Fans of classic country music will be excited to learn of a new series of releases from Omnivore Recordings that will take them back in time a few years.
The company recently released four vinyl EP’s from four of the format’s greatest stars of all time. Included in the list are Capitol Rarities from Merle Haggard, United Artists Rarities from George Jones, and Wanda Jackson’s Capitol Rarities. The releases include alternate takes by the artists that have never been released.
The Haggard platter is particularly notable due to the fact that it includes his only cuts recorded in Nashville during his early years. The company will be releasing compilations on all three acts in 2013.
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The fourth release will be of note to fans of the California country sound. “Buck Sings Eagles” is, well, exactly what it claims to be. It’s Buck Owens covering four classic Eagles tracks – “Take It Easy,” “Peaceful Easy Feelin,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Tequila Sunrise.” All four songs – recorded for inclusion in “Hee Haw,” have never been released before. In fact, it’s the first time that Owens’ tracks cut for the classic TV series have ever been released.
Omnivore plans to mine that catalog again in 2013, by releasing “Honky Tonk Man: Buck Sings Country Classics,” an 18-cut collection of Owens covers recorded for the show, including “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line” and “Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone.” A collection of performance from “Hee Haw” is also in the works. Listen to “Swinging Doors” below.
The label will also release “Don Rich Sings George Jones,” the only solo album from Buck’s lead guitarist / fiddle player / harmony singer, which has sat in the Buck Owens Productions vault for over four decades. Rich passed away in a motorcycle accident in 1974.