Songs For Saturday: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap, Linda Ronstadt, the Soggy Bottom Boys and John Prine

Hi there! Welcome to my weekly music post, Songs For Saturday.


Today, I'll take a foray into country music.

Way back in the day while I was in college, I worked summers at a country music station. I only had a passing familiarity with a genre but I did acquire some favorite songs.

Our first song is one of those, a collaboration between Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. Merle recently passed away and the news of his passing reminded me of this haunting ballad, a story about an outlaw and his lawman pursuer, "Pancho and Lefty. "








Another performer I heard a lot during my time in country radio was Ronnie Milsap. His songs would also make it into rotation during my time working for an adult contemporary station.

"Any Day Now" is on this list because it remains a persistent ear worm after nearly 4 decades.

When I tend to get impatient waiting for someone (usually my wife Andrea), I tend to mutter in exasperation, "Any day now." And guess what song starts to play in my head?

This one: "Any Day Now" by Ronnie Milsap. 

Linda Ronstadt was a performer who bridged the divides between country, pop and rock. Some country music purists weren't happy when I would slip a Linda Ronstadt into the mix in my time in country radio.

But this particular track was a favorite of my. The incomparable Linda Ronstadt  with "Poor, Poop Pitiful Me."

This next song is maybe the newest and the oldest song in today's set.  "A Man of Constant Sorrow" is a highlight of the soundtrack for the Cohen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou?  It also a song from the early days of country music, closer to its roots in blue grass and folk music.

Hey, y'all! It's the Soggy Bottom Boys!

Wrapping up today's post is a more recent discovery. I had heard of John Prine but I never sought out his music. But the news of his passing this week led me to listen to some of his music and I liked what I heard. Prine was a gifted song writer and storyteller.

This is "Paradise" by John Prine.

By all accounts, John Prine was not only a considerable talent but a kind hearted gentleman.

That's that for today's post.

Remember to stay safe, be good to one another and always keep the music alive.