Yes, Loretta Lynn Recorded a Version of “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse
The great Loretta Lynn died on October 4th at the age of 90, leaving behind one of the most impressive catalogs in country music history. But as Saving Country Music previously reported, we’re probably not done hearing from Loretta Lynn just yet, including a rendition of an iconic recording from an artist some may be surprised to hear that the Coal Miner’s Daughter was a fan of.
In 2014, Loretta Lynn signed a five album record deal with Sony Records imprint Legacy Recordings. As part of that Sony announcement, it was revealed that between 2007 and 2014, Loretta Lynn had been making regular visits to the Cash Cabin Studios in Hendersonville, TN originally built by Johnny Cash, and recording tracks with her daughter Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash acting as producers, netting over 90 new song recordings.
Out of those 90+ songs and five Legacy Recordings albums, we’ve only heard 52 of the songs over four releases so far. Loretta Lynn released the 14-song album Full Circle in 2016, the 12-song Holiday album White Christmas Blue later that year, the 13-song Wouldn’t It Be Great in 2018, and the 13-song Still Woman Enough in 2021.
But Loretta Lynn wasn’t done with those 90 initial songs. She went back in the studio if February of 2016 to record even more material, and one of the tracks cut was the signature song from troubled British superstar and member of the 27 Club, Amy Winehouse, who passed away in 2011.
“It’s really, really wild,” Cash said about the track to the LA Times in 2016. “When we first started recording, she would joke with me about that song, and go around singing ‘They tried to make me go to rehab/I said no, no, no.’ That was years ago. I said, ‘Why don’t we actually record it?’ It’s really something. Her interpretation is going to be mind-blowing, I truly believe it.”
The LA Times feature also upped the ante of how many songs Loretta Lynn recorded in the Cash Cabin Sessions to “over 100 songs,” meaning we may have heard only half of that material so far. But perhaps no song is more anticipated, or maybe more important than Loretta’s rendition of “Rehab.”
Maybe we shouldn’t be completely surprised that Loretta Lynn would record an Amy Winehouse song. The Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson, recorded the Winehouse song “You Know (That) I’m No Good” for her 2011 comeback album The Party Ain’t Over produced by Jack White, who also worked with Loretta on 2004’s Van Lear Rose. With the vintage flair Winehouse brought to her music, it fits well with these classic American performers.
No word on when we may hear Loretta Lynn’s version of “Rehab,” or any of the other unreleased songs from the Cash Cabin sessions. But in some respects, it’s just comforting to know we haven’t heard the last from Loretta, and to get verification that she remained feisty and adventurous until the end.
October 23, 2022 @ 12:04 pm
Wow, that’s pretty cool!
She sang a rendition of “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse . . . . One my favorites . . . .
October 23, 2022 @ 3:47 pm
I’m not a huge fan of Winehouse but that song absolutely rocks. I can just picture Loretta walking around singing that and smiling from ear to ear.
October 23, 2022 @ 6:24 pm
Since there is only person working at Saving Country Music, isn’t saying “But as Saving Country Music previously reported” kinda like when George Costanza tried to be cool by referring to himself in the 2nd person?
“So your biggest cause is trying to cancel Mikel Knight?”
Saving Country Music is getting upset!!!
October 23, 2022 @ 7:01 pm
Totally understand that it may look silly or even self-absorbed to refer to the website like that, but it’s actually in accordance with most manuals of style. If the instance is proper, I will also write in a first person voice. For example, I have never said, “Saving Country Music is getting upset.”
Also, though it’s certainly true that I write the majority of the content on Saving Country Music, there have also been many other contributors to the site both in the near and long term. Ken Morton, Conrad Fisher, Kevin Martinico, and Brad Coolidge have all contributed either complete articles or significant content just in the last few months. There are also behind-the-scenes individuals that contribute on the technical side. Saving Country Music isn’t a pseudonym for myself, it is an independent business and publication.
October 24, 2022 @ 4:02 am
I was continuing with the Seinfeld reference with the “Saving Country Music is getting upset!!!” part. It was in reference to the comments being closed on a previous article
October 24, 2022 @ 7:09 am
Lol Strait86 = snowflake
October 23, 2022 @ 7:16 pm
In what was likely a moment of delusion, I envisioned George Jones covering “Rehab”.
Think about The Possum delivering “They tried to make me go to Rehab – I said no, no, nooooooo!” A lot of extra syllables added to those lyrics…
October 24, 2022 @ 7:22 am
Speaking of feisty, Todd Snider posted a nice tribute on Instagram about her a few days after she died about the antics they got up to when recording “Don’t Tempt Me Baby”. Looking forward to the future releases.