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JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) — When Elijah Collins goes to his grandfather’s house, his favorite room is full of instruments. He comes to sing, but he’s not fond of slow ballads or drowsy ditties. This seven-year-old likes songs that are quick and twist the tongue.

Grandfather Scott Collins, the retired owner of a dental equipment company, spends most of his time these days writing songs and performing at area churches, festivals and senior centers. He’s been teaching songs to Elijah ever since the boy started talking.

“We found out he could sing really fast,” Scott said. One of the first songs he learned was “There’s a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea,” which is a cumulative song that adds another element to each verse.

Recently, Scott wanted to teach his grandson the books of the Bible and had a revelation.
He had faith that Elijah could learn as quickly as he sings if the books of the Bible became lyrics.
He wrote a parody of the Johnny Cash hit, “I’ve Been Everywhere,” (written by Geoff Mack in 1959) changing the title to “I’ve Read Every Book.”

Sure enough, this second grader quickly learned all 66 books in order, rattling them off faster than a televangelist.

Now, sometimes Scott calls Elijah on stage with him to perform the song, something Elijah calls “exciting and kind of weird.”

But he loves it, especially, he says, because “people give me money.”

MORE SPIRIT OF THE BLUEGRASS:

Scott says he was singing in a tent during a festival in Berea last year and realized people weren’t paying much attention to him. But when Elijah started singing, the tent quickly filled with listeners.

“There’s something about a child that can upstage you pretty quick,” he laughs.

The duo has posted a video of the song to YouTube.

This may be the Genesis of a new venture for the pair. Scott believes churches could use the song to get kids on a holy roll.

“It’s a fun way to get kids engaged, he said, “and at the end, you really do know the books of the Bible, which is pretty cool.”