The Bottom Line
One of the better put-together box sets out there. Includes all the greatest hits,
a goodly number of lesser-known tracks, great liner notes, and good packaging. All in all, a
solid, comprehensive outline of Merle's work and nothing but fantastic music.
Pros
- "Mama Tried"
- "If We Make It Through December"
- "In My Next Life"
Cons
- None.
Description
- Four-disc box set with impressively detailed booklet filled with info and photos.
- Comprehensive selection of Merle's hits from 1965 to 1993.
- An absolute must-have for Haggard fans; a great starter for those new to his music.
Guide Review - Merle Haggard - Down Every Road
It's hard to compress a review of a box set into a small space, but when it comes to Merle Haggard, you can at least put it in a nutshell: It's Merle, and it's great. There's not a whole lot else to say. The four discs are set up in chronological order, from Merle's early recordings, before he'd found his own distinct sound, through the deeply moving 1993 "In My Next Life," which tells its own tale very eloquently.All the great songs are to be found here: "Swinging Doors," "The Fugitive," "Branded Man," "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down," "(Today) I Started Loving You Again," "Mama Tried," "Hungry Eyes," "Silver Wings," "Okie From Muskogee," "The Fightin' Side Of Me" Merle had so many hits through the tail end of the 60's and throughout the 70's it's impossible to list them all here. His career hits are legendary; his standing unquestionable.
Country Music's Living Legend turned 66 this year, and yet he's not been resting on his laurels. Since 1993, he's been releasing albums and touring, just like always. He's had enough great songs in the last decade to fill up another two discs. But this is a great place to start.
