American Idol Contestant Delivers Impressive Performance Of The Tyler Childers Fan Favorite, “Rock Salt & Nails”

I am in shock.

On Sunday night’s episode of American Idol, contestant Cameron Whitcomb, an 18-year-old Harley Davidson mechanic and pipeliner from Kamloops, British Columbia, made his way onto the auditioning stage.

I’ll go ahead and say it, this dude has the thickest Canadian accent I’ve ever heard in my life, and it’s a bit of a culture shock to the judges.

When they ask him what he’s about to sing, he says Waylon Jennings’ hit “Rock Salt & Nails,” which has also been notably covered by Tyler Childers.

Written by Utah Phillips, “Rock Salt & Nails” has been covered by everybody from Waylon Jennings and Tyler Childers, to Joan Baez, Steve Young, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, and more.

But as soon as he begins to sing, the judges quickly realize that Whitcomb has an incredibly authentic, gritty voice, that will kind of remind you of a raw version of Childers, along with some resemblance to last year’s winner, Chayce Beckham.

Needless to say, he pulls off a powerful rendition of the song.

Although very complementary, Lionel Richie believes that the man isn’t quite ready for the show.

However, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan sing high praises for him, and tell him that just a little bit of work with them will take him a long way.

Long story short, he’s going to Hollywood.

And the Tyler Childers version:

A beer bottle on a dock

STAY ENTERTAINED

A RIFF ON WHAT COUNTRY IS REALLY ABOUT

A beer bottle on a dock