Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Music Box • Song

Tennessee Whiskey

"Tennessee Whiskey" is a country song written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

"Tennessee Whiskey" is a country song written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove. It became widely known through Chris Stapleton's 2015 rendition.

What it is

Written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove in the early 1980s, "Tennessee Whiskey" uses alcohol imagery as a metaphor for romantic devotion. The song compares a relationship to Tennessee whiskey and strawberry wine.

Notable recordings

David Allan Coe recorded the first version in 1981. George Jones's 1983 cover reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number 1 on Canada's RPM Country Tracks chart. Chris Stapleton's 2015 version on the album Traveller became the best-known modern recording.

Legacy

The song is now considered a classic country standard. Stapleton's live performances brought it to a wider audience, and it remains one of his signature songs.

In short

  • Written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.
  • First recorded by David Allan Coe in 1981.
  • George Jones's 1983 version hit number 2 on Billboard.
  • Chris Stapleton's 2015 version made the song widely popular.
Canadian angle

George Jones's version reached number 1 on Canada's RPM Country Tracks chart, giving the song a notable Canadian chart presence.

Quick questions

Who wrote "Tennessee Whiskey"?
The song was written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.
Who recorded the first version?
David Allan Coe recorded the first version in 1981.
What album includes Chris Stapleton's version?
His version appears on Traveller, released in 2015.

Sources

  1. Songfacts — https://www.songfacts.com/facts/chris-stapleton/tennessee-whiskey
    Supports: Songwriters, recording history, chart notes, and later popularity of Chris Stapleton's version.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Whiskey_(song)
    Supports: Songwriters, original 1981 recording by David Allan Coe, and George Jones's 1983 chart performance.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_whiskey
    Supports: The song's title as a reference to the whiskey style and its naming connection to the spirit.
  4. Wide Open Country — https://www.wideopencountry.com/tennessee-whiskey-evolved-modern-country-classic/
    Supports: The song's lyrical theme and the rise of Chris Stapleton's version after his 2015 performance.
  5. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Whiskey_(album)
    Supports: David Allan Coe's 1981 album of the same name containing the original version.