After tragically losing his wife to stage 4 cervical cancer last March, bluegrass-country singer Rory Feek had one special thing he promised to fulfill—going to the Grammy’s for his wife.
“We sat together in the final days and watched this award ceremony last year,” Rory explained. “She said, ‘If we get nominated, promise me you’ll come.’”
“You know, if you win, I’m going to know the answer before you will, which is pretty special,” added Joey with the biggest smile
At the 59th annual event on Sunday, the duo Joey + Rory won the Grammy for best roots gospel album. In true Rory Feek fashion, he accepted the award on behalf of his wife, wearing his staple Carhart overalls, with her father by his side.
Hymns That Are Important to Us, was released last February, and is a collection of hymns that Joey grew up loving.
Joey died last year at the age of 40 after a nearly two-year battle with cervical cancer. Rory told reporters on Sunday that Joey began working on the couple’s seventh album while she was sick and going through treatments. “We didn’t go into recording this album thinking it was her last, it just became her last,” Rory explained on Sunday.
The bittersweet win is just another piece of the duo’s incredible love story, which is detailed in Rory’ memoir, This Life I Live. The collection of memories and essays of his relationship and family with Joey hits shelves Tuesday.