Merle Haggard - If I Could Only Fly

Artist:

Haggard, Merle

See Also:

Carter Family (The) Willie Nelson/Ray Price/Merle Haggard - Last Of The Breed Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Ray Price - Live from The Last of the Breed Tour [3/3] Various Artists - Tulare Dust: A Songwriters` Tribute To Merle Haggard Leona Williams/Merle Haggard - Old Loves Never Die

Description:

Personnel: Merle Haggard (vocals, guitar); Abe Manuel, Jr. (guitar, fiddle, harmonica, accordion, percussion, background vocals); Redd Volkaert, Joe Manuel, Randy Mason (guitar); Norm Hamlet (steel guitar); Candace Lavolsi (harp); Don Markham (saxophone, background vocals); Floyd Domino, Oleg Schramm (piano); Doug Colosio (keyboards); Eddie Curtis (bass); Terry Domingue (drums, percussion); Biff Adam (drums); Theresa Haggard, Ben Haggard, Jenessa Haggard (background vocals).
Recorded at Merle Haggard`s Tally Studio, Bakersfield, California. Includes liner notes by Jonny Whiteside.
It speaks unpleasant volumes about all sorts of things that, in the year 2000, Merle Haggard--a towering figure in country music, second only in influence to the great Hank Williams himself--probably couldn`t get arrested in Nashville if he was found buggering a moose in front of the Grand Old Opry.
The good news is that Haggard`s first album of the millennium--released, in a delicious irony, on an indie label that made its fortune peddling hard-core punk-rock--is one of his best ever. It`s a low key, but not at all autumnal collection of songs that ranges from full bore Western swing a la Bob Wills (the highly amusing "Bareback") to ethereally graceful ballads ("Listening"). Astonishingly, Haggard`s never been in better voice--anybody who doesn`t get a thrill out of hearing him imbue the word "wind" with four syllables is incapable of joy. His longtime backing band the Strangers play with a magisterial authority that makes just about every younger country act sound puerile by comparison. Not to be missed.

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Wishing All These Old Things Were New
2. Honky Tonky Mama
3. Turn to Me
4. If I Could Only Fly
5. Crazy Moon
6. Bareback
7. Lullaby, (Think About A)
8. I`m Still Your Daddy
9. Proud to Be Your Old Man
10. Leaving`s Getting Harder
11. Thanks to Uncle John
12. Listening (To the Wind)

Album Information

Release Date:

10/01/2004

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Country

Subgenre:

Bakersfield

Label:

Anti (USA)

Catalog Number:

86593

Original Release Year:

2000

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Guest Artist:

Floyd Domino

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