Oddly enough, Merle Haggard first heard the songs of Jimmie Rodgers on Lefty Frizzell's 1951 tribute record. Just as Frizzell (as well as Hank Snow and Ernest Tubb) did, Haggard took advantage of his station atop the country charts by paying homage to country's first legendary figure. Recorded across seven sessions between August 1968 and February 1969, the double-album Same Train barely registered on radar screens upon its initial release, but it remains a loving memorial to one of Hag's idols as well as one of Hag's most sensitive and engaging vocal performances. After all, Haggard could easily relate to the displaced and disillusioned characters that Rodgers portrayed. It's also testament to Rodgers's genius that his characters stayed relevant and his music fit seamlessly into the Strangers' clothes 40 years after the fact. --Marc Greilsamer