Garth Brooks was always the king of covering songs that were pretty obscure.  Sure, he cut the occasional "Walkin' After Midnight" for an album, but he loved to find great songs the general public had not yet discovered and make them his own.

Garth Brooks took the popular "Callin' Baton Rouge" to number 2 back in 1994, and while that may be the most well known version of that song, it's not the first.  Garth cut the song because of his love for the band New Grass Revival.  This band really changed the sound of bluegrass and country music in a way that was long before its time.  Well-known musicians like Sam Bush and Bela Fleck were members of the band which was based out of Louisville, KY.  Brooks even had the guys play backup on his version of the song.

Brooks liked New Grass so much, he even cut another one of their songs, "Do What You Gotta Do" which became a single from his Sevens album.

But, even though Garth took his inspiration for 'Baton Rouge' from New Grass Revival, even their version of the song in 1989 was not the first.  No, it was the legendary, Oak Ridge Boys that first cut the song in 1978!

There is the history of "Callin' Baton Rouge."  Hope you learned something new!

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