"Ashes by Now" is a song written by

Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...

. It has since been recorded several by times by various musical artists in the

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

format. The song was first recorded by Crowell himself, eventually releasing it as a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

in 1980.

Rodney Crowell version

Crowell originally recorded "Ashes by Now" in January 1978 in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. The recording session featured musician

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...

playing the fiddle, among other prominent session musicians of the period. Before its release as a single, it served as the b-side to his 1978 single "

Elvira Elvira is a female given name. First recorded in medieval Spain, it is likely of Germanic (Gothic) origin. Elvira may refer to: People Nobility * Elvira Menéndez (died 921), daughter of Hermenegildo Gutiérrez and wife of Ordoño II of Leó ...

." The song was later re-released in April 1980 as the A-side single via

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

becoming a minor chart hit on the '' Billboard''

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sa ...

and Hot 100 that year. The song was included on Crowell's 1980 studio album ''

But What Will the Neighbors Think ''But What Will the Neighbors Think'' is the second studio album by American country music artist Rodney Crowell. It was released in 1980 (see 1980 in country music) by Warner Bros. Records. It reached #64 on the Top Country Albums chart and #1 ...

''. The song was covered by Crowell's frequent collaborator Emmylou Harris on her 1981 album ''

Evangeline ''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...

''.

Chart performance

Lee Ann Womack version

It was notably covered by

Lee Ann Womack Lee Ann Womack Liddell (; born August 19, 1966) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Her 2000 single, " I Hope You Dance" was a major crossover music hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart and the Top 15 ...

in 2000 and her version became the most commercially successful after also being issued as a single. Womack's rendition of the song was released in October 2000 as the second single from her third studio album, ''

I Hope You Dance "I Hope You Dance" is a crossover country pop song written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers and recorded by American country music singer Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert. (Drew and Tim Womack of Sons of the Desert are not related to L ...

'', and peaked at number 4 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, as well as number 45 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100.Whitburn, p. 473

Critical reception

Wade Jessen of ''Billboard'' wrote, " The Earnhardt tragedy may have played a role in a minor decline in plays of Womack's Ashes by Now." Editors at ''

The Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Postmedia Place in ...

'' wrote, "A thorough makeover of the Rodney Crowell classic, from one of the exceedingly rare albums with the power to unite staunch old-timers and New Country types alike." Editors at '' Billboard'' wrote, "The inventive percussion that opens this terrific single is just the beginning of the magic that producer Mark Wright and Lee Ann Womack weave. One listen to this great single and it's obvious the song is sure to throw fuel on the fire."

Music video

A music video directed by Gregg Horne was created for Lee Ann Womack's version of the song.

Chart performance

In the October 21, 2000 issue of ''Billboard'', "Ashes by Now" debuted at number 49.Jessen, Wade. "LABEL CHANGE PUTS WOMACK IN FAST LANE." Billboard 118.33 (2006): 51. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 June 2011.

Year-end charts

Notes

References

{{authority control 1980 singles 2000 singles Rodney Crowell songs Lee Ann Womack songs Songs written by Rodney Crowell Warner Records singles MCA Nashville Records singles Song recordings produced by Mark Wright (record producer) 1980 songs