''Chicago Wind'' is the fifty-eighth studio album by American

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

singer and songwriter

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled af ...

, released in 2005. It peaked at number 54 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' Top Country Albums chart. A video was made for the track "America First".

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

praised the album, writing "Chicago Wind is not the rough and rowdy honky tonk album some fans have been hankering for, but it is a poetic, thoughtful and empathic one that once more displays why Merle Haggard is the living king of country music."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Merle Haggard; except where indicated # "Chicago Wind" – 4:08 # "Where's All the Freedom" – 3:22 # "White Man Singin' the Blues" – 3:47 # "Leavin's Not the Only Way to Go" (

Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk-influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping Country music, country and pop hits "King of the Road (song), Ki ...

) – 3:38 # "What I've Been Meaning to Say" – 2:36 # "Mexico" – 3:11 # "Honky Tonk Man" (Dewayne Blackwell) – 3:04 # "America First" – 2:43 # "It Always Will Be" (

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

) – 4:01 # "I Still Can't Say Goodbye" (Robert Blinn, James Moore) – 3:38 # "Some of Us Fly" (with

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's ''Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996' ...

) – 6:38

Personnel

*Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar *Don Markham – trumpet *

Thom Bresh Thomas Charles Bresh (February 23, 1948 – May 23, 2022), sometimes spelled Tom Bresh, was an American country music guitarist and singer. Active from the 1970s, Bresh charted multiple singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts. Bi ...

– acoustic guitar *Doug Colosio – keyboards *

Shannon Forrest Shannon Forrest (born August 22, 1973 in Easley, South Carolina) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. As a session drummer, he has contributed to the work of many well-known artists, and he is also a pr ...

– drums *

Scott Joss Scott Joss (born 1962) is a songwriter, guitarist, mandolin player, singer, and fiddle player primarily in the American Country music traditionJohn 'Scott' Golosio: ''So, what kind of PEOPLE are these musicians?'', http://www.golosio.com/bios.h ...

– fiddle, mandolin *

Leland Sklar Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Sklar rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coaleced into a group in its own right, The Section. This group of musicians so frequ ...

– bass *

Brent Mason Brent Mason (born July 13, 1959) is an American, Nashville, Tennessee-based recording studio guitarist and songwriter, performing primarily country music. Guitar World Magazine listed him as one of the "Top Ten Session Guitarists of All Time". ...

– electric guitar *Alti Ovarsson – piano *

Herb Pedersen Herbert Joseph Pedersen (born April 27, 1944 in Berkeley, California) is an American musician, guitarist, banjo player, and singer-songwriter who has played a variety of musical styles over the past fifty years including Country music, country, ...

– banjo, background vocals *

Mike Post Mike Post (born Leland Michael Postil, September 29, 1944) is an American composer, best known for his TV theme music for various shows, including ''Law & Order''; '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''; ''The A-Team''; ''NYPD Blue''; ''Renegad ...

– guitar, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer * Michael Rhodes – bass *John "4 Daddman" Robinson – drums * Billy Joe Walker, Jr. – acoustic and electric guitar *

Biff Watson Fletcher Bangs "Biff" Watson is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. His musicianship has been a part of recording sessions for many artists. Biography Early years Raised in Chatham, Virginia, Watson learned how to play guitar at a ...

– acoustic guitar *Gabe Witcher – fiddle * Reggie Young – electric guitar

Chart performance

References

{{Authority control 2005 albums Merle Haggard albums Albums produced by Jimmy Bowen Capitol Records albums