How the Black Crowes Hit ‘Hard to Handle’ Was Actually an Otis Redding Cover

Nate Fender of It’s Weird/True explained how the 1990 Black Crowes hit “Hard to Handle” was originally written and performed by the late great Otis Redding, who sadly died in a 1967 plane crash.

There’s a rock song that you’ve heard for the greater part of 35 years, but what you might not know is that it is a cover of a very well known musician who passed away just three weeks after he recorded it.

Fender further noted that the song was covered by other artists, including the Grateful Dead, Mae West, and Tom Jones. He also dropped the fun fact that the guitar solo on the Black Crowes’ version was supposed to be played by Slash. Instead it was played by sound engineer Brendan O’Brien on a Les Paul guitar owned by Rick Rubin.

The Black Crowes ‘Hard to Handle’

The Original Otis Redding Song

Other Covers of ‘Hard to Handle’

Thanks Chip Beale!