Introduction
“Kentucky Woman” is a song penned and first performed by Neil Diamond in 1967. At this point in his career, Diamond was still working under Bang Records, a label co-founded by songwriter-producer Bert Berns, and balancing his identities as both songwriter and performer. The song was released as a single in October 1967 (b/w “The Time Is Now”) and became one of his last hits under the Bang roster.
Diamond reportedly composed “Kentucky Woman” while on tour in the American South, writing as his entourage passed through Kentucky—he is said to have sketched the lyrics in a limousine approaching Paducah, Kentucky.Musically, the piece leans on a straightforward pop structure punctuated with country-influenced touches, aligning with the mid-1960s pop sensibility while offering a nod to southern roots. On the charts, “Kentucky Woman” reached No. 22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and fared respectably in international markets as well (e.g. No. 6 in Canada).
Though Diamond himself preferred more introspective singles such as “Shilo,” his label pushed “Kentucky Woman” as the follow-up single, setting up tensions that eventually contributed to his departure from Bang. Over the years, “Kentucky Woman” has seen notable reinterpretations—most famously by the British rock band Deep Purple in 1968, who gave it a heavier rock arrangement that charted on its own. The contrast between Diamond’s original and later covers underscores the song’s adaptability and its bridge between pop, country, and rock sensibilities.
In sum, “Kentucky Woman” occupies a pivotal place in Neil Diamond’s early catalog—both as a commercially successful single and as a turning point in his evolving relationship with record labels, genre boundaries, and artistic direction.