In late 1965, Los Angeles garage band the Leaves recorded the earliest known commercial version of "Hey Joe", which was released as a single. They re-recorded the song and released it in 1966 as a follow-up single, which became a hit in the US.

  In October 1966, Jimi Hendrix recorded "Hey Joe" for his first single with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Their version became a hit in the UK.