Carrie Underwood Releases Her Version of ‘Softly and Tenderly’ From Upcoming Album

Ahead of the March 26 release of her gospel album My Savior, Carrie Underwood has shared the first song from the project, releasing her version of the Christian hymn “Softly and Tenderly” on Friday, Feb. 12. Underwood’s voice soars over piano and strings, the sparse arrangement allowing every aspect of her impressive range to shine.

“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling / Calling for you and for me,” she sings. “See on the portals He’s waiting and watching / Watching for you and for me / Come home, come home / Ye who are weary come home / Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling / Calling, ‘O sinner come home.’” “Softly and Tenderly” was composed and written by Will L. Thompson in 1880 and has since been recorded by numerous artists including Alan Jackson, Amy Grant and Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and Kelly Clarkson.

Underwood previously performed “Softly and Tenderly” during the “In Memoriam” segment of the 2017 CMA Awards, which paid tribute to members of the country music community who had died that year as well as the victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting. My Savior is a follow-up to Underwood’s 2020 holiday album My Gift and is comprised of hymns the Oklahoma native grew up singing.

“This is an album I have always wanted to record. When I set out to choose these songs, I wanted to include the beautiful, familiar hymns I grew up singing in church,” Underwood shared in a statement. “There are several songs I have performed in the past, like ‘Softly And Tenderly,’ ‘How Great Thou Art’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ that mean so much to me and I knew immediately we needed to record for the album. This music shaped who I am as a person and is the foundation of my career as a recording artist. I feel so blessed to get to share these songs with generations of people who love them as I do, as well as others who might be experiencing them for the first time.”

See the full track list for the album below and pre-order My Savior here.

1. “Jesus Loves Me (Instrumental)”
2. “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus”
3. “Blessed Assurance”
4. “Just As I Am”
5. “Victory in Jesus”
6. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness (feat. CeCe Winans)”
7. “O How I Love Jesus”
8. “How Great Thou Art”
9. “Because He Lives”
10. “The Old Rugged Cross”
11. “I Surrender All”
12. “Softly and Tenderly”
13. “Amazing Grace”