OldiesButGoodies

Country

Kitty Wells – Left To Right

Left to Right

Introduction:

Country music in the late 1950s was a male-dominated landscape. Songs often revolved around themes of heartbreak from a man’s perspective, with female characters rarely stepping outside traditional gender roles. Then came Kitty Wells, a firecracker of a performer who challenged these norms with her powerful voice and unapologetic lyrics. In 1960, Wells released a song that would become an anthem for independent women – “Left To Right”.

Born Ellen Muriel Deason in Nashville, Tennessee in 1919, Wells possessed a rich, expressive voice that had captivated audiences since the 1930s. By the 1950s, she was a seasoned performer with a loyal following. However, the music industry remained largely closed off to strong female voices. Undeterred, Wells found an outlet for her talent with Decca Records, a label willing to take a chance on her.

“Left To Right” was written by Lorene Mann, a songwriter who understood the struggles faced by women in a patriarchal society. The song tells the story of a woman who refuses to be a doormat in a failing relationship. The lyrics, delivered with Wells’ signature sass, depict a woman taking control of her own life. Lines like “I’m walking out that door and never coming back” and “You done lost the only good woman you ever had” resonated deeply with female listeners.

Owen Bradley, a legendary producer known for his innovative approach to country music, took the helm for “Left To Right”. Bradley’s production incorporated a driving steel guitar and a tight rhythm section, perfectly complementing Wells’ strong vocals. This dynamic arrangement provided the perfect backdrop for the song’s message of female empowerment.

“Left To Right” was a critical and commercial success. The song reached number five on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, a significant accomplishment for a female artist at the time. It not only challenged traditional gender roles in country music but also paved the way for other female singers to express themselves with greater freedom. Kitty Wells earned the nickname “The Queen of Country Music” for her groundbreaking work, and “Left To Right” remains a cornerstone of her legacy. The song continues to inspire generations of women to stand up for themselves and embrace their independence.

Video:

https://youtu.be/R-2rt-yFywQ?si=hgSfaKgOUr8yCKLo

 

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Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

Merle Haggard rarely needed to invent heartbreak. He had known it since childhood. In 1946, when Merle was only nine years old, his father, James Haggard, died following a stroke. For a boy who deeply needed his father’s presence, the loss became a turning point. His mother, Flossie, worked to support the family. Merle, meanwhile, became increasingly restless. He skipped school, ran away, got into trouble, and began a long journey through juvenile institutions that eventually led somewhere far darker. Looking back at his life, it is difficult not to see that nine-year-old boy behind many of the adult Merle Haggard’s songs. People later called him a rebel, an outlaw and a survivor. But before any of those labels existed, there was simply a grieving boy who had lost his dad—and never seemed to completely outrun that loss.

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