JFH News: Tanya Tucker and Dennis Quaid Make Grand Ole Opry History with First-Ever Video World Premiere Event for "On My Way to Heaven"

Tanya Tucker and Dennis Quaid Make Grand Ole Opry History with First-Ever Video World Premiere Event for "On My Way to Heaven" Featuring One of Kris Kristofferson's Final Filmed Performances

Audio Single and Official Music Video Now Available from Gaither Music Group

Dennis Quaid and Tanya Tucker at the �On My Way to Heaven� after-party at Robert�s Western World; photo credit Caleb Herring

NEWS SOURCE: The Press House
June 23, 2026

NASHVILLE (June 23, 2026) -- On Saturday, June 20, Country Music Hall of Fame member Tanya Tucker and acclaimed actor, singer-songwriter and musician Dennis Quaid made Grand Ole Opry history, joining fans for the first video world premiere event in the Opry's 100-year history with the debut of the official music video for "On My Way to Heaven." The video and audio project was a historic collaboration which featured one of Kris Kristofferson's final filmed performances before his passing in 2024. The evening's performance included Dennis Quaid singing, "Fallen," from his Gaither Music project, Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners, released in July 2023 and Tucker singing "Texas (When I Die)." Tucker also performed her unreleased version of "Moment of Forever" (written by Kristofferson and Danny Timms) in honor of Kristofferson's birthday on June 22. The Opry finale was a performance of Tucker's signature song, "Delta Dawn," where she was joined on stage by Quaid, T. Graham Brown, and Presley Tanita Tucker. Gaither Music Group and Sun Label Group hosted an after-party event at Robert's Western World's Green Room where Quaid and Tucker shared the backstory of the project, working with Kris, and the vision for this filmic video and audio recording in 2019.

Released by Gaither Music Group, "On My Way to Heaven" brings together three unmistakable voices across music and film for a deeply personal meditation on grace, redemption and the roads that lead us home. Written by Quaid and directed by John Carter Cash, the project features Tucker, Quaid and Kristofferson in a redemptive cinematic portrayal that honors faith, friendship and legacy.

During the special Opry appearance, Tucker and Quaid introduced the music video before its public release and performed together from the historic Nashville stage.

"This film and song have such a deep message, and I want to share this song and film with the world. Everybody needs to hear it, because it's for everyone. Because hopefully, we're all on our way to heaven," said Tucker. "When we started working on the project, I had an opportunity to work with Kris Kristofferson. This is one of the last projects he worked on before he went to Heaven. And I'm so grateful that we had that opportunity. Dennis Quaid also starred in the video and he wrote the lyrics. John Carter Cash directed it. It was a once in a lifetime moment to make a piece of art with a group of artists and creatives. That will never happen again. It's a beautiful moment frozen in time."

"Recording 'On My Way to Heaven' with Kris Kristofferson and Tanya Tucker was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career," said Quaid. "I wrote this song as a reflection on redemption, sobriety, faith, and the journey of finding peace after life's struggles. Having Kris lend his voice to it during what became his final recording session was an extraordinary honor and something I'll always treasure. Kris brought a depth, wisdom, and authenticity that only he could. Sharing this moment with both Kris and Tanya made the song even more special, and I'm deeply grateful to have been part of creating this lasting musical memory."

"Tonight we made history on one of THE most iconic stages in the music industry: the Grand Ole Opry. One of the things we value most is bringing artists together for deeply meaningful projects, and 'On My Way to Heaven' is a special example of that," said Paul Sizelove, President, Sun Label Group and Gaither Music Group. "Tanya, Dennis, Kris, and John Carter Cash each brought their own voice and perspective. Together, they created something that reflects the legacy each of them carries and captures a rare moment when those worlds came together. We're honored to help bring a project like this to audiences and give them the chance to experience it."

Stream the "On My Way to Heaven" audio single and watch the official music video here:

About Gaither Music Group:

One of the largest Independent Christian music companies in the world and a household name for millions of fans, Gaither Music Group (part of Sun Label Group, which encompasses Gaither Music, Sun Records, Green Hill, emeraldwave by Green Hill, and Rural Rhythm), in partnership with Primary Wave Music Publishing, is known worldwide for its award-winning and top-selling recordings, including the Gaither Gospel Series, of which 133 products have been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum.

These recordings, which encompass more than 200 video copyrights, showcase gospel music pioneers; many of the finest performers in the gospel and country genres; up-and-coming acts; and country artists including Travis Tritt, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fortune, Joey+Rory, Alabama, Alan Jackson, The Statler Brothers, George Jones, Vince Gill, Josh Turner, The Isaacs, and others.

