See Hayes Carll, John Doe’s Moving Merle Haggard Cover
L.A. punk legend John Doe, of X, meets Texas troubadour Hayes Carll for an acoustic version of the 1983 honky-tonk classic “I Always Get Lucky With You,” and the results are profoundly moving. The pair’s poignant in-studio performance of the tune will begin airing this weekend on Sirius/XM’s Outlaw Country channel.
Penned by Merle Haggard with the late Freddy Powers, along with Gary Church and Tex Whitson, the song was covered by Haggard in 1981. Two years later, George Jones took it to Number One. Doe and Carll, while emulating the sweet spirit of the original versions, add mournful vocal touches that serve as a fitting tribute to the country icons.
Songwriter Freddy Powers died Tuesday after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. His string of Haggard Number Ones also includes “A Place to Fall Apart.” The Spree of ’83, Powers’ authorized memoir, penned by Jake Brown with the songwriter and his wife, Catherine, will be published in February 2017.
The Hayes Carll: Lovers and Leavers special will air Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m./ET and on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m./ET on SiriusXM Outlaw Country.