Randy Travis made a surprise appearance at CMA Fest 2017 on Thursday (June 8), joining Michael Ray onstage for Travis' classic hit, "Forever and Ever, Amen."

Ray was performing as part of the CMA Music Festival activities when he stunned his thrilled audience with the unannounced performance, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, y'all welcome to the stage Mr. Randy Travis." The mere mention of the beloved icon's name was enough to send the audience into a frenzy as his wife Mary carefully helped him walk out onstage and take his place at the microphone beside Ray, who strummed the chords to the classic song on his acoustic guitar as he delivered the lyrics.

The "Think a Little Less" hitmaker got the audience involved in the song, which gave Travis his third No. 1 single in 1987 when it was released as the lead single from his Always & Forever album. But the part the fans on hand in Nashville were really waiting for came at the very end of the song, when Ray motioned for the crowd to stop singing and turned it over to Travis to sing the final "amen." Ray was so excited that he couldn't physically contain himself, throwing himself backward and pumping his fist at the special moment. Watch the performance in the video above.

Travis has been turning up in quite a few places over the last year or so as he continues to recover from a stroke he suffered in 2013. He's popped in on Scotty McCreery, Kane Brown and more, and he stunned the country world when he led a sing-along of "Amazing Grace at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction in 2016.

His wife Mary says it's been healthy for Travis to get back out there. "He enjoys the music, and I think it’s good for him, just to know that the artists that are still out there, that they love him," she tells the Boot.

Best of Randy Travis Through the Years

7 Unforgettable Randy Travis Moments

More From