"Ashes by Now" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 artist Rodney Crowell

Rodney Crowell

Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....

, whose version reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. Before its release as a single, it served as the b-side to his 1978 single "Elvira

Elvira (song)

"Elvira" is a song written by Dallas Frazier which became a famous country and pop hit by The Oak Ridge Boys. A Number One hit on the Billboard country music charts, The Oak Ridge Boys' version is considered one of their signature songs.-Song history:...

."

A cover version was recorded by fellow country artist Lee Ann Womack

Lee Ann Womack

Lee Ann Womack is an American country music singer and songwriter, who is best known for her old fashioned-styled country music songs that often discuss subjects such as cheating and lost love....

. Womack's rendition of the song was released in October 2000 as the second single from her third studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

, I Hope You Dance

I Hope You Dance

I Hope You Dance is the title of the third studio release by American country music singer Lee Ann Womack. It was released on May 23, 2000 as her first album for MCA Nashville...

, and peaked at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, as well as #48 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Background

Wade Jessen of Billboard wrote, "The Earnardt tragedy

Death of Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...

 may have played a role in a minor decline in plays of Womack's Ashes by Now."

Reception

Editors at The Toronto Sun 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

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

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 was created for Lee Ann Womack's version of the song, it was directed by Gregg Horne.

Rodney Crowell version

Chart (1980)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	78
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	37

Lee Ann Womack version

In the October 21, 2000 issue of Billboard, "Ashes by Now" debuted at number 49.

Chart (2000)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	48