"Cherokee Maiden" is a

Western swing Western swing, country jazz or smooth country is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the West and South among the region's Western string bands. It is dance music, often with an up-tempo beat, which att ...

love song written by

Cindy Walker Cindy Walker (July 20, 1917 – March 23, 2006) was an American songwriter, country music singer, and dancer. She wrote many popular and enduring songs recorded by many artists. She adopted a craftsman-like approach to her songwriting, ofte ...

. "Cherokee Maiden" was one of Walker's first hits when it was recorded by

Bob Wills James Robert "Bob" Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although Spade C ...

and

The Texas Playboys James Robert "Bob" Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although Spade C ...

in 1941 (OKeh 6568).

Background

The title comes from a refrain in the chorus:

Merle Haggard cover

Merle Haggard and The Strangers recorded "Cherokee Maiden" in 1976 (Capitol 4326). It spent 11 weeks on the charts, reaching number one.Whitburn, ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits'', p. 147.

Personnel

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

– vocals, guitar The Strangers: *

Roy Nichols Roy Ernest Nichols (October 21, 1932 – July 3, 2001) was an American country music guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for Merle Haggard's band The Strangers for more than two decades. He was known for his guitar technique, a mix ...

– lead guitar * Norman Hamlet – steel guitar, dobro * Tiny Moore – mandolin *

Eldon Shamblin Eldon Shamblin (April 24, 1916 – August 5, 1998) was an American guitarist and arranger, particularly important to the development of Western swing music as one of the first electric guitarists in a popular dance band. He was a member of the ...

– guitar * Ronnie Reno – guitar * Mark Yeary – piano * James Tittle – bass *Biff Adam – drums *Don Markham – saxophone

Chart history

Other Cover Versions

* In 2001, a recording by

Asleep At The Wheel Asleep at the Wheel is an American country music, Western swing music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, in 1970, and is based in Austin, Texas. The band has won nine Grammy Awards, released over 20 albums, and has charted more t ...

earned the group a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

. * In 1984,

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait has sold over 120 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He holds ...

recorded a version of the song for the Silver Eagle radio show at the Lone Star Cafe In New York

References

Bibliography

*Whitburn, Joel. ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits''. Billboard Books, 2006. 1941 songs 1976 singles Asleep at the Wheel songs Merle Haggard songs Western swing songs Songs written by Cindy Walker Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson (American record producer) Capitol Records singles Cherokee in popular culture {{1970s-country-song-stub