Chill Factor

About

Chill Factor is the 44th studio album by country music singer Merle Haggard, with backing by the Strangers, released on the Epic label in 1987. Chill Factor was released in the midst of the "new traditionalist" movement in country music, which saw new, younger country stars such as Randy Travis begin to dominate the charts. While several country music veterans saw their presence on country radio diminish, Haggard was one of the few from the old guard who remained relevant, with Chill Factor reaching #8 on the Billboard country album chart. However, it would be Haggard's last Top 10 album until 2007. Haggard, who had experienced drug and alcohol problems in the eighties, would be further distracted by financial difficulties in the ensuing years. In addition, long time Stranger guitarist Roy Nichols, who Haggard had played with since the early sixties, informed him that he would be retiring from the road due to ill health. In his 1999 memoir House of Memories, Haggard said of Nichols, "He is unquestionably one of the greatest guitar players in the world and definitely the greatest I've ever known closely. Until the late eighties, every successful country singer had a signature instrumental sound. Roy created mine.".

via Last.fm

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