Tammy Wynette, Apartment #9 | COVERS

In the 28th edition of COVERS (2024), Tammy Wynette delivers a compelling rendition of “Apartment #9” originally performed by Bobby Austin.

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers, as opposed to the original/most famous performer.  It is open to both established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 28th edition of COVERS (2024),Tammy Wynette delivers a compelling rendition of “Apartment #9”, originally performed by Bobby Austin.

“Just follow the stairway / To this lonely world of mine / You’ll find me waitin’ here / In apartment number 9.” Grammy-winning country music icon Tammy Wynette (1942 – 1998) released a surefire musical gem in 1967. “Apartment #9” is the opening track from her album, Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad. It was written by country musicians Bobby Austin and Johnny Paycheck. Notably, Bobby Austin released the song first preceding Wynette’s version by several months. Billy Sherrill marvelously produced this vintage country record with colorful instrumentation including pedal steel and piano.

Tammy Wynette performs radiantly.  She sings with ease, never forcing things.  Even if it sounds as if she never breaks a sweat, she’s expressive, conveying loneliness vividly.  “Loneliness surrounds me / Without your arms around me,” she sings, continuing, “And the sun will never shine / In apartment number 9.” Despite being down in the dumps after “You walked away from me,” she holds out hope he’ll return (“I keep waiting in this lonely room / Just in case you change your mind”). Country music isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but “Apartment #9” is universally relatable for anyone who’s lost a lover and yearns for them to return.  This oldies transcends musical genres.

Tammy Wynette // Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad // Sony BMG Music Entertainment // 1967

Tammy Wynette, Apartment #9: Covers No. 28 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Sony BMG Music Entertainment; Andrea Piacquadio, cottonbro studio, MART PRODUCTION, Matteo Milan from Pexels; MR1313, OpenClipart-Vectors, Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay]