Artist:Mike Dawes with Tommy Emmanuel Song: “Somebody That I Used to Know” (Gotye cover) Release Date: June 25, 2021 Label: Qten Records
In Their Words: “There are a few reasons why this collaboration had to happen, and I’m so glad it did. ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ is one of the biggest songs to come out of Australia and Tommy is an Aussie national hero! Not only that, but this month marks the 10-year anniversary of the song, as well as the nine-year anniversary of my 2012 arrangement. We’re also announcing our 2022 USA tour together. I am so proud of this collaboration, the arrangement and production. Once you add Tommy to a track, everything falls into place. … Tommy tracked his part to my original recording, then I reworked my part into a re-recording with extra licks, structure and harmony based around what he played. That way I could get Tommy’s DNA into the tune in a way that avoided a lazier approach of just having him play over the top of an old arrangement. I’m so happy with the result and I hope the fans of the original enjoy it too!” — Mike Dawes
“I became aware of Mike through YouTube videos and people in England telling me to check him out. I loved his playing and his personality on stage — he has a generous spirit with his audiences! When my manager took him on as a client, he asked me if I’d like to have Mike on some shows and I jumped at the opportunity to have Mike on a EU tour. We got on as friends and found a good way of making our shows exciting for our audiences and I found I could rely on Mike to always give his best out there on stage. We had fun together and my team became his team too! … Mike’s style is so different to mine and that makes for a good chemistry between us. I ask him to play his arrangements as he did solo, then I found a way to blend in, harmonize, strengthen choruses and stay out of his way, musically, yet add to what he’s doing! His approach to melodies is solid!” — Tommy Emmanuel
Photo Credit: Mike Dawes (Adam King Photography); Tommy Emmanuel (Alysse Gafkjen)
Artists:Cat Clyde & Jeremie Albino Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Song: “Hello Stranger” (The Carter Family cover) Album:blue blue blue Release Date: May 21, 2021 Label: Cinematic Music Group, Majesticsilk (CAN)
In Their Words: “It’s amazing to think the first recording of this old folk song was done about 80 years ago. It feels sad, but also beautiful. Playing with the perspectives brings out the vulnerability in the song. We’re all strangers really — but great connection can come from this knowing and an openness can unfurl that may not be there with someone you are already close to.” — Cat Clyde & Jeremie Albino
In Their Words: “Recording any of Gillian Welch’s work is such an honor. ‘Look at Miss Ohio’ holds this fantastic tension between societal and familial pressures and a deep desire to find new ways of living. The line that pushes me over the edge is ‘I know all about it so you don’t have to shout it / I’m gonna straighten it out somehow.’ There’s so much there — it’s a line you might shout at a parent defensively, but it is also packed with utter humility and self-awareness. For me, this song depicts the story of someone choosing to embrace ambiguity while living with the hope that it’s going to shake out alright, somehow. Making peace with the fact of uncertainty is a theme that’s found its way into some of my own songs here and there. I’ve tried to represent that in this cover with a balance of lightness and melancholy in the arrangement.” — David Swick, DoomFolk StarterKit
Artist:Bhi Bhiman Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri Song: “Magic Carpet Ride” Album:Substitute Preacher II Release Date: April 30, 2021 Label: BooCoo Music
In Their Words: “‘Magic Carpet Ride’ is such an instantly recognizable, iconic rock song, but I never realized the lyrics were actually about Aladdin and his magic lamp. The lyrics are super playful and I began playing it for my daughter, who I’ve been homeschooling during the pandemic. Country blues artists like Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Blind Blake have played a big part in my evolution as a guitarist. And it’s still one of my favorite styles to play because it just feels so good. So I took a song basically everybody knew and made it feel like an old country blues song that Steppenwolf merely covered. And I think this version is so soothing to hear, especially as a parent in these times, when everything is uncertain, and we wish we could just float above it all.” — Bhi Bhiman
Canadian country singer Colter Wall has been slowly diffusing his rich, deep voice throughout the Americana world. In 2020, the singer from Saskatchewan announced his third album, Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs, with the release of a cover of the Stan Jones classic, “Cowpoke.” The album is a gold mine of soothing classic country sounds. Recorded in Texas, Wall performed the music with the band he travels with, fashioning a familiarity with outside material that dovetails nicely with the Western sound that’s heard in Wall’s songwriting, too.
For a long while, Wall only sang “Cowpoke” live, and to the praise of his fans, he has finally committed the cover to record. He possesses a keen sensibility for Western culture — the music he creates is fresh, but bears great resemblance to deeply ingrained musical traditions. Buy it, download it, stream it; do whatever you have to do to hear Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs. You can watch Colter Wall sing “Cowpoke” in Bar Nunn, Wyoming, for Western AF below.
