What can this man not sing?
Last night, country music stars gathered in Huntsville, Alabama, to celebrate the life and work of the great Dean Dillon, one of country music’s all-time great songwriters. The star-studded tribute concert for the great songwriter, Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon, was filled with performances of some of his biggest hits. Dean Dillon has penned hits for Toby Keith, Keith Whitley, Kenny Chesney, David Allan Coe, Brooks & Dunn, Alabama, and more. But out of that lengthy list of artists he has worked with, Dillon is best known for his worth with George Strait.
And there is no one better to cover some George Strait than a fellow Texan. Cody Johnson was asked to perform the 1985 hit, and to say he knocked it out of the park is an understatement. Cody Johnson laid down pure country gold when performing this cover.
Dillon and Hank Cochran wrote the song, which came about after a long night of songwriting. The two were ready to call it quits when Dillon strummed his guitar, saying, “Excuse me, but I think you’ve got my chair.” The rest is history, as 20 minutes later, they had a song that would be a number-one hit and the lead single from Strait’s album Something Special. “The Chair” is arguably one of Strait’s most beloved songs, as the sweet lyrics detail a budding love story between two people at a bar.
“Well, excuse me, but I think you’ve got my chair
No, that one’s not taken, I don’t mind if you sit here
I’ll be glad to share
Yeah, it’s usually packed here on Friday nights
Oh, if you don’t mind, could I talk you out of a light?”
Johnson’s strong yet soft vocal delivery powerfully tells the story. With his thick twangs accenting all the right notes, one can only assume that The King was seen giving a nod of approval during this performance.
@thetraveladdict.com Cody Johnson performs “The Chair” at the Dean Dillon tribute in Huntsville Alabama. @Cody Johnson #codyjohnson #cojo #cojonation #deandillon #deandillonsongs @George Strait #georgestrait #songwriter #countrymusic #country #thechair #alabama #huntsville #huntsvillealabama #songwritersoftiktok #songwriters ♬ original sound – thetraveladdict
“The Chair”
