Music is so readily available today, most people can pull up footage of historic concerts like Johnny Cash at San Quentin, Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock, and more in a matter of seconds.
But nothing compares to the thrill of being there live in person.
Unfortunately, many of these great musical icons have passed away, leaving us only with what has been recorded, forever immortalized on tape, on vinyl, and on the internet.
But if you could fire up Doc Brown’s Delorean, gun it to 88 miles per hours, and blast off into the front row of a live show… where would you go?
According to an interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly, the great Chris Stapleton has a few artists in mind that he wishes he could’ve seen:
“I never got to see Aretha Franklin live and I always regretted that when she passed away recently. You make these plans, you’re like, ‘I’m gonna go see him when he comes around next year’ or I’ll see this person… and then you lose a lot of history musically, in recent years.
It would’ve been cool to see The Beatles in their entirety. I never got to see Waylon Jennings play or Johnny Cash, any of those guys… I got to see Haggard play and I played some shows with Haggard and Willie.
I Haven’t seen the Rolling Stones but it’s on the list and I keep meaning to see the Rolling Stones but I just haven’t made it.”
Well Chris, I’ve seen the Rolling Stones live (thanks for the tix Whiskey Myers), and I’ll tell ya what… Mick and Keith and boys still got it. Definitely get that one the calendar ASAP.
But overall, can’t say I disagree with any of Chris’ picks here… and you know he’s got that big, booming, soulful voice… makes sense that he’d want to go see the Queen Of Soul.”
So that begs the question… who would you like to go back in time and see?
Jamey Johnson & Chris Stapleton’s Cover Waylon Jennings’ “Luckenbach, Texas”
What a duo.
At a benefit show in Nashville at 3rd and Lindsley back in 2020, two country powerhouses in Chris Stapleton and Jamey Johnson teamed up for a rendition of Waylon Jennings’ hit “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love).”
They gave it a bit of a soulful, bluesy touch and slowed down the production a bit compared to the original, but it simply doesn’t get better than hearing Jamey and Chris singin’ together in my book.
“Luckenbach” was written by Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons, and recorded by the one and only Waylon Jennings, along with a little bit of vocal assistance from his friend Willie on the official studio version. Waylon released it in April of 1977 as the lead single from his Ol’ Waylon album.
The song shot to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, but Waylon actually hated the track and didn’t like singing his own name in the lyrics.
Waylon said himself in his 1996 autobiography, Waylon: An Autobiography, he believed the song succeeded like it did for a simple reason, though:
“Every state has a Luckenbach; a place to get away from things.”
Fair enough…
“Luckenbach” went on to become a country standard and one of Waylon’s biggest hits, and is beloved by generations of country fans to this day.
And I know the song wasn’t Waylon’s favorite, but I’d like to think he would’ve at least loved this cover… pure and simple country perfection from two of the best in the business:
And while you’re here, check out the live version from The Highwaymen’s epic American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum show in 1990:
