Emmylou Harris has been a force in the country music scene since her debut album Pieces of the Sky in 1975. She's won 14 Grammys across her career for hit songs such as "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" and "In My Dreams" and has collaborated on duets with some of the greatest names in the industry -- Buck Owens, Gillian Welch, Willie Nelson, and Don Williams ("If I Needed You").
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The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee has some solid covers in her repertoire as well, including the Chuck Berry song "C'est La Vie (You Never Can Tell)" as well as multiple Americana and bluegrass hits. We've narrowed this list down to our top 10 favorite Emmylou Harris songs.
1. "Sweet Dreams"
Originally written and recorded by Don Gibson in 1955, "Sweet Dreams" has been covered by numerous artists over the years including Patsy Cline and Faron Young. But Harris' version was the most successful. From her 1976 album Elite Hotel, the song hit number one on the country charts. The album itself was also incredibly successful, featuring other hits like "Together Again."
2. "If I Could Only Win Your Love"
Originally written and recorded by The Louvin Brothers, Harris's cover from Pieces in the Sky hit number 4 on the Billboard chart.
3. "Boulder To Birmingham"
This signature song of Harris from Wrecking Ball takes the listener on a journey of the singer's feelings towards the loss of Gram Parsons. Parsons had served as the singer's mentor, and she even toured with him, collaborating with him multiple times throughout her career.
4. "To Know Him Is To Love Him"
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Harris collaborated on the 1987 album Trio, which not only hit number one but won a Grammy. The song was initially written in 1958 by Phil Spector of The Teddy Bears, but the three songbirds really do it justice in this collaboration. They also collaborated on "Evangeline," the title track of Harris' 1981 album.
5. "Love Hurts"
"Love Hurts" was released posthumously on Gram Parsons' album Grievous Angel. Originally recorded by The Everly Brothers, this song has been covered by countless artists over the years including Cher. Harris made this song a staple in her repertoire in Parsons honor and has included it in her setlists ever since the 1970s.
6. "Pancho and Lefty"
This cover of the Townes Van Zandt classic was included on Harris' album Luxury Liner, which her second successive number one album. Following the success of the album, "Pancho and Lefty" become one of Van Zandt's most well-known songs.
7. "One of These Days"
Songwriter Earl Montgomery penned "One of These Days," the second single from Elite Hotel which peaked at number three on the charts.
8. "Two More Bottles of Wine"
This number one hit from Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town is a fun song that traces the narrator's move to L.A. Despite being left by their lover, everything is okay because they have "two more bottles of wine." Somewhat dark, but we've all been there.
9. "Born To Run"
From Harris' 1981 album Cimarron, this song hit number three on the country charts. Not to be confused with the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name, "Born to Run" really showcases Harris' voice.
10. "Beneath Still Waters"
First recorded by George Jones, the Harris version of the song from Blue Kentucky Girl was the singer's fourth number one hit on the charts.
Honorable mentions: "Wayfaring Stranger" from Roses in the Snow, "Orphan Girl," "To Daddy," "Here, There and Everywhere," "Hickory Wind," "Red Dirt Girl," and Rodney Crowell's "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues."
This article previously ran in May of 2021.
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