Sometimes, blending genres together can really make some musical magic. And on very rare occasions, Motown and Nashville will collide. There aren’t many songs out there that feature the talent of country singers and artists known for the Motown sound, but the few that are out there are pretty incredible. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we?
“I Know You By Heart” by Dolly Parton and Smokey Robinson
This stellar collaboration took place on Dolly Parton’s 1987 album, Rainbow. The album, unfortunately, didn’t do well sales-wise. Maybe audiences just weren’t ready for a blend of country and pop back then. Despite less-than-ideal results from the record, we did get a pretty amazing collaboration between country queen Dolly Parton and Motown legend Smokey Ribonsin.
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The former Miracles singer performed a Nashville-meets-Motown duet with Parton on the song “I Know You By Heart”. The duet is gorgeous, but for some reason did not chart. It would later be covered by Bette Midler for the film Beaches.
“Easy” by Lionel Richie feat. Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson really can collaborate with just about anybody. The outlaw country legend once collaborated with vocal icon Lionel Ritchie, known for his incredible solo career and early work with the Motown group Commodores. The song in question is “Easy”, a duet with Nelson and a co-written effort between Richie and Tony Brown, found on Richie’s 2012 album Tuskegee.
Honestly, if you want a thorough taste of Motown and country, I recommend the whole of that album. It’s an ode to where Richie grew up in Alabama, and it’s loaded with country, pop, and R&B elements.
“Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” by Vince Gill feat. Gladys Knight
Nashville met Motown in the best way with this legendary collaboration. Vince Gill is a country icon and is now a member of Eagles. Gladys Knight is known for her work with The Pips and her illustrious solo career. She’s the Empress of Soul for a reason, and this collab with Gill turned out to be gorgeous.
“Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” was a standout addition to the compilation album Rhythm, Country and Blues, and these two vocal talents came together in the best possible way. And the song also led to Vince Gill making it to the cover of Jet Magazine.
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