If That Ain't Country

In this week's episode, we're featuring a 2018 album for RFD-TV personality Merlin Gene, "People, Places & Things". With the first season of the popular Hee Haw-style variety program "The Merlin Gene Show" well underway at the time of recording, Merlin Gene's star was on the rise. Combining an effortless vocal and an excellent sense of humour with a deep reverence for country music's heritage, "People, Places & Things" strikes an excellent balance between originality and tradition. With the twangy bark of a Bakersfield telecaster from the legendary Eugene Moles and steel from Hall Of Famer Doug Jernigan, Merlin Gene sparkles on stage in Manuel-tailored rhinestone suits a la Ray Price, Porter Wagoner and Little Jimmy Dickens. And the music reflects those classic country influences - with a definite Del Reeves connection, Merlin Gene covers Jerry Chesnut's "Good Time Charlie's" and "Looking At The World Through A Windshield". The Kentuckian powers his way through some excellent country drinking tunes on "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Glass" and "I Think I'll Give Drinkin' Another Try" - the latter of which deservingly racked up a stack of streams in it's first months after release. Get you some Merlin Gene.

In this week's episode we're featuring a typical David Houston album from his Epic heyday: "Where Love Used To Live/My Woman's Good To Me" (1969). Aside from his monster million-selling, Grammy-winning 1966 hit "Almost Persuaded", Houston hardly rates a mention in most conversations about 60s and 70s country music. A man gifted with an extraordinary vocal range, David Houston could effortlessly glide from warm baritone to lofty tenor and is a prime example of just how good the Nashville Sound could be. After Billy Sherrill signed Houston to Epic in the early 60s, Houston delivered the label it's first real hit with "Mountain Of Love" in 1963 and remained with the outfit for the next thirteen years or so. Sherrill's genius production touches are all over "Where Love Used To Live" - very similar touches on some tracks to Tammy Wynette hits of the same era - and with tasteful use of a chorus, sparing strings and the steel guitar of Pete Drake never far away, Houston's Epic output remains unmined gold. Highlights include a plodding lament to jealousy in "Where Love Used To Live" (catch those "I Don't Wanna To Play House" licks!); a tearjerker in "Lullaby To A Little Girl" and a reminder of how many hits David Houston had while at Epic on "David's Song".

In this week's episode we're featuring the third album from The Mavericks, "What A Crying Shame" (1994). With roots in Miami's alternative and punk scenes, country music became the common ground upon which the band came together, and after two albums with moderate sales success (including one for MCA) producer Don Cook was brought on board for their third. Cook's work with Brooks & Dunn was instrumental in the success of that duo - and he allowed The Mavericks a tight but diverse record on "What A Crying Shame". Given their name by an old manager, The Mavericks fell into it over time; causing country radio programmers headaches since the get-go with elements of Latin, country, blues, rock 'n' roll, vintage pop and rockabilly in their music - their product was hard to define. But anchored by the sensational Orbison-esque vocal of Raul Malo, The Mavericks wouldn't be pigeonholed. Despite sales of over a million units, radio's reaction to "What A Crying Shame" was luke warm. But for those willing to listen cover to cover there was some excellent country music to be had: a couple of updated Ray Price shuffles in "Just A Memory" and "Ain't Found Nobody", and a pair of excellent honky tonk floor fillers in "There Goes My Heart" and the belly-rubber "Pretend" are worth the listen alone.

In this week's episode, we're featuring George Jones' last album of the 20th Century: "Cold Hard Truth" (1999). After an association with MCA for most of the 90s which resulted in decent sales but not so many radio hits, he found himself signed to Asylum Records - a signing which turned out to be his last major label deal. At 68 years of age, Jones was still in sterling vocal form and all that was asked of him was that he "do the record he would have done 20 years ago had he been sober". Jones approached the project with vigour, laying down the vocal with the pickers live in studio for all ten tracks with the intention of coming back to touch up certain parts later. However, after a serious alcohol-related SUV crash, those touch ups never happened. The Possum's near-death experience scared him into sobriety for good, and while he was hospitalised, Asylum released the album's first single. "Choices" wasn't given the radio attention it deserved - but to many fans, and perhaps to Jones himself - it served as a bittersweet summary of his career. Alongside the stark title track this album saw Jones return to his hard country best - after half a century of doing it better than just about anybody else, despite his self-inflicted pitfalls.

In this week's episode we're featuring another huge album from Conway Twitty: "Play, Guitar Play" (1977). There were two singles and two obligatory number ones. But sales and chart certification aside, this is an album as diverse and enjoyable as anything Conway ever put out. We'll work our way through some country boy rock 'n' roll, swing, a few recitations and the necessary two-steppers: and we'll also remember the side of Conway Twitty which commanded such longevity and loyalty from bandmembers and dedication from fans. A casual observer can get lost in the sheer volume of Twitty's single and album output during his heyday, but when one takes the time to listen more intently there's overlooked country gold to be had. "Play, Guitar Play" is no exception: highlights include an extremely original cover of "Wolverton Mountain", a recitation/tearjerker combo in "The Letter" and the dancehall-ready "I Can't Help It If She Can't Stop Loving Me".