‘Tennessee Whiskey’ Viral Dad Goes Old School R&B for ‘Stand by Me’ Cover [Watch]
Texas-based singing dad Kris Jones shocked the online community earlier this month when his soulful cover of "Tennessee Whiskey" registered over six million video views in one week, and now he's back with a cover of "Stand by Me."
Originally recorded by George Jones, "Tennessee Whiskey" was popularized by Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake at the 2015 CMA Awards. However, Kris Jones didn't need a nationally televised awards show to make his rendition run wild on the internet — he just needed a video camera and a driver's seat.
After the success of "Tennessee Whiskey," Jones followed up four days later with a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s classic rock hit “Simple Man.” Once again, Jones was seen — and heard — singing his heart out in the driver's seat of his vehicle.
In his latest, released on Jan. 8, Jones shifts from country and rock to the R&B classic "Stand by Me," originally performed by Ben E. King. In the video, Jones shares what his plans are for the day and expresses gratitude for his newfound YouTube fans.
"Thank you," says Jones. "Y’all don’t really know how much this really means to me. How much it means to my family. Everything that I've done in life, I've worked so, so hard for. Nothing, nothing was ever given to me. It’s been a really long, hard road and I’m thankful for being where I am today.”
In awards show-esque, yet sincere style, he also expresses love for his family and mentions his blessings.
Though the "Stand by Me" YouTube video is currently only hovering at around 6,500 views, the video uploaded directly to Jones' Facebook page has already has tallied more than 200,000 views, 19,000 reactions and 5,000 shares.
Jones previously tried out for The Voice, but was rejected. His career has gotten an unexpected shot in the arm since his music went viral, and people have been wondering where the singing sensation came from and who he is. Taste of Country recently dug up some answers about Jones and his past, as well as what he might do in the future.
Watch: 6 Unforgettable Chris Stapleton Moments