Tears — real tears — fell during at least one of these seven country music cover song performances. Newcomers including Brett Young, Farewell Angelina and Kalie Shorr prove their versatility beyond their own catalog by covering Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and more.

Young's cover of "Hallelujah" went viral, while Runaway June's Dwight Yoakam cover left us wishing it was 1993 all over again. The trio's Bakersfield tribute of "Fast as You" is smoky, but true to the original. None of these covers feel forced.

Brandon Lay chose to cover "Heads Carolina, Tails California," and his interpretation turns a playful country love song into something much more forlorn. Jacob Davis stayed true to fellow Louisiana native McGraw's "Where the Green Grass Grows." Shorr turned a cover of Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" around in under 12 hours, an amazing effort that rewarded her with a viral video.

Finally Aubrie Sellers cover of "My Babe" and Farewell Angelina's cover of "House of the Rising Sun" add darkness to the RISERS catalog. Each is poetic in its own way, with Sellers' brutally raw blues vocals driving the Little Walter Song and the country quartet's perfect harmonies making a house in New Orleans feel less sinful. Watch 'em all and let us know who your favorite was!

These seven artists represent the first class of ToC RISERS, country music newcomers with bright futures this year, next year and beyond.

Their Originals May Be Even Better!

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