‘Idol’ Judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood & Luke Bryan Team Up for New Single

ABC

As “American Idol” gears up for its landmark 25th season, fans will recall one of the highlights of the previous season’s finale: when Lionel Richie was joined by fellow judges Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood for a stunning peformance of his hit “Deep River Woman.”

Richie, who first recorded the song with country music group Alabama back in 1986, is now releasing that epic “Idol” performance as a new single.

‘Deep River Woman’

Released on Friday, November 13, this new version of the country-crossover hit is available on all streaming services.

“‘Deep River Woman’ has always been a special song to me, and getting to perform it with my fellow judges at the ‘Idol’ finale made it even more meaningful,” said Richie.

“There’s nothing like getting together with great friends and making music. Now, we get to share that moment with everybody, and I hope fans enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed singing it together,” added Richie.

“What an honor it was to perform a classic Lionel Richie track with the legendary Lionel Richie and our buddy Luke, and I’m thrilled that our live version of it will live on,” shared Underwood.

“Another ‘pinch me’ moment,” Bryan gushed. “To be asked to sing on a live version of this iconic hit with two other iconic artists is so amazing. It is no secret how much I look up to Lionel Richie, not only for his incredible music but also for the person he is on and off stage. What an honor.”

A 1986 Country Hit

According to a press release for the new single, Richie’s original collaboration with Alabama on “Deep River Woman” is “beloved for its soulful melody and blend of R&B and country influences,” while the new version “honors the song’s enduring appeal while showcasing the musical chemistry of three celebrated artists whose careers have helped shape the landscape of popular music.”

Richie joined Alabama to perform the song at the 1986 CMA Awards, while the single itself burned up the charts, peaking at No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and remaining in the top 100 for eight weeks), while also hitting No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and No. 28 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.

A Background in Country

While Richie is best known for his smooth 1970s hits with the Commodores (“Easy,” “Three Times a Lady”) and his string of solo pop hits in the ’80s (“Hello,” “Endless Love,” “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “All Night Long”), the Alabama native was initially influenced by the rich sounds of country music that permeated his home state.

“I grew up with the Grand Ole Opry, Dottie West, Conway Twitty, Buck Owens … not realizing it was influencing me as much as it was,” Richie recalled in a 2011 interview with The Boot.

“By growing up in Alabama, I had a melting pot of the whole pie: R&B, gospel, country. And not just outside of town, but right through the airwaves of my city,” he added. “So when I started writing, songs like ‘Stuck on You’ and ‘Easy [Like Sunday Morning]’ were actually country, but I didn’t even realize that was my influence … I didn’t realize that so many of my country artist friends use those songs as the template for their lives. And when Conway Twitty graced me with the fact that he wanted to record ‘Three Times a Lady,’ that was it.”