In this week's episode, we're featuring one of the finest collections of straight-ahead honky tonk music that I've ever heard: "Honky Tonkin' With Charlie Walker" (1971). Charlie made his name cutting material akin to Ray Price's honky tonk output -…
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Freddie Hart - Trip To Heaven
In this episode, we're featuring a top notch album from Freddie Hart: "Trip To Heaven" (1973). It spawned only one single - the title track - which turned out to be a number one hit. Alongside that chart topping performance…
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Ricky Van Shelton - Loving Proof
In this episode, we're featuring a ballad-driven album from Ricky Van Shelton: "Loving Proof" (1988). Shelton's second album, this release sold over a million copies and cemented the Virginia baritone at the top of the new traditionalist wave. A reliance…
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Dave Dudley - Listen Betty, I'm Singing Your Song
In this episode, we're featuring a classic Dave Dudley album: "Listen Betty, I'm Singing Your Song" (1971). Dudley himself contributed just under half of the writing for this record - impressive for a time when singers were releasing three or…
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Curtis Grimes - Undeniably Country
In this episode, we're featuring a 2016 release from Texas sensation Curtis Grimes: "Undeniably Country" (2016). Known for his Texas Country/Red Dirt sound in previous years, Grimes set out with producer Trent Willmon to make an album that fans couldn't…
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Loretta Lynn - When The Tingle Becomes A Chill
In this episode, we're featuring a mid-70s release from Loretta Lynn: "When The Tingle Becomes A Chill" (1976). With the MCA marketing machine behind this album, it spawned a Top 5 hit in the title track and a further Top…
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Johnny Bush - Here Comes The World Again
In this episode, we're featuring a hard country album from Johnny Bush: "Here Comes The World Again" (1973). After having served in Ray Price's and Willie Nelson's bands, he had paid his dues and this was Bush's first release on…
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Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December
In this episode, we're featuring a very eclectic Merle Haggard album: "If We Make It Through December" (1974). Featuring only three songs written by The Hag himself - a statistic which set apart this release from most other Haggard albums…
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Porter Wagoner - The Thin Man From West Plains
In this episode, we're featuring a twangy album from Porter Wagoner: "The Thin Man From West Plains" (1965). The title alludes to Porter's lanky frame and his home town of West Plains, Missouri - who by rights, would have been…
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Ron Williams - The Longer You're Gone
In this episode, we're featuring the second album from one of country's most unique baritones: Ron Williams, "The Longer You're Gone" (2009). Ron Williams is the son of Leona Williams - a marvellous traditional country singer herself with a long…
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