Remember When Willie Nelson, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw & More Performed Together at the CMA Awards?

In 2012, the legendary Willie Nelson was honored at the 46th Annual CMA Awards with the first-ever Willie Nelson Lifetime…

In 2012, the legendary Willie Nelson was honored at the 46th Annual CMA Awards with the first-ever Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Named after the country icon, the award was first presented to Nelson and later to artists such as Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

According to the Country Music Association, the honor is presented to “an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music. The Award was established to recognize an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level. The artist receiving this Award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike.”

During the star-studded broadcast, Nelson’s outstanding career was celebrated with a star-studded tribute performance. The Texas-born singer/songwriter joined in on the performance to sing “On The Road Again” alongside country superstars Lady Antebellum, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Blake Shelton. As they performed the iconic song, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney and more watched and sang along from the audience.

The buzzed-about performance remains one of the CMA Awards’ most iconic moments over the years. Click above to re-live the star-studded performance of “On The Road Again.”

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THE DAY THE KING WAS GONE — Imagine waking up on August 16 and discovering that the voice that had defined an entire generation was suddenly silent. On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley died at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, leaving millions of fans struggling to believe that the man they had watched, admired, and followed for more than two decades was gone. Elvis had transformed American music in a way few artists ever could. From the explosive energy of the 1950s to the dazzling Las Vegas performances of the 1970s, he became more than a singer. He became a cultural symbol. His voice, his stage presence, his clothing, and even the way he moved changed popular entertainment forever. Yet behind the legendary image was a deeply human man whose final years were far more complicated than the spotlight suggested. On that Tuesday afternoon, the news spread across the world with astonishing speed. Radio stations interrupted regular programming. Newspapers rushed to prepare special editions. Fans gathered outside Graceland, many of them in tears, unable to accept that Elvis was truly gone. People who had grown up listening to his records suddenly found themselves mourning someone who had felt almost larger than life. The sadness became even more powerful because Elvis died at only 42 years old. There was no long farewell tour and no final performance designed to close the story. There was simply an ordinary summer day that suddenly became one of the most unforgettable dates in music history. Thousands of mourners eventually traveled to Memphis. Flowers covered the gates of Graceland. Strangers who had never met Elvis stood beside one another, united by the same memories. Some remembered the young man who had shocked television audiences in the 1950s. Others remembered romantic ballads, movie songs, gospel performances, or the commanding presence of the man known as The King of Rock and Roll. Even decades later, August 16 remains a day of remembrance for Elvis Presley fans around the world. His death ended his life, but it did not end his music. His recordings continued to reach new generations, his performances remained endlessly watched, and Graceland became a place where fans could come to remember the man behind the legend. Perhaps that is the strangest part of Elvis’ story. On August 16, 1977, the world lost Elvis Presley. But somehow, the music never learned how to say goodbye.