Oct 3
Color Hag blue, as in blues and bluegrass
The Bluegrass SessionsThe conversation might have gone something like this:
Merle Haggard’s pal: “Hag, I was over at this bluegrass festival the other day, and I heard several bands doin’ your songs. The crowd was going crazy at the mention of your name.”
Hag: “Really? Never heard of such a thing. Ol’ Haggard songs done by a bluegrass band? You’re crazy.”
The Pal: “Honest, Hag. Remember Marty Raybon who used to front that country band Shenandoah? He paid a big tribute to you and did what he thought was your best written song.”
Hag: “Ain’t no way, man. What the heck did he consider my cream of the crop?”
The Pal: “Kern River, Merle. Remember that one? Ol’ Marty just flat out accompanied himself on guitar and sang the fire out that thing. Gave me chills, it did. And, hey, that’s not all. That J.D. Crowe Band, gosh they did a killer version of ‘In My Next Life.’ I swear, Hag, since you weren’t singin’ that song, it was probably the second best I’ve heard it. Got them doggone chills all over again.”
Well, imaginary, indeed. But Merle Haggard, the country music singer’s singer and songwriter, has had, at some point, to have caught wind of his popularity among today’s bluegrass crowd. All kinds of bands are doing covers of his tunes at the festivals these days, and they’re getting great response with Haggard’s signature and obscure tunes. I suspect a percentage of the boomer-age crowd that once loved country music is migrating away from the pure, unlikeable sides of today’s so-called country, to something that indeed is much more pure — and that would be bluegrass.
Whatever the case, up steps this music icon with his brand new CD, “Merle Haggard; The Bluegrass Sessions,” a collection of 12 tunes that lean more heavily on country blues than true bluegrass with some Hag classics and new tunes tossed in the mix.
Pardon me, but I’ve been a die-hard Haggard fan for decades. Bluegrass, blues or whatever, I’m not about to knock this CD. It’s strong with a strong cast of characters, including producer Ronnie Reno, himself from the bloodlines of the legendary annals of bluegrass who once did a stint in Haggard’s band.
Then, try these pickers on for size: Marty Stuart, Rob Ickes, Charlie Cushman, Aubrey Haynie, Ben Isaacs, Scott Joss and JD Wilkes. Throw in some chilling harmony vocals by Alison Krauss on the Haggard classic, “Mama’s Hungry Eyes,” and other harmonies and all vocal arrangements by another icon of today’s bluegrass scene, Carl Jackson. What a recipe for an incredible CD that could only have been marketed in today’s quirky music marketplace, where the oddball offerings are often more enticing to buyers than the Billboard staples.
Haggard’s age shows here — but to great benefit. His vocals have lost the sharp edge of his early days, but they still contain such a broad range, from deep bass to high tenor, and whatever the note, crammed with such strong emotion.
I enjoyed hearing once again “Mama’s Hungry Eyes,” “Momma’s Prayers” and “Jimmy Rodgers’ Blues,” all of which brought flashbacks to my beloved collection of vinyl from another era. “Learning to Live With Myself” is a beautiful ballad I’d never heard before and it truly shows Haggard reflecting on the autumn of his own life.
Autumn, indeed, but only in real years. Haggard’s voice, his lyrics, his treatment of the songs all conjure up fresh, spring-like energy that very evidentally went into making this CD.
It hit the shelves Tuesday. The label copyright is McCoury Music Inc./Hag Records, Inc.
It’s a real pleaser, both for bluegrass and true-blue country crowds.
By Dan Tackett
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Hey really enjoy your reviews. KEEP IT GOIN!!!!!
Beck