Dylan Scott recently recorded an episode of CMT Campfire Sessions. Fans will be able to see the whole episode when it airs on February 7. However, CMT gave everyone a sneak peek with the video below. Scott’s flawless cover of Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” sets a high bar for the rest of the episode.
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“We don’t get to do that very much,” Scott said of recording stripped-down versions of songs. “We’re always playing live shows with the band so this was a cool moment for us to just strip it all down and play ‘em and hear ‘em that way.”
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind Keith Whitley’s No. 1 Hit “Don’t Close Your Eyes”]
During his Campfire Sessions set, Scott recorded a few of his hits like “This Town’s Been Too Good to Us” and “Good Times Go By Too Fast.” However, he was most excited to record the Whitley cover.
Scott did a stellar rendition of the song. His delivery is raw and emotional. At the same time, steam visibly puffs out of his mouth as he sings. Scott shot his episode in the cold. The campfire didn’t put off enough heat to balance out the cold. So, when it came time to record the final song of the episode—his cover of “Don’t Close Your Eyes—he was feeling the effects of the chill.
“Oh, it was freezing. It’s hard to sing. It’s hard to play guitar,” Scott said. “My fingers were frozen. Your body starts shivering and stuff. I think we sat there for four hours,” he added.
Scott nailed the performance in one take and it left many crew members in tears. So, it seems that his secret ingredient is cold.
Dylan Scott’s Connection to “Don’t Close Your Eyes”
“This is, in my opinion, the most iconic song in country music. This is ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ by my hero, Keith Whitley,” he said before playing the song.
CMT reports that Scott has a long and deep connection to the song. Keith Whitley’s Greatest Hits was the first album Scott’s dad ever gave him. As a result, he learned to sing and play guitar while listening to Whitley.
“It’s just one of them songs that’s really been with me from the beginning of my career,” Scott said. “My first-ever talent show was ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes.’ I won it. It’s one of them special songs that’s, like I said, been with me from the very beginning.”
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT
