I Love Dixie Blues...So I Recorded Live in New Orleans

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineI Love Dixie Blues was recorded live in New Orleans, not only with the Strangers but with a brass section to give the music the feel of authentic dixieland jazz. Haggard's gamble works quite well, since the brass section never feels like it's grafted onto the core band -- they sound integrated, unlike his previous experiments with dixieland horns. Of course, it helps that Hag has picked a selection of songs that emphasizes these strengths, such as his own anthem "Everybody's Had the Blues," "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," "Lovesick Blues," and "The Emptiest Arms in the World." The only thing that slows the album's momentum is Merle's insistence in providing narration between the songs in an attempt to tell the history of dixie blues. He should have known that the music itself tells the story well enough.