Why Jamey Johnson Plays So Many Cover Songs in Concert
Country music traditionalist Jamey Johnson has become known over the last few years more and more for filling the majority of his concerts with classic country songs written by others, along with pulling from his catalog of originals. For some this approach to his concerts feels strange since Jamey Johnson got his start in country music specifically as an original songwriter, including winning two CMA Song of the Year trophies for his contributions in the late aughts, and releasing three critically-acclaimed original records, including a double record during the era.
Jamey Johnson has given numerous reasons for not releasing any new original music for going on 11 years now, including a dispute with his publisher, a potential concussion and brain injury, and recently saying he just doesn’t see the point if the songs he has just aren’t up to snuff. Jamey Johnson has continued to co-write occasionally, and has song credits on recent albums by George Strait, The Steel Woods, and others, and has appeared on new recordings as well like Blackberry Smoke’s recent song “Lonesome for a Livin’.”
But some fans have frankly become a little frustrated that Jamey Johnson seems to be perfectly fine singing old classic country songs in concert as opposed to releasing and performing new, original material.
Well, recently the Country Music Hall of Fame released a video of Jamey Johnson as part of the current Outlaws & Armadillos exhibit where Jamey Johnson explains his philosophy behind this approach to performing music live. And not only does he make a very compelling case for playing so many classic country songs, he gives some very specific insight on why he does it, and how he views himself in the country music continuum.
“Townes Van Zandt’s not around anymore to sing his songs, so somebody’s got to sing them,” Jamey Johnson starts off. “Vern Gosdin, he’s not here today. Neither is Merle Haggard, and neither is George Jones. And without people like me out there covering those songs, they just stop. If nobody was singing Johnny Cash, there’s a whole generation that would grow up without Johnny Cash. And if you ask me, that’s not going to be a good world. That’s why it’s important the young artists today, they learn those songs. It’s important that they pass them along, that you pay respect, but that you also pass along the ministry of those important singers. They had a lot to say that matters. It’s not all love songs and beer songs and party songs. It’s also life songs.”
Jamey Johnson goes on to talk about how sometimes when people are younger, the lyrics of classic country songs don’t resonate in them like when they get older, and puts the younger Jamey Johnson in that group. “Those lyrics hold more truth, and more wisdom, and more meaning than you can possibly realize at your age,” he says about younger listeners.
Speaking in generalities, Johnson probably is right. But it should also be pointed out that among the ranks for classic country fans, you will always find a surprising amount of younger folks who do identify with the lyrics and the wisdom of older country songs, while finding the country music of today’s generation (at least in the mainstream) to be the stuff they don’t understand, and foreign-feeling to them.
Jamey Johnson then goes on to say,
“I have a lot of interest in passing along those legacies—Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter. I just view myself as a torch that’s passing down from one generation to the next. And if I can be used in that way, maybe that’s a good purpose. There’s gonna be some youngins grow up never having listened to it live, and never having met any of those people, I may be the only one they ever meet that could tell them about it. So that’s how I see my role in all this.”
Some Jamey Johnson fans will continue to hope and wish that eventually he does record and release some more new, original songs. But when presented like that, it not only makes sense why Jamey Johnson has decided to become like a living jukebox of classic country songs, it also makes it hard to criticize. Being a conduit between generations is where Jamey Johnson has found meaning and purpose as a live country music performer.
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Here, @jamey_johnson offers perspective on why it’s important to carry forward the music and traditions of Outlaw country’s creative beacons — including @OfficialWaylon, @WillieNelson, and @Jessi_Colter.
— Country Music HOF (@countrymusichof) August 2, 2021
More in ‘Outlaws & Armadillos’: https://t.co/79rWK2md2w pic.twitter.com/EcQYaxtzXv
August 3, 2021 @ 7:44 am
Makes sense to me. I started to listening to classic country myself when I was around 19 thanks to the soundtrack to A PERFECT WORLD. Whatever it takes for some younguns to start listening to classic country I’m for it.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:56 pm
I still have that CD! I was into classic country before it, but that soundtrack just added to my appreciation for it.
So glad to see someone else mention it.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:54 pm
I liked classic country before that due to Hee Haw, but I really started to actively listen to it thanks to that movie. I gained a newfound respect for Don Gibson, who was from one town away from where my mom grew up and where we’d visit every summer.
August 4, 2021 @ 1:56 pm
I started around 14 and I’m 19 now and those songs still connect with me more than 95% of the stuff on the radio. I listen to country from Hank Sr. To Waylon to Strait to Jon Pardi and Cody Jinks. All there styles are different but there all country and I can find that connection in a way that I do not feel with any other genere.
