1982 Hit Ranked Among 'Greatest Country Songs of All Time' Was Played In Space
Originally written by Terry Stafford and Paul Fraser, "Amarillo by Morning" has became a timeless staple of the country genre in the years since its release—and was later popularized by George Strait's iconic cover.
The well-known country ballad was ranked No. 10 on Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time, and developed an even stronger importance to the people of Amarillo, Texas, when it was chosen by a hometown hero to be played in space.
Strait's cover of "Amarillo by Morning" was released in 1982 on his album Strait From The Heart, which peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. The single was a huge success, with Strait's melodic voice bringing to life this timeless story of a cowboy leaving everything behind to visit a county fair in Amarillo.
The single entered the Billboard Country Songs chart at No. 4 and has since become Strait's most popular single. It was certified 4x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Amarillo by Morning" was famously chosen by Texan astronaut Rick Husband as the wake-up song on the STS-96 space mission, which was the first manned mission to dock on the International Space Station.
The expedition was a huge step forward for space exploration, but has unfortunately been overshadowed by the ill-fated STS-107 mission just three years later. Retroactively known as the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the mission terminated early when the shuttle was destroyed during its return flight, killing everybody onboard.
"Amarillo by Morning" was later played during the STS-114 mission in 2005, which became known as the "Return to Flight" mission. The song became an anthem for Husband's patriotic bravery and tragic death.
The country classic remains one of the most beloved songs in the genre, appearing near the top of almost every "best of" list out there. Rolling Stone writes: "[Strait's] elegant croon is the epitome of pathos and realness, sounding just like someone who knows the feeling of having to fold his broken body into the driver’s seat and haul ass through the long Texas night to make it to the next gig."