Merle Travis in Boston 1959

AMG Review of Merle Travis in Boston 1959

Zac Johnson
All Music Guide

This warm live recording from 1959 finds Merle Travis all alone on his acoustic six-string, the perfect accompaniment to his robust voice. Splitting time between instrumentals and vocal numbers like "Dark as a Dungeon," "John Henry," and the ubiquitous "Sixteen Tons," Travis' singing and legendary picking are pristinely recorded, alternating between being darkly chilling and joyously grinning. It may seem like a foot race to have 22 tracks in 43 minutes, but nearly every tune is introduced by Travis with a quick story or humorous anecdote, so the 16 actual songs are each given ample time. Blurring the line between country and folk, Travis was never in better form, and his songs are as timeless in the 21st century as they were when they were written.