Let IT Be (song) - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

"Let It Be" has been covered numerous times by various artists:

1970s

• 1970: The first recording of the song to be released (even before the Beatles' version) was a cover by Aretha Franklin, in January 1970, on the album This Girl's in Love with You, along with her cover of "Eleanor Rigby".
• 1970: Clarence Carter recorded a cover version of the song for his album Patches.
• John Denver recorded a solo acoustic cover of "Let It Be" on his album Poems, Prayers, and Promises.
• Gladys Knight and the Pips released a version of the song on the tribute album Motown Sings The Beatles.
• 1971: Joan Baez included "Let It Be" on her album Blessed Are..., and released the song as a single. The song also appears on her live album Diamonds & Rust in the Bullring, and she performed it at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, as captured in the film Message to Love.
• Bill Withers recorded a cover version of the song for his debut album Just as I Am.
• 1977: Ray Charles did a cover version of his album True to Life.
• 1976: Leo Sayer covered the song for the 1976 ephemeral musical documentary All This and World War II.

1990s

• 1991: Australian rock band Noiseworks covered the song on their 1991 album Love Versus Money.
• 1997: Canadian a capella band The Nylons covered the song in 1997 on their album Fabric of Life.

2000s

• 2000: English rock band Marillion covered the song for a 2000 webcast entitled A Piss-Up in a Brewery, which was later released on CD and DVD. "Let It Be" was omitted from the CD release.
• 2002: Lesley Garrett sang an operatic version on her 2002 album The Singer.
• 2002: Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge covered the song on their 2002 album Peace On Earth and on 2007's Songs Of Inspiration.
• A second instrumental rendition is from saxophonist Nelson Rangell from a compilation album album (I Got No Kick Against) Modern Jazz - Celebration of the Songs of the Beatles.
• Dyme Def used a sample of the original Let it Be in a significantly different hip hop version, also called Let it Be, on their album, Space Music.
• American Idol Season 7 finalist Brooke White covered the song on the Top 12 Beatles week. A studio version of her performance was released on the iTunes Music Store as "Let It Be (American Idol Studio Version) - Single" in 2008. It was among the most downloaded singles of the season.
• 2009: Cherry Red Records (UK) release of The Cate Brothers' Born To Wander early demos includes a cover of Let It Be.http://www.cherryred.co.uk/broadside-exd.asp?id=826

2010s

• 2010: American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen did a version of this song on the ninth season of American Idol on 25 February 2010. This song was made available on iTunes for download, with all proceeds going toward disaster relief for the Haiti Earthquake. Katie Stevens performed it the same year.
• 2011: X Factor USA Season 1 contestant Chris Rene merged Let It Be with a self-written song and performed it during the series. This song was made available on iTunes for download.