At the Red Clay Strays’ Oct. 22 show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the loss of country legend John Anderson was clearly on the sSuthern rock band’s mind. Joined by Zach Top, the Strays offered up an appropriately grooving version of Anderson’s 1983
CMA Single of the Year, “Swingin’,” with lead singer Brandon Coleman trading vocals with Top.
And that wasn’t even the night’s only Anderson cover: opening act Sierra Ferrell performed her rendition of “Years,” a song that routinely makes it into her set and was recorded for 2022’s Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson.
“Swingin’” has seen scores of country covers over the years, including everyone from the Mavericks, who tackled it in 2019, to LeeAnn Rimes, who flipped the original lyrics to explore the song from a female perspective. It was a live staple for Anderson, who died Oct. 21 at 71.
“I lost a big piece of my childhood today and we all lost a very kind man and one of the most unique voices this world has ever experienced,” Rimes wrote on Instagram. “John Anderson thank you for the music, especially this one. This song once soothed me as a baby and then, many years later, it was the first song that immediately came to mind when covering all my favorite male country songs on an album of mine called Lady & Gentlemen. I still, often sing this song in my shows and will forever keep on ‘swinging’ in your memory.”
The Red Clay Strays continue their tour Oct. 23 with a second headlining night at Bridgestone Arena.
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