Lainey Wilson Brings Out Red Clay Strays Singer For Johnny Cash Duet
Lainey Wilson and Red Clay Strays lead singer Brandons Coleman perform Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” (Photo Credit: Rich Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images, Terry Wyatt/WireImage, Red Clay Strays / Facebook)
Lainey Wilson Brought Out A Surprise Guest During Her BluesFest Set
Ottawa BluesFest kicked off on July 10 with Lainey Wilson headlining the epic nine-day festival that takes place over two weekends.
Wilson performed a 17-song set that included her hit songs “Smell Like Smoke,” “Country’s Cool Again,” “Things A Man Oughta Know,” “Watermelon Moonshine,” Hang Tight Honey,” and more.
There was one song in her set list that she normally does not play and that’s because she invited a special guest to join her on stage. Brandon Coleman, the lead singer of The Red Clay Strays, surprised the audience by joining Wilson to sing a country classic.
The Red Clay Strays performed earlier in the day, so it was pretty convenient for Coleman to come back for this surprise collaboration.
Their pair sang Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” which the legend recorded in 2003, but didn’t release until three years after he passed away.
The crowd was loving every second of this cover that showcased Coleman’s soulful and gritty voice.
The country band posted the video of the duet to their social media channels, writing, “Thanks for letting me sing one with ya, Lainey!”
She replied, “Honored to sign with YOU!”
Fans online were loving it, with one even saying, “For the second time I’ll say this , Johnny would of been proud of this one keep spreading the good news with that beautiful music.”
Who Are The Red Clay Strays?
The Red Clay Strays are a country band that formed in 2016 in Mobile, Alabama, starting off as a cover band. After performing local for a few years, the band, consisting of Coleman, Andrew Bishop, Drew Nix, John Hall, Zach Rishel, and Sevans Henderson, recorded their debut album Moment Of Truth thanks to a crowdfunding campaign.
Although the release wasn’t a commercial success, they were doing well enough to be asked to perform at CMA Fest and Lollapalooza.
In late 2023, “Wondering Why,” which was included on Moment Of Truth, went viral on TikTok and helped the song reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song is now certified Platinum, selling over 1 million units. The “Live AF” version (above) has over 29 million views on YouTube alone.
Their newfound mainstream popularity has continued the last few years, with them having their song “Caddo Country” included on the Twisters movie soundtrack, opening for The Rolling Stones on tour, and releasing several more recorded projects.
Not to mention, they were nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards and won New Vocal Duo or Group at the ACM Awards. They also are featured in an exhibit in the Country Music Hall Of Fame.
RELATED: Country Music Hall Of Fame To Open Exciting New Exhibit Honoring Lainey Wilson
It’s safe to say this is just the beginning for the Red Clay Strays, even though they’ve been at this for a while!
Watch Coleman’s duet with Wilson in the video below.
