11-year old rising country artist Mason Ramsey reminds the world just how great the country classics are, superbly covering “Jambalaya (On the Bayou).”

So far, the career of Mason Ramsey is off to a roaring start. One viral video of the ‘yodeling Wal-Mart kid’ translated into a record deal with Atlantic (Big Loud). Following the release of his post-yodeling, debut country single “Famous”, Ramsey ‘returned to his roots,’ delivering a stellar studio version of the Hank Williams classic, “Lovesick Blues”. Smartly, him and his team look to the late, great country icon again for another cover, “Jambalaya (On the Bayou).”

“Jambalaya (On the Bayou)” ends up being a truly great song for Ramsey. Ramsey makes this Williams classic sound refreshingly brand-new.  No, the kiddo doesn’t reinvent it or do something extraordinary with his voice, but he covers traditional country music that many contemporary country artists eschew.  The reason that Ramsey became popular was thanks to old-school country, incorporating yodeling of all things. To hear him and his label continue to tap into that is simply brilliant.  What makes this single work are Ramsey’s enthusiastic tenor pipes, and recreating the overt, vintage country sound.

Final Thoughts 

Mason Ramsey is the God-sent wunderkind of country music.  More established artists should tap into recapturing some of the vintage sounds that helped to make the genre what it is.  The performance and the production are superb.  Ramsey has a beautiful voice to be merely 11.

Mason Ramsey • Jambalaya (On the Bayou) – Single • Atlantic / Big Loud • Release: 6.29.18

Photo Credits: Atlantic / Big Loud