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Mickey Guyton delivered an empowering tribute to the late Queen of Rock n’ Roll, Tina Turner, during CMT’s inaugural, genre-blending TV special that celebrates trailblazing female artists. The first-ever CMT SMASHING GLASS: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music, honoring the legendary Patti LaBelle and Tanya Tucker, spotlighted Turner and two other late legends during the televised special on Wednesday evening (November 15).
Guyton took the stage in a shimmering gold dress to perform her rendition Turner’s iconic late 1980s anthem, “The Best.” Guyton shared that she “had the honor of paying tribute to Tina Turner,” during the Smashing Glass special.
“Tina Turner was such a trailblazer, and she was so far outside of the box of anything anybody imagined for her, and she existed in such an incredible way,” Guyton said, per CMT. “I didn't live her story, but I feel like there's so many similarities that maybe that's why they asked me to sing.”
Turner died following a long illness at her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, a spokesperson for the global icon confirmed on May 24. She was 83. Guyton was one of many country artists to pay tribute to the late Queen of Rock n’ Roll, along with Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and others.
Aretha Franklin and Sinead O’Connor were also honored during the inaugural CMT Smashing Glass special. Those iconic artists did in 2018 and in July 2023, respectively. The star-studded show honoring LaBelle and Tucker also included Amber Riley, Billie Jean King, Chris Janson, Clint Black, Fancy Hagood, Ledisi, Lucie Silvas, Sheryl Crow and The War & Treaty. Watch Guyton’s tribute here: