Merle Haggard

Personnel: Merle Haggard (vocals, guitar); Abe Manuel, Jr. (guitar, fiddle, harmonica, accordion, percussion, background vocals); Redd Volkaert, Joe Manuel, Randy Mason (guitar); Norm Hamlet (steel guitar); Candace Lavolsi (harp); Don Markham (saxophone, background vocals); Floyd Domino, Oleg Schram...

California country music legend Merle Haggard's debut Vanguard release, I Am What I Am bristles with all the arresting qualities for which this unrivaled artist is prized. Every song is imbued with the near alchemical power of his dazzling vocal performances, and Haggard's interpretive mastery a...

Haggard's new versions of his classics are appealing, even if they add little to the original recordings. Because these recordings were made at Haggard's home studio with his stage band providing backing support, they sound a lot like board recordings of a '95 Merle Haggard concert. The sound is sim...