Jennifer Nettles delivered one of the most emotional musical moments of the 25th anniversary of September 11 when she performed Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain” at the official commemoration ceremony in New York City. The Sugarland singer performed for families gathered to remember loved ones lost in the attacks.
The ceremony was held on September 11, 2026, at the World Trade Center site. Nettles’ choice of song carried particular weight because Gill’s country classic has become closely associated with grief, remembrance and saying goodbye.
Nettles was accompanied by Emily Fink and Naomi Serrano on harmony vocals, with Adam Rothenberg playing piano. The understated arrangement kept the focus on the voices and the meaning of the song rather than turning the tribute into a large production.
Before performing, Nettles did something especially meaningful: she reached out to Vince Gill himself. She later revealed that Gill had given her his blessing to perform his deeply personal song during the 9/11 commemoration.
Nettles also used three memorable words to describe Gill’s composition, calling it an “amazing modern hymn.” For a song that has been heard at countless funerals and memorials over the past three decades, her description reflected the special place it has earned for people experiencing loss.
Gill originally began writing “Go Rest High on That Mountain” following the 1989 death of country singer Keith Whitley. He struggled to complete it until his older brother Bob died in 1993, when his own grief inspired him to return to the unfinished song.
Released in 1995, the song went on to become one of Gill’s most enduring recordings. It won Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and in 2025 it was certified double-platinum.
Its cultural significance has continued to grow. In May 2026, “Go Rest High on That Mountain” was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, recognizing its cultural, historical or aesthetic importance to America’s recorded-sound heritage.
For Nettles, however, performing the song at Ground Zero was about much more than its awards or musical history. She later described how difficult it was to sing while looking at families carrying decades of grief, explaining that intense emotion can physically affect a singer’s ability to use their voice.
Still, Nettles believed singing through that emotion was part of what she had been asked to do. She said it was an honor to try to provide comfort and connection to the people gathered at the ceremony, making the performance as much an act of support as a musical appearance.
The performance also carried another powerful connection between Gill’s personal story and the families listening to Nettles. Gill created the song through experiences of losing people close to him; decades later, Nettles used that same music to honor families who have continued living with the loss of September 11.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, Nettles’ tribute demonstrated why music remains such an important part of remembrance. With Gill’s blessing and a song she considers an “amazing modern hymn,” she turned a country classic born from personal grief into a message of comfort for thousands still remembering the people they lost.
