4 Signature Country Hits You Didn’t Know Were Covers

One of the things that sets country music apart from other genres of music is the regularity at which artists release cover songs. For instance, in the ‘70s it was normal to see multiple artists cut the same song within months of one another. Today, many artists dip into the vast collection of songs from the past or tap expert songsmiths to get their material. Sometimes, it’s obvious that songs are secondhand. However, there are plenty of country songs from top artists that some listeners don’t know are covers.

The list below looks at country songs that became hits after A-list artists covered them.

“Fancy”—Reba McEntire’s Timeless Country Hit is a Cover

Reba McEntire released “Fancy” as the third single from her 1990 album Rumor Has It. The song was the lowest-charting single from the album, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. However, despite only being a top 10 hit, it quickly became a favorite among fans and dominated the airwaves in the early ‘90s. It went on to become McEntire’s signature song and remains a fan favorite more than three decades later.

[RELATED: The Meaning Behind “Fancy” by Bobbie Gentry—and Made Famous by Reba McEntire]

Singer/songwriter Bobbi Gentry wrote, recorded, and released “Fancy” as the title track and lead single from her 1970 album. It was the best-performing single from the album peaking at No. 26 on the country chart. It also landed at No. 31 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 8 on the publication’s Adult Contemporary chart.

“Ol’ Red”—George Jones Did It Before Blake Shelton

Written by James “Bo” Bohon, Don Goodman, and Mark Sherrill, Blake Shelton released “Ol’ Red” in 2002 as the third single from his self-titled debut album. The song was a minor hit for Shelton, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. While it wasn’t the biggest hit of his career it quickly became a fan favorite. Later, it would become Shelton’s signature song and the name of his chain of bars.

[RELATED: 3 Hit Country Songs That George Jones Did First (And Better)]

George Jones recorded the song first, including it on his 1990 album You Oughta Be Here With Me. Three years later, Kenny Rogers recorded it for his 1993 album If Only My Heart Had a Voice. Jones didn’t release his version as a single and Rogers’ version of the song failed to chart.

“The Gambler”—Kenny Rogers Scores a Hit with a Cover from a Country Legend

Penned by Don Schlitz, Kenny Rogers released “The Gambler” as the title track and lead single from his 1978 album and made it a hit. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, landed at No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100. It also brought him a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. More importantly, it went on to be his signature song. He even gained the nickname The Gambler due to the song’s success.

[RELATED: Behind the Song: Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”]

Country legend Bobby Bare was the first to record “The Gambler,” including it on his 1978 album Bare. However, he didn’t release his version as a single. As a result, Schlitz recorded a version, and released it as a single later that year, but saw little chart success. Johnny Cash also recorded a rendition of the song for his 1978 album Gone Girl.

“Always on My Mind”—This Willie Nelson Signature Hit is a Cover

Willie Nelson released this absolute classic as the title track and lead single from his 1982 album. “Always on My Mind” is a staple of his shows and a favorite among his fans today. Back in 1982, it spent two weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also landed at No. 5 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart, giving Nelson his biggest crossover hit.

[RELATED: 4 Timeless Willie Nelson Hits Written by Other People]

Written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, this song came out a decade before Nelson covered it. Brenda Lee was the first to cut the song. However, Gwen McCrae was the first to release it in 1972. Later that year, Elvis Presley released his version of the song.

Featured Image by Mark Reinstein