Remember When Alan Jackson Covered an Eagles Classic in 1993?

Alan Jackson is about as country as they come, at least when it comes to artists in country music. But even he isn’t afraid to put his own spin on a rock classic. In 1993, Alan Jackson released “Tequila Sunrise”, a cover of a song by Eagles in 1973. Written by band members Don Henley and Glenn Frey, “Tequila Sunrise” first appeared on Desperado, Eagles’ sophomore album.

Jackson’s version of “Tequila Sunrise” is on Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles. That record also includes performances by Travis Tritt, John Anderson, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, and more.

The lyrics of “Tequila Sunrise” sound as if they could actually be a country song. “Tequila Sunrise” begins with, “It’s another tequila sunrise / Starin’ slowly ‘cross the sky / I said goodbye / He was just a hired hand / Workin’ on the dreams he planned to try / The days go by.”

Jackson actually did release “Tequila Sunrise” as a single. Unfortunately, the song did not do well at country radio, failing to reach the Top 40. But Jackson fans need not worry, because 1993 was still a good year for Jackson. In 1993, he released “Chattahoochee”, a song that became a multi-platinum, four-week No. 1 single for Jackson.

Other Cover Songs Alan Jackson Covered Besides “Tequila Sunrise”

Jackson is known not only as a great country singer, but a great songwriter as well. It’s Jackson who is the writer of a lot of his own songs, including “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”, “I’d Love You All Over Again”, and more. But Jackson didn’t write all of his own songs. In fact, Jackson recorded several other cover songs throughout his lengthy career, songs that also became big hits for him.

Some of the cover songs that Jackson recorded include Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues”, George Jones’s “Tall, Tall Trees”, Don Williams’ “It Must Be Love”, and Nat Stuckey’s “Pop A Top”, among others.

It’s Jackson’s ability to pick great songs, regardless of who wrote them, that is likely what made him so successful for so many years.

“The publishers know that he has had hits that were not his songs,” his former record label head Joe Galante tells Billboard. “I’ve never spoken to Alan about a single and had him say to me, ‘Don’t go with that one because I didn’t write it.’”

Jackson’s final Top 40 single came in 2012 with “You Go Your Way”, a song he did not write.

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