‘Yodeling Kid’ Carries Tune From Coachella to Grand Ole Opry

Mason Ramsey, the “yodeling kid,” has continued his dream-fulfilling weekend with a performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night.

Ramsey skyrocketed to viral fame at the end of March when a video emerged of him singing an old country western song in an Illinois Walmart. Since then, he has performed on a massive stage in the parking lot of that Walmart, as well as on stage at Coachella and on The Ellen Show.

It was the last one that landed him his dream gig at the Grand Ole Opry. Ramsey told Ellen DeGeneres that performing at the historic country music venue was one of his biggest dreams. DeGeneres pulled some strings and booked Ramsey the stage time, and on Saturday, he put on the show of a lifetime.

As usual, Ramsey performed Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues.” It was the same song that first put him on the world stage when he sang it in a red bow tie and cowboy boots in his local big box store. He has performed it at all of his other huge gigs in the weeks since.

The Grand Ole Opry performance that Ramsey had dreamed for his whole life about came just one day after he performed to a massive crowd at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. He looked a tad out of place on the massive stage, surrounded by flashing screens and screaming festival-goers, yet he crooned through the country classic in his cowboy hat and bow tie all the same.

Ramsey’s Coachella performance earned him at least one new fan — Justin Bieber, a fellow child singer, was spotted congratulating the 10-year-old on his massive success backstage at the festival. As Ramsey sang, Bieber stood with everyone else in the crowd, a massive grin on his face and his fist upraised.

In addition to everything else, Ramsey is injecting new life into the classic country music he loves. Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues” clocked in as the No. 4 song on Spotify this week, propelled by Ramsey’s viral rendition.

The original video that set Ramsey on his path to fame has been repurposed into innumerable remixes, parodies and memes at this point, and Ramsey has taken it all in stride. Last week, the Walmart in Ramsey’s hometown hosted a concert in their parking lot for him, where they played a compilation of the clips.

Ramsey performed a few songs and showed off his dance skills as well.

“If the good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise, I’ll see you all again next time,” he cried at the end of his performance, referencing an old Johnny Cash song.

Ramsey answered questions from his new fans while on stage. The young man said that he has been yodeling since he was 3 years old, and it is already paying off as he rises to national prominence. He said that he would most like to do a collaboration with Blake Shelton. At the rate his career is moving, it may not be far off.