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John Schneider’s Cover of “It’s Now or Never” Is A Unique Rendition

John Schneider's cover of 'It's Now or Never'
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

In 1981, John Schneider released his first single, which is a cover of “It’s Now or Never.” Consequently, it is also the title track of his first album. Schneider’s version of the song ranked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was one of the top five hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

“It’s Now or Never” was originally recorded by Elvis Presley. In 1960, Presley released this song as a single. It became one of the best-selling physical singles of all time and one of the best-selling singles of Elvis Presley. More than 20 million physical copies were sold worldwide, making it one of the biggest international singles ever released by Presley.

John Schneider is popularly known for his role as Bo Duke in the television series “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Aside from acting, John also entered the world of the music industry. In the 1980s, John Schneider’s cover of “It’s Now or Never” was released under the Scotti Brothers’ Label. 

The remake of the song ranked number four on the American Country Billboard charts. In 1981, it was in the number 14 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Surprisingly, it also became the highest-charting Elvis cover of all time. After the release of his debut album, Schneider continued releasing more albums such as “Quiet Man” and “If You Believe.”

Even before scoring his first top country hit single, John Schneider was already an established singer and actor. From 1979 to 1985, Schneider portrayed the character of Bo Duke in a popular television series, “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Simultaneously, he also started his career in music in 1981. John Schneider’s cover of “It’s Now or Never” was released in 1981 and reached number four in the charts.

Here is an audio recording of “It’s Now or Never” by John Schneider.

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