Daniel Epperson Duck Dynasty Song and Video Becomes Hit on the Internet

Daniel Epperson (Photo: artist’s website)

“I am a red neck in every aspect of the definition. I love the Lord. I go out I hunt, I fish every day possible.”

That’s how country singer Daniel Epperson describes himself and the reason he recorded an entire song dedicated to the crew of the hit A&E show “Duck Dynasty.”* It’s called “Red Neck Heroes” and has verses singing the praises of Uncle Si, Willie, Jase, and Phil Robertson.

That’s right, there’s now a country song devoted to the show and its stars. And if you expect it to be a cheesy, poorly recorded hick hit, you’d be wrong — at least about the first parts. That’s because the song could very well be a #1 in your book if you’re a fan of country music and the show, sounding more like the polished tunes you hear on radio than an ode by a fan.

Don’t believe us? Take a listen. You might just hit rewind and hum it the rest of the day:

Epperson, 19, told TheBlaze the song came about after his producers in Nashville told him he needed one more song to complete his five-song record.

His producer texted him and suggested they write an upbeat song loosely based on the Robertsons, their values, and the show. That’s when Epperson texted back: “Man, those guys are my red neck heroes.”

As soon as his producer saw that line, he knew “that was it.” He drove to Nashville from his home in Rockport, Indiana, the next day and started writing the song.

But the first cut wasn’t what’s now starting to pick up steam on the Internet (the music video has nearly 6,000 views in just about two days of being on YouTube).

“It was getting pushed in the direction of simple town heroes these days, and finally I was like, let’s stop,” which was okay, but not quite what he was going for, he said. Instead, he suggested going all out and basing the song directly, instead of loosely, on the show and its stars.

“And they’re like, ‘I don’t know, it’s kind of a big risk. Do you want to write a good song that has the potential of being a top 10 hit and you get the money off that, or do you want to try and focus on one show?’”

His response: “I think it’s worth it.”

And it appears he was right. They recorded the music video a couple weeks ago in the 20-degree Indiana winter (complete with an appearance by an actual Duck Commander duck call), posted it on Tuesday, and are already talking to the national media.

In fact, he’s heard the Robertsons may have already seen it, or at least know about. On top of that, we even showed it to Ryan Howard, Korie Robertson’s brother. He was so impressed he said he sent it on to Willie.

When we told Epperson that, he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“Dude, that means the world! Heck yes!”

Epperson’s debut record — “Can’t Get There from Here” — is due out in March, although his label hasn’t picked a specific date. In the meantime you can go to his website and download the song.

You might even be able to say you were a fan before he became (more) popular.

*Author’s note: How big of a “hit” is the show? According to the New York Times, “Wednesday night’s third-season premiere of A&E’s reality series ‘Duck Dynasty’ was the most-watched nonfiction show on cable television so far this year, crushing much of the competition on the broadcast networks, especially among the younger viewers of most value to advertisers.” [Emphasis added]
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More “Ducky Dynasty” coverage from TheBlaze:

• Exclusive Pictures from Inside the ‘Duck Dynasty’ Premiere Party (Yes, Uncle Si Did Bring His Own Cup)
• We Know You Want to See the ‘Duck Dynasty’ Crew’s Jimmy Kimmel Appearance
• Singer Cancels ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Performance After Finding Out the ‘Animal Serial Killers’ of ‘Duck Dynasty’ Would Be There
• Guns, Faith, and That Bandana: We Asked Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson the Questions You’ve Always Wanted To