Country singer Kane Brown paid tribute to country legend George Strait by covering Strait’s hit song “Check Yes or No” in 2016.
It represented a bit of a triumphant moment for Brown, who became a country music celebrity after videos of his classic country covers went viral, according to Country Music Family. Watch Brown’s cover here:
Strait released “Check Yes or No” in 1995 as part of his box set Strait Out of the Box. It rose to the top of U.S. and Canadian country music charts and became one of the defining songs of Strait’s catalog.
Danny Wells and Dana Hunt Black wrote the song. It tells the tale of a relationship that began when the lovers were schoolkids.
Meanwhile, Kane Brown has had a busy holiday season. Last month, he worked with his friend Chris Young on a Nashville toy drive that benefited children in need. The owners of Soundcheck Nashville, an equipment rental company and tour rehearsal space, spearheaded the toy drive, the USA Today reported. They brought in Brown and Young to help when they realized there was increased need due to the pandemic.
“Despite this difficult year, Ben and the team at Soundcheck have continued to support our community and I’m glad to be able to help them bring a smile to kids here at home in Nashville and Davidson County,” Young said in a statement.
And on New Year’s, Brown joined Kelly Clarkson, among others, to perform on Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve. He also took part in Hello 2021, a virtual New Year’s Eve event sponsored by YouTube Originals.
The holiday season was just the coda to a busy year. Brown released the single “Cool Again” this past April, but he didn’t let the pandemic slow him down. This past August, he went on to release the EP Mixtape Vol. 1, which included seven tracks.
He also recently won Radio.com’s Country Artist of the Year award. Brown was up against 31 other country musicians, but fans voted him their favorite artist.