"Honky Tonk" is an instrumental written by Billy Butler, Bill Doggett, Clifford Scott, and Shep Shepherd. Doggett recorded it as a two-part single in 1956.^[2] It became Doggett's signature piece and a standard recorded by many other performers.^[3]

The instrumental peaked at number two for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100,^[4] and was the biggest R&B hit of the year, spending thirteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of the charts.^[5] It was included in Robert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981).^[6]

In 1972, James Brown recorded "Honky Tonk" with his band The J.B.'s, who were credited as "The James Brown Soul Train". The song was released as a two-part single which reached number seven on the R&B chart and number 44 on the pop chart.^[7][8]