See Little Big Town’s Hypnotic Prince Tribute

Country music’s preeminent vocal group Little Big Town put together a haunting interpretation of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” for a show in Montana last night, hours after learning about the icon’s death.

The country quartet is currently supporting Luke Bryan on his Kill the Lights Tour, which visited Missoula, Montana’s Adams Center on Thursday. Silhouetted under purple stage lighting, the group transforms the track from Purple Rain into a vulnerable and mesmerizing ballad. Phillip Sweet starts it off, singing the line, “How could you just leave me standing, alone in a world so cold?” and accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. Bandmates Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman join in, mimicking the eerie, multi-tracked harmonies that were a Prince signature, while Jimi Westbrook answers, “She’s never satisfied” in a soulful cry. Little Big Town posted the video to Facebook yesterday along with the message, “An American original. Thank you for the music and the memories.” Watch it below.

At just under a minute, the performance is very brief. But it’s such a lovely and respectful — not to mention surprising — tribute to Prince by one of country’s most progressive vocal groups that it’s hard not to wish they had played the entire song.

Little Big Town remain in Big Sky Country this weekend, as the Kill the Lights Tour hits Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, Mont,ana for shows tonight and tomorrow.