"You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" is a song written and originally recorded by American musician Darrell Scott.
Scott said the inspiration for the song came from a visit to Harlan County, Kentucky, in an attempt to research his own family history.
[2] Following Scott's original version, country music singer Patty Loveless recorded it in 2001 for her album Mountain Soul.
Paisley said that he chose to record the song because, being a native of West Virginia, he had seen the effect that coal mining had on communities in that region.
[11] In November 2022, Loveless joined Chris Stapleton to perform the song at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards.