Watch ERNEST, Sara Evans Pay Tribute To Late Country Legend

Sara Evans teamed up with ERNEST to pay tribute to legendary singer-songwriter George Jones during the newly-debuted episode of her podcast, Diving in Deep with Sara Evans, on Thursday (April 18).

Evans and ERNEST delivered acoustic renditions of Jones’ “Golden Ring” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Jones released “Golden Ring” in the mid-1970s, and included his single “He Stopped Loving Her Today” on his 10-track LP I Am What I Am in 1980. The Texas-born musician was also known for classics like “A Picture of Me (Without You),” “These Days (I Barely Get By),” “Bartender’s Blues” and others. Jones died in 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 81.

Throughout their conversation, Evans chatted with ERNEST about their shared passion for songwriting and more, including how the Nashville-born singer-songwriter knew he was meant to pursue music. They also discuss “the importance of Nashville being a hub for songwriters, and dissect the pendulum that they see in the country music genre. They mutually agree on the importance of holding the genre to a high standard and how crucial it is for the future of country music that the past is not forgotten, but rather celebrated,” the episode description reads. Listen to the full episode here (warning: language).

ERNEST recently released his highly-anticipated sophomore album, titled as a tribute to his hometown. The 26-track album includes collaborations with Jelly Roll, Lukas Nelson, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, HARDY, plus a live-recorded performance of “Twinkle Twinkle” with ERNEST’s nearly 3-year-old son, Ryman Saint, among other highlights.

“I was born and raised in Nashville,” the 2024 ACM New Male Artist of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year nominee said in a statement when his album released on Friday (April 12). “I love this city, it's the country music capital of the world, and this album is a positive affirmation in the name of country music. That country at its core, the songwriting and storytelling, is popular again.”

Watch Evans and ERNEST cover two of Jones' classics here: