| Rainbow Stew | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | July 1981 | |||
| Recorded | October 1980 | |||
| Venue | Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 34:12 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Merle Haggard | |||
| Merle Haggard chronology | ||||
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Rainbow Stew Live at Anaheim Stadium is a live album by American country music artist Merle Haggard with backing by The Strangers. It was recorded in October 1980 and released in July 1981 on MCA Records.
Haggard moved from MCA to Epic Records in 1981. However, he still owed MCA two albums, and this collection, along with the gospel album Songs for the Mama That Tried , fulfilled his contractual obligations. This LP is notable for showcasing the talents of Haggard's backing band the Strangers, in particular the jazzy solos of guitarist and long-time band member Roy Nichols. The band is augmented by former Texas Playboys Eldon Shamblin, Tiny Moore and Gordon Terry and a horn section to fill out the sound.
In The Running Kind, Haggard biographer David Cantwell observes, "In the studio, these recent drinking numbers had broken a sweat trying to maintain control, but live they didn't even try to keep their cool, especially on fiddle breakdowns that run hot, then burst into flame." [1]
The track "Dealin' with the Devil" was previously recorded by Eddy Raven on his 1980 album Eyes .
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [2] |
Allmusic critic Steven Thomas Erlewine calls the album "a wonderful, swinging album that brings a new spin not only to classics like 'I'm a Lonesome Fugitive' and 'Sing Me Back Home' but also to Hag's newer songs 'Misery and Gin,' 'I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink,' and the title track." [2]
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A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World is the eleventh studio album by Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1970.
Branded Man is the fourth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released on Capitol Records in 1967.
Okie from Muskogee is the first live album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers released in October 1969 on Capitol Records.
I'm a Lonesome Fugitive is the third studio album by Merle Haggard and The Strangers released on Capitol Records in 1967.
Mama Tried is the seventh studio album by American country music singer and songwriter Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released on Capitol Records in 1968. It reached number 4 on Billboard's country albums chart. The title song was one of Haggard's biggest hit singles and won the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.
Hag is the twelfth studio album by Merle Haggard and The Strangers released on Capitol Records in 1971. It became his fifth album to top the Billboard country album charts. It also reached number 66 on the pop albums chart.
Back to the Barrooms is the 31st studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in October 1980. He is backed by Norm Hamlet and Don Markham of The Strangers.
The Fightin' Side of Me is the second live album by Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1970. Like the song "Okie from Muskogee" led to a quickly released album, The Fightin' Side of Me was also quickly released because of the run of success of Haggard's patriotic hit single "The Fightin' Side of Me".
I Love Dixie Blues is a live album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1973.
If We Make It Through December is the sixteenth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1974. It reached number 4 on the Billboard country album charts. The title track was previously released on Haggard's Christmas release of 1973, A Christmas Present. The single spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in December 1973 and January 1974, and cracked the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. "If We Make It Through December" was the No. 2 song of the year on Billboard's Hot Country Singles 1974 year-end chart.
My Farewell to Elvis is the 27th studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 1977 and his second release for MCA Records. It reached Number 6 on the Country album chart. The single "From Graceland to the Promised Land" reached number 4 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. The album is a tribute to the music of the late Elvis Presley, who died on August 16, 1977. He is backed by Roy Nichols, Ronnie Reno, and Mark Yeary of The Strangers.
Songs for the Mama That Tried is the 32nd studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard with backing by The Strangers, released in 1981. A Gospel album, it reached Number 46 on the Billboard country albums chart.
16 Biggest Hits is a 1998 Merle Haggard compilation album. It is part of a series of similar 16 Biggest Hits albums released by Legacy Recordings.
"Kern River" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in July 1985 as the only single and title track from his album Kern River. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Down Every Road 1962–1994 is a compilation album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 1996. It covers music from his earliest work in the early 1960s to his Epic releases of the late 1980s. The boxed set includes three CDs of material recorded for Capitol and one of Haggard's later MCA and Epic recordings.
Songs I'll Always Sing is a two-record compilation album by American country music singer and songwriter Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1977. It reached #15 in the US Country Charts. The album collects many of Haggard's best known recordings during his successful run at the label, including nine of his twenty-four #1 hits dating back to 1966.
Strangers is the debut studio album by Merle Haggard. It was released on September 27, 1965, by Capitol Records.
The Epic Collection is a live album by Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers released on Epic Records in November 1983.
Kern River is the fortieth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1985. It reached number 8 on the Billboard country albums chart.
Seashores of Old Mexico is a studio album by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. It is a sequel to their enormously successful 1983 duet album Pancho and Lefty and was released in 1987. They are backed by The Strangers. The only charting single was a cover of a 1979 Blaze Foley song, "If I Could Only Fly", which peaked at number 58 on the 1987 Billboard Hot Country Songs singles chart.
