Viral Star Heath Sanders Goes Acoustic for ‘Down on the South’ Video

Graveled voiced viral star Heath Sanders delivers a stripped down, acoustic rendition of his latest single “Down on the South” in a new video premiering today on Sounds Like Nashville.

Featuring Sanders’ booming Southern baritone – with hints of Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery mixed into the raw power of his own one-of-a-kind delivery – the track is a nostalgic small-town anthem built on fond memories, first loves and good times you can never get back. Sanders wrote it alone, and its official version features sweeps of steel guitar alongside beautifully layered vocals. But when the former Arkansas oil worker presents it acoustic style, he says it takes on a different quality.

“Being my first solo write, I was really apprehensive about hayfields and truck beds,” Sanders says of the track’s back-to-basics foundation. “As we all know, there are thousands of songs on the subject and no doubt a great many that my feeble skills weren’t going to top. But the more thought I gave to a more intimate approach, the better it felt. No doubt about it, my producer did an incredible job with the full band version we released as a single, but at the end of the day I feel like this is what the song really wants to be.”

The independent artist first broke out after syndicated radio host Bobby Bones shouted out a stunning cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Either Way” Sanders posted to Facebook. Bones then invited Sanders onto the show to tell his story – and to play what would become his debut single, “Bloodline” – and Sanders has gone on to sign a Nashville songwriting deal.

“It’s really hard to put in perspective how truly grateful I am to everyone who’s been a part of this thing over the last year and a half,” Sanders says. “From those who simply hit a like button and share on social media, to my team members and sponsors that are at my back day to day. But absolutely none of this could’ve been possible without Bobby Bones taking the time to reach out to a nobody from nowhere – not once, but twice – and give me a shot to tell my story. Very few people are that lucky in life. He changed everything for me and I’ll be forever in his debt.”

Since the release of “Bloodline,” Sanders has been splitting his songwriting time with touring, and has hit the stage with artists like Justin Moore, Cody Johnson, Drake White, Chase Rice and more. “Down on the South” is out now.