George Jones, David Allan Coe Perform “Tennessee Whiskey” 30 Years Before It Was Recorded by Chris Stapleton

Did you know? Chris Stapleton was not the first artist to record “Tennessee Whiskey”

At this point, Chris Stapleton and “Tennessee Whiskey” are essentially synonymous. The twangy ballad put Stapleton on the map when he released it in 2015 as a part of his album Traveller. It has been his biggest hit to date, reaching number 1 on the US Hot Country Songs chart and becoming certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2016.

Nearly a decade later, “Tennessee Whiskey” remains a staple in every country bar and has been covered by countless artists. Unbeknownst to many fans, Chris Stapleton’s version of the hit song was also a cover.

“Tennessee Whiskey” was recorded by two famous country artists before Chris Stapleton

“Tennessee Whiskey” was written by legendary songwriters Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove. It was first recorded by David Allan Coe and included on his 1981 album of the same name. The song saw mild success and peaked at the number 77 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

Two years later, country music icon George Jones released his rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey” with his album Shine On. Jones’s version was very well received and made its way to the number 2 spot on the Hot Country Singles chart.

George Jones and David Allan Coe perform “Tennessee Whiskey” in September 1985

Jones and Coe combined their talents and treated attendees of the 1985 Farm Aid concert to a duet version of their shared song. The show, held in Champaign, Illinois, was put on to raise funds for struggling farmers in America.

Even though Coe only joined Jones on stage for one chorus of “Tennessee Whiskey,” the 80,000 fans in attendance that day were lucky to see a once-in-a-lifetime performance.

Watch George Jones and David Allan Coe perform “Tennessee Whiskey” below!