Billy Joe Royal recorded "Hush" on 12 July 1967 in Nashville with Barry Bailey, future lead guitarist for the Atlanta Rhythm Section, on guitar.

[7] A promo clip for Billy Joe Royal's release of the song was filmed at the boardwalk amusement park and outskirts of an unidentified Southern beach town.

"[18] In 1968, Deep Purple performed live on Hugh Hefner's Playboy After Dark TV series.

After Hefner heard a ghost story from Jon Lord and had a guitar lesson from Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple performed "Hush" which is available in the Playboy After Dark -2nd Collection 2007 DVD release and the 2000 CD-reissue of the Shades of Deep Purple album.

Ian Gillan, who had replaced Rod Evans as lead singer of Deep Purple in 1969, admitted being "uneasy" about having recorded the song, saying that the only person he wanted to hear perform the song was Evans (who at that point was no longer involved in music).

The instrumental "Wring That Neck" from The Book of Taliesyn was also a regular part of the band's setlist into the early 1970s.