The verdict
Documented Sampling History
A confirmed songwriter of record (Harlan Howard), no dispute found — a clean cross-genre standard (Waylon Jennings → Joe Simon’s Grammy-winning 1969 #1 R&B) with extensive legitimate cover history.
Used by independents?
Unconfirmed — the page doesn't yet document enough sampler detail to tell.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Harlan Howard’s estate
Countrymusichalloffame → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — a cross-genre standard: Waylon Jennings (1967), Joe Simon’s Grammy-winning #1 R&B (1969, RIAA gold), plus Charlie Rich, Ella Fitzgerald, Joss Stone, Tanya Tucker and more.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a confirmed songwriter of record and a deep legitimate cover history — no dispute.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The Winstons covered this on their 1969 album “Color Him Father”
Toussaint (who wrote The Greatest Love) also recorded his own version of this song
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Harlan Howard (estate)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A direct connection to another song in this cluster
Allen Toussaint recorded his own version of this song — the same Allen Toussaint who wrote “The Greatest Love,” another track on The Winstons’ 1969 album that this song also appears on.
Harlan Howard Songs · read it →
Extensive cover history
Covered by Charlie Rich (a 1970s country hit), Ella Fitzgerald (on “Misty Blue”), Joss Stone (2003), and numerous country artists including Vern Gosdin, Tanya Tucker and Kitty Wells.
Wide Open Country · read it →
Joe Simon’s other work has been sampled in hip-hop
Not this specific song, but other Joe Simon recordings have been sampled — OutKast sampled “Before the Night is Over” in “So Fresh, So Clean,” and Lil’ Kim sampled “It Be’s That Way Sometimes” in “Magic Stick” — worth noting as related artist context.
Funk My Soul · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Waylon Jennings · Joe Simon · Charlie Rich · Ella Fitzgerald · Joss Stone
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
HH
Harlan Howard’s estate
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
References
Every source cited on this page — 5 in total
Was this page helpful?
Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass