Tag Archives: The Strangers

Merle Hagard And The Strangers: Same Train, A Different Time

In April 1969, “Capitol” label released “Same Train, A Different Time”, album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers (the ninth Merle Haggard studio album overall). It was recorded August 1968 – February 1969, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ken Nelson.

Personnel:

  • Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

The Strangers:

  • Roy Nichols – guitar, harmonica
  • Norman Hamlet – steel guitar
  • George French – piano
  • Jerry Ward – bass
  • Eddie Burris – drums
  • Lewis Talley – guitar
  • Billy Mize – harmony vocals
  • Bonnie Owens – harmony vocals
  • James Burton – guitar, dobro
  • Bob Morris – bass
  • Roy Huskey, Jr. – bass

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmie Rodgers, except where noted.

  1. California Blues
  2. Narration #1
  3. Hobo’s Meditation
  4. Waitin’ for a Train
  5. Mother, The Queen of My Heart – Jimmy Rodgers, Hoyt Bryant
  6. My Carolina Sunshine Girl
  7. Narration #2
  8. Train Whistle Blues
  9. Why Should I Be Lonely? – Jimmy Rodgers, Estelle Lovel
  10. Jimmie’s Texas Blues
  11. Blue Yodel#6 – Jimmy Rodgers, George Vaughan
  12. Narration #3
  13. Mule Skinner Blues
  14. Peach Picking Time Down in Georgia – Jimmy Rodgers, Clayton McMichen
  15. Down the Old Road To Home – Jimmy Rodgers, Carey D. Harvey
  16. Travelin’ Blues – Jimmy Rodgers, Shelly Lee Alley
  17. Miss the Mississippi and You – Bill Halley
  18. Frankie and Johnny
  19. No Hard Times
  20. Narration #4
  21. Hobo Bill’s Last Ride – Waldo LaFayette O’Neal
  22. My Old Pal – Jimmy Rodgers, Elsie McWilliams
  23. Nobody Knows But Me – Jimmy Rodgers, McWilliams
  24. Narration #5
  25. Jimmie Rodgers’ Last Blue Yodel (The Women Make a Fool Out of Me)

Merle Haggard And The Strangers: Mama Tried

On October 3, 1968, “Capitol” label released “Mama Tried”, the seventh Merle Haggard and the Strangers studio album. It was recorded February – March, 1968, ay “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ken Nelson. In 1999, the album title song won the “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”.

Personnel:

  • Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

The Strangers:

  • Roy Nichols – guitar
  • Norman Hamlet – steel guitar
  • George French – piano
  • Jerry Ward – bass
  • Eddie Burris – drums
  • Lewis Talley – guitar
  • Tommy Collins – guitar
  • Billy Mize – guitar
  • Glen Campbell – guitar
  • James Burton – guitar
  • Bonnie Owens – harmony vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Merle Haggard, except where noted.

  1. Mama Tried
  2. Green, Green Grass of Home – Curly Putman
  3. Little Ole Wine Drinker Me – Dick Jennings, Hank Mills
  4. In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) – Dolly Parton
  5. I Could Have Gone Right – Mel Tillis
  6. I’ll Always Know
  7. The Sunny Side of Me
  8. Teach Me to Forget – Leon Payne
  9. Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
  10. Run ‘Em Off – Troy Martin, Onie Wheeler
  11. You’ll Never Love Me Now
  12. Too Many Bridges to Cross Over – Dallas Frazier

Merle Haggard And The Strangers: Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down

On October 3, 1966, “Capitol” label released “Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down”, the second Merle Haggard and The Strangers studio album. It was recorded August – December 1965, June – August 1966, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen.

  • Personnel:
  • Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

The Strangers:

  • Roy Nichols – guitar
  • Ralph Mooney – steel guitar
  • George French – piano
  • Jerry Ward – bass
  • Eddie Burris – drums

with

  • Lewis Talley – guitar
  • James Burton – guitar, dobro
  • Glen Campbell – guitar
  • Phil Baugh – guitar
  • Jack Collier – guitar
  • Glen D. Hardin – piano
  • Bob Morris – bass
  • Bert Dodson – bass
  • Jim Gordon – drums
  • Helen “Peaches” Price – drums
  • Billy Mize – harmony vocals
  • Bonnie Owens – harmony vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Merle Haggard,  except where noted.

  1. Swinging Doors
  2. If I Could Be Him
  3. The Longer You Wait
  4. I’ll Look Over You
  5. I Can’t Stand Me
  6. The Girl Turned Ripe
  7. The Bottle Let Me Down
  8. No More You and Me
  9. Somebody Else You’ve Known
  10. High on a Hilltop – Tommy Collins
  11. This Town’s Not Big Enough – Liz Anderson, Donna Austin
  12. Shade Tree (Fix-It-Man)

Chrome: Blood on the Moon

On May 31, 1981, “Don’t Fall Off the Mountain” label released “Blood on the Moon”, the fifth Chrome studio album. It was recorded in 1981, at “Mobius Music” in San Francisco, and was produced by Helios Creed and Damon Edge.

Personnel:

  • Helios Creed – vocals, guitar, sleeve graphics
  • Damon Edge – vocals, Moog synthesizer, sleeve graphics
  • Hilary Stench – bass guitar
  • John Stench – drums
  • Oliver Dicicco – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by Helios Creed and Damon Edge.

  1. The Need
  2. Innervacume
  3. Perfumeed Metal
  4. Planet Strike
  5. The Strangers
  6. Insect Human
  7. Out of Reach
  8. Brain Scan
  9. Blood on the Moon

Michael Nesmith

On December 10, 2021, Robert Michael Nesmith died aged 78. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and novelist. Nesmith was member of the bands The Strangers and The First National Band, but was known as member of The Monkees. In 1981, he won the first “Grammy Award” given for “Video of the Year” for his hour-long television show “Elephant Parts”.