Midnight Rider - Other Versions

Other Versions

Many other versions have been recorded as well, starting in 1973 when jazz guitarist Maynard Parker released a version on an album named for the song. Since that time, the song has gone on to be The Allman Brothers Band's most covered song, performed by artists ranging from country legend Waylon Jennings to punk rock legend Patti Smith; from bluegrass fiddler/singer Alison Krauss to ska revivalists Bad Manners to doo-wop vocalists The Drifters. O.A.R. also covers Midnight Rider frequently at live shows, as well as Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, who sometimes uses it as an intro to Wanted Dead or Alive; during his solo shows but also with his main band, he had also sung "Midnight Rider" before the mentioned. Buckcherry has also played "Midnight Rider" before live, Michael McDonald does a rendition of "Midnight Rider", and it has also appeared on a Hank Williams, Jr. album. Bob Seger covered the song on his long out of print Back in '72 album. An edited and remastered version of his version, which eliminates the breakdown and Seger's scatting towards the end of the track, appears on his 2009 Early Seger Vol. 1 album.

"Midnight Rider" has been featured in soundtracks for the movies Wild Hogs, The Devil's Rejects, Unbreakable, and Warren Miller's Storm. Gregg Allman's solo version is featured during the opening scenes of the 2004 remake of Walking Tall featuring The Rock. The concert film Earth vs. The Radiators: the First 25 features Gregg Allman performing the song with swamp rockers The Radiators during that band's 25th anniversary celebration.

On October 27, 2009 Stephen Stills played "Midnight Rider" on The Howard Stern Show saying that he and Gregg Allman used to sing it together. In Summer 2010, he and his bandmates in Crosby, Stills and Nash performed the song on their European tour, during a covers section in their set. The song is one of a number of songs under consideration for inclusion on an album of cover versions they are to record.