In The Studio (And Exclusive Tracks): Merle Haggard

Rolling Stone recently got the scoop on Merle Haggard's The Bluegrass Sessions, which comes out October 2nd. "I've got to where, a hundred albums later, I can't tell how good they are anymore," Haggard says of his first disc of bluegrass songs. "I know we had fun doing it — we didn't sweat too hard." The disc — recorded in Nashville with a group of top-shelf pickers — features bluegrass traditionals and reworked versions of Haggard's own tunes. But the best tracks are the new ones, like "What Happened?" which surveys the damage of the Bush era. "I hope it's not too late to fix things, Haggard says. "But I don't think it's going to happen in our lifetime." Sample three songs from the LP (including single "Wouldn't That Be Something" and two exclusive tracks) right here:

LISTEN Sample "Run Away Momma" from The Bluegrass Session:

LISTEN Sample "Wouldn't That Be Something" from The Bluegrass Sessions:

LISTEN Sample "Mama's Hungry Eyes" from The Bluegrass Sessions:

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Song Stories

“Oh Sherrie”

Steve Perry | 1984

Steve Perry's girlfriend Sherrie Swafford was actually in the studio when Perry began writing this song--his lone Top Ten hit as a solo act--with two co-writers. The trio began at midnight one night with just "Oh, Sherrie!" and "hold on, hold on." Three hours later, they had a complete song. Swafford, however, had to wait until the next day to hear it. "Sherrie actually got tired and went to bed," Perry said. She also appeared in the video, but their relationship did not hold on for long.

More Song Stories entries »

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