20 country songs you didn't know were written by famous artists

In 2013, Luke Bryan notched a #1 hit with this contemplative song about the aftermath of losing a loved one. What fans didn't know at the time, though, was that the song was co-written by Chris Stapleton, who was gearing up to become one of country music's most beloved voices. 

Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert both hail from East Texas, and they wrote songs together before Musgraves released her breakout album, "Same Trailer Different Park." Lambert caught wind of "Mama's Broken Heart," co-written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally, and Brandy Clark, and immediately decided she had to record it. Fortunately, Musgraves agreed. 

In 1961, crooner Roy Orbison released "Blue Bayou," but it wasn't much of a commercial success. More than a decade later, Linda Ronstadt recorded her own version of the song, and it was a total smash, earning Ronstadt a top-10 hit on both the country and easy listening charts. 

Fans associate "Give It Away" with George Strait's distinctive vocals, but it was actually written by Jamey Johnson, whose own divorce inspired the lyrics. 

In 2016, Tim McGraw put a tear in the eye of listeners everywhere with "Humble and Kind," a song that reminds us about the important things in life. It was written by Lori McKenna, a prolific singer-songwriter who's penned hits for Little Big Town and countless other artists, who recorded her own version of the song later that year. 

Country and R&B collided in 1981, when Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers teamed up to produce "Lady," a song that would eventually become one of Rogers's most beloved hits. Written by Richie, "Lady" earned Rogers his tenth #1 hit. 

Okay, sure, Miranda Lambert does appear alongside Luke Combs on "Outrunnin' Your Memory," but many fans don't know that this duo of country superstars also wrote the song together. 

Though it's been recorded by a number of artists, most music fans associate "Me and Bobby McGee" with the legendary Janis Joplin. But it was written by Kris Kristofferson, who only learned that Joplin had recorded the song for her album "Pearl" after she died. 

Disco titans the Bee Gees wrote one of the most famous country duets in history, Kenny Rogers' and Dolly Parton's "Islands in the Stream," which was originally intended for Diana Ross. 

In 1998, Garth Brooks recorded "Make You Feel My Love," written by Bob Dylan, for the soundtrack for the movie "Hope Floats," starring Sandra Bullock. The cover earned Grammy nominations for both Dylan and Brooks, along with topping the country charts. 

Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, both formerly members of the now-disbanded duo Florida Georgia Line, teamed up with Morgan Wallen to write "You Make It Easy," which Jason Aldean took to #1 in 2018. 

Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley, both members of the country act Lady A at the time, wrote "Do I" for Luke Bryan, in 2008. And while the song wasn't a #1 hit, it's still been certified 4x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. 

Elle King may be a little more rock n' roll than country, but fans were pumped when she released "Jersey Giant," a song that was written by Tyler Childers, but has never actually appeared on one of his studio albums. 

Little Big Town had to have been floored when, in 2016, pop superstar Taylor Swift reached out and asked if they'd like to record her song "Better Man." The song took home the Song of the Year trophy at the 2017 CMA Awards, along with a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. 

Even though it wasn't a massive hit, Jon Pardi and Lauren Alaina's "Don't Blame it on the Whiskey" had a pair of major superstars behind its lyrics: Eric Church and Miranda Lambert were among the song's writers. 

Paired with Josh Turner's booming bass, co-writer Chris Stapleton's lyrics for "Your Man" helped propel that song to #1 in 2006, and earned the writers an armful of songwriting award nominations. 

Arguably the most famous country cover, Patsy Cline's version of Willie Nelson's "Crazy" remains a legendary tune. But don't sleep on Nelson's own recordings of the song, which have a slightly more mellow vibe than Cline's devastatingly sad take. 

Sure, it's a little bit goofy — the lyrics are, after all, about a guy who gives a woman incorrect directions from his roadside turnip greens stand — but there's no denying that Billy Currington's "Good Directions" is a catchy tune. And you've got Luke Bryan to thank for that, who co-wrote it with songwriter Rachel Thibodeau. 

After hearing Emmylou Harris's take on "Pancho and Lefty," Willie Nelson knew he had to record his own version. But the song was actually written by Townes Van Zandt in 1972, even though his original didn't see anywhere near the same commercial success as Nelson and Haggard's take. 

This 2019 collab between Carly Pearce and Lee Brice features a co-write with Luke Combs, who penned the track with Pearce, Randy Montana, and Jonathan Singleton. And considering the amount of star power involved in this track, it's not surprising that it shot to #1.