 
Add Merle Haggard to the long list of singers to recently record a CD filled with standards. Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper and Queen Latifah have all done it, so why not Haggard, who has always pushed the boundaries of mainstream country music? On “Unforgettable,” he wraps his warm, earthy voice around such evergreens as “As Time Goes By,” “Pennies From Heaven” and “Cry Me A River.” Haggard, an impressive songwriter, contributes just one original, “What Love Can Do,” to the 12-song set. The rest of the time he is happy dishing up the timeless material of Gershwin and Carmichael. The relaxed, easy confidence that Haggard brings to his own material is found in equal measure here. The country crooner doesn’t break any new ground on the CD, but he does deliver a pleasant set of American standards. -- D. Kimura
|
Merle
Haggard