Who doesn’t love a good cover song?
When you’re at a show and the artist you’re seeing breaks out an awesome cover you weren’t expecting, that experience can be pretty hard to beat. It’s not necessarily that the cover is better than the original. More often than not, it isn’t. But there’s something special about hearing a band put its own spin on a classic, whether it’s tipping its hat to the music that influenced them or giving you a glimpse into what they’ve been digging lately.
Sometimes a band plays a cover once, and you never hear it again. Other times, they play it just often enough that it becomes a song you’re always chasing, giving you one more reason to keep catching shows. And on rare occasions, a cover becomes a staple of the setlist and a permanent fixture in the band’s catalog.
Covers come in all shapes and sizes, but there’s something different about an artist taking the time to record one and release it for the world to hear. It’s one thing to pull out a cover for a night on the road. It’s another to put your own interpretation out there for anyone to hear, whenever they feel like pressing play. Whether it’s a nod to a musical hero, a fresh take on an old favorite, or a completely unexpected choice, these recordings offer a glimpse into the music that our favorite artists run off of.
One of my favorite up-and-coming bluegrass bands, Valley Flower, released a cover of Gillian Welch’s classic “Look at Miss Ohio” this past Thursday, and it got me thinking about how many great country covers have been released (somewhat) recently. Inspired by the Austin band’s latest single, I’ve put together a list of recent covers that every country music fan needs to hear.
Starting with the song that inspired this list and then proceeding in alphabetical order by artist, here are 14 covers you can listen to on your favorite streaming platform that you won’t want to miss.
Valley Flower – “Look at Miss Ohio” (Gillian Welch)
The 2003 classic off of Welch’s Soul Journey record has become a coveted cover across Americana circles, and Valley Flower’s might just be the best I’ve heard yet. Written by one of the band’s heroes, the song has taken on new meaning for lead singer Rose Flower as explained in a recent Instagram post, and it’s proven to really connect with fans at shows lately too. This is a perfect example of the magic that can happen when an artist finds the right song to make their own.
AJ Lee & Blue Summit ft. Jerry Douglas – “Red Dirt Girl” (Emmylou Harris)
AJ Lee’s recent Cover to Cover album is full of songs that could have made this list, but her rendition of Emmylou Harris’ Grammy-winning “Red Dirt Girl” is a must-listen.
Arthur Hancock – “Gringo Honeymoon” (Robert Earl Keen)
I believe they have since disbanded, but Arthur Hancock was once the frontman of a killer Kentucky-based bluegrass outfit called The Wooks, and I just have not been able to listen to enough of his music lately. He recently released a solo record of covers and originals titled Influence, and his string-fueled rendition of Robert Earl Keen’s “Gringo Honeymoon” is amazing.
Benjamin Tod – “Alone And Forsaken” (Hank Williams)
Few artists, if any, are maintaining the classic country tradition as fiercely as Benjamin Tod, and he made that abundantly clear on his recent cover album Country Is Dead. His cover of Hank Williams’ posthumously released “Alone and Forsaken” is my favorite from the project.
Charles Wesley Godwin – “Gospel of the South” (Tony Lane)
The only cover on Godwin’s latest faith-inspired record Christian Name, Tony Lane’s “Gospel of the South” fit like a missing puzzle piece in one of the best albums of the year thus far.
Clay Street Unit – “Kids” (MGMT)
Though you might not expect it if you haven’t witnessed it, MGMT’s “Kids” has been a staple in Clay Street Unit’s set for a while now, and it’s been a fan favorite ever since they introduced it. One of the most intriguing up-and-coming bands out there, CSU’s rise has been largely attributable to the strength of their live show, and their recent Live From the Road – Vol. 1 album provides plenty of proof, including this cover.
JR Carroll – “Ohio” (Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young)
Originally penned by Neil Young and released in 1970 in response to the Kent State shootings, “Ohio” is a classic protest song in American history, and Carroll’s newer version is a must-hear.
Lindsay Lou – “CC Rider” (Ma Rainey)
One of many artists on this list that don’t receive nearly enough recognition for all that they do, Lindsay Lou recently spearheaded the Bluegrass Women record that showcases many of the most talented women in bluegrass. This cover of the American blues classic originally recorded by Ma Rainey in 1924 is one of my favorites from the project.
Ken Pomeroy – “This Old Guitar” (John Denver)
I’m not one to put much of an emphasis on award shows in music, but as the recent recipient of Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Awards, I think it’s safe to say that people are finally starting to take note of Oklahoma’s Ken Pomeroy and all of the talent that she brings to the table. Her original music is the stuff that will really win you over, but this recent John Denver cover is pretty dang good too.
Mason Lively ft. Briscoe – “Live Forever” (Billy Joe Shaver)
You might not know it, but as someone who wrote many of Waylon Jennings’ most popular songs, Billy Joe Shaver was one of the most important musicians involved in the outlaw country movement. His tune “Live Forever” is one of the most iconic tunes from the era, and Texas natives Mason Lively and Briscoe do it justice in their recent rendition.
Noeline Hofmann – “Dublin Blues” (Guy Clark)
Noeline Hofmann is a modern day artist carrying the torch for artists of yesteryear who revered the craft of songwriting. One of the greatest to ever do it, Guy Clark’s “Dublin Blues” is an anthem that has withheld the test of time, and Noeline kills it on this cover.
Parker McCollum – “Ellis Unit One” (Steve Earl)
One of the coolest things about Parker McCollum is how he has managed to stay true to his routes while achieving the highest levels of success in mainstream country music. Sure, there might be a couple of songs in his catalog that feel more like made-for-Nashville hits than from-the-heart songwriting, but by and large, McCollum has achieved what every artist strives for without losing the spark that took over Texas in the mid to late 2010s.
He released a live album titled Live From Sound City this week, and I was originally drawn to it for his cover of Turnpike Troubadours’ “Diamonds and Gasoline,” one of the greatest country songs of all time.
But listening through the whole project, I re-discovered this Steve Earle classic that opines on the death penalty from the unassuming perspective of a prison guard, and had to include it in this list.
Red Shahan – “14 Miles From Home” (Six Market Blvd)
Okay, this one isn’t really cover, I guess. Or is it? I’m including it either way. In the early 2010s, before they disbanded in February 2014, Six Market Blvd was one of the hottest young acts in Texas. They were best known for their song “14 Miles From Home,” which was written by friend-of-the-band Red Shahan before he eventually joined the group in the spring of 2013 for several months before they called it quits.
Admittedly a gray area for a list like this, the original version features Six Market Blvd’s Clayton Landau on lead vocals, and Shahan didn’t release his own version (to my knowledge) until just a couple of months ago.
Turnpike Troubadours ft. Sierra Hull – “Feelin’ Good Again” (Robert Earl Keen)
The greatest band of all time paying homage to one of the greatest songwriters of all time. That ought to be enough said. It just doesn’t get much better than that.
