Steve Martin and Alison Brown Cover Lil Nas X’s 'Old Town Road'

Steve Martin and Alison Brown released a bluegrass cover of Lil Nas X’s 'Old Town Road' with Del McCoury and Dan Tyminski.

“Del McCoury was born to sing 'Old Town Road' — everyone will agree.”

All-Star Bluegrass Ensemble

The cover features Del McCoury, Dan Tyminski, Ronnie McCoury, Stuart Duncan, and Garry West.

Lil Nas X’s Original Song

Lil Nas X’s 'Old Town Road' is a ubiquitous hit with a country-bluegrass tonality.

Bluegrass Arrangement Process

Alison Brown arranged the song with Garry West, who co-founded Compass Records.

Del McCoury’s Role

Del McCoury sings the line 'can’t nobody tell me nothing' and has a high lonesome male tenor voice.

Bluegrass Sound

The song uses a modal scale from Appalachian music, making it sound natural for bluegrass.

Lyrical Changes

The lyrics were rewritten to include Buc-ee’s and Sasquatch references.

Buc-ee’s Reference

Garry West suggested adding Buc-ee’s, a South-based convenience store chain, to the lyrics.

Sasquatch Line

The song includes a line about Sasquatch, adding humor to the bluegrass arrangement.

Steve Martin’s Singing

Steve Martin’s singing improved through comedy duets with Marty Short.

Bluegrass Climax

The song builds to a bluegrass climax with a major chord change.

Lil Nas X’s Approval

Lil Nas X approved the bluegrass cover with lyrics rewritten for the genre.

Final Release

The cover was released on Thursday, featuring a bluegrass twist on a country hit.