The Grand Ole Opry is a place where artists love to share covers of their favorite country classics. That’s exactly what Sara Evans did when she performed at the Opry on March 13, 2021.
Evans opted to pay tribute to one of country music’s most iconic figures…Hank Williams. She offered her nod to him by singing his timeless song, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.”
Williams released “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” in November 1949. It was actually released as the B-Side to another single, “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It.”
A number of other artists felt inspired to cover the song, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. All of these covers added further to the song’s already large legacy.
In 2003, CMT ranked William’s original version of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” at the 29th spot on its 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music list.
71 years after Williams released “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” Evans shared her rendition of the song. It was included as the ninth track on her 2020 album, Copy That. She united with the band Old Crow Medicine Show to record her cover of the tune.
Even though Old Crow Medicine Show couldn’t join her at the Opry in 2021, that didn’t stop Evans from sharing her cover of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” The Opry later uploaded a video of her performance, which you can watch below.
The Opry is a place that is steeped in tradition, so it was a fitting that Evans chose to share her cover of Williams’ song while she was performing there.