Mom says rapper’s take on ‘Old Town Road’ inspires autistic boy to sing

The Associated Press

5 years ago

This undated photo provided by Sheletta Brundidge shows Brundidge and her son Daniel. Lil Nas X has found huge success with the song, "Old Town Road." Brundidge tweeted Tuesday, June 4, 2019, that she filmed Daniel, who is autistic and mostly nonverbal, humming the tune and then singing the lyrics. Now, she says therapists are using the music in his sessions. (Sheletta Brundidge via AP)

This undated photo provided by Sheletta Brundidge shows her son Daniel. Lil Nas X has found huge success with the song, “Old Town Road.” Brundidge tweeted Tuesday, June 4, 2019, that she filmed Daniel, who is autistic and mostly nonverbal, humming the tune and then singing the lyrics. Now, she says therapists are using the music in his sessions. (Sheletta Brundidge via AP)

Musical artist Lil Nas X performs at HOT 97 Summer Jam 2019 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, June 2, 2019, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP)

ATLANTA — An Atlanta rapper’s take on country music has inspired a mostly nonverbal autistic boy in Minnesota to sing.

Lil Nas X has found huge success with the song, “Old Town Road.” It has sparked controversy, spawned a clothing line, made the rapper a household name and got his collaborator Billy Ray Cyrus a Maserati.

Now, it’s being credited for doing a lot more.

Cottage Grove, Minnesota, mother Sheletta Brundidge tweeted Tuesday about her family’s “#oldtownroad miracle,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. She filmed her 4-year-old son, Daniel, humming the tune and then singing the lyrics. Now, she says therapists are using the music in his sessions.

We had an #oldtownroad miracle at my house. My son Daniel has #autism and doesn't talk. We caught him humming the @LilNasX and @billyraycyrus tune the other day. Then Bless God, my baby started singing the song on his own. His therapists have started to use it in his sessions! pic.twitter.com/vtCNWeg6ax

— Sheletta Brundidge (@TwoHauteMamas1) June 4, 2019

Cyrus retweeted the video and Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, tweeted “What a King” in response to the clip.

“Old Town Road” climbed the Billboard charts in April and gained national attention when Billboard removed it from the Hot Country Songs chart, declaring it not country enough. The song has now spent nine weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and even broke the streaming record previously held by Drake.

Hill recently partnered with Wrangler and released a clothing line inspired by the song.