The Gaither Music Group brand has partnered with established artists including The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, Sandi Patty, Gloria Gaynor, Steven Curtis Chapman, and a host of acclaimed talent from various fields of music. Gaither Music Group has garnered sales of more than 50 million DVDs and CDs, including such PBS stalwarts as Billy Graham: God's Ambassador, the only authorized video autobiography of Reverend Billy Graham; The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash; and three Elvis Presley projects, including He Touched Me and The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley, in conjunction with the Elvis Presley Estate.

Gaither Music Group developed a strategic partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store� in 2008; and its alliances with Capitol Christian Music Group, Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, Universal Music Group, and Time Life Music remain bedrocks for the company. Most recently, the Gaither Music TV YouTube channel crossed the 4 billion life-to-date streaming benchmark and hosts more than 4 million subscribers.

About Tanya Tucker

Edgy. Classic. Country. A defining voice of music and a modern-day legend, 2023 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee and two-time GRAMMY� winner Tanya Tucker continues to inspire artists today.

Born in Seminole, Texas, Tanya had her first country hit, the classic "Delta Dawn," at the age of 13 in 1972.

Since that auspicious beginning, she has become one of the most admired and influential artists in country music history, amassing 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, ten of which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard country charts.

Tanya's indelible songs include some of country music's biggest hits such as the aforementioned "Delta Dawn," "Soon," "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane," "It's a Little Too Late," "Trouble," "Texas (When I Die)," "If It Don't Come Easy," "Strong Enough To Bend" and many more.

Tanya is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two CMAs, two ACMs and three CMT awards. In 2020, Tanya received two GRAMMY� Awards for Best Country Album: While I'm Livin' and Best Country Song: "Bring My Flowers Now." In the fall of 2020, Fantasy Records released Tanya Tucker - Live From The Troubadour on October 16, the one-year anniversary of Tanya's historic, standing-room only set from which it originates.

In October 2022 "The Return of Tanya Tucker, Featuring Brandi Carlile," a documentary that chronicles the resurgence in Tucker's career following the success of her aforementioned 2019 album While I'm Livin', hit theaters globally via Sony Pictures Classics. Lauded by The New York Times, the documentary raves that Tanya "hasn't lost a step in terms of phrasing. The teardrop in her voice, strategically used in heartache songs, remains credible. [The doc] interweaves the contemporary sessions...better-than-competent piece of fan service."

In December 2022, Tanya made her acting debut in a lead role in Paramount's "A Nashville Country Christmas," starring alongside Academy Award� winner Keith Carradine. In October of 2023, Tanya will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame - marking more than 50 years in the entertainment business.

On the spirits side, the icon's signature tequila, Tanya Tucker's Cosa Salvaje Tequila, is now available in 14 U.S. states and Canada, with additional stores carrying the tequila every day. Learn more at TanyaTucker.com.

About Dennis Quaid

Dennis Quaid is an Emmy� Award and two-time Golden Globe� nominee, who's known for his roles in hit films The Rookie, The Day Atter Tomorrow, Traffic, Vantage Point, Frequency, The Parent Trap, Soul Surfer, The Right Stuff, Breaking Away, Midway and many more. Alongside his acting career, Quaid is also a respected singer-songwriter with hundreds of thousands of miles under his belt as a recording and touring musician who's been playing music since his grandfather bought him his first guitar. Quaid continues to receive stellar reviews, and after years of playing clubs with Dennis Quaid and The Sharks, they released their debut album, Out of the Box, in November 2018. Among Quaid's musical heroes are Buddy Holly, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, The Doors and James Brown. On the film and television side, Quaid's latest big-screen credits include starring roles in Nettli's uplifting film, Blue Miracle, Sony's thriller The Intruder, Universal's A Dog's Journey and A Dog's Purpose, Roadside Attractions' I Can Only Imagine, and the third season of Amazon's Goliath opposite Billy Bob Thornton, among others. Quaid recently completed production portraying the 40th president of the United States in the biopic, REAGAN, produced by Mark Joseph and directed by Sean McNamara. Other upcoming projects include American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, produced by Andrew and Jon Erwin of the Erwin Brothers, Lionsgate, and Mark Ciardi (The Rookie), as well as the independent film, Broke, alongside Wyatt Russell and written and directed by Carlyle Eubank.