Ryan Upchurch is tipping his hat to the “GOATS of Country Music” with an Alan Jackson cover.
The Holler Boy Records owner and Tennessee native surprised fans with an epic rock-infused cover of Jackson’s “Midnight In Montgomery” on Friday (Sept. 17) alongside a music video. Guitarist Derek Dodd joined UpChurch in the clip, lending his guitar talents for the cover.
The music video for the cover was filmed at the grave sites of Hank Williams Sr., his wife, mother and sister in the Oakwood Cemetery Annex, managed by the Hank Williams’ Museum, in Montgomery, Alabama.
“LONG LIVE HANK,” UpChurch shared on Instagram. “And thank you Alan Jackson for your song ‘Where Have You Gone’ on your last album.. it really meant something to me even though you’ll probably never see this.”
Hear the cover and watch the graveside music video for the track below.
UpChurch’s music video for the cover was his own rendition of Jackson’s iconic music video for the track.
Jackson’s Jim Shea-directed music video was filmed in 1992 in black and white under a full moon amidst the headstones of an empty cemetery. The country icon’s music video for the Hank Williams Sr tribute went on to win a CMA award for Music Video Of The Year in 1992.
Ahead of the cover’s release, UpChurch shared a video on Instagram letting fans in on the surprise release.
“Tonight I tip my hat to some of the GOATS of Country Music…” UpChurch captioned a teaser clip on Instagram. “And I’m gonna do it with a little Southern Twang & Some Rock & Roll. Set back, light a bleezy, crack a coors, and check this shit out”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT8PFyOJ81s/
Co-written by Jackson and Don Sampson, “Midnight In Montgomery” is the fourth single from Alan Jackson’s second studio album, Don’t Rock The Jukebox.
Additionally, UpChurch recently released his album, Same Ol Same Ol, in June 2021. Same Ol Same Ol followed UpChurch’s rap project, Mud To Gold.
