In 1971, country legend Merle Haggard released a one-of-a-kind cover of Hank Williams’s classic gospel hit “I Saw the Light” as part of his album, The Land of Many Churches.
Written and recorded by Hank Williams, the song was originally released in 1948. Although the single didn’t receive that much recognition upon its release, Williams still considered it one of his best works, with him playing it in most of his closing numbers during his live shows. Eventually, it didn’t take too long before the song became a country gospel standard that many artists have come to take inspiration from.
It is also considered one of the most-covered songs of all time, with artists like Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, and Earl Scruggs. Merle Haggard, in particular, with his religious background, used the song as his tool to spread the word of God to everyone – making his cover one of the best ones out there.
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Merle Haggard’s One-of-a-kind Cover!
Instead of using only his low-tone voice, Merle Haggard decided to spice things up by adding an acapella second voice throughout his cover. His voice is also distinctively raspier than the original, while his technique is more cursive than Williams’.
Although this version didn’t land any charts, it was still considered one of Merle Haggard’s greatest hits, considering the impact it made on new country gospel listeners and aspiring singers – making it a one-of-a-kind rendition.
So if you haven’t listened to Merle Haggard’s amazing cover of “I Saw The Light,” you can listen to his full performance below.
