Eddie Vedder, Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris, and More Honor Leslie Jordan at Opry Tribute

On Sunday, February 19th Nashville gathered together at the Grand Ole Opry to pay respect to the late Leslie Jordan at the Reportin' For Duty tribute. All proceeds from the event went towards funding research for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB): a cause close to Jordan's heart.

Hosted by comedian Leanne Morgan, the night brought together artists, actors, and comedians alike to celebrate Leslie Jordan at an iconic venue that he cherished. And as Morgan put it in her opening sentiments, Jordan's tribute brought together "the most eclectic group to grace the Opry stage."

Tanya Tucker kicked it off walking onto the stage with a sequined rainbow jacket fit for the occasion. She sang her hit song "Delta Dawn" which was one of Jordan's favorite tracks.

Before announcing Maren Morris, actor Max Greenfield spoke of the Opry and Nashville as a whole stating, "You gave him peace." When Morris graced the stage, she sang the moving track "What Would This World Do?" with her husband Ryan Hurd. After her performance, she shared, "I know that he would want us to keep chasing rainbows even with clouds in the sky."

The night wasn't filled with sadness as one might expect, every person who stood on stage made sure to highlight funny moments and cherished memories with Leslie; a compilation of his best Instagram moments was also projected. Even Dolly Parton sent a video message in which she spoke about what she and Jordan have in common: "We were little, we were crazy, we wanted to go to heaven."

One of the most powerful moments of the evening arrived when Fancy Hagood performed Vince Gill's "Go Rest High On That Mountain." Before he sang his first note, he shared that the last time he saw Leslie was at the Opry when they watched Gill perform together. He dedicated his performance to all queer kids in the state of Tennessee.

Actress and author Mayim Bialik, who had worked with Jordan on the show Call Me Kat spoke on Jordan's bright personality, his never-ending legacy, and his charity work, specifically his outreach during the AIDs crisis in the 90s.

Following performances came from Ashley McBryde who sang "Girl Goin' Nowhere," Jelly Roll got choked up during his staging of "Son Of A Sinner," and Lainey Wilson crooned "Heart Like A Truck" to a giddy crowd.

Brothers Osborne performed "I'm Not For Everyone:" Jordan starred in the music video for the track when it was released in 2021. Jordan had also taken the stage with Brothers Osborne at the Opry previously. After their first song, TJ Osborne shared sentimental thoughts before diving into the emotional ballad, "Younger Me."

Actor Jim Parsons gave a touching yet hilarious speech about Leslie before ending it with, "He was extraordinary because he was so human." He then invited Peal Jam's frontman Eddie Vedder to the stage. Vedder worked closely with Jordan for the charity EB Research Partnership. The two, along with Vedder's family, had become extremely close. Joined with Lukas Nelson, the two performed "Maybe It's Time," a track Jason Isbell had written for the A Star Is Born soundtrack. In between songs, Vedder spoke candidly about Jordan and his influence sharing, "Tonight is just another example of his huge heart and influence."

The show concluded with all of the artists from the night coming on stage to perform a jubilant version of "I Shall Be Released." Alongside a choir, the group's voices rang so loud they could be heard from the heavens.

For more information about EB and to get involved and donate, visit their website here.

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