Rory Feek Fulfills Promise to His Late Wife By Attending The Grammys

CBN
02-13-2017

Share This article

When Rory Feek accepted the award for Best Roots Gospel Album, he was fulfilling a promise he made to his late wife Joey. 

Last year, the pair was nominated for best country duo/group performance, but they watched the awards show from home because Joey was battling stage-four cancer.

They lost to Little Big Town and Joey told Rory that if they ever got another nomination he should attend the ceremony.

She died one month later at the age of 40.

In his acceptance speech he told the crowd, "This is for my wife." 

Later he told USA Today, "There's so much I could say or I could've said when I went up on stage but I felt like I just needed to tell the story of how we got here and what this means," Feek said. "It's just so special to know that this was my wife's last album that she would get to record filled with the hymns she grew up with. And, it's not only done well out there the market place but it's brought us here and we've just won a grammy together - even if we're not together, together."

"I'm always telling her story. It's just what I love to do.  You know, there's so much more story to tell. Just because she's not here doesn't mean she can't make a difference," Feek went on to say.

Their album, Joey + Rory, won the award for their album "Hymns." 

"She said 'if we get nominated promise me you will come,' and I said 'I will," Rory recalled during the speech. "She had a big smile on her face and she said 'remember if we win I'll know before you will."

The crowd erupted in applause and social media was buzzing with heartfelt responses to the emotional speech. 

One fan said: "Seeing the ever so sweet #JoeyFeek picture on #Grammys just melted my heart and made me so happy."

Another fan said "Really happy to see #RoryFeek take the Grammy and honor the memory of his sweet wife Joey. 

The album "Hymns" was created as Joey was undergoing cancer treatment. It was recorded in hotel rooms whenever she had the strength to sing.

"It was hard for her, but it was a reprieve for her because she loved those songs so much," Rory said. "In the midst of hard things she was dealing with, that was the thing she was really excited about."

"Hymns" hit the top of Billboard's country albums chart when it was released last February and became one of the top-selling country albums of the year.

Rory said he is no longer writing songs, playing the guitar, or singing, but he is finding another way to tell their story.

"This Life I Live" will be published on Valentine's Day. It tells the story of Rory's life, including how he met a woman named Joey Martin.

"Our first date was on Valentine's Day in 2002, so that's 15 years to the day," Rory said. "This one will be special, too, because she'll be with me and we'll be sharing more of our story and she would love that. She would absolutely love that."

 

Share This article