Carrie Underwood and CeCe Winans Take 2021 ACM Awards to Church With Gospel Medley

What a powerful, show-stopping performance!

Carrie Underwood and CeCe Winans Take 2021 ACM Awards to Church With Gospel Medley
Carrie Underwood and CeCe Winans perform for the 56TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™. Hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, the 56TH ACM AWARDS™ will be broadcast Sunday, April 18 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount +. Photo: Brent Harrington/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Carrie Underwood left fans speechless with her heavenly medley performance of songs from her My Savior album on the 2021 ACM Awards, which included a guest appearances from CeCe-Winans on their collaboration, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

Underwood received a glowing introduction from the one and only Dolly Parton, who praised the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year for her “compassion,” “kindness,” “generosity” and “powerful faith that we both share.” Underwood then opened the medley with a powerful a capella rendition of “Amazing Grace,” her voice echoing against the hallowed halls of the Grand Ole Opry with a single spotlight shining upon her.

A stunning orchestra introduced “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as Underwood welcomed gospel legend CeCe Winans to the stage where the two powerhouse vocalists traded their awe-inspiring voices on the faith-based number. As the backdrop transformed into stained glass graphics, a choir joined them for “The Old Rugged Cross,” the superstars taking viewers to church with their passion and inspiring delivery. Winans then departed the stage to let Underwood take it home with a resounding rendition of “How Great Thou Art,” sending chills down one’s spine as she sent her voice soaring to the rafters, earning a standing ovation from the socially-distanced crowd full of healthcare workers. Their performance also left ACM Awards co-host Keith Urban astounded, not only commending Underwood and Winans for their talent, but who they are as people.

Underwood and Winans joined forces on “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” for the former’s My Savior album.

“She is gospel royalty, and I knew it would be a dream to get to sing with her,” Underwood tells Sounds Like Nashville of working with the Gospel icon in our Cover Story. “We had talked about having her record ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness,’ which is such a wonderful song. It’s all about waking up every day knowing we are here, we’re alive and that God is with us and is faithful to us, through good times and bad. We asked her if she would do it and we were literally in the studio within days recording it. CeCe radiates such positivity and her God-given instrument just takes the song to a whole other level.”

“It was amazing. I said, ‘Are you ready for what God is going to do with this record?’… We all know how powerful the hymns are and with a voice like that,” added Winans. “I’m just praying that God will use this record to connect with a new generation. I just pray that salvations will come and that God will do something extra special through this hymns record of hers. I’m honored to be a part of it.

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The two also performed the song during Underwood’s Easter Sunday virtual concert at the Ryman Auditorium. The show had Underwood on country music’s most iconic stage and raised more than $100,000 for Save The Children.

The 2021 ACM Awards, hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, broadcast live on Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

See all of our ACM coverage right here.