Category: QbyN – Deeper Under The Covers

Scary Pockets (S.P.) are a dynamic funk band formed in Los Angeles, founded by Ryan Lerman and Jack Conte. The two are joined by a continuously rotating line-up of quality musicians for their videos and album releases. Ryan Leman spent his twenties touring as a bassist for the American singer-songwriter Ben Folds. He also performed as a guitarist for Michael Bublé and as a musical director for John Legend. The other half of Scary Pockets, Jack Conte, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. He is one half of the band Pomplamoose with his now wife, Nataly Dawn, leader of the band Magazine, and co-founder along with Samuel Yam of Patreon, which is a membership platform that provides business tools for content creators to run a subscription service. It helps creators and artists earn a monthly income by providing rewards and perks to their subscribers.

It is immediately obvious when watching one or more of their videos how much time, effort, and skill goes into their production. They surround themselves with incredible musicians and singers from the L.A. music scene, and the “funky” passion and incredible skill sets are evident in every single performance, whether it is only a few others performing or a much larger ensemble.  One of the things that stands out for me when watching these videos is how, while paying their respects to the original material, they also skillfully make it uniquely their own. They have been touted as the “best cover band ever.” I prefer to be a little less definitive in my assessment, so I would say they are in my top three! The band’s motto is “arrange quickly and simply, have a ton of fun, and be funky.” Check, check, check!

What follows are five unique covers of five disparate artists/groups and genres. The originals represent five musical decades from the 60s to the 2000s. Be prepared to be transported back in time and thoroughly entertained! First up, “I Want You Back,” by The Jackson 5. Seeing an 11-year-old Michael Jackson performing on The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1969 might bring back a memory or two.

S.P. featuring Danielle DeAndrea “I Want You Back” – May 2021

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 were an American pop band composed of members of the now infamous Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most of their career, consisted of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. They managed by their father Joe Jackson. They were among the first African American performers to attain a “crossover” following. In 1968, they signed with Motown, where they were the first group to debut with four consecutive number one hits, including the one featured here, “I Want You Back.”

The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back” “The Ed Sullivan Show” – Dec. 1969

Scary Pockets

S.P. “Dreams” Fleetwood Mac – Funk cover featuring Elsie Trouw – Jul. 2020

Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac were a British-American rock band formed in London in 1967. They were founded by guitarists and vocalists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer and drummer Mick Fleetwood. Bob Brunning was hired as a temporary bass guitarist before John McVie joined the line-up in time for their eponymous debut album. Danny Kirwan joined as a third guitarist in 1968. Keyboardists and vocalist, Christine Perfect, who contributed as a session musician starting with the band’s second album while she was a member of the band Chicken Shack, married McVie, and Joined Fleetwood Mac as a full member in 1970 and became known as Christine McVie.

Primarily a British Blues band, they had some success with the original line-up, but by 1974 several of the original members had left and subsequent replacements also left or were dismissed. In late 1974 when Fleetwood was scouting studios in Los Angeles, he heard the American folk-rock duo Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. He asked Buckingham to be their new guitarist and vocalist. Buckingham agreed with the condition that Nicks join as a vocalist. And the rest, as they say, is history. The new additions gave the band a more pop rock sound and their 1975 album, Fleetwood Mac. Their second album, Rumours (1977), from which the featured song comes from, produced four Top 10 singles.

Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” Album Rumours – 1977

Scary Pockets

S.P. featuring Judith Hill “You Shook Me All Night Long” Back in Black AC/DC – Sept. 2018

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born Australian brothers Malcom (rhythm guitar) and Angus Young (lead guitar). Their music has been described by a variety of listeners as hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal, but the band calls their music simply rock and roll. The band went through several line-up changes before releasing their debut album, High Voltage in 1975. Band membership eventually stabilized around the Young brothers with fellow Scottish-born Australian Bob Scott (lead vocals) alongside native Australian Mark Evans (bass) and Phil Rudd (drums). Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 and has since appeared on every album since Powerage (1978). A short time after the release of their breakthrough album, Highway to Hell, Scott died of alcohol poisoning and the other members considered disbanding. They decided to soldier on and recruited English singer, Brian Johnson, as their new front man. The first album with Johnson, Back in Black (1980), was dedicated to Scott’s memory. It was a huge success, launching the band to new heights and became the second-best selling album of all time!

AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” – Album – Back In Black – 1980

Scary Pockets

S.P. featuring India Carney “Creep” Pablo Honey Radiohead – May 2017

Radiohead 

Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, England in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments), and Colin Greenwood (bass); Ed O’Brien (guitar, backing vocals); and Philip Selway (drums, percussion). Their experimental approach to music has led many to say that they advanced the sound of alternative rock. Their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993) contained their debut single, “Creep,” which became a worldwide hit and has been covered by many artists.

Radiohead “Creep” – Album – Pablo Honey – 1993

Scary Pockets

S.P. featuring Therese Curatolo “Happier Than Ever” – Album – Happier Than Ever Billie Eilish – Feb. 2023

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single, “Ocean Eyes,” written and produced by her brother, Finneas O’Connell, with whom she collaborates on music and live shows. Since that release, she has gone on to receive multiple accolades, not to mention seven Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award, to name but a few. Not too bad for someone who will turn 22 this December!

Billie Eilish “Happier Than Ever” – Album – Happier Than Ever – 2021

Los Angeles 2023

The focus this week is the song “Sultans of Swing” by the English rock group, Dire Straits. The band formed in London in 1977 with the lineup of Mark Knopfler (lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar, producer), John Illsey (bass, backing vocals, producer), Pick Withers (drums, occasional backing vocals), and David Knopfler (rhythm guitar, backing vocals). The band was active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1995 with different personnel changes over the years. Only Mark Knopfler and John Illsey lasted from the beginning to the end of the band’s existence. “Sultans of Swing” was their first single from their 1978 self-titled debut album, which was a huge success in both the UK and US.

Knopfler had been playing and writing music for over a decade, making ends meet as a journalist and lecturer before the band’s breakout eponymous album. It was actually produced by Steve Windwood’s less celebrated brother, Muff, and it took months for the album to attract any attention, and “Sultans of Swing” was actually as a single twice before the public finally caught on. The song itself defies, what some would call, the “normalcy” of what a rock song should be. It has four verses, a guitar solo (a pretty amazing one at that), another verse, another solo, almost six minutes long, and has no chorus or bridge. This was almost unheard of at the time. It was this song that literally put the band on everyone’s radar!

Dire Straits sound draws from various influences, including country, folk, the blues rock of artists, like J.J. Cale, and jazz. It was a stripped-down sound when contrasted to punk rock at that time, and it demonstrated the influence of roots rock. Their album releases in order are: Dire Straits (1978), Communiqué (1979), Making Movies (1980), Love and Gold (1982) Brothers in Arms (1985), and On Every Street (1991). Mark Knopfler embarked on a solo career after they disbanded for good and has since declined numerous offers for a reunion. The original is up first, followed by five unique covers that I feel do justice to the song and the band’s legacy. From a solo, Russian pianist to two orthodox Rabbis performing in the streets of Jerusalem, and everything in between. They are in order of the date performed. So, sit back and enjoy!

Dire Straits – “Sultans of Swing” – Album Dire Straits 1978

Ismael Deives

The first cover is by Brazilian guitarist Ismael Deives, who weaves together an acoustic and Cajun spin to the song, which make it different yet the same. He is accompanied by an ersatz drummer keeping the beat on a wooden box, and a rhythm guitarist providing some accompanying vocals, although you only get quick glimpses of them in the video. While this is not the best vocal cover (he is, after all, not singing in his native tongue), the acoustic guitar work is well worth watching, There is precious little information available about this artist, so I will let the guitar work speak for itself.

