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“How Great Thou Art”: The Last Duet of the Bluegrass Duo Joey + Rory

“How Great Thou Art”: The Last Duet of the Bluegrass Duo Joey + Rory
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

In 2016, the bluegrass duo Joey + Rory released their version of the hit gospel song “How Great Thou Art” as part of their album, Hymns

The song was originally released as a Swedish hymn in 1885 by Carl Boberg. It talks about the greatness and majesties of God’s creation. Due to its profound meaning, it didn’t take too long before country singers released their version of the song. 

Among them was the bluegrass duo Joey + Rory, who are known for their works, such as “Born to Be Your Woman” and “That’s Important to Me.” Their version of “How Great Thou Art,” in particular, made it to the charts, landing at the top spot of the Billboard Top Country Albums and Christian Albums Chart – making it one of Joey + Rory’s greatest hits

Joey + Rory’s Heart-touching Rendition

Considered one of the recorded gospel hymns of all time, Joey + Rory made sure to give their best when they released their version in 2016. Compared to the other versions, the duo’s cover has that hint of bluegrass feel. 

While Rory plays his guitar, she sings each verse with her raspy country voice. As a woman in the industry, it is quite rare for listeners to hear female country singers singing in a low tune. However, Rory proved to everyone that she has a talent for adapting to different singing styles, making her one of the most talented singers of all time. 

However, that is not the only thing that made this song a hit to many. Joey + Rory’s cover of the song marked a significant meaning to their fans since the same year it was released was also the year when Joey died after two years of battling with cervical cancer. 

Since the meaning of the song talks about the beautiful things God has created, as one of the last hymns the duet released, fans just use this song as their strength to mourn over Joey. As beautiful as the song’s cover can be, the death of Joey didn’t end her musical greatness. 

So if you haven’t checked out their cover yet, you can watch Joey + Rory’s heart-touching cover of “How Great Thou Art” below. 

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