August 4, 2021 @ 5:55 pm
Dang straight! Or, “Dang Strait!”
August 3, 2021 @ 8:14 am
I make a point of seeing Jamey annually (2x if possible). His show is the closest I’ve seen to when DAC was in his 1980’s classic years with Warren Haynes on guitar with a crack band, background singers and 2 hour shows that flowed from one song to another. Just saw Jamey in Augusta and it was a 2 hour singalong. Don’t change a damned thing
August 3, 2021 @ 8:21 am
“Being a conduit between generations is where Jamey Johnson has found meaning and purpose as a live country music performer.”
What better reason? This is Beautiful.
While running around last week getting more blackberries to make blackberry jam, none other than Willie Nelson came on, singing “Georgia.”
God i love that song.
Whether Ray Charles or Willie singing, it puts a smile in my heart & slows me down enough to really listen. Every time.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:58 pm
Lukas Nelson’s “Forget About Georgia” isn’t a classic, but it is worth a listen.
August 5, 2021 @ 10:23 am
Jamey Johnson sings Georgia with such extreme passion, it’s a wonder. He’s the artist, and he can do whatever he wants. “Profound” is a very good way of describing him.
August 5, 2021 @ 12:10 pm
I wholeheartedly agree!
Jamey kills it – and Lukas makes love to it, ala Sanatana style.
Thanks Barbara!
Watch “Last Waltz Tour “Georgia on My Mind” Show-Stopper (Warren Haynes/Jamey Johnson/Lukas Nelson) 11/7/19” on YouTube
https://youtu.be/_XD7I2s5p2I
August 3, 2021 @ 8:49 am
I caught Dwight Yoakam a couple times in quick succession back a few years ago. I have zero complaints about all the Merle Haggard songs he sang. I’ll never have a chance to see the Hag himself sing’em live.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:50 am
Ryan Bingham has said sorta the same thing when it comes to singing the songs of others so that they aren’t forgotten/are introduced to new listeners. He said in an interview that he always tries to work in a Townes Van Vandt song and a Guy Clark song into his shows, because he wants his fans to hear the songs of the songwriters that inspired him.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:53 am
God bless Jamey Johnson.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:59 am
When faced with such perfect reasoning. one must only agree. Full disclosure, I was heavily predisposed to agree with such reasoning, well before I heard Mr. Johnson say it.
August 3, 2021 @ 9:12 am
I agree that what he’s doing is a good thing. But, he still frustrates the crap out of me. I’ve seen him 5 – 6 times in concert, but I won’t be going again until he releases new music. I’m tired of his continued excuses for not putting out an album. I want to consider him one of the greatest living artists, but there’s just not enough original material to do so. If he’s happy though, I guess that’s all that matters. If you haven’t seen him, at least go once if you get a chance!
August 3, 2021 @ 9:14 am
We totally agree with Jamey. We grew up with these songs back in the 50’s and 60’s. Great to keep hearing them live. A lot of us never got a chance to hear them live back then cause we were to poor and too busy working to go to the shows. We always like to hear the old songs, no matter who is singing them.
August 3, 2021 @ 9:36 am
I’ve probably not got to see Jamey in 10 years or so, but I loved his shows because he’d play his stuff and then get to the classics. Glad to see he’s not changed
August 3, 2021 @ 9:39 am
counterpoint..there are 500+ outlaw dudes in every town that cover these same songs, maybe Jamey should dig deeper and turn a new generation on to some deeper cuts since he knows he can’t really write good enough to stay in the original game
August 3, 2021 @ 3:44 pm
There’s not 500 plus performers in every town that sing this type of music. That’s just not true. There’s a handful around this country that sing those types of songs. There’s an even less amount that have the voice of Jamey Johnson that sing these songs. There’s even less that sing these songs with this kind of voice that tour nationally. Now that Daryle Singletary is dead, and most the neo traditionalist stars of the late 80s and early 90s are well past their primes, I would say Jamey has found a unique niche as a performer, and his fans certainly reward him for it by buying tickets to his shows.
August 5, 2021 @ 6:54 am
I agree with Tony. Thank god George Jones didn’t just sing Hank Snow, Hank Sr, Lefty Frizell, etc. We would have missed out on some great songs. In music you’re supposed to take it past where you found it. Jamey Johnson seems to be taking the easy way out- becoming a cover artist. It’s a shame because he’s had some good original songs. I guess the circle has been broken.
