The crooner and the pop star seemed like unlikely collaborators when they joined up in 2014. But the two masters of reinvention inspired and bolstered each other’s careers.
From his initial success as a jazzy crooner through his generation-spanning duets, his career was remarkable for both its longevity and its consistency.
The country singer, who released the song in May, said the tune is an ode to the “feeling of a community” he had growing up. Critics say it is offensive.