Porter Wagoner - The Thin Man From West Plains

In this episode, we're featuring a twangy album from Porter Wagoner: "The Thin Man From West Plains" (1965). The title alludes to Porter's lanky frame and his home town of West Plains, Missouri - who by rights, would have been very proud of their famous export. Wagoner was in his element in 1965 - his Porter Wagoner TV show had been in syndication for four years at that point, it was a hit in over 50 cities around the country, and with his band The Wagonmasters - he was one of the most in-demand touring acts of the time. And the music he was making in that era only served to fuel his popularity: with the iconic Buck Trent on electric banjo, Mack Magaha on fiddle and Don Warden on steel guitar - this album shines in Porter's typical down-home uptempo fashion. Songs of tragedy, yes, but mixed with a wry sense of fun that makes this the most addictive of country music. Hits like "I'll Go Down Swinging", "Sorrow On The Rocks" and album cuts including "Lovin' Lies" and "My Baby Turns The Lights On Uptown" cement this as example of how good 60s country music could be.