August 3, 2021 @ 9:55 am
I find myself going anytime he’s nearby. JJ’s voice will never get old for me. I like musicians playing covers live, mixing things up. I thought one of the most boring tours I ever caught was Sturgill’s sailors guide. The music was great but once you caught one show it got old (IMO).
August 3, 2021 @ 9:59 am
Jamey Johnson is CAF. Love that guy.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:41 am
JJ can do what he wants. If you like it, go support him. If not, dont support him. Hes gonna do his career his way. Thats how it should work. As for me, i think his live show is pretty entertaining. Band is smokin too.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:12 am
A perfectly plausible explanation.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:13 am
Country is a type of folk music. You’re meant to carry on singing old tunes that everyone knows. That’s at least half the point. It’s more about community than just novelty or catchiness. I’d be suspicious of a country singer who didn’t keep any covers in his repertoire.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:32 am
Singletary did the same while still putting out stuff of his own.
August 3, 2021 @ 1:23 pm
Man, could Singletary sing. One of the best.
August 3, 2021 @ 3:53 pm
True. Singletary is one of the best. He found his niche with traditional country fans. Jamey has found a similar niche with an even larger following. Singletary released 5 albums of original materials in his career. Jamey has released 4 with the double album. Daryle and Jamey two of the few you could count on to tour nationally and sing nothing but traditional country music.
August 3, 2021 @ 10:56 am
This is a perfectly reasonable explanation and deserves much respect. But I think it begs one question – why not at least release albums with these covers then? If he wants to point a new generation of listeners to the music of old or of those that have passed on, and if he wants to perhaps satisfy fans who just want something new from him to listen to, releasing albums with covers would perhaps be a great way to satisfy both.
August 3, 2021 @ 9:38 pm
I had this same thought. Let’s remember, his last album was a tribute record to Hank Cochran, and it was pretty well-received. He could do something similar, or maybe even work a new original song or two in like some artists do on Greatest Hits releases if he doesn’t have a whole album’s worth of material.
Jamey Johnson’s explanations for why he’s not releasing new material have all led to more questions than answers. But his explanation here about why he plays so many classics is just about dead on and closes the case.
August 3, 2021 @ 11:37 am
Frankly, I prefer listening to Johnson and Singletary covers than many of the originals, and certainly over run-of-the-mill new songs. You can’t beat the classics for some reason.
August 3, 2021 @ 9:39 pm
I just recently heard Jamey’s virtual Farm Aid 2020 cover of “All My Tears.” It puts every other version to shame.
As a matter of fact, just mentioning it makes me want to listen to it again.
When an artist can play covers and do that, you let that artist play covers.
August 4, 2021 @ 8:17 am
I love Daryle Singletary’s rendition of “Long Black Veil”.
August 3, 2021 @ 12:27 pm
Jamey can do covers all he wants. He has genuine love & respect of the music. It’s better than a hodge podge of ” woke” lyrics & drum machines mess we have going on. I mean, God Bless Gary Alan, he just sucks at the moment, trying to stay relevant.
August 3, 2021 @ 12:31 pm
He’s known as Jamey Jukebox in our family and we love the covers as well as his originals-Exhibit A-the week after George Jones passed Jamey played a show for us in Orlando-He did FIVE Jones songs and for a heartbroken Possum fan I thought it was way beyond just including a tribute song in a set-he had water in my eyes during He stopped loving her today and elevated himself to me as a man who loves and more than respects the “great ones”. The signatures on his guitar imho reflect his passion as a super fan like so many of us are who love classic country-Thank you Jamey…
August 3, 2021 @ 12:34 pm
Yes, yes, and yes!! Jamey knows..
August 3, 2021 @ 1:24 pm
That’s great. I’d go see that. Safe to assume ticket prices are the same as what you’d pay to see a decent cover band?
August 3, 2021 @ 2:21 pm
I saw him sing Just throw it away the other night. It was awesome!
August 3, 2021 @ 2:59 pm
Didn’t realize it was a “one or the other” proposition. Singing other peoples’ old songs or writing/singing your own new songs? Por que no los dos?
August 3, 2021 @ 3:04 pm
You are real country we love you an we love hearing all the songs of people who are gone.keep it going you are true country which is getting kind of scarce.we love your music.you are awesome . Love you
August 3, 2021 @ 3:47 pm
His album why I sing this way is one of the best.
August 3, 2021 @ 3:49 pm
Sorry, that was to be under a Daryl Singletary comment. Went to see JJ this summer. He did Tom T Hall, Don Williams, Jerry Reed and Tom Petty in that order to close out show. Was great.
