Set ‘Em Up Joe, song written by Hank Cochran, Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon and Vern Gosdin, was recorded by Vern Gosdin for the Columbia label, was recorded in September 1987, at Tree International Studios, Nashville, TN, at the recording session, Vern was accompanied by: Mark Casstevens (acustic guitar), Billy Sanford (electric guitar), Jim Vest and Sonny Garrish (steel), Bob Wray (bass), Jerry Kroon (drums), Hoot Hester (fiddle), Ron Oates (keyboards), Dennis Wilson and Carol Montgomery (background vocals). With the production of Bob Montgomery, the single was released in April 1988, on July 23, 1988, reached # 1 on the charts of US Hot Country Songs, and remained 15 weeks on the charts. The Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts, reached # 2. It was the second number one in Vern’s career.
The song was included in Vern’s tenth studio album, Chiseled in Stone (Columbia 1988), the album was released on January 15, 1988, in the U.S Top Country Albums charts, reached # 7. The album was certified gold in the USA.
“Set‘ Em Up Joe, “was a song in homage to Ernest Tubb and his song, Walking The Floor Over You, as Vern was a big ET fan.
In 2010, this song was covered by Jamey Johnson on her album, The Guitar Song (Mercury 2010)