We Don’t Talk Enough About Hank Williams Jr.’s 1965 Rendition Of “Cowpoke”

A cover that deserves more attention.

Today, when country music fans think of “Cowpoke,” the modern take of the song from Colter Wall is probably what comes to mind. The Canadian native, and actual cowpoke when he’s not touring, knocked his song out of the park, the lyrics do not belong to him. However, Wall’s rendition of the tune shed light on the traditional country tune and is responsible for that catchy melody humming through my head most days.

And I’m pretty sure this is the scenery we all envision when listening to the cowboy anthem:

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When you Google “Cowpoke,” Wall’s version is the first to appear, leading many to believe he is the song’s originator, but the song predates Wall’s birth by decades.

Stan Jones, a country songwriter and actor best known for “Ghost Riders In The Sky,” penned the song in 1951 and gave it to Elton Britt and The Skytoppers to record that same summer. Since the tune’s original recording, it has been covered by numerous artists, including Eddy Arnold and Glen Campbell, among others.

However, one cover of the song that stands out as one of the best is Hank Williams Jr.‘s take.

Williams Jr. released the song in 1965, and his take on the classic country tune appeared on his record, the Ballads of the Hills and Plains. When this album was released, Bocephus was only 16 years old. At this point in his career, Hank Williams Jr. had yet to find his outlaw sound and was heavily leaning on the path his father had paved before his death. Hank Jr. was filling his shoes, laying down classic country stylings in his music. 

During this time, aside from having a similar sound to Hank Williams Sr., his sound was more reminiscent of Jack Kittel, Tom T. Hall, or Buck Owens. It’s still stellar music, but just painting the picture; it’s far from the anthemic “Family Tradition” or “Dinosaur” that he’s singing on stage today.

Ballads of the Hills and Plains is a record well worth listening to for tracks like “Doc Holiday,” “The Rainmaker,” and “Blood’s Thicker Than Water,” but an easy standout is “Cowpoke.”

Hank Williams Jr.’s take on the tune might be better than Colter Wall’s…. and I know that might be a hot take, but it’s a very close race if you had to compare the two. In the song’s opening, Hank Jr. lets it rip with a slight yodel in his coyote cries, instantly captivating the listener. The song follows the very traditional roots of the original recording.

While Colter Wall’s version highlights the moan of a steel guitar, Hank Jr.’s take retains an acoustic-based melody, utilizing backup harmonies to fill the space left by the additional instruments found in Wall’s version. Not to mention, this take of “Cowpoke” showcases the impressive vocal range that Hank Jr. possesses.

This song is perfection, and those coyote calls leave you with chills. Hank Williams Jr.’s classic country is often overlooked, and this cover of “Cowpoke” deserves more recognition.

While you’re here, consider also playing Colter Wall’s version.

The post We Don’t Talk Enough About Hank Williams Jr.’s 1965 Rendition Of “Cowpoke” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.