TORONTO – An electrician in West Virginia is the talk of the Internet after he posted a touching video of himself singing with his uncle who has Down Syndrome.
Aspiring country musician Travis Hatfield, 21, spends his working days at a mine but in his private time he sometimes sings with his 47-year-old uncle Jamie Joe Cline. They have lived together since Cline’s parents died 10 years ago.
The pair enjoy many artists but a classic George Jones song, “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” they covered on March 21 changed both their lives forever after Hatfield posted their performance on Facebook.
“I just wanted to show everybody that just because my uncle has Down Syndrome, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings for stuff, he can still relate to music just like everyone else can,” the Gilbert native told the Williamson Daily News.
At the time of this writing their duet has been watched well over 2 million times, even though Hatfield’s intentions were more humble.
“When I made the video it was made just to be sent to friends because everybody loves him. I just wanted them to see him happy and singing a little bit,” Hatfield said in an interview with WOWK.
The extra attention has been overwhelming for the pair. Hatfield has even received a couple phone calls from Nashville record labels, according to CBS.
“He told me he listened to my video and thinks I have an amazing voice and thinks he could do big things,” Hatfield explained. “It was kind of a jaw dropper. I didn’t know what to say.”
Now forced to deal with his new-found fame, Hatfield has already booked his first show since the video was posted. He will be appearing this Friday at a United Pro Wrestling Alliance event.
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