A look back: Merle Haggard’s “Back to the Barrooms” 30 years later
|

A look back: Merle Haggard’s “Back to the Barrooms” 30 years later

ByDarren O

30 years ago country music legend Merle Haggard released the album Back to the Barrooms right on the heels of The Way I Am. The album’s theme of loss imbued with a going down to hell drinking attitude have stood the test of time leaving in its wake a generation of musicians and fans in awe of the masterpiece from the man they call The Hag. Read on for a 30-year-retrospective on the greatest drinking album ever recorded.

|

PBS to air comprehensive Merle Haggard bio ‘Learning To Live With Myself’

ByDarren O

PBS will air another installment of their incomparable American Masters series this time focusing their sights square on Merle Haggard, a man who is in the argument for greatest country music artist that has ever been. The special is called Learning To Live With Myself and it promises to be an absolute mind blower for Haggard fans and a go to reference for anyone else looking to discover “The Hag.” See a preview, an interview with the director and listen to a 10 song study guide to get you prepared for the show’s premiere Wednesday night!

|

For Nashville: Top 5 Country Songs About Floods

ByAsa Hawks

The death toll from the recent flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi has risen to 31, according to reports from CNN.com. Hardest hit by the torrential rains was Tennessee and its capital city, the home of country music, Nashville. 21 people have died in the Volunteer State and 10 of its counties have been declared disaster areas by President Obama. Damages in Nashville alone are expected to exceed $1 billion.

In honor of our Southern brothers and sisters suffering through this natural disaster I’ve put together what I think are some of the best songs ever written about the damages caused by too much rain, sung in the voices of some of country music’s greatest performers. Audio clips and my rambling analysis are included.