Group Transforms One Of Music’s Spookiest Tunes Into A Bluegrass Masterpiece

Honeywagon Music / YouTube

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is one of the most recognizable songs out there. It became Jackson’s seventh number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be enjoyed by music fans of all ages.

The song’s music video is equally iconic and delightfully spooky. As a result, the song has become forever associated with Halloween celebrations and the month of October.

Due to its popularity, the song has been redone in about every way imaginable. We’re sure you’ve heard your fair share of “Thriller” covers before, but have you ever heard a bluegrass rendition? If your answer is “no,” that’s about to change right now.

Years ago, two  musicians named Bryan Clark and Ben Levine came together and formed a bluegrass group named Honeywagon. Starting with the release of their first record, Grass Stains: A Bluegrass Tribute to Blink 182, the duo made it clear they were unlike any other bluegrass group out there.

Honeywagon’s subsequent albums also paid tribute to music legends from completely non-bluegrass genres, including Green Day, the Rolling Stones, and Lady Gaga. In 2010, the group released their tribute to “The King of Pop” with their record Songs from Neverland: the Bluegrass Tribute to Michael Jackson.

Of course, you can’t create a Michael Jackson tribute record without including “Thriller” on it. Honeywagon got the chance to offer their own twist on the song, which sounds strikingly different when played on traditional bluegrass instruments.

The group appropriately chose October as the month to release the music video for their version of the song. To pay homage to its background, Honeywagon filmed their video for “Thriller” in a Civil War cemetery.

If you want to listen to something that is equal parts haunting and impressive, then Honeywagon’s cover of “Thriller” is exactly what you need. Who would have thought that it could pass off so well as a bluegrass tune?!