Tulare Dust
A songwriters' tribute to Merle Haggard

  1. Tulare Dust/They're Tearin' the Labor Camps Down (Tom Russell)
  2. Big City (Iris Dement)
  3. A Workin' Man Can't Get Nowhere Today (Peter Case)
  4. Holding Things Together (Dwight Yoakum)
  5. Daddy Frank (Robert Earl Keen and the Sunshine Boys)
  6. White Line Fever (Joe Ely)
  7. My Own Kind of Hat (Rosie Flores)
  8. Shopping for Dresses (Steve Young)
  9. Silver Wings (Marshall Crenshaw)
  10. Irma Jackson (Barrence Whitefield)
  11. You Don't Have Very Far to Go (Lucinda Williams)
  12. Ramblin' Fever (Billy Joe Shaver)
  13. I Can't Believe Myself (Katy Moffatt)
  14. I Can't Hold Myself In Line (John Doe)
  15. Kern River (Dave Alvin)
1994 Hightone Records: HCD 8058

Merle Haggard could have a whole page to himself. I'll just reproduce part of the inside liner notes from the album's executive producers, Tom Russell and Dave Alvin.

The music of Merle Haggard embodies a unique vision and spirit of independence. From it's beginnings in the uncompromising, hard-edged California coundtry sound, Haggard's legacy has grown to include a diverse array of influences and directions that make it one of the most important bodies of American musical work.

This project wasn't conceived of as "the stars doing Merle's hits"; just a group of acclaimed roots performers singing their favorite Merle song. As we listened back to the performances we were moved by each singer's ability to get inside the Haggard song and make it his or her own.

Robert was in Philadelphia doing the play Chippy at the time and recorded his cut of "Daddy Frank" at Studio 4 in Philadelphia. The track features the Sunshine Boys who were Lloyd Maines (acoustic guitar, dobro, harmony vocals); Dave Heath (upright bass, harmony vocals); Davis McLarty (drums & percussion); and Richard Bowden (fiddle).

Click here to hear a Real Audio sample of Robert's version of "Daddy Frank." (39K)

In October 1994, Merle Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.


Return to The Albums page
Return to The Robert Earl Page