About the Song

Released in 1968 on his album Only the Greatest, “Kentucky Woman” sees Waylon Jennings re‑interpreting the 1967 pop hit originally recorded by Neil Diamond. While Diamond’s version carried a light folk‑pop flavor, Jennings recasts it into his country realm—bringing a distinct voice and tone that younger listeners (and older listeners today) might find evocative of the crossroads between pop melody and country storytelling.

What makes this cover compelling is how Jennings brings authenticity to the lyrics—ones that praise a woman with a special kind of presence:

“Kentucky woman / She shines with her own kind of light / She’d look at you once and a day that’s all wrong looks all right.”
When sung by Jennings, the lines take on an added layer: the admiration remains, but there’s also the seasoned awareness of someone who’s travelled, seen a lot, and still found something remarkable in the “Kentucky woman”.

Musically, the arrangement aligns with Jennings’ late‑’60s style: rooted in country instrumentation, his distinctive baritone grounded in the rhythm of the song, giving the melody more weight than the pop original’s breezy feel. It’s a version that offers the best of both worlds—the melody many know, and the voice that brings it into another dimension.

For listeners who grew up with Waylon’s music, this track offers a meaningful insight into his adaptability. Before the full “outlaw country” transformation of the 1970s, he was already experimenting, bridging styles, and making songs his own. In that sense, “Kentucky Woman” is a piece of that transition—a moment where the familiar becomes newly shaped.

If you listen to it now, as someone with years of listening behind them, you’ll notice how Jennings doesn’t shout praise—he offers it with calm. The song becomes less about spotlight and more about presence and recognition. In the voice of Waylon Jennings, “Kentucky Woman” doesn’t just describe someone—they’re seen, understood, valued.

Video

https://youtu.be/dwdAs-oNTjk