Season 1, Episode 4

Aired 7/6/69

Waylon Jennings does "Lonely Weekends" and "Only Daddy." As with Haggard, it has to be said, "What happened?!!" Okay, I read Waylon's autobio, so I know what happened with him. Style-wise, Waymore apparently hadn't caught up to his band, who look like the mid-'60s Rolling Stones, while he's still clean-shaven with his hair slicked back into a conservative pompadour. The authoritative voice, singular guitar, and slightly menacing/sexual presence are all here in spades, though. The fade-out on "Lonely Weekends" is abrupt and disconcerting. Who was responsible for the sound on this show? The mule? Beauregard the dog?

Connie Smith. Excellent performance of "Ribbon of Darkness." Hard to go wrong with such a great song, and she does it straightforward and well.

Buck Owens and the Buckaroos do "Sam's Place" and "Crying Time." Terrific, as usual. Don Rich tears up the guitar on "Sam's Place." I can't wait to see Buck and Ray Charles do "Crying Time" (Season 3, Episode 3).

Roy Clark. Normally, I probably wouldn't comment on Roy's instrumental numbers. Suffice to say he can play the heck outta anything with strings. This one's a little more interesting, though. "Overdue Blues" is a rocking tune that wouldn't've been at all out of place on pop radio in '69. In fact, it's even a little groovy. Perhaps to enhance this effect, Roy's performance is accompanied by Lulu Roman (!) doing her version of an interpretive dance in the dimly-lit background. Lulu sways and hangs her head sullenly, wearing what I can only describe as a pair of psychedelic pajamas. It's said Ms. Roman had a thing with drugs in her youth. Watching this, I can believe it.

Season 1, Episode 1

Aired 6/15/69

Charley Pride might not seem like the first choice to head the pilot episode, when so many bigger stars followed, but Charley was at the height of his popularity at the time, and his performances of "Kaw-Liga" and "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) show why.

Loretta Lynn, who was on practically every country music show in the '60s, does "Your Squaw's On the Warpath." The band I used to be in did a cover of this, and I can attest it's a blast to play on guitar. What else can I say, except great song by the Queen.

Buck Owens. A highlight of the early seasons is Buck and the original Buckaroos, with the great Don Rich. On this episode, they do one of my favorites, "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass." Unfortunately, instead of Buck and the 'roos performing, viewers are treated to a crude "music video" consisting of people pushing lawnmowers around. No wonder Buck quit the show.

Grandpa Jones was an absolute barbarian on clawhammer banjo, as evidenced in episode 3 of the first season. Here, he does "The Banjo Am the Instrument for Me." It certainly are.

The Hager Twins. I don't remember why it was I hated Jim and Jon Hager so much. They're actually pretty cool in these early episodes, like here, doing "Six Days On the Road."