"SIXTEEN TONS" - ZZ TOP - Lexington, KY - 4/19/26

The legendary Merle Travis - who hailed from a coal mining family in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky - wrote the coal mining classic "Sixteen Tons" in 1946. It was made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1955. Tennessee Ernie's cover version of Travis' song went to #1 on the Billboard Country chart, where it stayed for 10 weeks, then crossed over to the Billboard Pop chart where it spent 8 weeks at #1 ! Since then "Sixteen Tons" has been performed by literally hundreds of artists - from Bo Diddley to BB King, Joe Cocker to Eric Burdon. Stevie Wonder to Tom Jones. In 2016 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band ZZ Top included "Sixteen Tons" on its album "Live: Greatest Hits from Around the World", The song featured Billy Gibbons on lead vocals and Jeff Beck on lead guitar. Last night at Gatton Park in Lexington, Kentucky, ZZ Top performed its rocked-up version of "Sixteen Tons" with the great Billy Gibbons on both lead guitar and lead vocals!