Back in 2021, Riley Green released his own rendition of Where The Corn Don’t Grow, an underrated Waylon Jennings song that was also given new life by Travis Tritt in 1996.
As a younger fan, this song was introduced to me by Riley Green, as I’m sure it did for some others as well. It represents a quality example of a younger artist paying respect to his inspirations and roots through their music.
During a recent appearance on the Bobby Bones Show, Riley gave a rare performance of the classic tune for their “St. Jude Radiothon.”
Originally written by Roger Murrah and Mark Alan Springe, it was later released by country music legend Waylon Jennings on his 1990 album, The Eagle. Six years later, Travis Tritt’s version of the song peaked at number six on the US country charts.
Where The Corn Don’t Grow tells a story about small town folk dreaming of bigger and better things outside of their rural world. Oddly enough, Green recently released a cover of Tim McGraw’s Damn Country Music on his new album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo, which actually tells a related story of a small-town dreamer leaving his simple home for the city.
Green chooses to cover songs that align soundly with much of his discography, fitting various themes he’s explored in the past. His authentic, re-imagined version of Where The Corn Don’t Grow absolutely does the song and the previous artists justice.
Check out the video here: