Jennifer Hudson Performs 'Inseparable' With 'American Idol' Winner Candice Glover
Kellie Pickler Advances to 'Dancing With the Stars' Finals
Tim McGraw's 'Superstar Summer Night' Special to Air May 19
Tim McGraw Stops Atlanta Show to Help Ailing Fan
Taylor Swift Admired George Jones' Passion for Performing
12 Common Workout Myths Debunked
Carrie Underwood Says She's 'Queen of Awkward' in Marie Claire Interview
Powerball Jackpot Winning Ticket Purchased In Florida
Mario Announces Nicki Minaj Collaboration, 'Somebody Else'
Courtney Stodden Has A Sex Tape
Beyonce Close to Tears While Thanking Fans at Belgium Show
River Lost 150 Pounds: 'There Is Hope. Grab Onto It'
Rock the Bells 2013 Lineup Includes Ol' Dirty Bastard & Eazy-E Holograms
LOOK: Dolphins Make Rare Underwater Find
Lil Wayne's Emmett Till Lyric Was Never Meant for Public Consumption
PHOTOS:Eva Longoria's Almost Wardrobe Malfunction At Cannes
How Kidnapping Suspect Passes Time Behind Bars
Radio Host Makes Shocking Claim About Shooting Hillary Clinton
Police Investigate Student Shooting Death
Obama Approval Rating Not Hurt By Scandals
These American Companies Refused To Sign The Bangladesh Safety Accord
All The Pics: Jessica Ennis Marries Andy Hill
Mom Thought Family Was Being Stalked By 'Demonic Presences': Cops
Winning Powerball Numbers
LOOK: National Geographic's Stunning Photo Contest
Suspected PayPal Hackers Seek Deal To Stay Out Of Prison
Do Kimye's Baby Shower Invitations Reveal Something?
The Worst Job Interview Mistakes
You Can Blame Hipsters For That $7 Bud Light
PHOTOS: Aishwarya Rai's Cannes Style Evolution
Guess Which State Boasts The Most Million-Dollar Homes?
Former OJ Attorney Gives Shocking Testimony
McDonald's Store Owners Fear Fast Food Chain Becoming Too Slow
Michael Ochs Archive
Vince Gill, Amy Grant, the Oak Ridge Boys, Brenda Lee, "Hee Haw" stars Roy Clark and LuLu Roman and Opry legend Jeannie Seely were among those on hand to share personal reminiscences of both Minnie Pearl and Sarah Cannon, with music and video tributes throughout the night. The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation, founded in 1987 and given the performer's name with her blessing after she survived cancer in 1992, was the beneficiary of the evening's ticket sales, with proceeds helping to fund the organization in their efforts to support adults dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
In addition to video presentations from Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart and others, musical selections were offered by the Oaks, who performed a spine-chilling "Amazing Grace" and LuLu Roman, who sang a soulful "At Last," after sharing the story of the day Sarah first met future husband Henry Cannon, who immediately insisted he would marry her one day, much to her initial horror. At the time of her death in 1996, the couple had been married 49 years.
Comedienne Anita Renfroe shared Minnie's influence on her as a young girl growing up watching her on television, Vince Gill performed Minnie's favorite song, "You Are My Sunshine," and Senator Lamar Alexander (the Cannon's former next-door neighbor in Nashville when he was governor of Tennessee), talked about the moment he realized that tour buses were slowing down by the governor's mansion to see Minnie Pearl's house, not his! Jeannie Seely proudly showed off a hat that was one of 100 hand-made for "Hats Off to Minnie," a TV tribute to the then-ailing star in 1992. Jeannie explained that although she had lost many of her possessions in the 2010 Nashville flood, she was relieved that the hat was among the few things she was able to retrieve. "I think there was a reason why I didn't lose this hat, so that's why I brought it here tonight," she said, to thunderous applause. (On a personal note, the hats for that TV special -- and the ones sold for several years at Minnie's gift shop -- were made by this writer's mother.)
In another of the evening's heartfelt moments, Brenda said of Sarah Cannon, "She was quoted as saying, 'cancer can change your life at the drop of a hat, and I know that because it's changed mine.' And never has this been more poignant to me than right now because my husband Ronnie has been fighting the cancer battle for three years now. So the work of the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation is particularly important to us on this day."
Amy provided one of the evening's funniest moments, at her husband's expense, recalling that when she first told Minnie she was interested in Vince, she cautioned the singer, "Be aware of the fact that he does have a weight problem."
Amy closed the program by singing the heart-tugging "I Will Remember You." And whether through her life-changing philanthropy or her crowd-pleasing comedy, it's certain that Sarah Cannon, who died in 1996 at age 83, and Minnie Pearl, who will live forever (her Country Music Hall of Fame plaque, in fact, bears no death date), will be remembered and treasured for generations to come.
Watch Minnie Pearl on 'The Johnny Cash Show'
