Mason Ramsey

A young country singer and songwriter hailing from Illinois and steeped in retro stylings, Mason Ramsey shot to viral prominence in the first half of 2018 after footage of the 11-year-old delivering Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" inside a neighborhood Walmart store ignited across social media. Soon thereafter he took to country stages and television programs, again performing "Lovesick Blues" and ultimately inking a major-label contract with Atlantic. Considerably more refined, his debut single "Famous" anchored the 2018 EP of the same name. Following a featured turn on the chart-topping remix of Lil Nas X's 2019 breakout hit "Old Town Road" and the subsequent release of another EP titled Twang, Ramsey stepped away until 2023. His later EP Falls Into Place introduced a noticeably grown sound that carried forward into his first full-length album, 2024's I'll See You in My Dreams.

Born and raised in Golcanda, Illinois, by his grandparents, the youngster was guided toward modern country sounds. By age five he was already appearing on bills alongside Josh Turner and Gene Watson. He kept building those connections through local performances in Illinois and Kentucky, among them a role in the Stars of Tomorrow production at the Kentucky Opry Theatre.

Outside those stages, his grandparents regularly captured him on video singing classic country numbers, most often Hank Williams, inside Walmart stores. One such clip of him yodeling "Lovesick Blues" at the Harrisburg, Illinois location began spreading online after several viral tweets in April 2018, quickly earning him the nickname "Walmart yodeling kid." An appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show followed, and he also joined Whethan's Coachella set in mid-April around the same time he signed with Atlantic. Later that month his first single "Famous," which marked a shift away from old-time country, arrived and later appeared on the July-issued EP Famous. He wrapped the year with the holiday release "White Christmas."

During summer 2019 Ramsey joined the remix of Lil Nas X's record-breaking number-one single "Old Town Road" alongside Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Young Thug, broadening his reach before issuing his second EP Twang a few weeks afterward. He also ventured into voice acting with a part in the animated feature The Angry Birds Movie 2. Beyond a yodeling cameo in a 2020 Burger King commercial, the young singer maintained a low profile for several years. In 2022 his earlier track "Before I Knew It" gained traction on TikTok, prompting him to post on the platform about personal matters including his job at a local Subway restaurant.

After turning 16, Ramsey ended his hiatus in mid-2023 with the reflective "Reasons to Come Home," co-written with Nashville songwriters Jeff Middleton and Rob Pennington. Drawing inspiration from his grandparents and hometown, the single functioned as a relaunch for the teenage artist whose voice and tone had clearly matured. Together with "Next Right Thing," it formed the core of the October-released EP Falls Into Place. Ramsey kept evolving swiftly, embracing a distinctly retro feel on his 2024 debut album I'll See You in My Dreams. Produced by Dan Fernandez, the record's blend of Americana, country, and early rock echoed the work of Roy Orbison and Ricky Nelson.