Fans are asking for more country classics from these Alabama boys—and The Red Clay Strays are listening.
The Red Clay Strays answered longtime fan requests by delivering a full cover of a beloved Hank Williams Jr. classic. On January 21, the band shared a teaser clip on Facebook of their take on Country State of Mind, giving listeners a soulful preview of what they’d been working on.
In the caption, they hinted that a full version might be on the way, casually floating the idea of uploading it to YouTube. The clip itself was recorded during their 2025 tour, and it didn’t take long for fans to start hoping the band would follow through.
They did.
Just hours later, The Red Clay Strays dropped the complete performance on YouTube. The cover opens with frontman Brandon Coleman easing into the melody on acoustic guitar before the rest of the band joins in, leaning hard into that old-school twang. The arrangement stays true to the spirit of the original while allowing the band’s signature soul and grit to shine through.
Coleman delivers the song with clear respect for Hank Jr.’s version, but adds his own warmth and texture—keeping the heart of the track intact while making it unmistakably theirs.
The band has a long history of honoring classic country and roots music. Over the years, they’ve covered songs like Where Corn Don’t Grow, Seven Spanish Angels, and Weatherman, consistently tipping their hat to the artists who helped shape the genre.
Originally written by Hank Williams Jr. alongside Roger Alan Wade, “Country State of Mind” was released in 1986 as the lead single from Montana Café. It climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and has remained a fan favorite ever since—especially when it comes to karaoke nights (which, to be fair, applies to a lot of Hank Jr. songs).
Given how quickly the band followed through on releasing the full cover, it’s not hard to imagine fans pushing for more—maybe even a studio recording, or better yet, a full album of classic country covers. One can dream.
Country… But Not Just Country
Despite being celebrated for moments like this—and earning honors such as CMA Vocal Group of the Year—The Red Clay Strays have been clear that they don’t see themselves as purely a country band.
They’ve addressed this before, explaining that while country music runs deep in their DNA, their sound pulls from a wide mix of influences, including soul, blues, rock, and jazz. After their CMA win, Coleman explained that they’re careful not to label something “country” unless it truly fits.
He shared that each member came into the band with a different musical background, and that country music, in his view, deserves to be treated with respect as its own genre—not a catch-all label for Southern-leaning rock.
Still, he emphasized that they’re proud Southern musicians, grateful to be embraced by the country community—and that when the time comes to make a true country record, they’ll do it the right way.
Whether you call it country or not, one thing is clear: The Red Clay Strays are making music that resonates. By pushing boundaries while honoring tradition, they’ve built a devoted following—and in the process, helped move the genre forward.
{"post":95566,"page":1,"next":[{"id":95538,"title":"Jennifer Lawrence Reveals Her Go-To Karaoke Song Is A Shania Twain Hit And It\u2019s Not The One Fans Expected","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95538"},{"id":95535,"title":"Reba McEntire Gets The Most Unexpected Gift Of Her Career On Her 40th Opry Anniversary","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95535"},{"id":95531,"title":"\u201cWE DON\u2019T WANT TO SEE HER \u2014 PLEASE RESPECT THAT.\u201d This statement, allegedly from one of the two daughters, has reignited the drama surrounding Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban\u2019s divorce in an unexpected way. Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret are reportedly adamantly refusing to meet their father\u2019s new girlfriend, choosing to stand firmly with their mother amidst the still-unresolved turmoil. A close source revealed that the family atmosphere has become heavy and silent, as if every word could cause further pain. While Keith is trying to move on with his new life, his daughters have erected a clear emotional boundary to protect Nicole. This division is not making headlines, but it is simmering and more profound than any public argument. And perhaps, this is the most heartbreaking chapter of a marriage once considered one of the strongest in Hollywood.","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95531"},{"id":95526,"title":"\u201cWAIT\u2026 AM I SEEING KATE HUDSON?