Joan Baez hit the US #3 in 1971 with a cover of the Band’s The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down. Levon Helm sung the original which Robbie Robertson & Helm co-wrote.
The Animals sole UK & US #1 was House of the Rising Sun which is a folk standard. Like many folk standards it’s songwriter is unknown but it’s origin may be as far back as the 16th Century.
Icelandic Dance-Pop star Björk has released a series of critically acclaimed Albums but her biggest hit was a UK Top 5 cover of Betty Hutton’s Big Band 1951 hit It’s Oh So Quiet which features renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie and the Brodsky Quartet.