Roots Volume 1

Merle Haggard | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 6, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Anti
• ASIN: B00005QK7P
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,749 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #74 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Bakersfield Sound

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, November 15, 2001

By 

Dino (Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roots Volume 1 (Audio CD)

The most outstanding work of the year by any artist and possibly the highlight of Merle Haggard's entire career. Haggard recreates the sounds of the early 1950s with this project, paying tribute to Lefty Frizzell and the two Hanks, Williams and Thompson. The album is given a real authentic touch with Lefty Frizzell's lead guitarist Norm Stephens recreating the sounds of fifty years ago, tastefully backing Haggard's superb vocals and supplying restrained, playful accompliments in the songs' instrumental passages. The album's three Haggard originals, which cannot be separated in terms of style or quality from the classics cover versions, are a delight. The sound of this album is too different from the radio-friendly, insipid drivel eminating from Nashville today to ever be a huge commercial hit. The success of this album is not in its sales, but in the sheer brilliance of the performances by Haggard and his musicians. I cannot praise this album highly enough.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Merle in Absolute Top Form!, November 11, 2001

By 

Joe Oliver (Nacogdoches, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roots Volume 1 (Audio CD)

Imagine Merle Haggard showing up at your house with his Strangers and offering to play in your living room the songs that influenced him during his formative years! Of course this means plenty of Lefty Frizzell, but surprise: he's brought with him Lefty's original guitarist, Norm Stephens. This is pretty much the situation here, except the living room is Merle's own, on a recording made with no fancy overdubbing or technical wiz bang. Instead it's an album of great songs reflective of country honky-tonk at mid-20th century. Who ever thought we would get a new album of these tunes, pretty much in the original musical style of Frizzell, Hank Williams and Hank Thompson? Maybe the best tunes are those in which Hag shows he still can do a dead-on imitation of Frizzell's memorable style. This is a great album and Merle's voice was never better. He should never stop recording this kind of music. The title: "Roots: Volume 1" suggests there will be more, if this album sells, that's a good reason for you to get this one. Two of the best cuts are "Always Late" and "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time." They sound just the way you think they will. Get this CD, and play it in your living room!

Joe Oliver
Nacogdoches, Texas

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Album Hag Was Born to Make, November 6, 2001

By 

C. Ryan Mifflin (Greenville, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Roots Volume 1 (Audio CD)

What a tremendous work this is. Think of it, Haggard covering "Always Late," "If You've Got the Money," and "Look What Thoughts Will Do," all by Lefty Frizzell. Not to mention one cover each of Hank Thompson and Hank Williams. The beautiful thing is, the songs sound EXACTLY the way you would've imagined them to. I can't say enough good things about this record. Rather than go on and on about specifics, let me just say that this is one of Haggard's best. Get it. And the most promising aspect of it all? The fact that it's called Roots VOLUME 1. We can only hope for more.