"Travelin' Blues" travels three generations of country legends.
It started with Jimmie Rodgers, who recorded the song with its writer, Shelly Lee Alley, in 1931. (Listen.)
As Nolan Porterfield puts it in his book Jimmie Rodgers, the song combined "several musical traditions, notably jazz-blues and those elements of popular music most directly derive from older, 'folk roots.'"
The song was brought to life again by Lefty Frizzell, who released his version of the song in 1951 on his album Songs of Jimmie Rodgers. (Listen.)
Merle Haggard, who imitated Frizzell in his early years, kept the relay going when he recorded "Travelin' Blues" on his Rodgers tribute album, Same Train, Different Time, in 1969.
Which version is the best? You got me.
Image courtesy of RCA Records
Comments
Thanks for listing Travelin’ Blues as the Country Song of the Week! My dad Shelly Lee Alley wrote and recorded it with Jimmie Rodgers in 1931. His brother Alvin played fiddle on it. Jimmie also recorded my dad’s song Gambling Barroom Blues in 1933.
Thanks again!
By the way, my favorite version is Merle Haggard’s!
Thanks Shelly, and I’ve made the correction to the article.