Favorite Tribute Albums?

Here's a favorite of mine in each category

Petty Country - A country music celebration of Tom Petty

Ryan Adam's cover of Taylor Swift's 1989 album

If you are a Stephen Sondheim fan, like I am, there are a number of terrific tribute albums-

The "Sondheim: A Musical Tribute" 1973 concert featured a star-studded cast, including Angela Lansbury, Larry Blyden, Alexis Smith, Chita Rivera, Jack Cassidy, and Donna McKechnie, among others. The concert was a benefit for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and the National Hemophilia Foundation. It was later released on record, showcasing highlights of the event. Members of the original companies--including Angela Lansbury, Chita Rivera, Dorothy Collins, Alexis Smith, and Donna McKechnie, just to name a few--as well as Sondheim himself singing "Anyone Can Whistle" from the piano (From Amazon).

Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends is a tribute revue honoring musical theatre composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim devised and produced by Cameron Mackintosh. Originally designed as a one-night performance, the revue premiered at the Sondheim Theatre in London on 3 May 2022. The line-up included Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Damian Lewis, Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters, Clive Rowe and Imelda Staunton (Wikipedia).

How about:

Big Band of Brothers, (Jazz versions of Allman Bros tunes)

Moody Bluegrass, Vol 1 and 2

Great Ceasar's Ghost:  What's Done is Done (mostly Allman Bros covers)

Jazz is Dead, any of their albums

Quiet About It: Tribute to Jesse Winchester

Art Garfunkel, Watermark (largely songs of Jimmy Webb)

James Lee Stanley

    All Wood and Doors (with Cliff Eberhardt)

    All Wood and Stones (with John Batdorf)

    All Wood and Stones II (with John Batdorf)

Just Because I’m a Woman

Dolly Parton tribute, just excellent 

How often does a cover truly equal an original performance, let alone surpass it?  Not that often, to my ears. Emmy Lou Harris is pretty consistently satisfying in this regard but I can’t think of anyone else, off-hand. 

@stuartk , Linda Ronstadt?