When I heard the other day that Brad Paisley, Marty Stuart, and Vince Gill would be taking the Grand Ole Opry stage for a special live stream, a mental note was made: Watch later, and try to calm down.
Thing about this strange time is that we soldier on, we work wherever we can work, we check in on loved ones, and we try to look for the light at the end of the tunnel. It's important to take a break, though, however resilient we all may be, to let this wash over us and to feel ... whatever we feel.
I have been telling myself this for many days now, but I didn't follow my own advice until I hit "play" on the aforementioned Opry three-man live stream. It's set up like a traditional song swap — each fella takes a turn to play whatever he wants, the others join in as needed, and so on.
When Vince broke into a super-delicate, borderline mournful version of "Whenever You Come Around," my "feelings" came on fast. A sudden storm.
That's the power of music — particularly country music — in times like this. In my continued effort to share with you the best of what's happening in home studios and living rooms around the music world, I offer to you five soul-stirring live streams to take in as you go about your day.
Hit play above and let the performances hit you however they hit you. Following the Opry song swap, you'll find equally hopeful and healing sets from Keith Urban, Brandy Clark, Luke Combs, and Jewel.
Bookmark the YouTube playlist when you're done, because I'll be adding whatever I find to it in the coming days.
As always, stay safe and healthy out there, and keep giving your worried mind breaks.
