Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood Perform ‘Imagine’ at Jimmy Carter’s Funeral & People Have Mixed Reactions (VIDEO)

Alyssa Norwin
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Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks perform onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood joined forces to perform a touching tribute to the late Jimmy Carter as he was laid to rest on Thursday, January 9. The country music couple teamed up to sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” at the funeral service.

Brooks played his acoustic guitar and wore a black suit as he harmonized with his wife, who was also dressed in black for the somber occasion. The pair previously sang the same song at Carter’s wife Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November 2023. Brooks and Yearwood were close with the Carters due to their involvement in Habitat for Humanity.

The performance garnered mixed reactions from people online who were watching a stream of the funeral. While some thought it was a touching tribute, others felt like the song choice was bizarre.

“This performance by Garth & Trisha has me in full body goosebumps,” one supporter wrote on X, while someone else added, “Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood did that song proud. Both John and Jimmy would be proud.”

However, a critic said, “Garth and Trisha singing “Imagine” is kind of odd,” and another jumped in to write, “Garth Brooks and Trisha yearwood Singing the worst song ever written. “Imagine” there’s no Heaven. It’s easy if you try. No thank you. What kind of funeral song is that?!”

Brooks and Yearwood’s performance came three months after his former hairstylist and makeup artist filed a lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault, including a specific allegation that he raped her in 2019. The “Friends in Low Places” singer has denied the allegations and claimed that the accuser — referred to as “Jane Roe” in the lawsuit — tried to blackmail him before publicly filing her accusations.

“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face,” he said in a statement in October 2024. “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of — ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”

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To conclude his statement, Brooks added, “I want to continue our good deeds going forward. It breaks my heart [that] these wonderful things are in question now. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”

Garth BrooksJimmy CarterJohn LennonTrisha Yearwood



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  1. G

    GoldButterfly

    Just to point out what I thought was made obvious, Jimmy Carter himself designed his funeral and specifically requested that his friends Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sing "Imagine."

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      GreenToast

      Still a bad funeral song.

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      GreenHat

      Bravo ! , yes I watched service and it was said , " Imagine" was Jimmy Carter's request

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    Antonio Montealegre

    Loved Garth and Trisha and the whole funeral of Jimmy Carter. I even tolerated The Donald's appearance though I was distracted by how bored he seemed part of the time...

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  3. A

    Arben70

    I didn't watch the video but just want to point out that quoting "Imagine there's no Heaven..." doesn't get you the full story behind the lyric, which throws in "no Hell below us" and ends with "Imagine all the people living for today" — making the song's point that, never mind the afterlife, let's focus on what we can know of and effect change upon for ourselves and others in this world.

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    OlivePlanet

    touching tribute to a man who dedicated his life to not just imaging the world as a better place, but lending his heart and hands to working toward that goal. rest in peace

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    GoldCar

    I think people should mind their own business and respect others choices. Everyone knows that dignitary funerals are carefully planned and monitored. Obviously the family and Jimmy himself knew this was to be sung at his funeral. It was beautiful, and tastefully performed by Jimmy's dear friends.

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    GreenToast

    I think the song is fine. The singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood had to have endorsement from the funeral committee even if President Jimmy Carter had not made his choice. Therefore, I think we shouldn't criticize the singers.

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    CyanFish

    I love that song! My son requested it to be played at his funeral & we did. It was 26 years ago.

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    GreenApple

    why does the court battle have anything to do with Carter's funeral? oh that's right because the performance that was requested by the President himself, isn't actually news!

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