The Eagles, a rock and roll band from Los Angeles, have impacted music across all genres, especially making a mark on country music and its artists. Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, Randy Meisner, Joe Walsh, and Don Felder had no idea the shift they would cause in the industry. Over the years, country and bluegrass singers have included The Eagles' songs in their live sets, and have also taken part in a tribute album (Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles). From these live shows and the 1993 released disc, some of the greatest covers of The Eagles' tunes have emerged at the hands of the country music genre.
Ten's hardly enough, as we had to skip over some good ones. Common Thread alone brought us honorable mention picks by Nashville stars Lorrie Morgan ("The Sad Cafe"), Suzy Bogguss ("Take It to The Limit"), Tanya Tucker ("Already Gone"), Billy Dean ("Saturday Night") and Brooks & Dunn ("Best of My Love").
Here are 10 of our favorite country-rock covers of Eagles songs, alphabetically by song title:
10. "Desperado," Clint Black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lt_hyNP-IA
On the 1993 Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles album, Clint Black introduced the world to his version of "Desperado". Though the song only peaked at No. 54 on the charts, the country star's version has become a staple track in Black's catalog.
9. "Desperado," Miranda Lambert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJeCh0jrPo4
Yes, two covers of "Desperado" are on this list of country song covers of Eagles songs, but we couldn't pass this one up. Just weeks before Frey's unexpected death, Miranda Lambert wow'ed fans with a tribute performance of The Eagles' "Desperado" at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors event.
8. "Heartache Tonight," Conway Twitty
Also on the Common Thread album, the John Anderson rendition of "Heartache Tonight" was never released as a radio single, but Conway Twitty took the song to No. 6 on the Billboard chart when he included it on his 1983 Lost in the Feeling album.
7. "Hotel California," Cassadee Pope
As Cassadee Pope toured the United States in 2015, she included "Hotel California" on her set. Proving to become a fast fan favorite, the country girl with a rock band background showed her versatility with the identifiable tune.
6. "I Can't Tell You Why," Vince Gill
In a much-celebrated cover, Vince Gill tackled Timothy B. Schmit's "I Can't Tell You Why", a song that peaked at No. 3 on the charts for The Eagles.
5. "Lyin' Eyes," Diamond Rio
A popular song to cover, "Lyin' Eyes" was performed by Diamond Rio on the Common Thread record. Other country artists who have put their vocals on the track include Lynn Anderson and Dolly Parton.
4. "New Kid in Town," Trisha Yearwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haTcdyHj2Ds
Another cover that was never released as a radio single, "New Kid in Town" by Trisha Yearwood couples the phenomenal writing of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther with an unparalleled voice in the country music genre.
3. "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Little Texas
Little Texas's version of "Peaceful Easy Feeling" made a presence on two albums: Common Thread and the band's own Greatest Hits album. The song entered the Billboard chart and reached No. 74 as its highest position.
2. "Take It Easy," Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt's cover of "Take It Easy" is one of the most renowned country covers of the Eagles, reaching No. 21 on the charts. In his official music video for his version of the song, Tritt featured the 1978-1980 Eagles lineup, which ultimately led to the Eagles announcing a new album and the Hell Freezes Over tour.
Read More: The 10 Best Linda Ronstadt Songs
1. "Tequila Sunrise," Alan Jackson
"Tequila Sunrise" served as the lead single off the Eagles' sophomore album, Desperado, peaking at No. 64 on the charts. Ironically, Alan Jackson's version likewise tapped the brakes at the same chart position when it hit radio in 1993. It's the number one spot on our list of country covers of Eagles songs.
This story was previously published on April 17, 2019.
