Okie From Muskogee: Live

 (15 customer reviews)

This is the definitive textbook on how country music ..real country music..should be remembered. Unlike today's mindless, fabrictaed country pop fluff and artists who can't sing on pitch when they perform live, Hag and the Strangers show that talent and a few Tele's and Twins can still rise above pitch correctors and lip syncing.

The tone on Roy Nichol's tele and the perfectly flawless singing by Hag and Bonnie Owens still leave me with my mouth open.

Recorded in a school gym somewhere in Oklahoma with bare bones PA and no frills, this live album set the standard for me and alot of my contemporaries.

This is the holy Grail of country...you cant afford to NOT own this recording.

JOhn Beland

Flying Burrito Brothers

Austin TX

www.johnbeland.com

Here it is, the real deal -- Merle Haggard's classic live album from 1969, re-released in digital splendor. This is mighty Merle at his best, loose on-stage and in fine voice. This CD includes the best of his many versions of Okie from Muskogee, as well as a rollicking take on Mama Tried and Working Man Blues. The CD is true to its vinyl predecessor, including cuts originally intended to showcase Hag's band, as well as a cut by a since-forgotten Bakersfield vocalist, Gene Price. It's too bad Capitol couldn't have been a little more creative with the re-release of this album, which has been out of circulation for a couple of decades. Generally, such repackagings include unreleased cuts, but nothing is added here. On the other hand, the bargain-basement price can't be beaten. There are also no new liner notes (although almost all the original packaging is here) and for some reason Ken Nelson's producer credit has been omitted (although the remaster producer's name is listed). These...Read more

Merle Hagard has long been to me the quenticential country singer.His style of singing has an almost spiritual value, it clearly shows its gospel roots. Listening to many of these songs as a child, I can still remember many of the words to his truly timeless songs. His music takes me back to better days.This music means more today thhen when it first came out.