Smashing Glass: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music premiered on CMT last night (November 15). The event honoring Tanya Tucker, Patti LaBelle, and other trailblazing women in music took place just days after Tucker’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During the show, Tucker performed her Grammy-winning song “Bring My Flowers Now.” Watch her unforgettable performance below.
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Tucker took the stage in a white Nudie Suit decorated with elaborate scrollwork and flowers. Backed by a piano and string section, the country icon delivered a stirring performance of the Grammy-winning song. The crowd couldn’t help but break into brief and respectful bouts of applause at key lines in the song. In just over four minutes, Tucker demonstrated why she deserves all the flowers she’s received and then some.
Often, powerful and influential artists go uncelebrated until they pass, and then, those impacted by their music step forward to heap praise upon them. In this song, Tucker asks for those who have praise for her to come forward now, while she’s still here. Lines like I won’t need your love when I’m gone. / Don’t spend time, tears, or money on my old breathless body. / If your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em on, sum up the spirit of the song.
[RELATED: Tanya Tucker and Little Big Town Perform “Delta Dawn” at the 2023 CMA Awards]
“Bring My Flowers Now” was the last song Tucker and collaborator Brandi Carlile wrote for While I’m Livin’. According to The Tennessean, Tucker had been working on the song for three decades. Carlile helped her finish it in an afternoon.
“It was the last day of the session. Brandi came into the control room and said, ‘Tanya, let’s try and write that song you’ve been writing for the last 30 years,” Tucker said of the song. It took them 30 minutes to finish the song.
While I’m Livin’ and “Bring My Flowers Now” brought Tucker her first two Grammy Awards. They won Best Country Song and Best Country Album, respectively in 2020. “After almost 50 years in this business, after many dreams, it’s unbelievable to me that I’d have a few firsts left,” she said during her acceptance speech. “So, after 14 trips, 14 nominations, this is the first win. I just want to say that no matter how young or old you are, never stop following your dreams. Keep going,” she added.
Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
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