The entertainment industry lost some of its most beloved members this year from singers, actors, directors and more. During the 2025 Emmy Awards, country stars Lainey Wilson and Vince Gill took the stage and they performed his song “Go Rest High on That Mountain” during one of the ceremony’s most emotional segments.
Actress Phylicia Rashad introduced the segment and said, “He was a beloved teenager in an iconic television series who the world watched grow into manhood, and like all our friends and colleagues who transitioned this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remains in our hearts.”
She added that even those honored during the In Memoriam segment were “no longer with us, their light remained.”
Several people from across the industry were honored during the tribute, including performers like Terence Stamp, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Loni Anderson, Danielle Spencer, and others. The segment also paid respect to creative forces behind the scenes, such as director-producers, sound editors, writers and cinematographers who shaped the medium in profound ways.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Among those recognized by the Television Academy were Mark Volman (composer and vocalist), Steve Hayden (advertising executive and writer), Jerry Adler (performer and stage manager), Walter “Bud” Nolan (sound editor), John Bartley (cinematographer), and even Judge Frank Caprio, remembered for the warmth he brought to reality programming.
The In Memoriam tribute has often elicited strong emotions from fans. During the 2024 Emmy Awards, viewers were divided over Jelly Roll’s decision to perform his song “I Am Not Okay.” While some people praised the heartfelt delivery, others admitted they were confused by the song selection. This year’s tribute featured Wilson and Gill performing “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” and fans quickly shared their reactions online.
“‘Go Rest High On That Mountain’ never fails to make me tear up. Lainey Wilson sounds so good singing this with Vince Gill,” one person wrote via X.
Another person added, “Would never have guessed I’d see Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson singing ‘Go Rest High on that Mountain’ at the Emmy’s. But I am glad that I have.”
A third chimed in and said, “The in memoriam segment of an awards show will never not make me cry.”
RELATED: Loni Anderson Fought to Redefine Her Bombshell Role and Changed Sitcom History
The In Memoriam left plenty for fans to talk about, but at its core, it was a nice moment to honor those who we lost this year.