Audio CD review:
Merle Haggard - Live at Billy Bob's Texas

Merle Haggard - Live at Billy Bob's Texas

Band: Merle Haggard Title: Live at Billy Bob's Texas Rating: Release Date: 2002-02-05 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Misery & Gin 2: I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink 3: Workin' Man Blues 4: Silver Wings 5: Swinging Doors 6: That's The Way Love Goes 7: The Bottle Let Me Down 8: Ramblin' Fever 9: The Emptiest Arms In The World 10: Mama Tried 11: Hungry Eyes 12: Motorcycle Cowboy / Blue Yodel #13 13: If We Make It Through December 14: Are The Good Times Really Over 15: Okie From Muskogee 16: Big City 17: Ida Red 18: Today I Started Loving You Again

I Attended This Outstanding Concert Yeah, I was there at Billy Bob's with 2 Buddies from Work, I'm Glad to say, because this is a truly Great Performance! The Songs have more life than the Recorded Versions, and the Hag's Vocal Nuances are in abundance, almost all of His Best Songs are here. . The Greatest Country Artist EVER! By the way, the CD contains all the songs played in exact order, as well as the stage banter, a REAL Live Event, the Show finished about 11:58 p. m. December 31, 1998, an impromptu Haggard sing-along of "Auld Lang Syne" followed at Midnight, Not included Here. . . Buy this, You won't find a better "Live" Album. . . . One of his best collections. I don't understand how anyone can not like this man. Merle Haggard has always been my favorite musician, and I don't think that will ever change. This is a live album which would serve quite well as a greatest hits type CD. It would also be a good introduction to his music. . As Advertised: "The Ultimate 'Hag' Album" This one's been around for a few years and as a career retrospective/greatest hits/REALLY WELL-RECORDED live set it is awfully hard to beat, especially on a single disc. Considering how long Merle Haggard has been not only a recording artist but an absolute GIANT in the industry it's really surprising that there aren't a lot more live compilations of his work out there. I'd have to short-list this as one of the concerts throughout the history of music I would have really loved to have attended. Whether you enjoy crying in your beer or just drinkin' it, Merle has got you covered in "The World's Largest Honky-Tonk", Billy Bob's of Texas. The crowd is obviously into it, the band is absolutely sharp as a tack, and Merle's sixty-something year-old whiskey-aged voice has never sounded better. The overall sound mix is terrific; all instruments are heard clearly and the lead/back-up vocal arrangements are superb. This has to have been one of the best concerts the man has ever played. The songs themselves are a primer to country music history, and certainly offer as good an introduction to Hag's work as anyone could hope for. Possibly the only standard missing in this set is "The Fightin' Side Of Me", but with "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", "Workin' Man Blues", "Silver Wings", "Swinging Doors", "The Bottle Let Me Down", "Misery & Gin" (notice a pattern here?), "The Emptiest Arms In The World", "Mama Tried", "Today I Started Loving You Again", "Okie From Muskogee" (of course), "Big City", and "If We Make It Through December" (the song most responsible for getting me through my own layoff in 2003), you get a reall phenomenal collection of music played with a vibrancy that frankly studio recordings (even Hag's) just don't seem to pull off. Just an incredible set. . . see this guy live if you get half a chance; if you can't see him, but this CD. Any country music or Southern Rock fan needs to own this. Anyone who was ever remotely curious as to why Merle Haggard is as well-regarded as he is needs only to listen to this CD once to understand completely. . Believably awesome album Great recording. This is simply one of, if not the best, Merle album available on the shelf. Great song selection. As a native Texan, patron of Billy Bob's, and Merle fan, I honestly and unequivocally recommend this album to the true country music lover. Great to listen to with a bottle in hand or driving stone cold sober down the road. This is Merle at his best. Live at Billy Bob's Texas The solos are much longer and vibrant on this disc. Merle's band sounds much better live than in studio. A must have for Merle fans. You can see a complete list of all Merle Haggard discography, or go back to the Merle Haggard tabs