American Idol fans are getting a new song from three familiar faces. Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan have teamed up to release their live version of Richie’s classic hit “Deep River Woman.”
The new single arrived on Friday, November 13, just as American Idol prepares to enter its landmark 25th season.
The song comes from a memorable performance during the previous season’s finale, when Richie was joined by fellow judges Underwood and Bryan onstage. The trio performed “Deep River Woman,” giving the country-influenced classic a new moment in front of Idol fans.
Richie originally recorded the song with Alabama in 1986. Now, nearly four decades later, the live American Idol version is available on streaming services.
“‘Deep River Woman’ has always been a special song to me, and getting to perform it with my fellow judges at the ‘Idol’ finale made it even more meaningful,” Richie said.
“There’s nothing like getting together with great friends and making music. Now, we get to share that moment with everybody, and I hope fans enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed singing it together,” he added.
Underwood also shared her excitement about the release.
“What an honor it was to perform a classic Lionel Richie track with the legendary Lionel Richie and our buddy Luke, and I’m thrilled that our live version of it will live on,” she said.
Bryan called the collaboration another special moment in his career.
“Another ‘pinch me’ moment,” he said. “To be asked to sing on a live version of this iconic hit with two other iconic artists is so amazing.”
Bryan also spoke about his admiration for Richie, both as a musician and as a person.
“It is no secret how much I look up to Lionel Richie, not only for his incredible music but also for the person he is on and off stage. What an honor,” he said.
Lionel Richie Has Deep Country Roots
Although Richie became one of pop music’s biggest stars, “Deep River Woman” has strong country roots.
Richie first performed the song with Alabama at the 1986 CMA Awards. The single later reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for eight weeks. It also climbed to No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and No. 28 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
The original song became known for its soulful sound and mix of R&B and country influences. The new American Idol version keeps that spirit while bringing together three artists with very different careers but a shared connection to country music.
For Richie, that connection goes back to his childhood in Alabama.
The singer grew up listening to country music and the Grand Ole Opry, along with artists such as Dottie West, Conway Twitty and Buck Owens. He later explained that country music was one of several sounds that shaped him before he fully understood its influence on his songwriting.
“I grew up with the Grand Ole Opry, Dottie West, Conway Twitty, Buck Owens … not realizing it was influencing me as much as it was,” Richie recalled in a 2011 interview.
He also described growing up in Alabama as a musical mix of R&B, gospel and country.
“By growing up in Alabama, I had a melting pot of the whole pie: R&B, gospel, country. And not just outside of town, but right through the airwaves of my city,” Richie said.
Richie explained that songs such as “Stuck on You” and “Easy” were influenced by country music, even though he did not realize it at the time. He later saw how strongly his music connected with country artists, especially after Conway Twitty recorded “Three Times a Lady.”
Now, Richie is bringing that country influence back into the spotlight with Underwood and Bryan on a new version of “Deep River Woman,” giving American Idol fans another chance to hear the three judges perform together.
