Universally known to his fans and peers as ‘Hag’, the late Merle Haggard was one of the prime exponents of the ‘Bakersfield Sound’, developed in the early 60s as an alternative to the increasingly smooth and homogenised country music that was coming out of Nashville.
As well as having one of the most distinctive and memorable voices of his generation, Haggard was also one of country’s most prolific hitmakers and composers, writing more than three quarters of the hundred plus songs he placed on Billboard’s Country charts between 1962 and 1990, as well as numerous album tracks.
Hag’s songs quickly found an audience among his country peers. They also spoke to artists active in other genres, and particularly to the generation of rock musicians who fell under their spell in the late 60s and early 70s and who played them live and/or recorded them frequently.
The latest entry in Ace’s ‘Songwriter Series’, “Holding Things Together” offers a broad cross-section of premium Hag copyrights, as reinterpreted by artists as diverse as Gram Parsons (in various guises), Bettye Swann, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Grateful Dead and legendary ‘Singing Cowboy’ Roy Rogers, to name but a few.
Most of the featured songs are famous enough to be recognised by their titles and are rightly considered to be country music classics but as ever, we have unearthed a few lesser known killers – some of which are appearing on CD for the first time. Memorable, frequently moving and always magnificent, they confirm this iconic artist’s credentials as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, in any genre of music.
- Genre:
- Eclectic
- Label:
- Ace Records
- Format:
- CD
- Catalogue Id:
- CDTOP 1546
Share
Track listing
ShowSide 1
- 01 Preview Swinging Doors - Jerry Lee Lewis
- 02 Preview Okie From Muskogee - Roy Rogers
- 03 Preview Irma Jackson - Barrence Whitfield
- 04 Preview Just Because You Can't Be Mine - Bettye Swann
- 05 Preview Silver Wings - The Knitters
- 06 Preview The Legend Of Bonnie And Clyde - Tammy Wynette
- 07 Preview White Line Fever - The Flying Burrito Bros
- 08 Preview Kern River - Dave Alvin
- 09 Preview Honky Tonk Night Time Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
- 10 Preview Life In Prison - The Byrds
- 11 Preview Holding Things Together - Merle Haggard & The Strangers
- 12 Preview Everybody's Had The Blues - Brenda Lee
- 13 Preview Mama Tried - Grateful Dead
- 14 Preview Farmer's Daughter - Chip Taylor with Ghost Train
- 15 Preview I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am - Dean Martin
- 16 Preview Life's Like Poetry - Dolly Parton
- 17 Preview Today I Started Loving You Again - Wynn Stewart
- 18 Preview Sing Me Back Home - The Everly Brothers
- 19 Preview I Can't Hold Myself In Line - Elvin Bishop
- 20 Preview Rainbow Stew - Country Joe McDonald
- 21 Preview Living With The Shades Pulled Down - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
- 22 Preview I'd Rather Be Gone - Hank Williams Jr.
- 23 Preview I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known - The International Submarine Band
- 24 Preview The Bottle Let Me Down - Emmylou Harris
Delivery & Returns
ShowWe offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.
We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.
In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.
You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.
