Few people know that Mason Ramsey had been singing Hank Williams songs long before the internet knew him as “Lil’ Hank Williams” or “the Walmart Yodel Boy.”
After years of singing, his fame exploded when a video of him yodeling to Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues” spread like wildfire.
The video brought overnight fame to Ramsey, who has since signed a record deal. His debut EP, Famous, was released in July 2018, with its title track reaching the fourth spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
That song was co-written by Florida Georgia Line‘s Tyler Hubbard, who has taken the young singer under his wing. In the summer of 2018, Florida Georgia Line brought Ramsey on stage to surprise attendees at the popular Stagecoach festival in California.
Even though things have surely been a whirlwind for Ramsey, he’s never lost sight of how this whole thing started…with Hank Williams.
He may have found fame for singing Williams’ “Lovesick Blues,” but that’s not the only song of his that the young yodeler knows. In October 2018, he treated his fans to his personal take on what is arguably William’s most well-known work, “I Saw the Light.”
Written entirely by Williams, “I Saw the Light” was not a huge hit upon its initial release. But as the years passed, the country-gospel track came to be considered an essential piece of music history.
Little Ramsey certainly had some big shoes to fill when it came to covering “I Saw the Light.” But he’s proven many times before that he’s more than capable of stepping into those shoes, since “I Saw the Light” was one of the tracks he recorded for Famous.
Even if you’ve heard Ramsey sing “I Saw the Light” before, you’ll want to check out the heavenly new video he just released. The performance was filmed at a place close to the boy’s heart.
As Ramsey revealed on Instagram, the gorgeous old church featured in the video is actually part of his family’s history. It turns out that his grandpa, Ernie, helped build the church years ago when he was a construction worker.
Knowing that little fact makes Ramsey’s cover of “I Saw the Light” all the more meaningful to watch. Be sure to check it out in the video below.
We’re sure old Hank is smiling down on this talented young fella!