Matthew McConaughey And Jimmy Fallon Surprise Fans With Bluegrass Cover Of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”
Matthew McConaughey showed off a side of himself that many fans may not have expected.
The actor joined Jimmy Fallon for a bluegrass version of Ella Langley’s hit song “Choosin’ Texas” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
McConaughey played the mandolin while Fallon joined in on the washboard. The Last Bison also joined the performance.
Matthew McConaughey Picks Up The Mandolin
The surprise performance happened during The Tonight Show’s Audience Suggestion Box segment.
A viewer suggested combining Langley’s hit song with McConaughey’s new movie, The Rivals of Amziah King.
The idea made sense because McConaughey plays a bluegrass musician in the film.
Fallon then revealed McConaughey standing onstage with a mandolin. The Last Bison joined him, while Fallon grabbed a washboard.
The group then launched into a bluegrass version of “Choosin’ Texas.”
Ella Langley Had The Perfect Reaction
The performance quickly caught Ella Langley’s attention.
The country star shared her reaction online after seeing the clip.
Langley joked that she “may never recover from this.”
The reaction shows just how unexpected the moment was for the country singer.
Her song has already become one of the biggest hits in country music. Now it has received a completely different sound from one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
“Choosin’ Texas” Gets A Bluegrass Twist
The original version of “Choosin’ Texas” has become a major success for Langley.
The song has spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running non-holiday No. 1 by a solo female artist in the chart’s history.
The bluegrass cover gave the song a very different feel.
McConaughey’s mandolin playing helped bring out the roots and country sound already present in the song.
The performance also matched the style of his upcoming movie.
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McConaughey Spent Months Learning Mandolin
McConaughey did not pick up the mandolin just for this television appearance.
The actor spent months learning the instrument for his role in The Rivals of Amziah King.
He also worked on his singing for the movie. McConaughey said that playing the mandolin and singing at the same time was still a challenge.
In the film, he plays Amziah King, a beekeeper and bluegrass musician.
The movie is scheduled to arrive in theaters on August 14.
Fans Were Not Expecting This Collaboration
The performance quickly spread across social media.
Fans praised McConaughey’s musical side and enjoyed seeing the actor take on one of country music’s biggest current hits.
It also gave “Choosin’ Texas” another moment in the spotlight.
For Langley, the surprise cover is another sign of how far the song has traveled since becoming a hit.
For McConaughey, it was a chance to combine his love of Texas, bluegrass music, and his new film in one fun performance.
A Perfect Match For “Choosin’ Texas”
The collaboration may have been unexpected, but it actually made a lot of sense.
McConaughey is a proud Texan. His new movie also puts bluegrass music at the center of his character’s story.
Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” celebrates the Lone Star State through a modern country sound.
Put all three together, and the result was a fun and unexpected television moment.
And judging by Langley’s reaction, she certainly did not see this cover coming.
