Did you know that the King of Country, George Strait himself, could have recorded “Tennessee Whiskey” but passed on it? The man has 60 number one hits, so he’ll be fine, but it’s crazy to think about.
George was asked a few years ago, what’s the biggest song he ever passed on and he said, “There’s a couple, but the biggest one is probably ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ that Dean Dillon wrote. Dean pitched that to me in the ’80s . . . And, I just didn’t . . . I missed it.”
REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
For a little history, “Tennessee Whiskey” was written by long-time George Strait songwriter Dean Dillon, along with Linda Hargrove. It was first recorded by David Allan Coe in 1981, on an album with the same name. But only peaked at number 71 on the charts.
Then in 1983, George Jones recorded his version and it went all the way to number two. But after that the song lay dormant until the CMAs in 2015. That’s when Chris Stapleton brought out Justin Timberlake and introduced it to an entirely new audience. And instantly made Chris Stapleton a household name.
(If you haven’t watched that incredible performance from Chris, do yourself a favor and check it out, here.)
