Jon Pardi Covers George Strait, Joe Diffie & More On Surprise Album, ‘Rancho Fiesta Sessions’

Jon Pardi pays tribute to several of his heroes on his just-released surprise album, Rancho Fiesta Sessions.

The eight-song project was produced by Pardi and recording during a one night only jam session with his touring band at his home hangout in Nashville, “Rancho Fiesta.” The album features covers of a variety of artists, including George Strait, the late Joe Diffie, Tom Petty and Dwight Yoakam.

“All these covers are of artists that I admire and I look up to. There are all kinds of great names and styles of songs on here- from legends. I think the magic and the fun of it is all is in these eight covers of songs that I really like, or grew up singing,” the CMA and ACM award-winning artist shared.

He admits they didn’t intentionally plan on releasing anything from their session that night, but hopes it will bring fans a bit of comfort while live shows are off the table for the foreseeable future.

“It’s all my band on this whole album. We mainly did it to have fun and record, and it sounds like we’re in your backyard, playing for you,” he said. “I hope the fans really have fun when they listen to it, and they enjoy it and turn it up. This one was for the fans, to let them hear something different… songs you may have heard before, but haven’t heard them like this. It  turned into something special because it’s a year where we are off the road, and we recorded it live in real time, out at my house.”

Pardi’s neo-traditional country sound lends perfectly to these songs as he gives new life to eight fan favorites. Click HERE to listen.

Rancho Fiesta Sessions Track List:

“The Bottle Let Me Down” – As performed by Merle Haggard
“Honky Tonk Man” – As performed by Dwight Yoakam
“Right or Wrong” – As performed by George Strait
“Marina Del Rey” – As performed by George Strait
“Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)” – As performed by Joe Diffie
“Somebody’s Doin’ Me Right” – As performed by Keith Whitley
“The Waiting” – As performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“Nothing Compares 2 U” – As performed by Prince