They Had It Covered First

Chances are, at least once you have been surprised to discover that a song that you like by a particular artist turned out to be a cover - that is, a song actually written by someone else. Even performers who generally write their own songs sometimes record and/or perform music written by another artist.

I recall being surprised when I learned that 'Call Me The Breeze' - a signature Lynyrd Skynyrd song - was written and first performed by JJ Cale. As it happens, there are many 'signature' type songs associated with a performer who had a big hit, that turned out to be covers of someone else's music.

The following videos are the songs performed by the original artists, made famous by someone else (sometimes a more famous performer) who covered the song, and made it their own. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide whether you like the original or the (usually much better known) cover version better. These videos are performed by the man who wrote the song.

Covering Hank

One of the most significant performers in music history had one of the shortest careers. Hank Williams, Sr., often called the father of contemporary country music, was only 29 when he died on January 1, 1953. Although he had been in the spotlight just four years, he left a legacy of music that set him apart as one of the greatest of all time. Many artists covered Hank's songs, including his son Hank, Jr., his daughter Jett, and his grandson Hank III.

Because Hank's songs have been so popular and influential, they have been performed and recorded by many musicians, all paying tribute to Williams and his standing as one of the greats. Presented here are some other artist's covers of Hank's songs.