Jackie Lee Honors Late Mother During Emotional Opry Performance of ‘Believe’
Two weeks after the death of his mother, singer Jackie Lee took the Grand Ole Opry stage for a courageous performance of the Brooks & Dunn song "Believe." With his brother by his side and other family members just offstage, the newcomer explained that he was singing for an angel that night.
The performance took place on June 18 and was Lee's first since the death of LaDonna Midkiff on June 4. Lee's sister, Gracie, sat with father Jack at the side of the stage. Jackie and Kinsey sing with only piano accompaniment because, as Lee says, “If there’s one thing that my mom loved more in this entire world, it’s to hear us sing together. We’re gonna sing for her tonight … and if you don’t like this song we ain’t doing it for you.”
Emotions run high through the full performance, as seen above, but the "Headphones" singer never cracks — although it's clear he's taking certain lyrics very personally. The song is one of the most well-known Ronnie Dunn vocal showcases, and Lee did it justice at the Opry.
LaDonna Midkiff died after a battle with cancer. Later Lee remembered her beauty while thanking fans on Facebook, saying:
She has the strongest will of any person that I have ever met, and she gave me so many kisses every day that I never ever wondered if I was loved. My family and I love her with everything we are made of, and I can’t even begin to describe how hurt we feel.
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