Co-written and first recorded by Johnny Bush (C&W #14 1972).
Other hit version by Willie Nelson (1973 |C&W #12 1979), Johnny Bush (C&W #92 1981).
From the wiki: “‘Whiskey River’ was co-written by American country music singer Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud, and was first recorded by Bush in 1972.
“Bush released the song in 1972 through RCA Victor and included it on his album Whiskey River. Released as a single, it peaked in 1973 at #14 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. Bush later re-recorded the song in 1981 and released it again, this time on the Delta label, with ‘When My Conscience Hurts the Most’ on the B-side, charting again at #92 on the Country Singles chart.
“Bush got his start in Nashville as a sideman in Ray Price’s band the Cherokee Cowboys in 1963, along with a young Willie Nelson.
“Willie would go on to record ‘Whiskey River’ for the album Shotgun Willie in 1973. In 1978, a recording from Nelson’s live album Willie and Family Live was released as a promotional single through Columbia Records. ‘Whiskey River’, despite not being a Nelson original, has come to be regarded as one of his signature songs and a concert staple.”
Trivia: Nelson performed the song during the pilot episode of the public television series Austin City Limits — marking it the first song to be performed on the long-running program.
Willie Nelson, “Whiskey River” (1973):
Willie Nelson, “Whiskey River” from Austin City Limits (1974):
Willie Nelson, “Whiskey River” (1978):