Young country up-and-comer Lauren Alaina paid her respects to country legend Kitty Wells last night (July 25) at the Grand Ole Opry. Wells died on July 16, and the 17-year-old singer said goodbye in the best way she knew how: by singing a medley of the iconic torchy hits Wells left behind.

Before launching into a blend of ‘Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)’ and ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,’ Alaina addressed the crowd, saying, “Y’all give it up to Miss Kitty Wells. I’m going to do a medley.”

The ‘American Idol’ runner-up finished her intro by mentioning that someone told her that Wells was the first female to have a No. 1 hit on the country charts, and that her first chart-topper happened 60 years ago last week. It was ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels’ that soared to lead the charts in 1952, which turned Wells into a longtime country superstar.

Opening with ‘Release Me (And Let Me Love Again),’ Alaina sang as though she were a throwback from a different time in country music. She did Miss Kitty Wells proud — really proud — with her rendition, hitting all of the notes with her simple, yet beautiful, vocals.

Alaina turned up that heat singing ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels’ about three minutes in, showing that she can sing classic country as flawlessly as she can sing the contemporary kind.

The ‘Like My Mother Does’ hitmaker surely makes her chosen genre proud with her twang, and this cover rendition proves that she’s got staying power of her own.  It’s easily one of the ‘Georgia Peaches’ singer’s most well-done performances.

Listen to Lauren Alaina Perform a Kitty Wells Tribute Medley at the Opry

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