Ismael Deives “Sultans of Swing” – Cajun & Acoustic cover – 2013

Gat Brothers

I’ve become accustomed to not being shocked or taken aback by things that I see on the Internet, but I must admit to being somewhat surprised when I first clicked on a Gat Brothers video. What I was treated to two orthodox rabbis performing “Stairway To Heaven,” at a mall in Jerusalem! Yes, you read that correctly! Not only were they preforming one of Led Zeppelin’s iconic songs, but they were also, in my mind, actually killing it.

Aryeh and Gil Gat, otherwise known as the Gat Brothers, The Breslov Boys, and even to some as The Amazing Rabbis, created a stir when they appeared on Israeli TV’s talent show, Rising Star, in 2013 where they performed Simon and Garfunkel’s hit “Sounds of Silence.” After that performance, they covered many other iconic songs from the past, such as: “Hotel California,” “Blowin’ In The Wind,” “Heart of Gold,” and Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” to name a few, at various locations in and around Jerusalem.  There are also videos of them on YouTube singing their traditional songs in their native tongue. Enjoy!

Gat Brothers “Sultans of Swing” – Live Streets of Jerusalem – 2015

Mary Spender & Josh Turner

Mary Spender is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and YouTube personality. Spender writes and performs original songs, and her guitar style has been described as “crisp,” while her songwriting is seen by many as “confessional” and “sultry.” Her YouTube channel is themed on music and music technology, and has included interviews with guitarists KT Tunstall, Jen Majura, Reina del Cid, and others. She has also appeared on other artists YouTube channels in a collaborative effort, including Josh Turner featured in this particular cover

Josh Turner Guitar is a multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar and electric guitar), singer, songwriter, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York. Joshua Lee Turner is best known for his YouTube channel, Josh Turner Guitar, where he posts eclectic cover songs and original music since he started the channel in 2007 at age 15. His guitar covers range from rock, R&B, bluegrass, folk, jazz, classical, pop, indie, blues, etc. Josh now tours internationally in support of his own original music, as well as with long-time collaborator Carson McKee, as the folk duo The Other Favorites. In 2020, Josh released Public Life, his second full-length album of original music. He can also be seen collaborating with other artists on their YouTube channels, such as the example below.

Mary Spender & Josh Turner – “Sultans of Swing” – 2022

HSCC

The Hindley Street Country Club is a cover band from Adelaide, South Australia, formed in 2017 by Constantine Delo and Darren Mullan. Widely regarded by their fans as the “greatest cover band in the world”, the group has achieved a staggering quarter of a billion views on their official YouTube channel, which now has almost 600,000 subscribers. For more info see DUTC#10. What amazes me the most about this cover is that if you close your eyes, you might feel that you’re listening to the original!

The Hindley Street Country Club (HSCC) – “Sultans of Swing” – 2022

Gamazda

Russian pianist Alexandra Kuznetsova, who goes by the artist name Gamazda, was born in Moscow in a family of musicians. She began to playing piano at the age of 3. In 2014, she graduated with honors from the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory and is a laureate of all-Russian and international competitions. In 2019, she created her YouTube channel, Gamazda. What is characteristic and quite unique about Gamazda is her proclivity of covering rock songs – something usually not expected on the piano. However, she is amazingly skilled at it and excites a lot of fans with her covers. Therefore, it is not surprising that she has so many followers & listeners across many different platforms.

Gamazda “Sultans of Swing” – Piano cover – 2022

Los Angeles 2023

The focus for this week is on two very different groups and two very different songs. Even though only seven years separate these two songs (1969-1976), they represent, I feel, a musical shift that took place during this period of time. I suppose one way to look at this shift is that the song I’ve chosen from 1969 coincides with the peak of American troops in Vietnam (despite the fact that it is a British band), while the 1976 selection comes three years after the end of the United States’ involvement in the war in 1973. While I am certain that both these styles of music were being produced in both these time periods, it does give one pause when thinking about the musical output from this country and the UK between 1965 (when the first ground troops landed in Vietnam) and 1973 when US involvement ended. When I think back to what I was listening to in those days (I was 19 in 1969, 26 in 1976), it definitely leaned heavily towards my selection for 1969. Enjoy the music!

