Holding back tears, this legendary country artist was visibly moved as he witnessed two close friends and amazing artists pay tribute to his incredible history in this once-in-a-lifetime performance.

The Gershwin Prize Awards Ceremony was an evening Willie Nelson will never forget, and some of country music’s most renowned figures attended in celebration of the man whose music has influenced millions.

November 18th, 2015, will be remembered as a remarkable day in country music history because the Library of Congress presented Willie Nelson with an award that acknowledges a level of brilliance in music that is seldom attained.

In an epic performance of “Seven Spanish Angels,” Alison Krauss and Jamey Johnson, two of Nelson’s closest friends, take the stage to sing one of his most popular hits and a timeless country classic.

Nelson and Ray Charles initially released this classic as a duet on the radio in November 1984 as the first single from Nelson’s album Half Nelson. The song was the most successful tune Charles ever released on the country charts.

This duet is one of the most dramatic interpretations of the song you’ve ever heard on stage.

Watch Jamey and Alison pay tribute to Willie Nelson in the video below.