Artist:Charley Crockett Hometown: San Benito, Texas Song: “I Can Help” Album:The Next Waltz, Vol. 3 Label: The Next Waltz
In Their Words: “We showed up at the studio without any idea what we were gonna cut. Once we got in there I remembered this old Billy Swan number and I’d always wanted to record it. I think we got it in one or two takes. Like everything else at Bruce [Robison]’s place, magic stuck to the tape.” — Charley Crockett
Artist:Kris Delmhorst Hometown: Buckland, Massachusetts Song: “The Horses” Album:Long Day in the Milky Way Release Date: August 14, 2020 Label: CEN/The Orchard
In Their Words: “For me, Rickie Lee Jones represents artistic fearlessness and uncompromising freedom. Her work always offers the inspiration to take risks and reach farther. She’s a deep musician and a serious student of song — I love her covers records so much — but she’s also a free-range seeker, unhindered by the boundaries of genre. There’s such curiosity, joy, humor, and deep compassion running through all of her music.
“I don’t generally include covers on my albums, but while we were in the studio for this one we caught a version of ‘The Horses,’ and it ended up feeling like it belonged. I love how it resonates with the record’s themes, persistence and struggle and hope. And I love the idea of RLJ’s presence gracing the proceedings like an honored guest, a patron saint.” — Kris Delmhorst
Over the years, Trampled by Turtles have occasionally added Iris DeMent’s stark folk song, “Our Town,” to their set list, with lead singer Dave Simonett delivering the Midwestern loneliness and wistfulness that the tune calls for. Now the Minnesota-based band has finally recorded “Our Town” for an upcoming EP, Sigourney Fever, which drops on December 6.
The track list also includes covers of Neil Young’s “Pocahontas,” Faces’ “Ooh La La,” Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart,” and Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees.” The band will be touring in January and February.
“We are getting back into the readiness of making a full record,” Simonett tells American Songwriter. “Right now, I’m starting to write, but it’s kind of a limbo time. This is sort of like an appetizer for us.”
DeMent once told NPR that she wrote the song after driving through a boarded-up Midwestern town when she was 25 years old, and that the song came to her in its complete form. She wisely recognized that musical experience as her calling to be a songwriter. More than three decades later, it’s good to know that the sun still hasn’t set on “Our Town.”
From Joe Cocker covering The Beatles, Bon Iver covering Bonnie Raitt, Glen Hansard covering The Pixies, and many, many more, WE LOVE COVER SONGS. In fact, one of the most commonly had tour van conversations is “What should we cover next?” (And we deliberate that almost daily.) The art of taking someone else’s song and making it your own is difficult and praise-worthy. … THUS, when The Bluegrass Situation asked us to cultivate a playlist, we knew exactly where to go. So here it is, dear friend!! A list of songs — in our opinion — that are begging to be covered.” — Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke, Penny and Sparrow
Eagles – “New Kid in Town”
Like a lot of Eagles tunes, “New Kid in Town” manages to have emotional depth WITH a hook that’s catchy as hell. Not a lot of folks can do that. They did it over and over again. It reminds me of “Fun Times in Babylon” and for that reason I must have Father John Misty cover this as soon as possible. Please make that happen for me, FJM. You would sound delightful. (Andy)
Willie Nelson – “Buddy”
This song was on Parks and Recreation and it made the reconciliation of Leslie and Ron one of the most iconic scenes in TV history. For the month after, I listened to it over and over and over again. After 30 days of it I started to imagine who I wanted to hear cover it. I landed on one of two extremely recognizable (and lovely) voices: Ashley Monroe or Anaïs Mitchell. Please Universe, hear my cry. (Andy)
John Denver – “Sunshine on My Shoulders”
I would love to hear this covered by someone like Daniel Caesar. The melody with some R&B voicing would sound insane. (Kyle)
Miya Folick – “Thingamajig”
This song is admittedly new for me and (before it came along) it had been more than a year since a song made me cry on first listen. This one undid me. Eight straight listens and now I might die unless I hear I’M WITH HER cover this damn song in three-part harmony. (Andy)
Ace of Base – “Don’t Turn Around”
I love a good ‘80s/’90s jam saddened by some sad indie folk. Thinking if James Vincent McMorrow took this and pitched it to his gorgeous falsetto I would listen on every rainy morning and cry just a little. Maybe give it to Jason Isbell and let him turn it into an Americana masterpiece. (Kyle)
Alvvays – “Archie, Marry Me”
A friend of ours called this song a “We’ll be young forever” anthem. It toes some strange line between the grunge pop of “Cherry Bomb” and the new age sad rock of Phoebe Bridgers. I love it and really really wanna hear a slickly crooned version by Sam Smith. Take all my money Sam, just get it done. (Andy)
George Strait – “Lovesick Blues”
I love the yodeling in this one. Basically I want Miley Cyrus to imitate Dolly Parton imitating a ‘90s George Strait. I love this track. (Kyle)
Slim Whitman – “Rose Marie”
