The Best Country Music Songs For Easter
Inextricably linked with the gospel tradition, the country music songbook includes many sublime songs of praise.
Country music has always shared a deep connection with the church. The genre first emerged from the cultural tapestry of deeply religious rural America and many of its future stars grew up attending houses of God where they first sang the gospel songs they’d later record. Such songs of praise sound especially stirring at Easter, when the annual festival celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, so this feels like an appropriate time to present our selection of the best country songs for Easter.
Loretta Lynn – How Great Thou Art
Renowned for her devotion to the church, Kentucky-born country superstar Loretta Lynn released two finely-executed gospel albums during her 1960s heyday. Billboard described 1966’s U.S. Top 10 hit Hymns as “a glorious program of heartfelt performances” and it absolutely is, with its many highlights including Lynn’s poised version of the 19th century Swedish hymn “How Great Thou Art.” Her 1968 collection Who Said God Is Dead! also features notable recordings of classic hymns such as “The Old Rugged Cross” and the Easter/resurrection-related “In The Garden” and is equally worth seeking out.
Listen to Loretta Lynn’s Songs of Inspiration playlist.
Carrie Underwood – Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus
Country pop crossover star Carrie Underwood declared gospel to be “music that is near and dear to my heart” in advance PR for the release to her first inspirational music album My Savior in May 2021: an accomplished record of traditional gospel covers that peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Underwood’s touching rendition of the resurrection-related spiritual “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” is surely the mandatory inclusion among a gathering of the best country songs for Easter, though the whole album is well worthy of consideration.
Barbara Mandrell – What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Barbara Mandrell’s signature hits such as “Tonight My Baby’s Coming Home” and her cover of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)” reflect her skill in blending country with soul and R&B. However, she found a whole new audience with her acclaimed first contemporary gospel album He Set My Life To Music in 1982. Winning a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance, the record arguably peaked with Mandrell and B.J. Thomas’ show-stopping duet on the 19th century Christian hymn “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”: a song which has spawned covers by Bing Crosby and Aretha Franklin among others.
Listen to Barbara Mandrell’s Songs of Inspiration playlist.
Kenny Rogers – Amazing Grace
A Top 10 hit on both Billboard’s Country and Christian Albums charts, Kenny Rogers’ 2011 gospel album The Love Of God featured an engaging mix of well-established spirituals (“Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” “What a Friend We Have In Jesus,”) and contemporary gospel songs such as Vince Gill’s “The Rock Of Your Love” and Rogers’ own “The Gospel Truth.” Arguably its apogee, though, was Rogers’ dignified version of “Amazing Grace,” clergyman and poet John Newton’s seemingly ageless 18th century hymn which has also lent itself to covers by fellow country trailblazers Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
Listen to Kenny Rogers’ Songs of Inspiration playlist.
Glen Campbell – We Call On Him
Widely acclaimed U.S. singer-songwriter Glen Campbell’s generously-appointed catalog is liberally laced with songs of a spiritual bent. Releases such as 1991’s Show Me Your Way and ‘94’s The Boy In Me lean heavily upon inspirational music, while further gospel-inclined songs such as “Jesus On Your Mind,” “Amazing Grace” and “Oh Happy Day” are features of his wider discography. One of his finest spiritual recordings, however, is surely “Call On Me,” a digital duet with Elvis Presley from the acclaimed rarities collection Glen Campbell Sings For The King, released via Capitol/UMe in November 2018.
Listen to Glen Campbell’s Songs of Inspiration playlist.
Alan Jackson – In The Garden
The first artist to sign with the then newly-formed Nashville branch of Arista Records in 1989, Alan Jackson has gone on to become one of country’s biggest names. Raised in a Southern Baptist environment, he was exposed to gospel music from an early age and he repaid the debt by recording his first fully-fledged gospel album, the platinum-certified Precious Memories, in 2006. A consummate collection of traditional hymns and spirituals, the album was especially notable for Jackson’s dignified version of C. Austin Miles’ “In The Garden”: one of the best country songs for Easter as it directly reflects on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on Easter Sunday.
The Statler Brothers – There Is Power In The Blood
Despite their name, The Statler Brothers only included two real life brothers (Don and Harold Reid) and none of them had the surname Statler. Nonetheless, the Virginian quartet made a fine fist of blending gospel harmonies with traditional country music and most of their 37 studio albums feature at least one gospel-inclined tune. Arguably at their most potent during the 1970s and 80s, the Statlers enjoyed U.S. Top 40 success with albums such as 1975’s The Holy Bible – New Testament and ‘86’s Radio Gospel Favorites: the latter including an especially potent rendition of Lewis E. Jones’ enduring late 19th century hymn “There Is Power In The Blood.”
Listen to The Statler Brothers’ Songs of Inspiration playlist.
Reba McEntire – Jesus Loves Me
Oklahoman Queen of Country Reba McEntire has always identified as a devout Christian and her faith has inspired some of her most acclaimed music in recent years. She won a Grammy and scored a Billboard 200 Top 5 success with 2017’s Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith & Hope, some of which was reprised – along with several new gospel-based recordings – for 2022’s My Chains Are Gone. Both records feature a heady mix of traditional hymns (“Oh Happy Day,” “Amazing Grace”) and newly-penned songs (“Angel On My Shoulder,” “I Got The Lord On My Side,”) though Reba’s heart-melting take of the much-loved hymn “Jesus Loves Me” is very much a highlight of both releases.
Luke Bryan – Jesus ‘Bout My Kids
Luke Bryan has released a string of songs with spiritual undertones, ranging from “Pray About Everything” (from his 2007 debut I’ll Stay Me) through to 2022’s “Prayin’ In a Deer Stand.” More recently, the best-selling Georgia-born, Nashville-based artist referred more explicitly to his faith with “Jesus ‘Bout My Kids”: a plaintive, roots-y ballad from his 2024 album Mind Of A Country Boy which succeeds thanks to its sparse acoustic backdrop, Bryan’s heartfelt vocal delivery and an affecting lyric about keeping your family safe – a topic that resonates with most folk regardless of religion.
Listen to Luke Bryan’s Easter songs playlist.
George Strait – I Saw God Today
Legendary Texan country star George Strait currently holds the record for the number of Number one songs on all charts by an artist in any genre, with one of those 60 songs, “I Saw God Today” representing one of his most successful ventures into Christian music. The lead single from Strait’s 2008 album Troubadour, “I Saw God” became his 43rd Billboard No. 1 and its heartfelt lyric supports the idea that we can all see God in all life’s wonders (from the colors of a sunset to a new-born baby), with the song’s universal message ensuring “I Saw God Today” remains one of the best country songs for Easter – or indeed for any time of the year.
Listen to George Strait’s Faith in God Above playlist.
Josh Turner – I Saw The Light
It’s been widely documented how pioneering country music star Hank Williams frequently fought his demons during his tragically short life, but his wonderful gospel-tinged standard “I Saw The Light” (which quotes from the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew about Jesus’ resurrection) has enjoyed a remarkable afterlife thanks to covers by stars including Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. More recently, South Carolina’s Josh Turner cut the song in 2018 for his U.S. Billboard Country Albums Top 3 hit I Serve A Savior and turned in a rousing take of this classic tune about a sinner praying for redemption and rebirth.
