| Working in Tennessee | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 4, 2011 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 35:06 | |||
| Label | Vanguard | |||
| Producer | Lou Bradley, Merle Haggard | |||
| Merle Haggard chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Working in Tennessee | ||||
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Working in Tennessee is the sixty-third and final solo studio album by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released on October 4, 2011 by Vanguard Records. This is also the second Merle Haggard album released by Vanguard.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Robert Christgau | A− [2] |
| Spin |   [3] |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic praised the album, writing "Hag never rushes things, never turns up the volume, his western swing now bearing a closer resemblance to the gentlemanly amiability of Hank Thompson instead of the wild, woolly Bob Wills. He’s proceeding at the pace of a 74-year-old legend with nothing to prove, yet he’s not resting on his laurels, he’s just doing what he’s always done: singing songs so expertly his virtuosity almost goes unnoticed." [1] In his review, music critic Robert Christgau only wrote "Now 74 and short half a lung, he's not making the best music of his life, just the best albums... Man's learned how to live, and he has no intention of stopping." [2] Spin writes of the style, "His greatest skill remains how convincingly he stands in, and stands up, for regular guys, even when he's coasting... Working in Tennessee glides along on its Bakersfield groove with the greatest of ease, despite the album's title." [3]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Working in Tennessee" | Merle Haggard | 2:22 |
| 2. | "Down on the Houseboat" | M. Haggard, Theresa Haggard, Doug Colosio | 2:52 |
| 3. | "Cocaine Blues" | T. J. Arnall | 3:18 |
| 4. | "What I Hate" | M. Haggard | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Sometimes I Dream" | M. Haggard, Jenessa Haggard | 2:44 |
| 6. | "Under the Bridge" | M. Haggard, T. Haggard | 3:01 |
| 7. | "Too Much Boogie Woogie" | M. Haggard | 2:52 |
| 8. | "Truck Driver's Blues" | M. Haggard, Tim Howard | 2:55 |
| 9. | "Laugh It Off" | M. Haggard, T. Haggard, Colosio | 3:52 |
| 10. | "Working Man Blues" (with Willie Nelson and Ben Haggard) | M. Haggard | 4:09 |
| 11. | "Jackson" (with Theresa Haggard) | Billy Edd Wheeler, Jerry Leiber | 3:10 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 30 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 155 |
| U.S. Billboard Independent Albums | 25 |
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.
Honkytonk University is the ninth studio album by country music singer Toby Keith, released on May 17, 2005. The album has been certified 1× Platinum for sales of in excess of 1 million units. "Honkytonk U" was the first single to be released from the album, breaking the country top 10. "As Good as I Once Was" was the album's biggest hit, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts for six weeks. It was Keith's last studio album for Dreamworks Records before the label's bankruptcy in 2006.
Chicago Wind is the fifty-eighth studio album by American country singer and songwriter Merle Haggard, released in 2005. It peaked at number 54 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. A video was made for the track "America First".
Kickin' Out the Footlights...Again is a studio album by American country music artists George Jones and Merle Haggard, released in 2006.
In My High School is the debut album of American country music artist Blaine Larsen. It was released on 1 June 2004 on the independent label, Giantslayer Records. Its lead-off single, "In My High School", also released in 2004 peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks.
Big City is the 33rd studio album by Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1981. It was his debut on the Epic label after ending his association with MCA. Big City peaked at number three on the Billboard Country Album charts and number 161 on the Pop Album charts. It was an RIAA-certified Gold album.
Going Where the Lonely Go is the 35th studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1982.
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.
Someday We'll Look Back is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1971. It reached number 4 on the Billboard country albums chart.
Let Me Tell You About a Song is the fourteenth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1972. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard Country album chart and #166 on the Pop album chart. The lead-off singles were "Grandma Harp" and "Daddy Frank " — both reached No. 1.
It's Not Love is the fifteenth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1972. It reached number one on the Billboard country albums chart. The lead off single was "It's Not Love " which also reached No. 1 on the charts.
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.
Roots, Volume 1 is the fifty-third studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 2001. It reached Number 47 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.
I Am What I Am is the sixty-second studio album by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released on April 20, 2010 by Vanguard Records. The album peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
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.
Chill Factor is the forty-fourth studio album by American country music singer Merle Haggard, with backing by The Strangers, released on the Epic label in 1987.
5:01 Blues is the forty-sixth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard, with backing by The Strangers. It was released in 1989 and was his last studio album on the Epic label. It peaked at number 28 on the Billboard country albums chart. It was co-produced by Mark Yeary, keyboardist of The Strangers.
Like Never Before is the fifty-fifth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard. It was released in 2004 on his own label, Hag Records.
Unforgettable is the fifty-seventh studio album by American country singer and songwriter Merle Haggard, released in 2004.