Blind FaithBlind Faith were an English “supergroup” featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. The music press were eagerly anticipating what lay ahead for the group, especially because of the success of each of the member’s former bands, including Clapton and Baker’s Cream, and Windwood’s former group Traffic. However, the band split after only a few months, producing only one album, along with a three-month long summer tour. The group started with some informal jamming by Clapton and Winwood in early 1969 following the break-ups of Traffic and Cream. Baker joined them in rehearsals, and they then decided to form a group. Grech joined as the fourth member from his band Family. In May of that year, they began recording their eponymous debut album, which drew some controversy as the album featured a front cover photograph of a topless 11-year-old girl. When it was released in the United States, it had a different cover.

The first Blind Faith concert was on 7 June in front of an estimated 100,000 fans in Hyde Park, London, but they felt that they had not rehearsed enough and were unprepared. They had subsequent performances in Scandinavia and the United States, but because of the lack of material they ended up playing old Cream and Traffic songs, to the delight of the crowds, but it disillusioned the band, and ultimately led to the break-up. The one album has many great tracks, but “Can’t Find My Way Home” is still their most beloved song, and according to some sources, one of the most covered songs in rock history, although I take that as just a tad hyperbolic! Having said that, the song was covered by the likes of House of Lords, Joe Cocker, Styx and John Welton, as well as being recorded in different genres, including hard rock, soul, and pop. There are also many theories as to what the song’s lyrics mean, with many saying they are about drugs, which seems plausible given the lines: “Well, I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time / And I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home.” Works for me, not that I would know anything about being “wasted.” Yeah, right!! It is definitely in my top ten of favorite songs from that era.

Blind Faith – “Can’t Find My Way Home” – (Original acoustic version) – 1969.

Sugar Lime Blue

For over a decade, Sugar Lime Blue has been committed to recording music that draws from several genres, and their latest effort is no different.  Recorded at the Historic Blackbird Studio in Nashville, TN, “The Blackbird Sessions” is a crossroads album in many ways for Sugar Lime Blue, signaling the end of an era while simultaneously ushering in a new one. Started prior to the Covid pandemic with basic tracking completed shortly after the release of their 3rd album, Narcoluptuous (added on 120 FM Stations), production came to a standstill at the loss of founding member and bassist Russ Dean in 2020.  

Despite the loss, Ashley and Dave Beth remained committed to seeing the album to completion and enlisted the help of bassist, Joe Bass (Brian Howe), and keyboardist, Scott Guberman (Phil Lesh) to complete studio tracking. During this time, the band also re-established a live presence, embarking on several multi state-state tours over the summer adding members Luis “Slice” Echeverria on Keys and Ikaika Pekelo on Drums who also contributed on the album.  

Sugar Lime Blue remains a strong presence in the Americana/Jam Band scene, having played national festivals alongside mainstays Umphreys McGee, Moe, Ween, The Wood Brothers, and Buddy Guy among others.  At four albums in and over a decade of experience, SLB has performed nearly 1000 concerts and has been featured in national and international Press.

I found their cover of “Can’t Find My Way Home” to be one of the best I’ve ever heard.

Sugar Lime Blue “Can’t Find My Way Home” – 2018

Hall & Oates

Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is normally the lead vocalist, while John Oates plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two write most of the songs they perform, separately or in collaboration. Their greatest success came between the mid-1970s to the late-1980s with a fusion of rock and roll, soul music and rhythm and blues. The duo reached the US Top 40 with 29 of their 33 singles between 1974 and 1991. Six of these peaked at number one, including my selection, “Rich Girl” (1977).

They employed a wide variety of session musicians on their recordings over the years, but they did have a long working relationship with several musicians who appeared on many of their works as well as touring with them. They include guitarist G.E. Smith, bassist Tom “T-Bone” Wolk, and multi-instrumentalist Charles DeChant. They also collaborated with sisters Sara and Janna Allen on songwriting and composing. “Rich Girl” was a smash and their first No.1 hit.

