A new album honoring country singer Tom Petty is slowly being released featuring big names covering Petty classics. The newest in this line of revamped songs is Chris Stapleton cover of “I Should Have Known It” where he brings fresh spin on the beloved song.
Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty has gained a ton of traction from country fans and has several big names attached to the memorial project. The album is set to release in full June 21. For now, tracks such as Dolly Patrons cover of “Southern Accents” have been released and will be followed by stars such as Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Margo Price, George Strait, and more.
In the original video, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are playing the song in a vintage looking studio. With Petty on vocals and guitar, the camera switched between the bandmates and their instruments with a dull hue and a lot of blurring in and out of images.
The Stapleton cover captures the hardcore heartbreak energy the original gives fans but amps it up to a greater level by creating deep heavy guitar sounds and soulfully angry vocals. The message of wrongdoing and unforgiving carries from the original energy of the track and video into the 2024 single.
Both artists have a rock and country influence in their music that this track has harnessed. While “I Should Have Known It” was never a major hit of Petty’s, his later performances of it remain memorable and the Stapleton cover has reminded fans of Petty’s iconic catalog.