In this week's episode we're featuring a 1969 album from prolific songwriting and singing talent Liz Anderson: Country Style. After relocating from North Dakota, The Andersons moved to Southern California and by the end of the decade, demand was growing for Liz Anderson's songwriting. She'd routinely host many of The West Coast's greats in her living room for picking parties and song pitching opportunities and those connections paid off with her first real hit as a songwriter coming in 1961 when Del Reeves cut Be Quiet Mind. She was an instrumental part of Merle Haggard's early career (Liz Anderson's (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers proved the inspiration for The Hag's band name if you need any further proof of Anderson's importance), and Chet Atkins signed her to RCA in 1965. Liz Anderson enjoyed a few hits while at that label but was too often pushed towards fluffy semi-novelty material for sustained success. And while Anderson didn't possess the down-home twang of Loretta or the hurting of Tammy Wynette, to this reviewer's ears she did have some of Kitty Wells' plaintive stylings and her everywoman vocal is right at home on Country Style.
HOUR 1:
1. Liz Anderson – Why Don’t They Go Home (1969)
2. Vince Gill – I Never Really Knew You (1998)
3. Joe Paul Nichols – Swing Me A Song (1999)
4. YOUTUBE REFLECTIONS: Paul Overstreet – Sowin’ Love (1989)
5. Liz Anderson – D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1969)
6. Liz Anderson – Free (1969)
7. Shawn Fennver – From Raisin’ Hell (To Raisin’ Kids) (2016)
8. Truck Stop Troubadours – One Drink Away (2015)
9. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys – My Little Rock Candy Baby (1950)
10. Dewey Groom – Don’t Squeeze My Sharmon (1967)
11. The Derailers – 100% Pure Fool (1996)
12. The Boxcars – I Went Back Home Today (2010)
13. Curtis Leach – That’s Between Your Conscience And You (1964)
14. Tommy Cash – Six White Horses (1969)
HOUR 2:
1. Jason Allen – Body & Fender Man (2001)
2. Liz Anderson – What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Made A Loser Out Of Me) (1969)
3. Liz Anderson – When The Grass Grows Over Me (1969)
4. Jake Blocker – I Keep Forgetting (2020)
5. Liz Anderson – Nothing Between Us (1969)
6. Liz Anderson – This Stranger, My Little Girl (1969)
7. Del Reeves – Those Railroad Tracks In Between (1966)
8. Darrell McCall & Johnny Bush – I Can’t See Texas From Here (1986)
9. COUNTRY COVERS: The Geezinslaw Brothers – Take Me Back To The Good Old Days (1966)
10. COUNTRY COVERS: Alan Jackson – Kiss An Angel Good Morning (1999)
11. COUNTRY COVERS: Suzy Bogguss – Someday Soon (1991)
12. SHOT OF STEEL: Merv Shiner – My Worst Is The Best I Can Give (1970)
13. Liz Anderson – Eyes, Don’t Come Cryin’ To Me (1969)
14. Merle Haggard – (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers (1964)
15. Roy Drusky – Pick Of The Week (1964)
HOUR 3: If That Ain’t Country’s Year In Country Music - 1974
1. George Jones – The Door
2. Bill Anderson – If You Can Live With It (I Can Live Without It)
3. Bill Anderson – Every Time I Turn The Radio On
4. Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone
5. Mel Tillis – Midnight, Me And The Blues
6. Tanya Tucker – Almost Persuaded
7. The Seldom Scene – Pan American
8. Marty Robbins – Don’t You Think
9. Faron Young – Let Me Love The Leavin’ From Your Mind
10. Johnny Bond – Cimarron (Roll On)
11. Johnny Cash – Ragged Old Flag
12. The Osborne Brothers – Grandpa John
13. Melba Montgomery – I Can’t Move No Mountain
14. Lefty Frizzell – She Found The Key
15. Tony Booth – Workin’ At The Car Wash Blues