[2] Dwight L. Moody used "Softly and Tenderly" in many of his evangelistic rallies in America and Britain.
"Softly and Tenderly" is the most widely known of his compositions and has circulated far beyond its origins in the American Restoration Movement.
[6] The song was featured in the film Urban Cowboy at Bud's (John Travolta's character) uncle's funeral.
[12][13] The film The Trip to Bountiful makes recurrent use of the song, particularly a recording of it by Cynthia Clawson.
[16] In November 2017, Carrie Underwood performed the hymn as part of the In Memoriam segment, which culminated in a tribute to the fifty-eight Route 91 shooting victims, at the 51st annual CMA Awards.