Steve Ray Ladson Wows Crowd (and Catches Mel B's Eye) With Original ‘Blackgrass Brothercana' Anthem ‘Back of My Truck'
Steve Ray Ladson appeared to have no nerves when he swaggered up to the mic on Tuesday night's (June 17) episode of America's Got Talent. The Hopkins, S.C. native with the big smile confidently told judge Howie Mandel that he's made a living 'all my life' making music, though he's only been at it professionally for 15 years.
Cradling his banjo, the musician who has performed with the Blind Boys of Alabama and Robert Randolph and the Family Band said he came on the show to share his signature musical genre, which he calls 'Blackgrass Brothercana.'
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Joined by his backing band, Ladson unfurled his beat-heavy, country trap sound drawling, 'When I pull up on the scene/ It hit different/ Cuz ain't nobody whippin' how I'm whippin'/ We can leave the house, bring the dog and my guitar/ Fill up on some diesel, yeah we about to take it far/ I got my pole and the tackle box for the lake.'
Hitting on a clutch of requisite country tropes: dogs, fishing, trucks and getting busy, Ladson caught the eyes (and ears) of judges Mel B and Sofia Vergara when he crooned about it all going down 'on the back of my truck' in a crowd-thrilling falsetto.
The former Spice Girl grabbed Vergara's arm and shouted 'I love it! 'Cause you want to go in the back of his truck!' Ladson got a standing ovation and big props from the judging panel, with Vergara saying he was her favorite music act of the season so far. 'You guys were amazing, I loved it!' she enthused.
Mel B spilled some tea about fellow panelist Vergara, revealing that 'she really loved the part in the back of my truck. She was very happy with you guys.' Vergara appeared to blush and explained, 'I liked the whole song, not only that part.' Ladson played along, cheekily asking, 'do you wanna ride?'
Mel said she liked seeing things she's never seen before and Ladson definitely fit that bill for her. 'So slick, with swagger and lyrics like, 'I'm gonna [blank] in the back of my truck,'' she said. 'I loved it! Brilliant.' Mandel gushed that Ladson had a '100% hit song,' with Simon Cowell marveling that the band had only been together for a year.
'Everything was, like, on point. I love the song, I love you. I love the band,' Cowell said. 'This is when I love my job.' Needless to say, Ladson will be driving his truck to the next round after getting four big yes votes.
America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and streams on Peacock the next day.
Watch Ladson's performance below.
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