Bluegrass music can transport listeners with the instrumental dexterity of the players, as those acoustic guitars, banjos, fiddles, and other back-porch instruments churn away in mesmerizing fashion. Over the years, many of the leading lights of the genre have stepped outside bluegrass for inspiration, taking on classic songs from categories such as folk, rock, country, singer/songwriter, and pop, just to name a few. Not all these forays outside the boundaries work. But when they do, the cover versions can be revelatory. Let’s take a look at six bluegrass covers that did the originals proud, and then some.
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1. “Mr. Bojangles” by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (original by Jerry Jeff Walker)
In terns of pop chart success, few songs that could be labelled bluegrass have ever done as well as this one did when The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released a mandolin-heavy, richly pretty take on the song in 1970 and watched it hit the Top 10 a year later. Other cover versions popped out not too long after Walker first wrote the song, including fascinating takes by Nina Simone and Sammy Davis Jr. Walker wrote the song based on an actual night that he spent in a drunk tank with a charismatic fellow who showed off his dancing skills for everyone in the cell.
2. “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” by The Del McCoury Band (original by Richard Thompson)
Thompson played the acoustic guitar with such lighting speed on the original version of this wonderfully written fable that he was sort of like a one-man bluegrass band. Maybe that’s why it’s been a relatively popular cover choice for bluegrass artists over the years. McCoury and company’s version stands out from the pack. The banjo is front and center, while McCoury imbues the vocals with just a hint of playfulness. As a result, the song’s tragic hero seems like he’s not all that regretful about his life of crime and his death at a young age—not when he’s had the chance to love both a bike and a girl with everything he has.
3. “Black Star” by Gillian Welch (original by Radiohead)
“Black Star” first appeared on Radiohead’s second album, The Bends. Because of the bludgeoning guitars that come crashing through in the chorus of their version of the song, the narrator’s sad efforts to help his troubled lover get a bit lost in the haze. That problem was largely removed from the equation once Welch started covering the song live. First, there’s her world-weary take on the lyrics, which makes you feel every bit of the protagonist’s anguish over the relationship. Add in the virtuoso guitar work of Dave Rawlings, who takes over on an acoustic solo that’s absolutely breathtaking, and you can understand why this is such a winning reimagining of this track.
4. “Everyday I Write the Book” by Alison Brown and Sam Bush (original by Elvis Costello & the Attractions)
Frustrated by the fact that his critically acclaimed singles weren’t turning into big pop hits, Elvis Costello hired radio-friendly producers and tried to write a song that was a bit sweeter and more wistful than was his norm. It sort of worked, as “Everyday I Write the Book” turned into his biggest U.S. hit to date. It also made the song the perfect cover material for Alison Brown, a bluegrass wizard on the banjo. Brown called on another of modern bluegrass’ leading lights in Sam Bush to handle the mandolin work. They gave Costello’s herky-jerky rhythm a bit of a jump-start and came away with something really special.
5. “Just Like Heaven” by The Infamous Stringdusters (original by The Cure)
You can sometimes tell if a bluegrass cover is going to work simply by the song selection. The Infamous Stringdusters have become known over the past few decades for their willingness to expand upon what you might consider to be traditional bluegrass material. Certainly, The Cure wouldn’t immediately pop to mind in terms of artists that would tend to show up in a bluegrass setlist. But the Stringdusters wisely chose one of the most buoyant pop songs in The Cure’s catalog. Taking “Just Like Heaven” at a brisk jaunt, the quintet makes it seem like the most natural song in the world for them to include in their setlist.
6. “Walk of Life” by Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys (original by Dire Straits)
The original version of “Walk of Life” showed a lighter side of British band Dire Straits, with lead singer and songwriter Mark Knopfler delivering the ultimate tribute to buskers (folks who play music in subways and other public places for tips). An organ was featured prominently on that take, but Gaudet and his cohorts fill in that gap with a mandolin and fiddle. The bluegrass version plays up the melodic punch of the song. If you saw these guys playing their rendition of this excellent song on the subway, you’d probably empty your pockets.
Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images
