Lainey Wilson joined Christian rocker Zach Williams in bringing a little bit of Southern soul and blues-rock grit to "Go Tell It on the Mountain" for ABC's 14th annual "CMA Country Christmas" broadcast.
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A house band, orchestra and choir helped the duo reimagine a classic holiday hymn as a high-energy amalgam of popular styles.
After singing the first verse and chorus, Williams introduced Wilson. She wore a plaid, holiday-colored bell bottom pants suit as well as a wide-brimmed hat and an oversized belt buckle.
"I've been a fan of yours for a really long time, and getting to do 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' — which, I grew up going to Baskin Baptist Church, and every single year around this time, this is what we would sing," Wilson told her duet partner (as quoted by People).
"This is an honor for me," Williams added. "I'm a big fan, and so getting a chance to do this song and then just be here and be a part of 'CMA Country Christmas.' Some of my favorite artists are performing. It's awesome."
"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is a traditional African American spiritual that was first published in 1901 in New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Fisk Jubilee Singers is an a cappella singing group from Nashville's Fisk University which dates back to 1871. The group won its first Grammy award in 2021.
This year's "CMA Country Christmas" was co-hosted by Trisha Yearwood and Amy Grant. It aired Thursday night (Dec. 14). It's streaming now on Disney+ and Hulu.
Other performances of note include the Yearwood and Grant duet "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and Ashley McBryde and Lindsey Stirling's fun take on "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch." In addition, Stirling joined Yearwood and Grant for "Joy to the World."
