An Article From Life - The Complete Recordings (20-CD Deluxe Box Set & Book)

8 T H E E A R LY Y E A R S I t was the fall of 1973, at one of those late-night Nashville hotel room jam sessions where they sit around with some- body's old Martin and a couple of bottles of Jack Daniels Black Label trading songs and stories. Johnny Rodriguez was there, hot from three #1 hits in a row, as was Kenny Serratt, fresh from a new MGM contract. Merle Haggard was holding court, in from the coast plugging his new one called If We Make It Through Decem- ber . The fourth man in the room was the oldest, and looked older; he was a big, easygoing man who spoke with a soft Texas drawl, and dressed in a fringed shirt with a long wide collar and wore his gray- ing hair long and swept back. After the four had traded songs for a while, Merle Haggard sat back and pointed to the big man and said, "Right there. That's where all the Haggards, Rodriguezes and Serratts come from!" The big man looked startled, then embarrassed, and folded his hands in front of him. A big ring sparkled on his left hand, a big ring with diamonds that formed the initials L.F. E veryone in the room knew it stood for Lefty Frizzell.