“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”

Introduction

Joey Feek’s rendition of “Softly and Tenderly” is more than just a song; it’s a heartfelt expression of faith and resilience during one of the most challenging periods of her life. In 2015, amid her battle with Stage IV cervical cancer, Joey, alongside her husband Rory, embarked on recording an album of cherished hymns—a project she had long dreamed of. Despite the grueling treatments, her commitment to this endeavor remained unwavering.

The recording sessions were intimate and poignant. Set up in a modest hotel room near the Cancer Treatment Center in Atlanta, Joey would return from daily chemotherapy and radiation treatments to lay down vocals for the album. This humble setting became a sanctuary where music and faith intertwined, offering solace and purpose. Rory reflected on this experience, noting, “Since we aren’t home and won’t be home much in the next month or so, we set up a small microphone here in the hotel room and in between treatments and taking care of little Indy, Joey’s been singing the songs that mean the most to her.”

“Softly and Tenderly,” a classic hymn, holds a special place in this collection. Joey’s rendition is imbued with a serene strength, her voice conveying both vulnerability and unwavering faith. The accompanying video offers a glimpse into these recording moments, capturing Joey’s grace and determination. It also features tender interactions with their daughter, Indiana, highlighting the profound love and support within their family.

Video

Lyrics

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See, on the portals he’s waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home
O for the wonderful love he has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
So come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home!
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home

Related Post

Perhaps the most famous—and dramatic—story is Kris Kristofferson’s unbelievable “dropped from the sky” introduction to Johnny Cash. In the late 1960s, Kristofferson—then an unknown young songwriter working as a janitor at Columbia Records in Nashville—had tried repeatedly to hand his demos to Cash, but always failed. His tapes would routinely get lost among the countless recordings the “Man in Black” received. Determined, Kristofferson—who’d served as a helicopter pilot in the military—took a daring step. During a National Guard training flight, he secretly altered the flight plan, piloted the helicopter himself, and landed it right in the yard of Johnny Cash’s home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. There are a few versions of what happened next. Cash often joked that Kristofferson emerged from the helicopter with a demo tape in one hand and a beer in the other. Kristofferson, however, insists he never drank beer while flying and wasn’t even sure Cash was home at the time. Whatever the precise truth, this audacious stunt worked beyond anyone’s imagination—it grabbed Johnny Cash’s attention in a powerful way. Not long after, Cash invited Kristofferson onstage at the Newport Folk Festival, and, most significantly, decided to record Kristofferson’s song “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” That recording became a chart-topping hit, won the Country Music Association’s “Song of the Year,” and officially catapulted Kris Kristofferson to stardom.

You Missed

Perhaps the most famous—and dramatic—story is Kris Kristofferson’s unbelievable “dropped from the sky” introduction to Johnny Cash. In the late 1960s, Kristofferson—then an unknown young songwriter working as a janitor at Columbia Records in Nashville—had tried repeatedly to hand his demos to Cash, but always failed. His tapes would routinely get lost among the countless recordings the “Man in Black” received. Determined, Kristofferson—who’d served as a helicopter pilot in the military—took a daring step. During a National Guard training flight, he secretly altered the flight plan, piloted the helicopter himself, and landed it right in the yard of Johnny Cash’s home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. There are a few versions of what happened next. Cash often joked that Kristofferson emerged from the helicopter with a demo tape in one hand and a beer in the other. Kristofferson, however, insists he never drank beer while flying and wasn’t even sure Cash was home at the time. Whatever the precise truth, this audacious stunt worked beyond anyone’s imagination—it grabbed Johnny Cash’s attention in a powerful way. Not long after, Cash invited Kristofferson onstage at the Newport Folk Festival, and, most significantly, decided to record Kristofferson’s song “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” That recording became a chart-topping hit, won the Country Music Association’s “Song of the Year,” and officially catapulted Kris Kristofferson to stardom.