Favorite old country singer and/or song

ribbons · 02-01-2012, 12:41 AM

I had an early immersion in country music through my mother's collection of vinyls. It was the quality of the vocalists I loved most, rather than the subject matter which admittedly could be a little sappy. The standout singers for me were Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, and Charley Pride.

GemsOnVhs · 02-10-2012, 04:30 AM

Gotta have love for Merle Haggard. Ramblin fever is up there with my favorites.. but Marty Robbins has that classic voice that you want to hear on a jukebox in an old bar somewhere, after a few shots.

Big fan of Hank Williams.

You say the subject matter is sappy but really.. it was, hell still is, real life. Just the way things were and are, and they tell it straight, without all the metaphors and analogy. Speaks straight to the heart, don't need the head. Tends to turn some people off, when they can't see themselves in the narrators shoes right away. But we all go through what they sung about, one way or another.

of course, you could skip the lyrics all together and go straight to the pickers.. merle travis was a helluva man!

ribbons · 02-14-2012, 02:33 PM

Hi, GemsOnVHS. Hope no offense was taken due to my "sappy" comment. I was thinking of extreme examples of mawkishness in country music, not the selections I posted above (or anyone else's selections in this thread). I think my mother's collection may have included a few too many Porter & Dolly duets.

Captain Soundwave · 02-14-2012, 03:59 PM

Merle Haggard

Crowley · 02-18-2012, 06:40 AM

Johnny Cash, without a doubt. I would have to say I enjoy Willie Nelson as well.

Favorite Cash Album: "At Folsom Prison"
Favorite Nelson Album: "Stardust"

Queen Of The World · 03-14-2012, 07:14 AM

Haven't seen Glen Campbell in there yet!!! "Wichita Lineman" = best.

And John Denver is amazing.

Forward To Death · 03-14-2012, 01:22 PM

Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Geroge Jones... Uhm, if you're asking older than that, The Carter Family and The Delmore Brothers. Thats really about as old as it gets LOL.

Would you consider outlaw country "old". Term is too subjective, but I can listen to guys like Hank Sr., Waylon and Cash for hours and hours.

Tisimia · 03-19-2015, 04:46 PM

Hank Williams is a favorite. However I remember Marty Robbins Big Iron was what caused me to love country music growing up.

Varangian3 · 05-02-2015, 10:46 AM

When the Cactus are in Bloom by Bill Monroe

02-18-2012, 06:40 AM	#55 (permalink)
Crowley Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: 9th Circle of Hell with Dante...sipping tea. Enjoying the view, the smells, and the sounds. Posts: 50	Johnny Cash, without a doubt. I would have to say I enjoy Willie Nelson as well. Favorite Cash Album: "At Folsom Prison" Favorite Nelson Album: "Stardust" __________________ "Nothing is worse than to finish a good ****, then reach over and find the toilet paper container empty. Even the most horrible human being on earth deserves to wipe his ass.” - Charles Bukowski

02-01-2012, 12:41 AM	#51 (permalink)
ribbons Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,265	I had an early immersion in country music through my mother's collection of vinyls. It was the quality of the vocalists I loved most, rather than the subject matter which admittedly could be a little sappy. The standout singers for me were Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, and Charley Pride.

02-10-2012, 04:30 AM	#52 (permalink)
GemsOnVhs Groupie Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 9	Gotta have love for Merle Haggard. Ramblin fever is up there with my favorites.. but Marty Robbins has that classic voice that you want to hear on a jukebox in an old bar somewhere, after a few shots. Big fan of Hank Williams. You say the subject matter is sappy but really.. it was, hell still is, real life. Just the way things were and are, and they tell it straight, without all the metaphors and analogy. Speaks straight to the heart, don't need the head. Tends to turn some people off, when they can't see themselves in the narrators shoes right away. But we all go through what they sung about, one way or another. of course, you could skip the lyrics all together and go straight to the pickers.. merle travis was a helluva man!

02-14-2012, 02:33 PM	#53 (permalink)
ribbons Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,265	Hi, GemsOnVHS. Hope no offense was taken due to my "sappy" comment. I was thinking of extreme examples of mawkishness in country music, not the selections I posted above (or anyone else's selections in this thread). I think my mother's collection may have included a few too many Porter & Dolly duets.

02-14-2012, 03:59 PM	#54 (permalink)
Captain Soundwave Groupie Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Nestled in the North Carolina mountains Posts: 7	Merle Haggard

03-14-2012, 07:14 AM	#56 (permalink)
Queen Of The World Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 52	Haven't seen Glen Campbell in there yet!!! "Wichita Lineman" = best. And John Denver is amazing.

03-14-2012, 01:22 PM	#57 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Geroge Jones... Uhm, if you're asking older than that, The Carter Family and The Delmore Brothers. Thats really about as old as it gets LOL. Would you consider outlaw country "old". Term is too subjective, but I can listen to guys like Hank Sr., Waylon and Cash for hours and hours.

03-19-2015, 04:46 PM	#58 (permalink)
Tisimia Groupie Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 4	Hank Williams is a favorite. However I remember Marty Robbins Big Iron was what caused me to love country music growing up.

05-02-2015, 10:46 AM	#59 (permalink)
Varangian3 Groupie Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 17	When the Cactus are in Bloom by Bill Monroe