Brothers Osborne Cover The Judds’ ‘Why Not Me’ at Stagecoach [Watch]
Fellow Grammy-winning country duo Brothers Osborne paid tribute to the Judds on Saturday (April 30) during their Stagecoach performance, just hours after news of Naomi Judd’s tragic death broke.
Slowing down the tempo on their high-energy set for a minute, the band’s T.J. and John Osborne broke out their stripped-down, more-poignant cover of the Judds’ 1984 hit, “Why Not Me.”
“You've been lookin' for love all around the world / Baby, don't you know this country boy’s still free? Why not me? / Well, you've finally come down to your old hometown / Your Kentucky boy’s been waiting patiently Why not me?,” sings T.J. in the first verse, with a flipped gender perspective.
“Why not me on a rainy day?/ Why not me to love your cares away? / Why not me? Why not me when the nights get cold? / Why not me when you're growin' old? / Why not me?” the pair croon over the sounds of a simple acoustic guitar, John’s tender harmonies, delicate electric guitar work.
The reigning ACM Duo of the Year performed a spirited 50-minute set at the annual California country music festival, delivering hits such as “It Ain’t My Fault,” “Shoot Me Straight,” “I’m Not For Everyone” and the autobiographical “Younger Me,” which won a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance earlier this year.
"Why Not Me" is the title track and lead single off the Judds' 1984 debut album. The song went on to become their second No. 1 hit, spending two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The mother-daughter duo had 14 No. 1 singles during their three-decade-long career, including "Mama He's Crazy," "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain" and "Girls Night Out."
Naomi’s passing came as a shock to the country music community on Saturday (April 30), just one day before the Judds’ long-awaited Country Music Hall of Fame induction. In a statement, her daughters Wynonna and Ashley Judd shared that their mom succumbed to the “disease of mental illness.”
Both sisters were present at the ceremonial induction on Sunday (May 1). There, Ashley tearfully said to the crowd, “I’m sorry she couldn’t hold on until today,” before Wynonna gave her acceptance speech. Equally heartbroken, the “No One Else on Earth” singer publicly shared the family's final moments with the matriarch, which included praying Psalm 23 together.
At the emotional induction, Carly Pearce honored her fellow Kentuckians with her heart-rending rendition of "Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days)," Gillian Welch and David Rawlings sang “Young Love (Strong Love)” and Timmy Simms delivered the uplifting “Love Can Build a Bridge.”