Back in 2004, Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and George Strait joined together on the stage to sing the Hank Williams classic "Hey Good Lookin'" and it's a must-watch for fans of classic country music.
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Buffett recorded his own rendition of the song in 2004 for his aptly-titled album License to Chill. Jackson, Strait, Keith, Chesney and Black were all featured on the "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" singer's track, which led to this iconic group performance at the 2004 CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn.
The studio version of Buffett and Co.'s "Hey Good Lookin'" hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Country chart in 2004, becoming one of Buffett's biggest hits on the country charts (and his only Top 15 country song aside from 1977's "Margaritaville"). It's the most recent Top 10 country hit for Black.
A No. 1 country and pop album, the covers-heavy License to Chill was chock full of collaborations. Charting single "Trip Around the Sun" paired Buffett with Martina McBride. He also worked on other tracks with Jackson (Guy Clark co-write "Boats to Build"), Chesney (the title track) and George Strait (prior Don Gibson hit "Sea of Heartbreak").
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"Hey Good Lookin'" was written and recorded by Williams in 1951. As the story goes, Williams set out to write a single for Little Jimmy Dickens before deciding it was too good to not keep for himself. Williams' single reached No. 1— one of 11 for Williams, counting posthumous releases. The song has been covered by multiple artists throughout the years, including Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Ray Charles, Leon Russell and more.
In 2001, Williams' original version got inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2003, CMT voted it No. 19 on the list CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music. It's still among a formative pop culture figure's best-known songs.
This story previously ran on Aug. 29, 2019.
