You probably recognize Joanna Cotten as the background vocalist – and frequent duet partner during live shows – for Eric Church. If you’ve seen Chief in concert over the past decade or so, there’s no doubt that you’re also a fan of Cotten. Calling her a background vocalist feels wrong, because the powerhouse singer is so much more than that. She’s a superstar in her own right, often taking center stage herself and joining Church for duets like their incredible live performances of songs like “Over When It’s Over” or “Like Jesus Does.” On the recently wrapped Free the Machine tour, Cotten even blessed the crowds with her own soulful version of “Proud Mary.” Joanna Cotten, ladies and gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/4RrSR6gbST — Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) March 1, 2026 Aside from being a fixture of his live shows, Cotten has also been featured on every Eric Church album since Chief, including his most recent album, Evangeline vs. The Machine. But before teaming up with Church, it turns out Cotten had actually built quite the resume working with other artists – including Cledus T. Judd. Judd, whose real name is Barry Poole, is sometimes called the “Weird Al” of country, and was a massive name in the late ’90s and early 2000s with his hilarious parodies of popular country songs. He had viral hits with songs like “I Love NASCAR,” “Bake Me A Country Ham,” and “My Cellmate Thinks I’m Sexy,” while collaborating with artists like Toby Keith and even Buck Owens. As I was doing research for a totally different article, I happened to stumble upon the credits for Cledus T. Judd’s 2000 album Just Another Day in Parodies. (That other article is coming later, I know you’re anxious to read it). The album contained songs like “Goodbye Squirrel,” a parody of “Goodbye Earl” from the Dixie Chicks, and “How Do You Milk A Cow,” which is obviously a parody of “How Do You Like Me Now” by Toby Keith. And on that album from 2000, whose name was in the credits for providing background vocals? Yep, you guessed it: Joanna Cotten. Cotten confirmed to Whiskey Riff that the album with Cledus was (as best she could remember 26 years later) her first project as a featured singer, and also shared that her connection with Cledus came through an executive with her publishing company, EMI, who had also served as a mentor to the parody singer during the early days of his career. Pretty awesome stuff. I love stories like this about the unexpected connections in the country music industry. One thing you may not know about Cotten is that she actually attended the Juilliard School, a prestigious private school for performing arts whose alumni include some of the greatest musicians and singers in the world. It’s not a stretch to say she’s one of the most accomplished vocalists in country music, so it’s no wonder other artists turn to Joanna to elevate their own music. In fact, Cotten also provided background vocals for Faith Hill’s Sunday Night Football theme, “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” which served as the intro for the weekly football game from 2007 to 2012. See if you can catch Cotten’s unmistakable voice: Along with Eric Church, Cledus T. Judd and Faith Hill, Cotten has provided background vocals for a number of other country music icons, including Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, and more recently, Whiskey Myers on their 2025 album Whomp Whack Thunder. She’s also released some great music of her own, blazing her own trail that blends her Memphis and Arkansas roots into her own unique sound. That sound shines through on her autobiographical 2008 song “Funkabilly,” which blends country, soul, blues and funk into something all its own. The song may not have been right for country radio in 2008 (which was, quite frankly, pretty boring and safe), but it may have simply been ahead of its time as the past two decades have seen country continue to blend influences from other genres. I mean, Eric Church himself had a full orchestra and gospel choir on tour with him this past year, and “Funkabilly” would have easily fit in on the setlist. As you peel back the layers on Cotten and her musical journey, you really get an appreciation for what a unique and special talent she is – beyond what even Eric Church fans may have realized. And surprisingly, it all started with a Cledus T. Judd album.The post You Know Joanna Cotten For Her Work With Eric Church, But You’ll Never Guess Her First Album As A Background Vocalist first appeared on Whiskey Riff.