Songs from the 1930s and ’40s That Became Hits for Modern Country Artists

Most fans know that country music is full of cover songs. In the early days of the genre, it was not uncommon to see multiple artists record versions of the same song within months of one another. That’s not the case anymore, though. However, some modern artists have had hits with songs that were originally released in the 1930s and ’40s.

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The age of some of the songs on the list below might surprise you. Who knows, one of your favorite country hits might be something your grandparents were listening to on their AM radios long before you were born.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1941, Ernest Tubb Changed Country Music History with a Song He Wrote While His Wife Was Away]

1. “Right or Wrong” by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (1937)

George Strait had a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Right or Wrong” in 1984. It was a single and the title track of his 1984 album. Long before he took on the song, the legendary Western Swing band Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys popularized it.

For many country fans who dig deeper than Strait’s rendition of the song, Wills’ 1937 recording is the definitive rendition of the song. However, Wills was one of a handful of Western Swing artists who adapted the jazz hit from 1921 into the new swinging style of music.

2. “Mule Skinner Blues” by Jimmie Rodgers (1930)

“Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)” was a No. 3 hit on the country chart for Dolly Parton. She released her rendition of the song as a single from The Very Best of Dolly Parton in 1970. The song is actually 16 years older than Parton.

Jimmie Rodgers, hailed as the Father of Country Music, wrote and recorded the song in 1930. It was more than a hit for Rodgers. The song cemented his legacy in the genre he helped popularize. Parton is one of many artists, including Bob Dylan, Grandpa Jones, and Jerry Reed, who have cut the song.

3. “House of Blue Lights” by Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse (1946)

Asleep at the Wheel got their first and only top 20 hit on the Billboard country chart with “House of Blue Lights” in 1987. The track peaked at No. 17 when they released it as a single from the album 10. By the time the Texas-based Western swing outfit cut the song, it was more than four decades old.

Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse took the boogie-woogie tune to No. 8 on the Hot 100 when they released it in 1946.

4. “Georgia on My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael (1930)

Willie Nelson had a No. 1 hit on the country chart with “Georgia on My Mind” in 1977. It was the lead single from his classic album Stardust. Those who don’t immediately think of Nelson when they hear the song generally think of Ray Charles. He took the song to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when he released it in 1960. However, the song is older than that.

Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Correll co-wrote “Georgia on My Mind” in 1930, and Carmichael released the original version later that year.

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