Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood joined forces to perform a touching tribute to the late Jimmy Carter as he was laid to rest on Thursday, January 9. The country music couple teamed up to sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” at the funeral service.
Brooks played his acoustic guitar and wore a black suit as he harmonized with his wife, who was also dressed in black for the somber occasion. The pair previously sang the same song at Carter’s wife Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November 2023. Brooks and Yearwood were close with the Carters due to their involvement in Habitat for Humanity.
The performance garnered mixed reactions from people online who were watching a stream of the funeral. While some thought it was a touching tribute, others felt like the song choice was bizarre.
“This performance by Garth & Trisha has me in full body goosebumps,” one supporter wrote on X, while someone else added, “Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood did that song proud. Both John and Jimmy would be proud.”
#SongOfTheDay
Imagine… the dreamers
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood did that song proud. Both John and Jimmy would be proud💖— hesouttamylife (@Ilive4u4me) January 9, 2025
Although sad, I enjoy watching dignitary funerals. This performance by Garth & Trisha has me in full body goosebumps.
— Krystal Blum (@KrystalBlum) January 9, 2025
However, a critic said, “Garth and Trisha singing “Imagine” is kind of odd,” and another jumped in to write, “Garth Brooks and Trisha yearwood Singing the worst song ever written. “Imagine” there’s no Heaven. It’s easy if you try. No thank you. What kind of funeral song is that?!”
Garth and Trisha singing “Imagine” is kind of odd.
— travis (@travisclones) January 9, 2025
Garth Brooks and Trisha yearwood Singing the worst song ever written. “Imagine” there’s no Heaven. It’s easy if you try.
No thank you. What kind of funeral song is that?!
— Angie Williams (@GrangiePatriot) January 9, 2025
Brooks and Yearwood’s performance came three months after his former hairstylist and makeup artist filed a lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault, including a specific allegation that he raped her in 2019. The “Friends in Low Places” singer has denied the allegations and claimed that the accuser — referred to as “Jane Roe” in the lawsuit — tried to blackmail him before publicly filing her accusations.
“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face,” he said in a statement in October 2024. “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of — ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”
To conclude his statement, Brooks added, “I want to continue our good deeds going forward. It breaks my heart [that] these wonderful things are in question now. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”