This one feels unfairly unknown. How this song got lost in the shuffle of history is beyond us but I damn sure wanna hear The Kernal or Robert Ellis do a version! (Andy)
All-4-One – “So Much in Love”
This could either be an Ariana Grande acapella jam, or in my wildest dreams a Simon & Garfunkel reunion where they folk harmonize it to perfection and the world is happy since they are friends again and that’s all I really want. (Kyle)
Anaïs Mitchell – “He Did”
Lyrically this song is masterful and angst ridden and haunting. As I think about it now, it would be an incredibly tall order to cover this monster, but I genuinely think a blues/soul rendition could be badass. The lyrics of the song mourn and bleed and I kinda wanna hear Cedric Burnside or Leon Bridges take it on. (Andy)
Cutting Crew – “(I Just) Died In Your Arms”
GIVE ME HAIM SINGING THIS SONG AND IT WILL BE THE RESURRECTION OF AN ‘80S POP RELIC!!!! It would also stream millions of times in a matter of days. It’s a jam and they’re the maestros I wanna hear introduce it to the next generation. (Andy)
It’s a big month for bluegrass covers. Chatham County Line revealed some of their biggest musical influences (and favourite songs to soundcheck to) when they released Sharing The Covers, their eighth studio album, with arrangements of Beck, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Tom Petty and Wilco, to name a few. It’s a record that will present the warm glow of familiarity to all those pickers who cut their banjo teeth on Beatles and Stones songs – and which among us has never heard “Norwegian Wood” floating across the festival field at 2am?
Meanwhile The Cleverlys – the reigning kings of the bluegrass pop cover – are putting the Beyoncé back in bluegrass on their latest album, not to mention the Bieber and the LMFAO. Call them a novelty act, call them comedians, but there’s plenty of merit in their musicality – and there’s something about their Ozark twist on Kelis’s “Milkshake” that’s going to stay with you ’til the day you die.
For more envelope-pushing, boundary-breaking, what-were-they-thinking-please-don’t-let-it-stop covers, check out our picks below.
“Super Freak” (Rick James) — Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby
This one’s a winner from the very first line. Sure, Ricky Skaggs has never let his own freak flag fly, but hearing him sing the words “She’s a very kinky girl” somehow gives you hope that one day, the divide in America might be healed. It’s a nice antidote to all those bluegrass songs about dear, dead old mothers, and one you suspect might have brought on their demise in the first place. Hang on in there for the slick modulation in the final instrumental…
“Price Tag” (Jessie J) — Keller Williams & The Travelin’ McCourys
Presumably this is a song that resonates with bluegrassers – since no one’s in this music for the ker-ching ker-ching or the ber-bling ber-bling. Plus, if the sound of Jason Carter jumping in on the chorus to sing ‘it ain’t about the money-money-money’ doesn’t flood you with instant joy then you may want to get your frontal lobe checked out. We picture him practicing his harmonies as he bumps along on the bus next to Del, trying to explain who Jessie J is. Actually that raises the question – how the heck did he know?
Notable not so much for its inclusion on Hartford’s 1984 album Gum Canoe, but for the rare music video he later shot to accompany it. The man might have been a creative genius on a par with xxx, but there’s something about his black-box realization of this ’67 soul number that’s creepy AF. The Beckettian close-ups of his lips and eyes are made even more sinister by his customary bowler-hat and vest, which here take on a distinctly Clockwork Orange feel. “Break it! Break another little piece of my heart now baby,” sings the dead-eyed droog, as he contemplates his next bout of ultraviolence.
“Honky Cat” (Elton John) — Country Gazette
How can a bluegrass cover be even better than the original – especially when the original is Elton fricking John? And yet this funky upbeat string version was surely what John and Bernie Taupin really heard in their head when they composed the song in 1972. Alan Munde, Byron Berline and the boys were quick to recognize the song’s “redneck” sensibility, recording their cover within the year on Don’t Give Up Your Day Job.
“Stayin’ Alive” (Bee Gees) — Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang
Sure, covering the Bee Gees’ most famous disco number isn’t new. But the mean-and-dirty take Claypool manages to get on it sure is. The Primus bassist manages to turn the ultimate floorfiller – a song as familiar and family-friendly as your dad’s station wagon – into something frantically alien. It’s compelling, unnerving, and completely unclassifiable. Somebody help him please.
“Downtown” (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) — LBB & The Fancies
If you’re going to parody a major rapper’s already-pretty-nutso music video – one that includes a guy riding a chariot made of four motorcycles – you’re going to have to bring it. But fair play, Laura Bell Bundy did just that. Her loving bluegrass homage to Macklemore’s epic has everything from flat-footing and line-dancing to a honey hanging off a tractor. Even better, when they sing “whitewalls on the wheels like mayonnaise” there’s actually someone eating mayonnaise. Macklemore didn’t have that.
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