The American Idol judges revisit Richie’s 1986 country collaboration with Alabama following their performance during the show's Season 24 finale.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: November 13, 2026
Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan have released a live recording of “Deep River Woman,” bringing their performance from the Season 24 finale of American Idol to streaming platforms.
The three judges performed the song together during the May 11, 2026, finale. Their rendition is now available as “Deep River Woman - Live” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other major 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.”
Underwood also reflected on the collaboration.
“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 described the experience as another milestone in his career.
“Another ‘pinch me’ moment,” Bryan said. “To be asked to sing on a live version of this iconic hit with two other iconic artists is so amazing. 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.”
The Country Music History Behind “Deep River Woman”
Richie originally recorded “Deep River Woman” with country group Alabama for his 1986 album Dancing on the Ceiling. The collaboration brought together Richie's R&B background and Alabama's country harmonies, with the song reaching No. 10 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.
Richie later revisited the song for his 2012 country duets album Tuskegee, recording a new version with Little Big Town.
Four decades after its original release, “Deep River Woman” has brought Richie together with two more country artists, this time through their shared roles on American Idol.