 Merle
Haggard
Merle Haggard's first live record
of the 1990s finds him, at age 62, in strong form as he skims
the cream from his own remarkable songbook. His voice may not
have the sheer force of his younger years, but his singing is
full of attractive nuances and passionate depth. His finely tuned
band is another asset here, most notably Telecaster magician
Redd Volkaert, who has digested all of Roy Nichols's classic
licks and has incorporated them into his own risk-taking style.
Longtime Stranger steel player Norm Hamlet, fiddle legend Johnny
Gimble, and Hag's "best boy," ex-wife, and harmony
singer Bonnie Owens all make vital contributions. Haggard also
pays homage to his three main idols with covers of Bob Wills's
"Ida Red" and Lefty Frizzell's "That's the Way
Love Goes" plus his own brand-new addition to Jimmie Rodgers's
"Blue Yodel" series called "Motorcycle Cowboy/Blue
Yodel #13." --Marc Greilsamer |
