Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic
Former Starday recording artist Merle Kilgore would have an unsuccessful stint at Columbia/Epic in the mid-1960s before rejoining the fold at the newly-expanded Starday-King (the King label having consolidated with Starday upon the death of its founder/owner Syd Nathan in 1968). Starday historian emeritus Nathan D. Gibson interviewed Kilgore for 2011’s superb
Merle Kilgore really brings the pathos on an original composition that absolutely could have come from the canon of Johnny Cash: * <streaming audio no longer available> * “Baby Rocked Her Dolly” was also covered by Starday labelmates, Frankie Miller (1960) and Red Sovine (1967). However, for his own version,
Recorded by Merle Kilgore in early November, 1963 at Columbia Recording Studio in Nashville and released January 1964 as a single by MGM: “Johnny Zero“ Merle Kilgore (1963) Does Merle Kilgore sound like Johnny Cash because they were such good friends, or were Merle and Johnny good friends because their
Merle Kilgore, we learn from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame website, signed more than a few recording contracts in his life: 1953: signed his first recording contract with Imperial Records 1959: recorded albums for Starday (contract presumably signed) 1961: signed recording contract with Mercury Records 1963: signed with MGM
Merle Kilgore not only wrote “Ring of Fire” with Anita Carter but was also a good friend of Johnny Cash. Merle Kilgore penned a fair number of memorable tunes, some of which he recorded himself, such as “Baby Rocked Her Dolly,” “Go On Bruce,” “The Bell Witch” – and “42
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