What are some of the better songs made by artists that are more famous for something else?

The Edge - David McCallum (Illya Kuryakin in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E" and Dr. Ducky Mallard in "NCIS")

 

David Soul, "Don't Give Up On Us, Baby"
 

 

Ringo, by Lorne Greene
 

 

Steve Martin, playing banjo on Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
 

 

I was never a fan of Thirty Seconds to Mars, but had some friends who were big fans. Didn't realize until recently that Jared Leto was lead man for the band.

14 hours ago, Bluto said:

Steve Martin, playing banjo on Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
 

 

I couldn't smash both "?" and "?". This is dee-lightful. Martin and Earl Scruggs in the band - "Men With Banjos Who Know How To Use Them," with Paul Shaffer on piano. Fun, classic, and virtuoso Bluegrass. Thanks B.

Ready to be impressed by Hugh Laurie? (Aka - "House, M.D.")

He performs an absolute ??? version of the old jazz/blues standard "St. James Infirmary" beginning at the 23 minute mark in this video.
 

 

I typically think of Will Smith as more of an actor. 

 

While I like the original by INXS better, this is an interesting twist to have Bonnie Raitt covering "Need You Tonight". It still has a nice groove about it in Bonnie's sassy little way. 

 

The 1981 Soft Cell mash up of the 1965 Gloria Jones released "Tainted Love", with the 1964 The Supremes release of "Where Did our Love Go?".

 

The first time I ever heard Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" was Linda Ronstadt's version from her 1975 Prisoner in Disguise album made super famous by Whitney Houston in 1992. 

 

Peter Gabriel covering Bon Iver's "Flume". The original is nice, but Gabriel brings such an emotional reverence to the song. 

 

Starfkr doing Cyndi Lauper's - "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

 

The late Charles Bradley, and James Brown impersonator doing Black Sabbath's "Changes" originally released in 1972.

So good, so emotional. 

 

Jeff Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". This is the first version that I ever heard, and the only one that I can pull off in Karaoke. Most versions tend to be sung in a higher octave with more vocal gymnastics. No matter what this is still my favorite version.