Recorded from 1996 to 1999,
Merle Haggard's
Peer Sessions finds the singer and guitarist in a relaxed and friendly setting, revisiting many of music publisher Peermusic's best-loved songs. Fellow Country Music Hall of Fame member
Roy Horton worked with
Haggard in selecting which compositions from
Ralph S. Peer's extensive library to choose from, and the pair came up with 12 songs from the pens of
Jimmie Rodgers,
Jimmie Davis,
Floyd Tillman, and
Tommy Duncan, among others. The sessions are loose and informal, with
Haggard's rough but tender vocals rolling around the lyrics, keeping the new recordings faithful to the original recordings, but with his own unmistakable touch. Overall,
The Peer Sessions work both as an interesting collection of classic country songs and a solid individual work.