One of George Strait‘s most iconic songs from the ’80s was actually recorded a decade earlier.
“Amarillo by Morning,” which is regarded as one of the country icon’s signature songs, was actually first recorded by someone else. Singer Terry Stafford, who co-wrote the track with Paul Fraser, released the original version of the rodeo-themed ballad in 1973 — but it was Strait’s rendition that brought the song into the mainstream.
Strait first put out “Amarillo by Morning” in 1982 as part of his second studio album Strait from the Heart, before later releasing the track as a single in January 1983. The following month, it debuted on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and later peaked at the No. 4 position in April of that year.
Despite being known as one of Strait’s signature songs, “Amarillo by Morning” surprisingly never reached No. 1, becoming one of his only singles to miss the top spot. Strait has had 44 No. 1 hits on the same chart, but “Amarillo by Morning” somehow wasn’t one of them.
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Still, the classic country ballad isn’t just considered one of the most beloved songs from Strait’s catalog, but it’s also frequently included among some of the most revered songs the entire country genre has to offer.
It’s included on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time, where it’s ranked at No. 10, and it also appears on Billboard‘s roundup of the 100 Best Country Songs of All Time, coming in at No. 17 on that list.
“Amarillo by Morning” is also included on the Opry’s fan-voted ranking of 100 Greatest Country Songs, alongside other defining tracks from some of the biggest country legends, like George Jones,Randy Travis, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and more.
Related: 1978 Country Classic Was Recorded By 2 Legends, But Only One Version Became One of the ‘Greatest Country Songs of All Time’