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Keith Urban carried on his tradition of honoring musicians who died in the past year by performing a medley of their hits during his New Year’s Eve headlining concert in Nashville this week.
The singer-guitarist began the seven-minute medley with Roxette‘s “It Must Have Been Love.” The Swedish band’s singer Marie Fredriksson died at 61 on December 9th. From there, Urban dove into the Captain & Tenille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together” in honor of the Captain, Daryl Dragon. “Just Once” for James Ingram and a rendition of 1956’s “Que Sera, Sera” as tribute to Doris Day, who died in May, followed. Urban also tackled “I’m a Believer” for the Monkees’ Peter Tork.
One of the more emotional entries was “H.O.L.Y.,” the Florida Georgia Line hit co-written by Nashville producer and writer Busbee, who died in September at age 43. “I love you, Busbee,” Urban ad-libbed at the song’s end.
Other tributes included “Sunshine of Your Love” for Cream’s Ginger Baker, “Baby Hold On to Me” and “Two Tickets to Paradise” for Eddie Money, and a pair of classics by the Cars: “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “You Might Think,” performed for Ric Ocasek. The singer, songwriter and guitarist died at age 75 in September.
Urban headlined Nashville’s New Year’s celebration for a fourth consecutive year and welcomed Stevie Nicks as a special guest. Together, they performed the Nicks and Tom Petty duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” as well as “Second Hand News” and “Edge of Seventeen.”
