Country artists don't always write their own songs, and they don't always stay within their own genre. Numerous artists over the years have taken hit singles from another artist, one who definitely wasn't country, and made it their own.
Videos by Wide Open Country
We picked four songs country artists have covered by other artists, proving they really can sing anything.
1. "Fast Car" by Luke Combs
Perhaps no one is more surprised than Luke Combs about the success of "Fast Car." Combs felt an affinity to the song, which was first released by Tracy Chapman, because of his childhood.
"When I was 5 years old, my dad and I would be in his truck, and he would always play music for me," Combs tells People. "He had a Tracy Chapman cassette tape, and 'Fast Car' is one of the first songs I remember. I've always been a huge fan of it and think of my dad and our time together when I hear it."
"Fast Car" became a hit for Combs. Nominated for a Grammy, the song also earned Chapman a CMA Award for Song of the Year, marking the first time in history a Black woman won that trophy. It is also the first time a song written solely by a Black woman topped Billboard's Country Airplay chart.
2. "Landslide" By The Chicks
The Chicks (then as the Dixie Chicks) released "Landslide" in 2002, from their Home album. The song, a hit for Stevie Nicks in 1975, also is one of the trio's biggest singles to date.
Although their careers were decades apart, lead singer Natalie Maines credits Nicks with being one of their biggest influences, which is at least partly why they wanted to record the song.
"She's very supportive of other females in the industry," Maines boasts on The Howard Stern Show. "I think lots of women are competitive and she really wants you to succeed."
In 2002, The Chicks also got to sing it with Nicks.
3. "American Girl" by Dierks Bentley
Not only did Dierks Bentley record a cover of the late Tom Petty's "American Girl," but he also turned the country cover into a hit single. The song, which Petty released in 1977, is on the tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty.
"Petty's southern roots shined through across his songwriting and storytelling," Bentley says (via American Songwriter). "He might not have ever been considered as country, but you can't go into a bar in Nashville without hearing this song. It is one of the greatest songs in a life's work of great American songs."
In addition to Bentley recording this Petty song, he also plays Petty's guitar in the video.
4. "My Maria" by Brooks & Dunn
The beauty of Brooks & Dunn's success with "My Maria" is that Ronnie Dunn really, really didn't want to record it. The song, a No. 1 hit for the duo on their Borderline album, was first released in 1973 by B.W. Stevenson, who wrote the song with Daniel Moore.
To date, "My Maria" might be one of the best country covers of all time.
"I was hesitant to do it because I thought, 'Oh man, it's just that falsetto thing,'" Dunn admits (via Taste of Country). "It's a rock song, in my opinion. And I was very much wrong."
