Kane Brown has an early Christmas present for his fans, and it’s a collaboration with one of the biggest artists of all time, of any genre. The father of two just released “Blue Christmas,” a song made famous by Elvis Presley more than 65 years ago, and — thanks to technology — one that Brown recorded with the King of Rock and Roll.
“I chose to cover ‘Blue Christmas’ because it was probably one of my favorite Christmas songs,” Brown tells his record label. “I don’t have a lot. I used to sing it all the time whenever I was first coming up in the music scene, just while I was warming up and just playing around on stage. So when I got asked to do a Christmas song, of course, I’d have picked that one.
“And to reimagine it with Elvis is amazing,” he adds. “I heard it for the first time the other day so just to hear me and Elvis on the same song is crazy.“
Although Presley passed away 16 years before Brown was even born, the 30-year-old still feels a kinship with the musical legend.
“Elvis is awesome,” Brown gushes. “I wish I would have been around to get to watch him perform but I did get to watch his documentary, so it felt like I was kind of there.”
This isn’t the first time Brown has praised Presley. It’s Presley who is one of the biggest influences in Brown’s career, and the artist Brown most wants to emulate.
“Elvis was just his own thing,” Brown told The New York Times last year. “My Nana was a huge Elvis fan; I remember she used to have this crazy bedazzled Elvis purse she would take everywhere, that was just his face blown up on a purse. As I got older, I started listening to his music, and if you really listen, he’s not scared to do anything. I find myself trying to sound like him all the time, on ‘Blue Christmas’ or ‘Hound Dog.’ However long this world goes on, he’ll still be talked about.”
Brown also just released “I Can Feel It,” the first single from his next album. The uptempo track is, according to Brown, a good indication of what fans can expect from his new record, as well as his upcoming In The Air Tour.
“I took all the slow songs out of my set, even though that’s like my bread and butter, the slow music, but I don’t like to play it on stage,” Brown revealed on Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. “I like to keep the show energized, keep the fans moving. I don’t want them to go get a beer. That’s what I’m going to focus on for the most part, for this new album.”
Brown will embark on his In The Air Tour on March 28, joined by a rotating list of opening acts, including Chris Young, Tyler Hubbard, Cole Swindell, Jon Pardi, Parmalee and Bailey Zimmerman, among others.
Find “Blue Christmas,” “I Can Feel It” and all of Brown’s music and upcoming shows at KaneBrownMusic.com.