I will readily admit that while I was aware of them as duo back then, and certainly heard their music being played on the radio, they were not exactly my go to in my late twenties when I wanted to listen to music. However, over time I did manage to appreciate their accomplishments. Oddly enough, it was when I heard the cover version of this song that I am featuring here, that I went back to listen to many of their songs again – 47 years later. As they say, better late than never!

Hall and Oates – “Rich Girl” – Album: Bigger Than Both Of Us – 1976

The Hindley Street Country Club (HSCC)

The Hindley Street Country Club are a cover band from Adelaide, South Australia, formed in 2017 by Constantine Delo and Darren Mullan. Widely regarded by their fans as the “greatest cover band in the world”, the group has achieved a staggering quarter of a billion views on their official YouTube channel, which now has almost 600,000 subscribers.

Delo is in charge of picking the songs and the arrangements. He will tell whoever else is playing that day if he wants the song played in a slightly different key, or if a chord needs changing, any way they can make the song their own. However, it is Mullan who owns the studio and who is in charge of recording, making them the perfect team. The two founding members team up with a variety of local musicians, many of whom are local legends, to produce and perform covers of hits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. These live performances are broadcast weekly on a Friday afternoon.

Performing much loved hits from the past fifty years has made them popular with audiences of all ages, but they seem to appeal to the over fifties in particular. Speaking to Manopod, a lifestyle podcast for men over fifty, Delo said he covers music that takes you back to a time where you have your whole life ahead of you. To him, music is “like love: you think you pick it, but it picks you”.

The group’s name pays homage to Hindley Street, Adelaide, and its buzzing live music scene, where many of the band’s ever-changing line up started out. But they do not limit themselves to only playing with established musicians. While they may appeal to a more mature crowd, The Hindley Street Country Club have been known to perform at schools, inviting young, budding musicians to join them for a jam session or two.

I absolutely loved their rendition of this song by Hall & Oates as well as many of their other covers. I will definitely be doing a future DUTC on this group and some of their amazing covers.

Hindley Street Country Club (HSCC) “Rich Girl” – Nov. 2022

Los Angeles 2023

This week, I am again focusing on one group, the second that was featured in DUTC#5 along with Postmodern Jukebox, Walk off the Earth (WOTE). The band hails from Burlington, Ontario and formed in 2006. They have had several members over the years (including one Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor who unfortunately passed away in 2018), but the current lineup includes: Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio (vocals, bass, guitar, ukulele, drums, percussion, banjo, mandolin, cello, glockenspiel, kalimba, harmonica, keyboards, double bass), Sarah Blackwood (vocals, ukulele, guitar, percussion, glockenspiel, keyboards, bass, mandolin, 2011– present), Joel Cassady (drums, percussion, vocals, ukulele, keyboards, guitar, bass, kalimba, sampler, 2011–present), and David “Tokyo” Speirs (percussion, trumpet, flute, drums, bass, touring musician 2016–2020, full band member 2020–present). Touring musicians include Lee Williamson (guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, ukulele), Zach Gerber (drums, guitar, bass, vocals, percussion), and Adam Michael (guitar, keyboards, bass. Gianni Nicassio and Sarah Blackwood are married and have two children, who have recently been featured performing in their videos!

I will go out on a limb here and say that WOTE may not be to everyone’s taste. One could argue that their videos are somewhat “kitschy,” or too over the top even gimmicky, and you would not necessarily be wrong. However, one of the main reasons that I absolutely love what they do is because I have never, ever seen a group of musicians having so much unbridled and uninhibited fun playing music, as well as making their covers of popular songs uniquely their own. For the sake of comparison, WOTE is to music what Jerry Lewis was to comedy – “slapstick” instead of “cerebral” like Jerry Seinfeld; WOTE is like a kid coloring outside the lines. Their music is in a way “Vaudevillian,” in the best sense of what that era of entertainment offered: It is pure love and joy! As always, this is my humble opinion and you, after watching, will make up your own minds as to what you are witnessing.

