The Red Clay Strays performed their transcendent gospel-tinged rave-up “Demons in Your Choir” at the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday.
The Alabama crew has always straddled Southern rock and country well enough to have opened for the Rolling Stones in 2024, but they fit right in on the ACMs stage, thanks in part to frontman Brandon Coleman’s booming voice, pitched with just the right amount of twang. And to help push the performance into those ethereal dimensions, Coleman and the Red Clay Strays were joined onstage by a full gospel choir, who helped belt the latest single from their upcoming album, Grateful.
The performance was a fitting reminder of why the Red Clay Strays won the ACM Award for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year in 2025 — and how they followed that up with a win for Group of the Year earlier Sunday night.
“Just at a loss…it doesn’t feel real, truly,” Coleman said while accepting the prize. “We’re just some rednecks form Mobile, Alabama, and when we started playing in bars, we never thought we’d go this far. We’re truly grateful and thankful for everybody.”
They previewed another Grateful track, “People Hatin’,” in November at another trophy toss, the CMA Awards, where they also claimed honors for being Vocal Group of the Year. That song charted on the rock, country, and adult alternative airplay charts, proving their crossover appeal.
“I don’t think we’re country,” Coleman said in 2024. “I love country music. That’s what I was raised on. If anything, we’re Americana. And it’s funny, because actual country music like Sturgill [Simpson] and Tyler Childers get lumped into Americana.”
The ACM Awards took place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, where Shania Twain served as host. Other performers at the event included Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, and Miranda Lambert.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Corp., the parent company of Rolling Stone.
