''Roots, Volume 1'' is the fifty-third studio

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

singer

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

, released in 2001. It reached Number 47 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' Country Albums chart.

Background

After the success of Haggard's '' If I Could Only Fly'', his first album for the independent label

ANTI- Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. Founded by Andy Kaulkin, Anti- first gained attention by releasing Tom Waits's Grammy Award–winning '' Mule Variations'' in 1999. Other veteran recordin ...

, he followed with another successful recording with Norman Stephens, the guitarist for

Lefty Frizzell William Orville "Lefty" Frizzell (March 31, 1928 – July 19, 1975) was an American country and honky-tonk singer-songwriter. Frizell is known as one of the most influential country music vocal stylists of all time. He has been cited as in ...

, one of Haggard's major influences. Five of the album's tracks were written by Frizzell, but also pays tribute to

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

and Hank Thompson. Haggard also contributes the original composition "More Than My Old Guitar."

Reception

In his

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

review, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called ''Roots, Volume 1'' an "unexpected return to how country records used to be made" and "an album filled with small gems, but they add up to a large triumph–a rich, masterful album that's not just the best country album of 2001, but one of Haggard's finest moments."

Track listing

#" Always Late with Your Kisses" (

, Blackie Crawford) – 3:14 #"More Than My Old Guitar" (Merle Haggard) – 3:28 #"

If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" is a debut song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Lefty Frizzell, released on September 14, 1950. The song is the second song recorded by Lefty Frizzell during his first session ...

" (Frizzell, Jim Beck) – 3:02 #" Look What Thoughts Will Do" (Beck,

Little Jimmy Dickens James Cecil Dickens (December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015), better known by his stage name Little Jimmy Dickens, was an American country music singer and songwriter famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size (4'10" 50 cm, and hi ...

, Dub Dickerson, Frizzell, Richard Duncan James) – 2:28 #"My Baby's Just Like Money" (Frizzell) – 2:27 #" Honky Tonkin'" (

) – 2:51 #"Runaway Mama" (Haggard) – 4:08 #"I'll Sign My Heart Away" ( Hank Thompson) – 2:29 #"I've Got a Tender Heart" (Haggard) – 2:21 #"

The Wild Side of Life "The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at number one on the ''Billboard'' co ...

" (Arlie Carter, William Warren) – 2:42 #" Take These Chains from My Heart" ( Fred Rose,

Hy Heath Walter Henry "Hy" Heath (July 9, 1890 – April 3, 1965) was an American entertainer, songwriter, composer and writer. Born in Oakville, Tennessee, he received his education in public schools and then became a comedian in musical comedy, vaudeville ...

) – 2:42 #" I Want to Be with You Always" (Frizzell, Beck) – 3:00

Personnel

– vocals, guitar * Norm Hamlet – steel guitar *Theresa Lane Haggard – background vocals, percussion *Abe Manuel, Jr. – fiddle, mandolin, background vocals *Billy McGill – guitar *Chester Smith – guitar *Norman Stephens – guitar *Redd Volkaert – guitar *Doug Colosio – piano *Eddie Curtis – bass *Johnnie Barber – drums *Brooks Liggatt – drums Production notes: *Merle Haggard – producer *Lou Bradley – engineer *Bob McGill – engineer *Doug Sax – mastering *Robert Hadley – mastering *Jesse Fischer – art direction, design *Piper Ferguson – photography *Johnny Whiteside – liner notes

Chart performance

References

{{Authority control 2001 albums Merle Haggard albums Anti- (record label) albums