Hank Williams (1951) → Linda Ronstadt (1974)
Written and recorded by Hank Williams, this honky-tonk ballad became a timeless country standard, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard country chart. Blending Appalachian sorrow with blues-infused chord structures, Williams created an enduring archetype of heartache and vulnerability in American popular songwriting.
Country Rock / Folk Rock
Featured on her breakthrough album Heart Like a Wheel (1974), Ronstadt reimagined Williams's classic with crystalline vocal control alongside Emmylou Harris's pristine harmony. Her version reached No. 2 on the Country chart and won Ronstadt her first Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.