Streaming services have made listening to a wide variety of music incredibly convenient. For a few bucks a month, you can carry just about any album or single ever released in your pocket and play them anywhere. Even the oldest and hardest to find albums from classic country icons are at your fingertips. However, there’s something to be said for the sound of a vinyl record played through a decent sound system. That’s one of the many reasons music fans around the world have started building vinyl collections.
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If you’re a country fan, there are a few classic albums you should really have in your collection. Sure, we can agree that music is subjective and everyone’s collection is their own. However, it’s not a stretch to say that a country collection isn’t complete without the LPs in the list below.
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1. Mama Tried by Merle Haggard and The Strangers (1968)
No country fan’s vinyl collection is complete without at least one classic album from country legend Merle Haggard. He released dozens of LPs over the course of his long and legendary career. So, it’s hard to pick just one. However, Mama Tried is always a solid bet.
The title track is the obvious draw to this album. Hearing Hag’s signature tune on vinyl for the first time is something special. However, there is plenty more to love about this 12-song collection. Haggard flexed his songwriting skills on the title track, “I’ll Always Know,” “The Sunny Side of My Life,” and “You’ll Never Love Me Now.”
The LP also offers some top-tier cover songs. The Dolly Parton-penned “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)” is a certified classic. He also put his stamp on Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” for the album. In short, this album is classic country gold from front to back.
2. Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson (1975)
Willie Nelson released several must-have classic country albums over the course of his career. Stardust is timeless. Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages are both timeless works of art. However, if you can only add one of Nelson’s LPs to your collection, pick Red Headed Stranger.
Red Headed Stranger gave Nelson his nickname, was his first No. 1 album, and marked the beginning of the most successful era of his career. So, it’s a historically important release, especially for fans of Outlaw Country. Even if this album didn’t represent an important time in country music history, it is packed with classic tunes. “Time of the Preacher” opens the album. Side one also includes the title track and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” his first No. 1 single. Side two contains a beautiful rendition of “Down Yonder,” played by Bobbie Nelson, “Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming),” and “Hands on the Wheel,” among other classics.
3. Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar by Johnny Cash (1957)
It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of country music or not; everyone should own at least one classic album from Johnny Cash. He was another prolific artist who released plenty of must-have albums. As a result, it’s hard to pick the “right” Cash LP. So, why not grab a copy of his 1957 debut, Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar?
This is a look at the beginning of Cash’s long and storied career. This record contains plenty of songs that might be new to some fans. Tracks like “So Doggone Lonesome,” “Wreck of the Old ’97,” and “Cry! Cry! Cry!” are all classics in their own right. The album also contains early recordings of “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line,” making it a must-have for any Cash fan.
4. Memorial Album by Hank Williams (1953)
It’s altogether possible to build a collection of country vinyl without one of Hank Williams’ classic albums. But why would you? He’s one of the most influential artists in country music history. More than that, he was a magnificent songwriter with a voice that could either make you want to dance holes in your shoes or hang your head and weep. In short, if you’re going to build a vinyl collection, you need a copy of Memorial Album.
Albums weren’t a big deal when Williams was making hits. Instead, artists and recording companies counted on singles to bring in money. As a result, he released a huge stack of singles but only two full-length albums during his lifetime. Released just months after his death, Memorial Album puts some of his best songs into one package.
It contains heartbreak tunes like “Cold, Cold Heart” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart” alongside barnburners like “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” and “Hey Good Lookin’.” While it’s missing classics like “So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “Jambalaya,” Memorial Album is full of country gold and stands as a great introduction to Williams’ all-too-short career.
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