Various Artists - Tulare Dust: Tribute to Merle Haggard

If you've been paying any attention at all, you know Merle Haggard ranks among the best singers country music has ever produced. What you might not realize is that he's also one of the genre's finest songwriters. For evidence, just listen to this tribute album, which finds a motley crew of roots artists performing 15 of their favorite Haggard tunes. Despite the absence of many of his best-known songs, the package leaves little doubt that, as the liner notes put it, "Haggard may be the last of a breed of great country songwriters that began with Jimmie Rodgers, and continued through Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell." Every composition radiates with Haggard's honesty, eye for detail, and strong point of view, and every track has the feel of a classic. The vast majority of the performances are as impressive as the songs. Tom Russell, who co-produced with Dave Alvin, delivers the package's most Haggard-like vocal on a beautifully handled medley of dust-bowl stories, "Tulare Dust/They're Tearin' the Labor Camps Down," while Alvin turns in a haunting "Kern River." Among the many other highlights: Iris DeMent's "Big City," which Haggard reportedly loved; Rosie Flores' interpretation of "My Own Kind of Hat," one of Haggard's many declarations of independence; Barrence Whitfield's version of "Irma Jackson," which addresses race relations via the tale of an interracial romance; Steve Young's affecting "Shopping for Dresses"; and the melancholy "I Can't Be Myself," where Katy Moffatt hits thrilling high notes. Nobody sings Haggard quite like Haggard, but these recordings are classics in their own right. ~ Jeff Burger, All Music Guide

Name Credits Allison Young Vocals (Background) Amos Garrett Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Andrew Hardin Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals (Background) Barrence Whitfield Vocals, Performer Barry & Holly Tashian Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals Barry Tashian Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic) Beth Herzhaft Photography, Design Billy Joe Shaver Producer, Performer, Vocals Chris Bellman Mastering Dave Alvin Producer, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Piano, Executive Producer Dave Mockford Engineer David Grissom Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) David Heath Bass (Upright), Bass, Vocals Davis McLarty Percussion, Drums Dwight Yoakam Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Performer, Producer Eddy Shaver ?, Producer, Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar Glenn Fukunaga Drums, Bass Greg Leisz Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin, Guitar, Dobro, Vocals (Background) Greg Morrow Percussion, Drums Gurf Morlix Producer, Guitar (Electric), Vocals, Mandolin, Guitar (Acoustic) Hank Bones Bass (Upright), Bass, Engineer Iris DeMent Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Performer James Cruce Drums James Intveld Bass Jim Rooney Vocals, Producer, Guitar (Acoustic) Joe Ely Vocals, Performer, Producer Joey Waronker Percussion John Doe Performer, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Producer Katy Moffatt Vocals (Background), Performer Keith Christopher Vocals (Background), Bass Larry Jeffries Engineer Little Johnny Fader Engineer, Mixing Lloyd Maines Guitar (Steel), Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals, Dobro Lucinda Williams Vocals, Performer Marshall Crenshaw Performer, Vocals, Multi Instruments Michael Dumas Engineer Paul DuGre Engineer Peter Case Performer, Harmonica, Vocals, Guitar (12 String) Richard Bowden Fiddle Robert Earl Keen, Jr. Vocals Rosie Flores Performer, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals Roy M. "Junior" Husky Bass (Upright), Bass Smokey Hormel Lap Steel Guitar, Steel Pan Steve VanGelder Fid Steve Young Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Performer Tim Coats Engineer Tom Russell Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Executive Producer, Performer Travis Dickerson Engineer