Haggard

Merle Haggard - Working In Tennessee (2011) {Vanguard Records 78208-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 216 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 83 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2011 Hag Records / Vanguard Records | 78208-2
Country / Bakersfield Sound / Traditional Country / Americana

Working in Tennessee, Merle Haggard's second album for Vanguard, plays a little slower and softer than 2010’s I Am What I Am, a record where Hag gently dwelled on his mortality. There are times where his age crosses his mind – particularly on “Sometimes I Dream,” where he casually lists off things that aren’t likely to pass his way again – but generally, he’s ready to “Laugh It Off” as he gripes about what’s playing on the radio, smokes a little dope, and enjoys playing a little bit of blues as he looks back to the past, even cutting a couple of old favorites (“Cocaine Blues,” “Jackson”) and a new version of “Working Man Blues.”

Merle Haggard had been one of country music's biggest stars and most uncompromising talents for more than a dozen years when he rolled into the KLRU-TV studios in Austin, TX for a taping of PBS's long-running music series Austin City Limits in early 1978. (It's said that Haggard had never heard of the show at the time, but was persuaded to take the gig by friend and superfan Darrell K Royal, coach of the University of Texas football team). At this point, Haggard was soon to leave Capitol Records and the most successful period of his career was ending, but you get very little sense of that on Live from Austin TX, which features his ACL performance complete and unedited.