The 1970s saw some of the best albums and songs in country music history hit record store shelves. Guy Clark and John Prine released their debut albums during the decade. At the same time, major artists like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, and many more put out unforgettable records. Those top-tier artists also put out some albums that, while great, don’t get the love they deserve decades later.
Videos by American Songwriter
Today, we’re rolling back the clock to the 1970s to look at some albums from country legends that don’t get much attention in the modern age. In the list below, you’ll find albums that mark pivotal moments in legendary careers and records made as tributes to the heroes of genre legends.
[RELATED: 4 Hit Country Songs From the 1970s That Disappeared Without a Trace]
1. Singer of Sad Songs by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and a few other artists forged the Outlaw Country movement with a stack of timeless albums during the 1970s. The decade saw Jennings release classics like Honky Tonk Heroes, Ladies Love Outlaws, Dreaming My Dreams, Ol’ Waylon, and I’ve Always Been Crazy among others. However, those albums on which he had the lion’s share of creative control may not have happened without his 1970 album Singer of Sad Songs.
As the story goes, Jennings recorded all but one song on this album in Hollywood with producer Lee Hazlewood. At the time, RCA Victor wanted all of its country albums recorded and produced in Nashville. Because Jennings chose to buck the system, the label didn’t promote the album. As a result, it peaked at No. 23 on the country albums chart, making it one of his lowest-charting releases of the decade. This brought his frustrations with the label to the surface. Three years later, he would record Honky Tonk Heroes.
2. The Fairest of them All by Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton released a stack of classic albums and began to climb the ranks of country stardom during the 1970s. The decade saw her break away from Porter Wagoner and forge her own path with major releases like Jolene, Joshua, Coat of Many Colors, and New Harvest, First Gathering, among others. Today, fans list her among the genre’s greatest songwriters, and The Fairest of Them All is part of the reason for that.
It was her fifth full-length album as a solo artist and the first on which she wrote most of the songs alone. Where her previous releases saw her cutting outside songs or co-writing, The Fairest of Them All saw her coming into her own as a writer. She cut one of her uncle Bill Owens’ songs, co-wrote two tracks, and penned the remaining eight tracks solo.
3. To Lefty from Willie by Willie Nelson
Like his longtime friend, collaborator, and fellow country legend Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson released several immortal albums during the 1970s. Shotgun Willie, Phases and Stages, and Red Headed Stranger came out between 1973 and 1974 and remain incredibly popular. Additionally, Nelson released the immortal album of pop standards, Stardust, during the decade. The ’70s also saw him release a tribute to Lefty Frizzell.
Frizzell was a prolific songwriter and highly influential singer. Nelson, George Jones, Merle Haggard, and many other greats cite him as an influence. He died in the summer of 1975 inspiring Nelson to record this tribute album later that year. However, it wouldn’t see the light of day until 1977.
This album is solid country gold. On it, Nelson covers classics like “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “I Never Go Around Mirrors,” and “Always Late (With Your Kisses).” Everything about this album makes it one that is on par in quality with the trio of timeless records he released early in the decade.
4. A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (Or, My Salute to Bob Wills) by Merle Haggard
Country icon Merle Haggard released plenty of stellar albums during the 1970s. His chart-topping record Hag dropped in 1971. If We Make It Through December landed at No. 4 in 1974. He ended the decade with the legendary platter Serving 190 Proof. Those albums still get some attention. However, many tend to overlook his first album of the decade, a tribute to the father of Western Swing, Bob Wills.
By 1970, Haggard had massive hits with songs like “Okie from Muskogee” and “The Fightin’ Side of Me.” As a result, people expected more politically-charged social commentary rooted in the Bakersfield Sound. However, as the decade dawned, he teamed up with members of Wills’ band The Texas Playboys–Johnny Gimble, Johnnie Lee Wills, Eldon Shamblin, Joe Holley, and Tiny Moore–to record a Western Swing album.
Haggard, The Strangers, and The Texas Playboys covered a dozen songs from Wills’ deep catalog, staying true to the originals. As a result, this album is a must-hear for fans of classic country or Western Swing.
Featured Image Barr/Mediapunch/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.