Merle Haggard Album: “20 Greatest Hits”

Description :

Digitally remastered by Mark Chalecki (Capitol Mastering). <p>Though Capitol Records let much of Merle Haggard's vintage '60s catalog remain unjustly out of print for too long, they began mending their ways in the 21st century with the reissue of those classic titles. Making even further amends is this almost-unassailable compilation, which nearly supplants the CAPITOL COLLECTOR'S SERIES album as THE single-disc Merle anthology to own. Merle's '60s run of hits represents one of the last times in country music that aesthetic and commercial success were working partners. <p>With Haggard's working-man narratives, Roy Nichols's terse guitar statements, and those inimitably catchy refrains, this stuff is the very definition of the Bakersfield sound that disciples like Dwight Yoakam would build a career imitating. For as many songs about "mama" as you'll hear out of Nashville, none are as honest or as poignant as "Mama Tried." As many drinking songs as you'll find in country music, few can match the quiet drama of "The Bottle Let Me Down." Sure, there are a few key songs missing, such as "Swinging Doors," but you can only fit so much from such a rich catalog onto one disc, and there's certainly no arguing with any of the inclusions.

If you want country hit after country hit by one of country music's very best, this is the one for you. Songs missing on other compilations or appearing as re-records are in this package in their original form. You will NOT be disappointed. If you want to have all of Hag's tunes, you still should make this your first purchase. It's truly memorable stuff. And I dispute a previous reviewer's assertion that "Silver Wings" (not diluted by the Hagers' version at the same time) and "Today I Started...." were non-hits. They sure scored with me. I highly recommend this CD.

For Christmas I couldn't think of anything to get my step-dad, one day I got in his truck and he was listening to an old album of Hank Wms Sr so I started researching and decided that an old Merle Haggard CD might be the ticket. Merles early stuff is close to some of the Hank SR music. It worked our great. HE loved it.

I was really looking forward to this CD but after having received it---and listened to it. Well, if you are a "true" Merle Haggard fan---you will notice the differences in the recordings. I should have saved my money. Most of the recordings are "comprimised" and they are dissappointing. Maybe someday the ORIGINALS will be available again.