"Up to the Mountain" gained visibility through a live rendition by Kelly Clarkson, featuring intertwined electric guitar by Jeff Beck, on an April 25, 2007 charity episode of the sixth season of "American Idol", entitled 'Idol Gives Back'. The event was dedicated to poverty relief in Africa and in Hurricane Katrina-related areas in the United States. This event came in the middle of Clarkson's artistic struggle with her record company and management; they wanted her to promote her new single "Never Again", while she thought to do so at a charity event would be "beyond crass". Clarkson—an avowed Griffin fan—instead picked "Up to the Mountain". The audience gave the song and the performance a standing ovation; Beck subsequently said, "has this fully developed soul voice that I wasn't expecting. It just knocked me out. It was quite riveting to listen to. At one point, the audience started to stand up. They were so moved by her." "Idol" judge Simon Cowell stated the performance was the best of the show.