March 29, 2022 @ 2:42 pm
TTH killing himself ripped my heart out
August 3, 2021 @ 4:30 pm
Sounds good to me. Jamey wouldn’t be the first nor will he be the last that says they don’t have the inspiration or whatever to write new songs. Lyle Lovett comes to mind as another who hasn’t written much in a long time.
If Johnson feels this is what he wants/needs to do then go for it. I saw him a few years ago and was very happy with the classic songs.
August 3, 2021 @ 5:57 pm
Yeah I don’t know what town you are talking about but I would like to meet just one other person in my town that regularly plays that stuff besides myself. Personally I like to play these songs as a way to maybe bond with that one audience member who likes Merle Haggard or whatever, they certainly will have never heard my original music so something we both know and love will be a common ground. Also, learning these songs is a great way to take the pressure off of always trying to write a good song. No need to beat yourself up just because you can’t write like Mickey Newbury, good thing is he wrote 1,000 songs you can learn and enjoy. Even in his lifetime he hated performing so many people won’t know his wonderful material.
August 3, 2021 @ 7:56 pm
This is all well and good, but couldn’t he potentially introduce these very same songs to an even greater number of people by recording and releasing some of them? Even on a live album if he doesn’t want to get back to the studio. If he feels like he can no longer write songs up to his own standards, nobody is asking him to turn in an album of subpar material, but this phase (if that’s what it turns out to be) of his career will be a part of his own legacy and probably should be preserved for posterity in higher quality than audience members can capture on their phones.
August 3, 2021 @ 8:26 pm
I have no complaints about Jamey Johnson not putting out a cd, cause I’m like him this younger generation needs to know what true country is all about. It’s just like I know a young lady that is 21 an has Autism an she is so smart. You can ask her any question about the band Kiss an she can tell you, but anyone else at that age would be like what.
August 4, 2021 @ 6:05 am
At this point it seems that Jamey just comes up with an endless stream of excuses for not releasing new music. It’s his prerogative to not do anything he doesn’t want to do, but I think I would respect him more if he just said I don’t feel like it, or I just can’t seem to come up with anything good anymore. If he really want’s to preserve the good ole songs, as if they are not covered and played endlessly by other artists, then why not release his own covers album? Then he could satisfy his fans want for new music, and his desire to shine the light on the old favorites.
At this point I won’t be holding my breath for anything new. Which is fine. Jamey is still a good show. But you have to wonder if he is slowly becoming just a novelty cover band act while showcasing the past and neglecting his own legacy while he is in his prime. Will someone years down the road be playing that old Jamey Johnson tune?
August 4, 2021 @ 1:37 pm
I was with him until the Jessi Colter mention. She was so bad we ended up diluting things down to Shooter.
August 4, 2021 @ 7:11 pm
Usually meeting celebrities/artists is a little disappointing. Not they are rude or anything, just that they are normal dude and gals and not the immaculate heroes you have in your head. They just say hi and bye and shoot the shit. That’s great and all, but Jamey Johnson… he was actually legendary. I met him after a show in Nashville during the height of his struggles with Mercury. I asked him when things would get worked out and when was new music coming and he looked me straight in the eye and said “Whitley said it best. You say it best when you say nothing at all.”
Bad. Ass.
August 5, 2021 @ 11:25 am
Now that he’s been regulated to $15 tickets at HardRock venues, I don’t care if he plays all covers. It pissed me off when I’d pay $35 a ticket plus service fees and not hear his songs. I’ve been to those shows were maybe you got “In Color.”
August 6, 2021 @ 7:05 am
Good. I am all for keeping tradition alive but release albums of covers then. That is the best way to keep tradition vibrant. Pride released an album of Hank covers. Josh Turner released a great cover album.
Concert covers don’t have the same impact especially when the typical Jamey Johnson attendee already knows these songs.
August 6, 2021 @ 11:27 am
Just watched a video of JJ covering ZZ Top’s LaGrange, in tribute to Dusty.. It was most excellent.
August 9, 2021 @ 10:29 am
Ricky Van Shelton had a highly successful career by doing mostly cover songs. Of course, I think the expectations for JJ are higher….
August 10, 2021 @ 3:32 pm
I love that he performs these songs. However, I recently attended a show where he did not perform In Color. I was super disappointed, audience members went bananas screaming, chanting, banging their beer bottles on the bleachers and stomping, chanting for an encore and he didn’t come back out to play his main claim to fame. Security had to clear the audience out. We all went to hear that song and it never came. How do you not play the song that made you famous, that people paid to hear you sing?