Merle Haggard - 20 Greatest Hits

With 38 number one country hits and many other top ten country hits, it isn't possible to even come close to encompassing his career on a single CD. Quite apart from his hits, there were some that got away. Silver wings (included here) was only released as a B-side but is now regarded as one of Merle's classic songs. Today I started loving you again, another of Merle's B-sides included here, has been covered more frequently than any of Merle's other songs and has also become a classic. The inclusion of B-sides would normally devalue a hits compilation but it is clear that Capitol made big mistakes when deciding not to release these two songs as A-sides at the time.

There are a few other songs here that were only minor hits or weren't hits at all but most of the songs here are selected from Merle's number one hits - classics such as Mama tried, Always wanting you, Okie from Muskogee, Branded man, If we make it through December, Fighting side of me, Daddy Frank and Hungry...Read more

probably the best single-disc collection of Merle Haggard at his peak

I was fascinated to find out that Merle either wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on this CD. I would recommend this CD to anyone who likes the "real country" music. All you have to do is listen to this CD and you will know that Merle has lived what he writes about. You will like this CD!