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Backstage Country

HARDY, Lainey Wilson Will Join Leslie Jordan Tribute

HARDY and Lainey Wilson have joined the lineup for “Reportin’ for Duty: A Tribute to Leslie Jordan.” The show will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville…

HARDY, Lainey Wilson Will Join Leslie Jordan Tribute
Jason Kempin, Terry WEyatt, Kevin Winter/Getty Images

HARDY and Lainey Wilson have joined the lineup for "Reportin' for Duty: A Tribute to Leslie Jordan." The show will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on February 19. Other artists joining the lineup include Tanya Tucker, Ruby Amanfu, Charlie Worsham, and Katie Pruitt.

Artists who are set to celebrate his life and career with performances include Eddie Vedder, Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne, Brittney Spencer, Billy Strings, Lukas Nelson, Jake Wesley Rogers, Ashley McBryde, Fancy Hagood, Jelly Roll, Danny Myrick, and Travis Howard. They will perform in addition to special appearances by Jim Parsons, Anthony Mason, Mayim Bialik, Cheyenne Jackson, Max Greenfield, Margaret Cho, Robyn Schall, and Leanne Morgan.

Money raised from the show will benefit a cause close to Jordan's heart, the EB Research Partnership, an organization dedicated to funding research to treat and cure Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

Leslie Jordan passed away on October 24, 2022, in a car accident in Hollywood after suffering cardiac arrest. Dolly Parton made a special appearance on the Fox TV Show Call Me Kat in January to honor Jordan. Before showing a montage of his happy and fun moments on the show, the screen cut to Dolly sitting in a black dress, and she began to sing "The Soul of Man Never Dies." She said, "Now that's some lines from the song you and I did together. I know usually, at a memorial, people talk about somebody. Well, I'm gonna talk to you because there is that place on the other side, and I'm certainly gonna see you there, little brother. You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories."

"Everybody loved you, but I doubt that many of them loved you more than I did. Anyhow, I just want you to know that we all love you, we all miss you, and I bet you're having a big laugh about all of us being sad and sorrowful, and I know that would the last thing you would want us to be. So, anyway, you made us happy while you were here, and we are happy you are at peace, and I just want you to know that I (starts singing) will always love you." She then blows kisses and says, "Goodbye, my sweet Leslie."

Actor Leslie Jordan was beloved in the country music industry. In 2021, he did his part to join country music when he hosted a night of country and gospel music to celebrate the release of his gospel album Company's Comin'. The album featured songs Jordan performed with Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker, Chris Stapleton, Brothers Osborne, and more.

Jordan also performed on The Grand Ole Opry and presented an award for Duo of the Yera at the Academy of Country Music.

As we mourn the death of this charming, funny, and beloved actor/singer, we gathered a handful of photos from his big night in November 2021, performing at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium with many country artists.

Leslie Jordan And Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman

GettyImages-1356497342.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Leslie Jordan performs during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


Jimmie Allen

GettyImages-1356496367.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Jimmie Allen and Leslie Jordan perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


Cassadee Pope

GettyImages-1356497517.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Leslie Jordan and Cassadee Pope perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


John Osborne

GettyImages-1356564890.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: John Osborne, Leslie Jordan and T.J. Osborne perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


War and Treaty

GettyImages-1356578182.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Tanya Blount and Michael Trotter Jr. of The War and Treaty and Leslie Jordan perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


John Osborne

GettyImages-1356562615.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Lucie Silvas, John Osborne and Leslie Jordan perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


T.J. Osborne

GettyImages-1356564699-2.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Leslie Jordan and T.J. Osborne perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)


Lucie Silvas

GettyImages-1356562980.jpgJason Kempin/Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Lucie Silvas and Leslie Jordan perform during the Leslie Jordan & Friends Company's Comin' To The Ryman show at the Ryman Auditorium on November 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.