I really like Lainey Wilson . However, her most recent performance with Brandon Coleman from Red Clay Detours proves that she’s lost some of her power, and I don’t know what happened.
It was a fantastic duet, but her vocals were completely blown away by her male counterpart in the chorus.
Wilson rightfully headlined the first night of Ottawa Bluesfest. She deserves that honor, though the nine-day music festival isn’t limited to country music . What initially began as a blues festival (hence the name) has evolved into the fourth-largest music festival in North America, featuring all genres. This year’s lineup is quite solid.
Anyway, Red Clay Strays performed as the last act before Lainey Wilson on Day 1. If you’re unfamiliar with the cell phone-based country rock band by now, it’s an absolute pleasure to introduce you. I first saw them perform in 2022, and they’re one of my favorite bands.
Lainey Wilson and the Red Clay Detour the House!
The Red Clay Lost are in the midst of a meteoric rise to stardom that couldn’t be more deserved. Their sound falls somewhere between southern rock, blues, country, and gospel.
Vocalist Brandon Coleman is a modern throwback in terms of looks, voice, and stage presence. You wo n’t be bored at one of his shows.
Wilson invited Coleman to join her onstage at the Ottawa Bluesfest for an impromptu performance of Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” It sounded great!
While I’m a fan of both artists, I can’t help but notice how Coleman completely swallowed Wilson’s vocals when they sang together at the same time. They each held their own on their respective verses, but he blew her out of the water on the chorus. (And listen to that pop when he starts singing!)
I really don’t know what happened here. I’ve seen Lainey Wilson perform alongside some of country music’s greatest vocalists, like Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton. At no point did I feel like she was being slighted by her duet partner. She always held her own.
Not this time. Brandon Coleman diminished her.
Maybe this is a problem specific to his vocal tone and how it compares to Wilson’s. Maybe the latter has lost some of his power. Maybe there was an audio issue. Either way, I was surprised to hear Coleman outperforming Wilson on a Johnny Cash Classic!
