When Jelly Roll and country legends Brooks & Dunn took the stage at the 2024 CMAs, no one was prepared for the tidal wave of emotion that followed. Their soul-shaking performance left the audience visibly weeping, their harmonies cutting straight to the heart. As the final note hung in the air, the entire room stood frozen—stunned, moved, and forever changed. Within days, the performance had taken the internet by storm, racking up nearly two million views.

When Jelly Roll showed up to the Country Music Awards with iconic country duo Brooks and Dunn, no one had any idea just how incredible the trio’s performance would turn out to be. In fact, the trio’s rendition was so emotional that it left many of the audience visibly reduced to tears, and drew in almost two million viewers on YouTube within a matter of days.

As soon as the singers walked onstage, it was obvious that their performance was going to be something special. Jelly Roll and Kix Brooks kicked the rendition off alongside a full orchestra, before Ronnie Dunn walked onstage to join in and sent the audience into a frenzy of cheers. As the track reached its crescendo, Jelly Roll became physically emotional, with many of the audience members following suit.

Many people who viewed the video of the performance found themselves becoming similarly emotional, with many paying tribute to what the song means to them and how it has helped them through difficult times in their lives. Others turned their attention to the capabilities of the track’s two vocalists, Dunn and Jelly Roll; “RONNIE. FREAKING. DUNN! Legendary voice!” proclaimed one viewer, while another described Jelly Roll and his talents as a gift from God.

Those Music Man readers who are country fans might already know that Brooks & Dunn originally released ‘Believe’ in 2005. However, they recently re-recorded the track as part of their ‘Reboot’ album series, where they invite guest singers to join them on some of their best-known and most-loved tracks. For this particular track, they chose Jelly Roll as the guest singer, and from listening to the studio recording of their duet, it sounds as though they made the right choice.

Brooks & Dunn and Jelly Roll might not have been people’s first choice for a country music pairing; indeed, you could argue that Brooks & Dunn took a bit of a gamble by asking a rapper and hip-hop artist for a contribution to their album. Clearly, however, it’s a gamble that has paid off, and fans are now even demanding that the trio record an entire album together!

Jelly Roll’s powerful collaboration with Brooks and Dunn at the Country Music Awards has undeniably captured hearts and stirred emotions. Many are still talking about the performance that brought tears and cheers—a testament to the profound impact of music.