Die).”

Originally recorded by country artist Ed Bruce in 1977, Tucker covered “Texas When I Die” a year later, the debut single from her ninth studio album, TNT, released in 1978.

Wilson opened the song by singing,

When I die I may not go to heaven
I don’t know if they let cowboys in
If they don’t just let me go to Texas, boys
‘Cause Texas is as close as I’ve been

King came in next over the bouncy country beat,

New York couldn’t hold my attention
Detroit City couldn’t sing my song
If tomorrow finds me busted flat in Dallas
I won’t care, ’cause at least I’ll know I’m home

Then came Tucker to a rousing applause, singing,

I’d ride through all of Hell and half of Texas
Just to hear Willie Nelson sing a country song
Beer just ain’t as cold in old Milwaukee
My body’s here, but my soul’s in San Antone

The performance was one of many highlights for Wilson during the show, which aired on ABC. Wilson was one of the show’s hosts, along with King and Dierks Bentley. During the show, Wilson also performed her latest single “Watermelon Moonshine.”

Taking the stage at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, Wilson broke into the hit, off her 2022 album Bell Bottom Country. Written by Wilson, Josh Kear, and Jordan Schmidt, “Watermelon Moonshine” reminisces of carefree days, young summer romance, and some liquid courage in the form of hooch — Drinkin’ watermelon moonshine / We cut the burn with a little lime Parkin’ back in them kudzu vines /I was his and every bit of that boy was mine.

The three-hour concert special, which aired on ABC, featured a series of performances from the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest, and included performances by Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Jo Dee Messina, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Leon Bridges, HARDY, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Avril Lavigne, Cody Johnson, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, and more.

Check out Wilson with King and Tucker performing “Texas (When I Die)” below.

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images