I think age has something to with it as well. In earlier live versions his voice sounds higher and “smoother”
2023-07-18 16:09:24 +0000 UTC
Never heard this rendition before but like it even better than the studio track! Beth, regarding his diction, it's perfectly natural for a native Texan to talk or sing that way, dropping those endings, and singing "ah" instead of "I" or "yew" instead of "you". Take my word for it.