Hank, Roy, and Willie: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" is one of the greatest songs in the history of country music. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first version that I ever heard was the iconic Willie Nelson version recorded at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas, in 1975. Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes," like the rest of Red Headed Stranger, is stripped down, a definite departure from the orchestrations of Nashville at the time. To me, Willie Nelson's version of the song has something beautiful and essential about it.

It is interesting to note that the song, which was written by Fred Rose, was actually first recorded by Roy Acuff in the late 1940s. It is sheer joy to listen to this version on a scratchy old 78. Hank Williams also covered "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," and it is fortunate that his haunting version was captured in a 1951 live radio recording. Click the links below to hear country music legends Roy Acuff and Hank Williams sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," a song most folks more closely associate with Willie Nelson.

Roy Acuff version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POTHIP_GjY8

Hank Williams version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP_lxNcICqE