\u201d \u2014 and at that very moment, Radio City Music Hall erupted. Amidst over 6,000 audience members silently captivated by Hugh Jackman\u2019s singing, the lights suddenly shifted, and Kate Hudson emerged, eliciting gasps of surprise and hands covering mouths in disbelief. The astonishment quickly gave way to emotion as their voices blended, simple yet full of poignant memories, drawing the audience into a rare, intimate moment. The boundary between stage and audience dissolved, replaced by a warmth that spread through every row. Many stopped cheering, instead falling silent, touched by something profoundly real. When the final note faded, the applause was seemingly endless, marking a performance that everyone present knew they had witnessed a small but deeply emotional piece of history.","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95526"},{"id":95522,"title":"In the brightly lit Cape Town arena, just as Calum Scott was about to sing, the entire audience erupted in laughter at a sudden shout from the crowd. An \u201cuninvited guest\u201d\u2014a tiny praying mantis\u2014was calmly perched on the microphone, leaving the singer stunned before he burst into laughter in surprise. Instead of panicking, Calum gently stepped back, chatted with the audience, and called the little creature the \u201cspecial VIP of the show.\u201d The entire audience of thousands immediately erupted in laughter and applause, creating a completely unexpected and heartwarming moment. When a member of the audience carefully removed the praying mantis from the stage, Calum even joked that it \u201cwould send an invoice for its performance fee after the show.\u201d In just a few short minutes, an unexpected incident transformed into a heartwarming moment that went viral and was considered an unforgettable sign of good luck for the tour.","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95522"},{"id":95519,"title":"\u201cSTOP\u2014 I\u2019M LOSING HIM!\u201d \ud83d\ude02 Tim Conway and Harvey Korman march straight into comedy immortality the moment this so-called military sketch begins on The Carol Burnett Show. Conway shuffles in with that infamous, syrup-thick accent and the look of a man who has already forgotten every rule of the army, while Korman stands rigid, praying\u2014silently\u2014that the scene will end quickly. It doesn\u2019t. Conway squints at his paperwork, muttering nonsense orders like they\u2019re classified secrets, and Korman\u2019s face starts betraying him, twitch by twitch, breath by breath. Then disaster strikes: uniforms tear, authority collapses, and suddenly Conway is standing there in striped boxers like it\u2019s the most normal thing in the world. Korman bends in half, fighting for oxygen, as Conway calmly soldiers on, unfazed, delivering the final blow with a perfectly innocent stare. And in that moment, the sketch explodes beyond comedy\u2014it becomes pure, uncontrollable joy, two legends locked in a beautiful ambush of laughter that no script could ever plan.","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95519"},{"id":95515,"title":"Jason Aldean Stuns Fans By Debuting Unreleased Song \u201cAnytime Soon\u201d Live On Stage","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95515"},{"id":95512,"title":"Megan Moroney And Ed Sheeran Join Forces For A Devastating Country Heartbreaker That Cuts Deep","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95512"},{"id":95509,"title":"Kane Brown\u2019s Adorable Video With Son Krewe Has Fans Saying He\u2019s Rewriting His Own Childhood","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95509"},{"id":95501,"title":"\u201cTHE ENTIRE STUDIO EXPLODED IN SECONDS \u2014 KELLY CLARKSON JUMPED ONTO TABLES WITH EXCITEMENT, HUGH JACKMAN AND KATE HUDSON JOINED IN, TURNED THE STUDIO INTO AN UNEXPECTED MUSICAL FEAST.\u201d No one was prepared for the moment Sweet Caroline played and all television rules were instantly erased. Kelly Clarkson forgot her seat, leaping to her feet in excitement, while Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson swept the entire stage into a whirlwind of exhilarating emotion. In the blink of an eye, the auditorium transformed into an impromptu festival, where the audience rose to sing along, clapped non-stop, and laughed as if at an outdoor concert. This was no longer a performance, but a rare, vibrant television moment where joy spread faster than the music \u2014 and everyone watching wished they were there.","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95501"},{"id":95496,"title":"\u201cA SMALL GIFT \u2014 AND HUGH JACKMAN IS SPEECHLESS.\u201d After Song Sung Blue officially premiered, Neil Diamond unexpectedly sent Hugh Jackman a special gift along with a private message that completely stunned the actor. At nearly 85 years old, the music legend not only retains his refined taste but also possesses a unique magic, enough to turn a chance encounter into an unforgettable memory. Sources say the two also shared an impromptu karaoke moment, where laughter and music erased any generational gap. Not loud, not ostentatious \u2014 just a sincere gesture was enough to spread the story and pique fans\u2019 curiosity: What did Neil Diamond write, and why was Hugh Jackman so speechless?","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95496"},{"id":95490,"title":"Reba McEntire Brings the Grand Ole Opry to Tears as 40-Year Milestone Turns Into a Sacred Moment","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95490"},{"id":95485,"title":"Lainey Wilson And Vince Gill Stop The Opry Cold With Emotional Tribute To Dolly Parton","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95485"},{"id":95481,"title":"Heavy Metal Legend Rob Halford Pays Emotional Tribute to Dolly Parton at 80","url":"https:\/\/new24.info\/95481"}]}