OldiesButGoodies

Country

Merle Haggard – The Fugitive

Merle Haggard Like Never Before CD

Introduction:

“Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best” is a vibrant and energetic collaboration between country music artists Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt. The song was released in April 1996 as the lead single and title track from Marty Stuart’s album, also titled “Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best”, which was released in June of the same year. This lively track firmly falls within the country music genre, specifically embracing the honky-tonk and neo-traditional country sounds that both artists are known for.

The song, penned solely by Marty Stuart, is an upbeat anthem celebrating the joys and simple pleasures of honky-tonkin’ – enjoying the music, dancing, and atmosphere of a traditional country bar. Travis Tritt’s distinctive vocals blend seamlessly with Stuart’s, creating a dynamic and authentic country sound that resonated with audiences.

While “Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best” didn’t reach the very top of the charts, it achieved notable success within the country music landscape. It peaked at number 23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and reached number 8 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. This chart performance demonstrated its popularity among country music fans and its strong presence on the airwaves.

Beyond its commercial success, the song garnered critical recognition, earning a nomination for CMA Vocal Event of the Year in 1996. This nomination highlighted the successful collaboration between Stuart and Tritt and the song’s impact within the industry. “Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best” has since become a beloved track in both artists’ catalogs, frequently featured in their live performances and remembered as a quintessential honky-tonk tune of the mid-1990s. Its enduring appeal lies in its infectious energy and its authentic celebration of classic country traditions.

Video:

https://youtu.be/UNu_a8kEUPU?si=gK2l7-fX8feYdbRB

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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.

THE RAREST BEE GEES MOMENT OF ALL — FOUR GIBB BROTHERS, ONE SONG, ONE STAGE… AND A MEMORY FILLED WITH BOTH JOY AND HEARTBREAK.

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BARRY GIBB WILL NEVER FORGET THIS NIGHT — THE LAST TIME ALL FOUR BROTHERS STOOD TOGETHER AND SANG AS ONE. For one extraordinary moment, the Gibb brothers shared a harmony that seemed destined to last forever. Their voices blended effortlessly, capturing the love, pride, and connection that made the Bee Gees legendary. But behind the beauty of that performance lies a heartbreaking truth. Not long afterward, Andy was gone, leaving behind memories that would never sound the same again. What survives today is more than a rare piece of music history. It is a reminder of four brothers united by melody, separated by tragedy, and connected forever by a song that time can never erase.

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