It wasn’t until 2012’s live cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” went viral on YouTube, with over 175 million views in a mere four months, that the band started to get the recognition they truly deserved. Even Gotye and his co-singer Kimbra gave the cover two thumbs up. This live performance was followed by a video of the song with all five members at the time playing one guitar! While I am not featuring that song below, it is well worth checking out.

When I started this blog, I vowed that I wouldn’t repeat songs, and here I go about to break that vow, but for a good reason. My post from Feb. 5^th featured both PMJ and WOTE, and I wrote then that I would, at some point in the future, feature both groups. One of the covers that I focused on was PMJ’s rendition of Outkast’s “Hey Ya,” and as it turns out WOTE has covered that song as well. While I like both covers of the original, WOTE definitely takes theirs to the next level! Did I mention singing puppets?  One last thing. If you do find the visuals a bit too much for your taste, just close your eyes and listen, because the musicianship and harmonies are second to none! Enjoy.

Walk Off The Earth

WOTE – “Hey Ya” (Outkast cover) – Oct.2017

Outkast

Outkast was an American hip hop duo formed in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia by rappers André “3000” Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. They formed while they were still in high school in 1994. They had moderate success, but then hit it big with their 2003 release of the double album “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” their only album to debut at No.1 on the “Billboard 200.” The album featured two number one singles, “Hey Ya,” and “The Way You Move.” The album won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Outkast – “Hey Ya!” Official HD Video, Oct.25, 2009

Walk Off The Earth

WOTE – “Someone Like You” – (Adele Cover) – Apr.2011

Adele

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in England in 1988, and is known simply as Adele, following in the footsteps, so to speak, of other famed one-named divas like Cher, Sade, Fergie, Beyonce, Madonna, Pink, Rhianna, to name but a few. She is a singer and songwriter who released her first album,19, in 2008. Her second release, 2011’s 21, became the world’s best-selling album of the 21^st century, with sales of over 31 million copies. Not only was it certified 18x platinum in the U.K (the highest by a solo artist of all time), in the U.S., according to Billboard Magazine 21 is the top-performing album in the US chart history. The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness Book of Records. Rolling Stone magazine placed her album 21 in their listing of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” (2020).

Adele – Someone Like You (Official Music Video) – 2011

Walk Off The Earth

WOTE – “Havana” – (Camila Cabello with Young Thug cover) – Dec. 2017

Camila Cabello & Young Thug

Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao, born in March 1997, is a Cuban-born American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While in the group, she started to establish herself with various releases and collaborations “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” with Shawn Mendes, and “Bad Things” with Machine Gun Kelly. She finally left the group in 2016 and gained popularity and success as a solo performer. “Havana,” is another collaboration, this time with Young Thug. The success of this single delayed the album’s release date, and went on to reach number one in Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Hungry, and the United States. The song became Spotify’s most-streamed song ever by a solo female artist in June 2018, with over 888 million streams at the time.

Jeffery Lamar Williams, born August 1991, known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Many view him to be an influential figure of his generation, with much of his music having a great impact on the modern sound of hip hop and trap music. He is widely known for eccentric vocal style and his fashion.

Camila Cabello with Young Thug – “Havana” – 2017

Walk Off The Earth

WOTE – “Old Town Road” – (Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus cover), using Schulmerich Bells and household items! – April 2019

Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus

Montero Lamar Hill, born April 1999, is known by his stage name Lil Nas X. He is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his country rap (it’s not a typo!) single “Old Town Road,” which achieved viral popularity in early 2019 before climbing the charts internationally. The song spent 19 weeks atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the longest running number-one single since the chart debuted in 1958. There were several remixes of the song released, the most popular pf which featured country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

Billy Ray Cyrus, born August 1961, is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992 and is known for his hit single “Achy Breaky Heart,” which topped the U.S Hot Country Songs chart. As a result of the song’s music video, the “line dance” rose in popularity.

Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (Official Video) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus 2019

Los Angeles 2023